Conceal material which can cause confusion

Ohr HaChaim (Devarim 34:6): I saw in the commentary of the Ibn Ezra that Yehoshua - and not Moshe - wrote the last verses in the Torah. However, when explaining the plain meaning of the text one should not state the view that Moshe did not actually complete the writing of the Torah [Even though this view is stated by our sages in Bava Basra 15a]. I myself have heard that people get confused from this view which can lead to denial of the validity of the Torah. In fact, this is the claim of the non Jews that the Jews made up the text and that there are things in it that didn’t happen … Therefore one should only present the view that Moshe wrote the whole Torah as it states in Bava Basra (15a).

Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 1:17): Don’t think that theology is the only thing that should be withheld from the masses. Most of science should also be kept from them. In fact, we have repeatedly cited the statement of our sages (Chagiga 11b) that Maaseh Bereishis [physics according to the Rambam] should not be taught in the presence of two people. This concealment of information from the masses is not unique to Judaism but was also characteristic of the philosophers and the non Jewish sages of the ancient world. They would conceal the basic principles of wisdom by presenting them as riddles… Now if the secular sages found a need to conceal information from the masses by using figurative expressions and similes - even though there was no danger of loss - surely it is appropriate for the religious community not to express issues which are difficult for the masses to understand or that they understand it different than what is meant.

Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim Introduction): The seventh reason why an author seems to contradict himself occurs when discussing very deep and profound issues. It is necessary to conceal some aspects of the information and to reveal some. In order to accomplish this concealment it might be necessary in one place to utilize one set of principles and in another context it might be necessary to utilize a different set of fundamental principles - even though the principles contradict each other. Obviously, the author should write in such a way that the ignorant masses are totally unaware of the internal contradiction.

Shabbos (13b): If it hadn’t been for Chanania ben Chezkiah the book of Yirmiyahu would have been concealed because there are statement in it which appear to contract the Torah. He was able to show that it did not contract the Torah.

Shabbos (30b): The Sages wanted to conceal the book of Koheles because its words seem to contradict each other. Why wasn’t it concealed? Because the beginning is words of Torah and the end is words of Torah…