| The Hug ha-Iyyun, Circle of Contemplation, was one of the three major groups of 13th century Jewish theosophical writings, connected with the incipience of medieval Jewish mysticism. Hitherto it has been assumed that Sefer ha-Iyyun, the central treatise of the Hug, was one distinct text. New manuscript findings are presented, which demonstrate that Sefer ha-Iyyun underwent a series of major and minor recensions. Collectively they are referred to as Sifrei ha-Iyyun, the Books of Contemplation.;The newly discovered Ur-text of Sefer ha-Iyyun presents radical theosophical formulations, analysed herein, including the theory of Divine auto-genesis, which is compared to a similar theory in Maayan ha-Hokh-mah, the other seminal text of the Hug. Later recensions censored these radical formulations and it was suggested that this was in response to a contemporary, anti-kabbalistic campaign.;All of these findings necessitate the need for a fundamental restructuring of the historiography of the early period of the Kabbalah.;Critical editions of 12 texts are offered, including translations and annotations of the four major recensions. Although it is generally assumed that Sefer ha-Iyyun was written around the year 1200, in Provence, an extensive analysis of the historical data leads to the conclusion that the major recensions were composed between 1235 and 1260, in Castile. This is based, in part, on the determination that R. Azriel of Gerona influenced the Sifrei ha-Iyyun, and not vice versa. Other manuscript findings establish a significant link between the Hasidei Ashkenaz, German Pietists, and the writers of the Sifrei ha-Iyyun, especially in terms of a theosophical treatise by R. Meshullam ha-Zadoki of Brittany, a previously unknown figure. |
