orig. Moses ben Shem Tov
born 0441; 1240, León
died 1305, Arevalo
Reputed author of the Sefer ha-zohar , the most important work of Jewish mysticism.
Little is known of his life, though he is believed to have lived in Guadalajara (the centre for Spanish adherents of the Kabbala ) until 1290 and later to have traveled widely. He represented the Zohar as an ancient book that he had discovered, but it is more likely a work of his own authorship.