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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: RON-SAC |
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SABBATAI SEBI (1626-1676) , Jewish mystic, whose Messianic claims produced an unparalleled sensation throughout the world, was born in Smyrna. He was of Spanish descent and was gifted with a personality of rare fascination . As a lad he was attracted by the mysticism of Luria (q.v.), which impelled him to adopt the ascetic life. He passed his days and nights in a condition of ecstasy, He began to dream of the fulfilment of Messianic hones, being supported in his vision by the outbreak of English Millenarianism. Christian visionaries fixed the year 1666 for the millennium, and in his appeal to Cromwell on behalf of the return of the Jews to England Menasseh ben Israel (q.v.) made strong appeal to this belief. Sabbatai's father (Mordecai) was the Smyrna agent for an English hopse, and often heard of the expectations of the English Fifth Monarchy men. Dazzled by this confirmation of his nascent confidence, Sabbatai for a time found himself the object of suspicion and even persecution. This treatment, so far from extinguishing the flame, eventually converted it into a conflagration. It was in 1648 (the year which Kabbalists had calculated as the year of salvation) that Sabbatai proclaimed himself Messiah, and in Constantinople came across an able but somewhat unscrupulous man, who pretended that he had been warned by a prophetic voice that Sabbatai was indeed the long-awaited Redeemer. Others believed in him, but at first his adherents were a small circle of devotees who kept their faith a secret . He charmed men by his sweet singing of Psalms, and children were always fascinated by him. And now the era of his miracles begins. He journeyed to Jerusalem, and there was the instrument for conferring unexpected services on the community. An oppressive exaction was imposed by a local pasha, and in order to win the succour of Raphael Halebi, Sabbatai repaired to Cairo, being on his route at Hebron hailed as Messiah. His mission was completely successful. At Cairo Sabbatai married. As a boy he had been married and divorced twicebut these were merely nominal unions. Now, however, the romantic story of a beautiful girl (Sarah) was on people's lips; she was firm in her assertion that she was the destined bride of the Messiah. Sabbatai had, at the same time, announced that in a dream a spiritual bride had been promised to him. At the house
triumph
Israel and the salvation of the world through the bloodless victory of Sabbatai " riding on a lion with a seven-headed dragon in his jaws "'(Graetz). Again 1666 was given as the apocalyptic year. Threatened with excommunication by the Rabbis of Jerusalem, Sabbatai returned to Smyrna (autumn of 1665). Here he was received with wild enthusiasm, and the masses were carried beyond all bounds. With delirious joy the Jews of Smyrnamen, women and childrenfell down and worshipped. They prepared for the return.. Men left their work
Rabbi
movement
The literature on the life and career of this remarkable man is very extensive. Sabbatai Sebi figures largely in English books of the period. A valuable account is given in particular by Graetz, History of the Jews, vol. v. ch. iv. 1. Zangwill has a brilliant sketch of Sabbatai's career in his Dreamers of the Ghetto. (I. A.) End of Article: SABBATAI SEBI (1626-1676) If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
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