4. What new rituals did Safed Kabbalah create?

 Safed Kabbalah created a number of new rituals that in time became essential to Judaism in time. These rituals were called Tikkunim and were held at night during important Jewish holidays and were meant to create a connection between the present and biblical times. The Tikkunim on the seventh night of Passover was meant to commemorate the crossing of the Israelites across the Red Sea and out of Egypt, while the Tikkunim on Yom Kippur commemorates Hoshanah Rabah and uses kabbalistic writings when examining life and death and was a time to pray for repentance in the coming new year. The Tikkunim Hazot was meant to remember Rachael and Leah and hope for redemption. All of these night time rituals were created to help reinforce the connection of Jews to their past and reflect upon it.

 2. What was the life story of Shabbetai Zevi? How did he come to believe that he was the messiah? What were his relations with Nathan of Gaza? How did Jews receive his announcement that he was the messiah? Shabbetai Zeve first proclaimed himself the messiah early on in his life but it was not until he met Nathan of Gaza was his claim believed by others. Nathan of Gaza's reputation as a holy man lent credibility to such a claim and his efforts in sending out letters and meeting with rabbis helped to spread the belief that Shabbetai Zeve was actually a messiah. Many jews came to believe in Shabbetai due to his actions, during Jewish holidays Shabbetai openly broke many Jewish laws such as eating foods that was forbidden. Shabbetai's imprisonment, conversion and death all caused some of those who believed in his holiness to leave but some members remained. Though living publicly as a muslim Nathan of Gaza still claimed that Shabbetai to be the messiah and his actions were part of a prophesy.