Sabbatean Movement
Also known as the Sabbateans or Sabbatians. This is a group of followers, disciples, & believers in Sabbatai Zevi (1626-1676). He was proclaimed to be THE Jewish Messiah in 1666 (Because of course that’s the year!) by Nathan of Gaza. Zevi was active in the Ottoman Empire. Many Jews (in the Jewish diaspora) accepted his claims. Even though he outwardly became an apostate due to his forced conversion to Islam in 1666.
Sabbatai Zevi was born in Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey). From a young age, he was a brilliant student of the Tulmud & the Kabbalah.
He exhibited what would today be diagnosed as bi-polar disorder. He had periods of deep “estrangement” (depression) followed by “illumination” (mania). During his manic phases, Sabbatai would commit “strange acts” (ma’asim zarim), like pronouncing the forbidden Tetragrammaton (THE name of God) or deliberately breaking Jewish dietary laws.
He was a Sephardic ordained rabbi. Sephardic (Jews) are a Jewish population associated with communities of the Iberian Peninsula. He was a kabbalist of Romaniote origin. Romaniotes are a Greek-speaking ethnic Jewish community. His followers became known as Donmeh “converts” or crypto-Jews. The Donmeh are a group of Sabbatean crypto-Jews but practiced their Jewish (& Kabbalistic) beliefs in secret.
In 1665, Zevi sought out Nathan of Gaza for spiritual healing. But Nathan flipped the script on our boy, Sabbatai. Nathan declared Sabbatai was actually THE Messiah. Nathan then becomes the de facto PR/agent for Mr. Zevi & his meager movement.
He wrote letters to Jewish communities across Europe, North Africa, & the Middle East. These letters claimed that the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire would soon be disposed of. Then Sabbatai would then lead the Jews back to, take a wild guess to where, Jerusalem.
In February 1666, when getting to Constantinople, Sabbatai was imprisoned on the order of the Grand Vizier Kopruluzade Fazil Ahmed Pasha. In September 1666, after being moved from different prisons around the capital to Adrianople (the imperial court’s seat) for judgment on accusations of sedition. (This is the same charge that Jesus was charged with.)
Sabbatai was given by the Grand Vizier, in the name of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed IV. So Sabbatai was given a choice: the death penalty (by facing some kind of ordeal), or convert to Islam. Sabbatai chose conversion by putting on a turban from then on.
He was rewarded by the heads of the Ottoman state with a generous pension for his compliance with their political, & religious, plans.
Nathan argued that the Messiah had to descend into the heart of the “Other Side” (Islam) to liberate the final sparks of holiness from within. This led to the idea of faith through transgression. The idea that in the messianic age, the only way to fulfill the law was to break it.
Sabbatai’s conversion to Islam was extremely dishearting for the world’s Jewish communities. In spite of Sabbatai’s apostasy, many of his adherents still tenaciously clung to him, claiming that his conversion was a part of the Messianic scheme.
Many in Sabbatai’s inner circle followed him into Islam, including his wife, Sarah & most of his closest relatives & friends. Nathan of Gaza, the closest to Sabbatai, never followed his “master” into Islam. Nathan remained a Jew, albeit excommunicated by his fellow Jews.
Inside the Ottoman Empire, those followers of Sabbatai who had converted to Islam. But secretly continued Jewish observances & Brit milah became known as the Donmeh (Turkish: donme “convert”). They remained a distinct social group well into the 20th century.
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