The classic source regarding literary forgeries in Jewish writing is that of the Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 112a:“Rabbi Akiva commanded Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai to do five matters when Rabbi Akiva was imprisoned […] if you wish to strangle yourself, hang yourself on a tall tree.
“This proverb means that if one wants others to accept what he has to say, he should attribute his statement to a great man.”
ReplyDelete“אם בקשת ליחנק – לומר דבר שיהיה נשמע לבריות ויקבלו ממך. היתלה באילן גדול – אמור בשם אדם גדול.”
According to Rashi’s interpretation, this source permits fabricating a quote from an authority in order to be believed"
human nature being what it is, this means that no human tradition is 100% liable, not even that by rabbis