Kabbalah (Jewish Mysticism)
1. What can explain the rise of a new kind of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) in Safed in historical terms? What events was it responding to (e.g., the expulsion from Spain), and how did it come to terms with them?
2. What are the most important aspects of Safed Kabbalah? For example, how does it view the redemption of the Jewish people?
4. What new rituals did Safed Kabbalah create?
Shabbetai Zevi and Jacob Frank
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| Shabbetai Zevi |
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?
3. Why was he arrested by the Ottoman sultan, and what was his response? What occurred after he converted to Islam? Did some remain believers in Shabbetai Zevi?
4. Who was Jacob Frank, and how did he continue Shabbetai Zevi’s type of messianism?
4. Safed Kabbalah created two distinct new rituals, or types of tikkunim. The first one relates to the night vigils on Shavuot, Passover and Hoshanah Rabah. The tikkun of Shavuot relates to Luria’s meeting with the maggid. The tikkun of Passover relates to Israelites crossing the Red Sea. The tikkun for Hoshanah Rabah relates to the decrees of life and death that were finalized on Hoshanah Rabah involving prayer and repentance. The second of the new tikkunim pertains to the nightly vigil involving the exile and redemption of Shekhinah (tikkun hazot). It had two parts: the tikkun of Rachael which related to the lamentation of the exile of the Shekhinah, and the tikkun of Leah which related to the hope of redemption for the Shekhinah.
ReplyDelete3. Shabbetai Zevi was arrested by the sultan because he was about to confront him about being the messiah. He was arrested as soon as he arrived in Constantinople. He really had no response to his arrest because many of his followers still believed that he was the messiah, giving him confidence to remain calm. After Zevi converted, some of his followers left, but many continued to have faith. Nathan said that it was all just a show that the prophecy had predicted, for Zevi still practiced many Jewish traditions and celebrated Jewish holidays. Even after his death, many of his followers remained. Then when Nathan died, they took over the leadership of the Shabbetai movement.
4. Safed Kabbalah made numerous contributions to today’s Jewish lifestyle, culture, and practices. These rituals can be found and demonstrated in synagogue practices and festivals. Taking the Torah out of Ark when the Torah is read in a synagogue is an example. It was the custom of Isaac Luria to kiss scroll of Torah and escort it, walking behind it when he brought from the Ark to the Reader’s table. The practice of reciting “Shema” before sleeping and reciting the “Mode Ani” in the morning upon waking are both also examples. Some festivals that were also influenced by Safed Kabbalists include ushpizin, lulav and etrog, hakafot on Simbat Torah (the Seven ushpizin [divine guests] represent the seven biblical heroes; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph and David which in turn represent the seven lower sefirot), Tu B’Shevat and the idea of turning it into special day of observance was started in Safed, and Pri Etz Hadar (observance of the Tu B’Shevat and the Seder associated with it was more widely practiced among the Sephardi Jews until recent years when many Ashkenazi also began to have Tu B’Shevat Seders). It is so interesting to think that a “small group of elite mystics living in remote corner of Jewish world spread influence of their ideas and affected virtually every aspect of Jewish life”.
ReplyDelete2. Sabbatai Sevi (1626-1676) was considered the messianic figure by his followers for more than a century after death. He was born on the ninth of Ab, 1626 in Syrna (Izimir). In Syrna he was a man who was attracted to an ascetic lifestyle but was tormented by sexual temptations. He had manic-depression and during his typical manic period he committed acts that violated Jewish religious law. For example he pronounced the Ineffable Name of G*d the Tetragrammaton and spoke of “mystery of the Godhead” that had been revealed to him. He also claimed he was the Messiah. Was extremely mentally unbalanced and he sought help from a holy man in Gaza known as Nathan of Gaza. Nathan of Gaza could reveal the source of a person’s soul and prescribe tikkun for his spiritual afflictions. While working with Sabbatai, two months later Nathan had vision that Sevi was the Messiah. Sabbatai did not believe him at first but on the night of Shavuot, Nathan had another vision and then in which he publicly announced Sabbatai’s messiah-ship to a group of rabbis.
During the week of Chanukah in 1665 Sabbatai Sevi began to violate different aspects of Jewish law openly. One Passover Sabbatai even sacrificed and roasted lamb along with forbidden fats and had followers partake to eat it with him. He did this while reciting the blessing “he who permits the forbidden” (matir issurim). Sabbatai, Nathan, and group of followers then sailed for Constantinople to confront sultan but was arrested upon arrival. In September of 1666, Sabbatai was given the choice of either death or conversion to Islam. He accepted conversion over death, which was seen as a profound disturbance and crisis among his followers. Some of the followers left the movement while others remained. Nathan interpreted the events as part of messianic mystery. The only way a messiah could accomplish the mission was through kelippot. The Messiah had to appear to join the forces of evil in order to redeem the sparks they had held captive and this redemption would be final act in messianic drama. As a Muslim, Sabbatai apparently practiced Judaism in private and celebrated Jewish holidays.
1. The rise of a new kind of Kabbalah came from the exile of Jews from Spain. This caused the Spanish kabbalists to flee North Africa, Italy and in the Ottoman Empire. In the Ottoman Empire the new age kabbalist moved into largely populated center of Greece and Turkey, but also in the small town of Safed. After the expulsion some Jews thought it was a sign of tribulation. This would allow a new age and the coming of the Messiah. In Safed a spiritual revolution began to grow and spread. The town attracted kabbalists because of the solid economic base and spiritually is was by the graves of Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai and his colleagues of the Zohar. The growth was further strengthened by the connection with these grave sites. Many leaders and Rabbis came in and out of Safed, causing kabbalah to strengthen and grow.
ReplyDelete2. Shabbetai Zevi was born on the ninth of Ab in 1626 (208). We became learned as a small age with rabbinic teachings from on of the leading rabbis in Smyrna and earned rabbinic ordinance at the age of eighteen. Rabbinic life was attractive but Shabbetai was tortured by sexual temptations and manic-depression (now known as bipolar disorder). During Shabbetai's manic states, he would break Jewish religious laws. In this state is where he also declared himself a Messiah. He was considered to be unbalanced and most Smyrna's did not take him seriously (208).He was banished, rid himself of his demons by studying Kabbalah and ended up in Gaza. Zevi sot out Nathan to cure his afflicted soul, but Nathan said his body was awaiting the Messiah and there was no need to be cured. After Nathan's vision and Zevi's declaration of his messiahship, the Jews of Gaza were overjoyed!
Safed Kabbalah created a lot of rituals, many of which are still practiced. The recitation of the shema before going to bed, something I did every day with my dad during my childhood, was started by safe kabbalah. TuB'shvat, despite being mentioned in the Talmud, became a full fledged holiday thanks to Safed Kabbalah. Taking the torah out of the ark was started by Luria.
ReplyDeleteShebbati Zevi was a manic depressive rabbi who lived during the years 1626-1676. He broke a lot Jewish laws and often was tormented by sexual temptation. He began to refer to himself as the messiah, but most people thought he was crazy as he was a manic depressive. He went to Nathan of Gaza, who he believed could cure his head. Nathan of Gaza claimed to have predicted the coming of Shebbati Zevi and proclaimed him to be the next messiah. The two traveled throughout the land to gain followers and they succeeded. He was arrested in 1666 and converted to Islam when the choice was to go either convert to Islam or be killed, though he was known to practice Judaism in private. This caused him to lose a lot of followers. He died unexpectedly in 1676, while that caused many of his followers to abandon the movement, a few did stay.