A Popular Dictionary of Judaism
(1626–1676) False ‘messianic’ leader. After meeting *Nathan of Gaza. Shabbetai declared himself to be the *messiah. He appointed representatives of the twelve tribes and announced his messiahship by circling the city of *Jerusalem on horseback. Nathan sent out letters to all the communities of the *diaspora, calling the people to *repentence.
The whole community was in ferment and it was thought Shabbetai would depose the Turkish Sultan and take over his earthly rule. However he was *excommunicated in Jerusalem and subsequently arrested in Constantinople. In 1666, he was given the choice between death and conversion to Islam. To the great scandal of the Jewish world, he chose the latter and finally died in 1676. Many of his followers continued to believe in him including Nathan. His *kabbalistic ideas continued to circulate and inspired later popular movements. (See also *DONMEH, *FRANK, JACOB, *NATHAN OF GAZA).
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