The Israeli Doctor who Saved Newton's Manuscripts

Lately the media announced an astonishing discovery - mystical manuscripts of Isaac Newton, the father of modern physics, have been discovered in Jerusalem. In honor of Newton's coming birthday, which (very significantly) is his 365 one, Talila Stan reveals here, for the very first time, the surprising story behind the healines

The mystical manuscripts of Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the great English scientist were kept secret for centuries so as not “to sully the image” of one of the pillars of modern science. Newton’s biographers who glorified the greatness of the Father of Modern Physics, didn’t mention his “other manuscripts”. The British Museum joined the conspiracy of silence and refused to display these I“embarrassing” papers. Having no one interested in them, Newton's manuscripts were donated inI the 1950’s to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, which apparently never considered showing them to the public, seemingly for the same reasons, and stored them in the basement.

The manuscripts would have continued to gather dust, were it not for the Israeli Doctor who saved them from oblivion. The Israeli Doctor is Dr. Yoav Ben-Dov of the Tel Aviv University, a lecturer on quantum theory and the philosophy of science.

The retrieving of Newton's manuscripts

And this is the way it happened - I

In 1995 I attended by chance a lecture on quantum physics in the Tel Aviv University. As I had no prior knowledge of the subject I could hardly understood what was being said. Yet a remark by Dr. Ben Dov, although mentioned in a rather minor manner, made me jump. Dr. Ben-Dov said that mystical manuscripts by Newton are stored in the basement of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Following this revelation, I wrote an article titled “The Mystery of Newton’s Hidden Manuscripts” in a booklet I published. In parallel I met Dr. Ben Dov and together we decided to initiate an “outing” of the manuscripts. As the booklet in which I exposed the story together with a plea for researchers to unravel their mysteries, had no chance of reaching the wide public, we had to rely on more effective means of publication. Therefore I contacted Jo Strich the representative in Israel of the French Press Agency, whose acquaintance I had the good luck to make just a few months before, owing to a string of surprising coincidences.

A few days after we “leaked” the story to Mr. Strich the following news item was published by the French Press Agency – I

(French Follows English)

This News Item was published/circulated world wide by the French Press Agency on June 17 1997

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Israel-science

Israelis say Isaac Newton believed in astrology

Tel Aviv, June 17 (AFP) -

Isaac Newton, the English scientist who discovered the law of gravity, was also an astrology buff, two Israeli academics claimed Tuesday. v i

Professor Yoav Ben-Dov, of Tel Aviv University, and astrologer Talila Stan, bestselling author, said that in manuscripts buried in the national library Newton discusses his ideas on astrology, his mystical meditations and his passion for alchemy.

The English scientist, who died in 1727, discovered the law of gravity and the foundation of differential calculus and invented the telescope. The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, which houses the national library, acquired the manuscripts dozens of years ago after the British Museum rejected them "so as not to sully the image of one of the pillars of positive science," as Ben-Dov said. They were then offered to the Hebrew University, which apparently never considered showing them to the public, apparently for the same reasons. Stan recently learned of their existence on a conference on quantum theory by Ben-Dov and decided to make them known. Backed by the Israeli Astrology Association, she intends to publish copies of the original manuscripts. "I want the whole world to be able to see that science and astrology aren't incompatible," she said.

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Israël-science-histoire

Newton aurait été féru d'astrologie

TEL-AVIV' 17 juin (AFP) - Le savant anglais Isaac Newton (1642-1727) s'adonnait aussi à l'astrologie soutiennent. preuves à l'appui, en Israël, un professeur Yoav Ben-Dov, qui enseigne à l'université de Tel-Aviv, et l'astrologue Mme Talila Sten, qui est l'auteur de plusieurs best-sellers, affirment avoir eu connaisance de nombreux manuscrits apocryphes qui se trouveraient enfouis dans les archives de la bibiothéque nationale à l'université hébraîque de Jerusalem.

Dans ces manuscripts, l’auteur de la loi de lattraction universelle expose ses conceptions astrologiques, ses mèditations mystiques et son engouement pour l'alchimie, a expliqué à l' AFP le professeur BenDov.

Ces manuscripts, a-t-il poursuivi, ont été acquis il y a plusieurs dizaines

d'annèes par un universitaire juif après que le British Museum les eût refusés "afin de ne pas ternir l'image d'un des pilers de la science positive". Ils ont été ensuite offerts à l'université hébraïque, qui n'a jamais songé à les montrer au public, sansdoute pour les mêmes motifs.

Lorsqu'elle apprit récemment leur existence, au hasard d'une conférence donnée par le professeur Ben-Dovsur la théorie des quanta, Mme Sten décida de tout mettre en oeuvre pour les "mettre a jour".

Appuyée par l'Association israélienne d'astrologie, elle entend tout mettre en oeuvre, et notamment les bénéfices de son prochain livre "l'astrologie pour tous", pour publier des photocopies des manuscrits originaux. "Je veux que tout le monde puisse voir que science et astrologie ne sont pas inompatibles", dit-elle, fière de sa coopération avec un représentant de l'académie.

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