by Katz, Yoram
Generally, all the descriptions of historical events and historical figures in the book are based on historical sources. This is true for the Napoleonic expedition to the Middle East in 1798-99, and for the fall of Acre in 1291. The history of Kabbalah and the controversies surrounding the origins of ‘Sefer Yetzira’ and the ‘Book of Zohar’ are reviewed quite accurately, and so are, in general, the story of Shimon Bar Yochai and the events and atmosphere in Judea of the first and second century AD.
The Templars Philippe de Charney, Louis de Clairvaux and Mark de Tramelay are fictional yet probable characters of their time. All the rest are based on historical figures.
As for the famed Templar secret found in the ruins of the Temple - it is hard to believe that any item could have survived the total destruction of the Temple and its vicinity, inflicted by Titus in 70 AD and pursued by Hadrian in 130 AD, as well as the construction of the Mosques there by Caliph Umar in 637. On the other hand, it is indeed difficult to explain the meteoric rise of the Templars from naught to Empire.
The de Charneys: The only historical figure in the de Charney family is Geoffroi de Charney. Roland and Pascal, as well as Pascal’s friends, Bernard and Gaston, and Bernard’s father, Henry, are fictional yet probable characters. Most other 18th century characters mentioned throughout the book are real historical figures.
The story of the Bakri family in Algiers is historically accurate, but the Safedi branch of the family, including Rivka, is fictional.
While the contemporary Carmelite characters in this book are fictional, the general story of the Carmelites is historically accurate. The Stella Maris Monastery still stands in Haifa, and it did serve as Napoleon’s rear hospital in 1799.
The descriptions of Kabbalistic rituals and Kabbalah theory presented here are based on credible sources and publications. However, as there are rival schools of thought within practically every doctrine, I expect different people may present it in different ways. The supposed link between Kabbalah and Christianity is a topic which has been raised and debated by scholars, while the link between Jesus and ‘Sefer Yetzira’ is pure speculation.
As for the story of Jesus and early Christianity: The historical facts are there, and the lately discovered data mentioned in the book is real. The story of the two scrolls and the plan devised by Jesus and Judas are purely speculative.
One thing I learned in the process of writing this book is that it is not too difficult to come up with a conspiracy theory and substantiate it. It is probably as easy as defending an old and improbable established myth.
The lesson I take from this, and which I hope to share with you, dear reader, is that we should always use common sense and good judgment when examining a new and thrilling conspiracy theory, as well as when examining an old and established dogma.
Both can be incredibly enlightening, terribly misleading or even both simultaneously - it is up to us always to keep an open, inquisitive and critical mind.
Y.K.
2013
Maps
Map of Acre – Marino Sanuto (1321)
The Playground
(Google Earth 2013, Image Landsat, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO)
Northern Israel
(Google Earth 2013, Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO, Image 2013© Digital Globe)
Acknowledgement
‘Tree of Life’ diagram (Ch. 33, 35) – based on Friedhelm Wessel/CC-BY-SA-3.0
Author’s Notes
* * *
[i] Bar Mitzvah - thirteen years of age, when a young Jew is considered an adult
[ii] Talmud - a canonical collection of ancient writings on Jewish law
[iii] Jewish rabbis are often referred to by their initials.
[iv] Saracen - Muslim
[v] Directory - France’s governing council of five elected directors
[vi] When I sharpen my flashing sword… Deuteronomy 32:41
[vii] One Paris foot = ~32.5 cm
[viii] Hassidism - A branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through Jewish mysticism
[ix] Haredi - God fearing
[x] Torah – Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament
[xi] Galley - a ship propelled mostly by rowers
[xii] Tefillin or phylacteries - a set of two small leather boxes containing inscribed parchment and equipped with leather straps. It is worn by observant Jews during Morning Prayer.
[xiii] “Not unto us O Lord, not unto us but unto thy name give glory.” - Psalm 115
[xiv] A Cohen is a member of the priestly caste and must avoid impure objects.
[xv] Pikuach Neffesh - Lifesaving; Judaism allows waiving very strict commandments, if saving a life is at stake.
[xvi] In the battle of Abukir, off the Egyptian coast in 1798, the British destroyed the French navy.
[xvii] IDF – Israel Defense Forces
[xviii] Mitzvah - a good deed done from religious duty
[xix] Ecclesiastes 3:1
[xx] Sephardi Jews are descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in 1492.
[xxi] 101 is the emergency number of the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross.
