 The "Tosafot", medieval commentaries on the Talmud, say that the four sages "did not go up literally, but it appeared to them as if they went up".On the other hand, Louis Ginzberg, writes in the "Jewish Encyclopedia" (1901–1906) that the journey to paradise "is to be taken literally and not allegorically".In contrast to the Kabbalists, Maimonides interprets "pardes" as philosophy and not mysticism.