Moses de León

Moses de León, also known as Moshe ben Shem-Tov, was a prominent Spanish rabbi and Kabbalist who lived from approximately 1240 to 1305. He is notable for being the first to publicly release the Zohar, a foundational text of Jewish mysticism. De León claimed that the Zohar was based on an ancient manuscript by Shimon ben Yochai, but modern scholars have raised questions about the authenticity of this claim, suggesting that the work may be his own.

In addition to the Zohar, Moses de León wrote several other works, including Sefer ha-Rimon, a Hebrew text that showcases his knowledge of Jewish mysticism. He also authored numerous commentaries, responsa, and Kabbalistic tracts, many of which were attributed to earlier authorities. This practice of attributing his own works to respected figures of the past has been noted by scholars, who continue to study de León's contributions to the field of Judaism and his impact on the development of Kabbalistic thought.