JUDAH, Ben Samuel, Jewish mystic: b. Speyer, probably about the middle of the 12th century; d. 1217. His school at Ratisbon, founded in 1195, became noted far and wide and was attended by many pupils destined to become famous and influential. So noted did he become as a moralist and mystic that many works appear to have been ascribed to him in which he had no part. Among the numerous works attributed to him, he appears to be the author of 'Sefer ha-kabod> (the 'Book of the Divine Majesty)) ; 'Sefer Hasidim) (the 'Book of the Pious)) ; and a commentary on the Pentateuch. The latter, which has been lost, is known only by references to it in more recent works and in citations from it in later commentaries. The 'Book of the Pious,' which is considered his most important work, is par tially a treatise on morality and mysticism; in which a fine distinction is made between the ((divine Majesty' which is revealed to angels and men, and the 'divine Being,' who is not so revealed to humanity because he is too infinitely great for all human conception. This work
became the text for the Judah sect which placed great stress on this fanciful distinction between the 'divine Majesty" and the ((divine Being.' Critics are now inclined to dispute Judah's authorship of all of this work except the first 26 sections. Judah Ben Samuel had a great influence over his followers, not so much on account of the originality of his thought and the accuracy of his reasoning and philosophical speculations as because of his deep earnestness, his loftiness of aspiration and his real nobility of character. This influence was increased by his strong desire and tireless efforts to discover the great truths of the Bible and the hidden meaning of its priests, prophets and philoso phers. Consult Gratz. 'Geschichte der Jude& (Vol. VI, Leipzig 1894) ; Schlossinger, 'Juda Ben-Samuel' (in the 'Jewish Encyclopedia,' New York 1914); Zung, 'Literaturgeschichte der Synagogalen (Berlin 1864).