The Lost Messiah: In Search of Sabbatai Sevi: In Search of Sabbatei Sevi - Hardcover

Freely, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670886750 ISBN 13: 9780670886753

Publisher: Viking, 2001

Synopsis

'Everything I believe in has come from the Kabbalah' - Roseanne Barr This is the story of Sabbatai Sevi, a rabbi from Izmir, the Aegean port of Turkey, who in the seventeenth century convinced multitudes of Jews that he was the long-awaited Messiah, but then disappointed them when he embraced Islam on threat of execution by the Turkish sultan. However, many of his followers continued to believe in him and some converted to Islam, beginning the sect known as the Dönme, outwardly Muslim, yet still clinging secretly to their Judaism. More than three centuries after his death, the esoteric Jewish mystic tradition known as the Kabbalah is still very much alive.

About this title

Review:

'Everything I believe in has come from the Kabbalah' - Roseanne Barr

Synopsis:

"The Lost Messiah" is the astonishing story of Sabbatai Sevi, a 17th-century rabbi who through the mysticism of the kabbalah convinced vast numbers of Jews throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa that he was the long-awaited Messiah. Many of his followers were disappointed when he embraced Islam on threat of execution from the Turkish sultan, but many others continued to believe in him. Some of them even converted to Islam, creating the sect known as the Donme - outwardly Muslim, yet clinging secretly to Judaism. Today, a few Sabbatians still secretly hold true to their beliefs, patiently waiting for their Messiah to return and lead them to redemption; they believe that Sabbatai is not dead but merely hidden from human view, despite more than three centuries having passed since he left them. When John Freely came across the name of Sabbatai Sevi in an old Jewish bookshop in Istanbul, he was instantly fascinated by the story and journeyed to Ismir, the Aegean port of Turkey and Sabbatai's first home.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0670886750
• ISBN 13: 9780670886753
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304