Sabbatai Zevi : Testimonies to a Fallen Messiah

Sabbatai Zevi (1626-1676) stirred up the Jewish world of the mid-17th century by claiming to be the messiah, then stunned it by suddenly converting to Islam. His story, and that of the movement he created, is a landmark event in early modern Jewish history. Halperin brings us three testimonies by Sabbatai Zevi's followers of the life and deeds of their messiah. These are the Najara Chronicle, an eyewitness narrative; Baruch of Arezzo's Memorial to the children of Israel, a biography of Sabbatai; and the hagiography composed in 1692 by Abraham Cuenque of Hebron. These narratives are supplemented by two 17th-century letters in which Sabbatai and his followers are described by a contemporary rabbi who detested them and everything they stood for. Finally, a reminiscence of Sabbatai's last days, preserved by one of his followers, conveys the enigma of the man that was to haunt the generations.