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The Lost Messiah: In Search of the Mystical Rabbi Sabbatai Sevi by John Freely
Sabbatai Sevi was and remains one of history's most controversial and enigmatic religious figures. It was he, in the seventeenth century, who used the mysticism of the Kabbalah to convince vast numbers of Jews, throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa that he was the long awaited messiah.
The Lost Messiah: In Search of the Mystical Rabbi Sabbatai Sevi by John Freely
Published: 2001, The Overlook Press
Sabbatai Sevi was and remains one of history's most controversial and enigmatic religious figures. It was he, in the seventeenth century, who used the mysticism of the Kabbalah to convince vast numbers of Jews, throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa that he was the long awaited messiah. Many of his followers were dismayed, however, when on threat of execution from the Turkish Sultan, Sevi converted to Islam -- though many continued to believe in him.
In this book, John Freely follows Sevi's trail across Europe and into Africa, tracing the cult that grew up around this "false messiah," as he is often called. Freely brilliantly evokes the vanished world of the seventeenth-century diaspora in the Ottoman empire, as the narrative travels from Sevi's birthplace in Ismar, to the ghettos of Venice and Rome, the bazaars of Cairo, and the rabbinical schools of Jerusalem and Safed. This exotic tapestry is placed into a rich context also detailing the then-current state of Jewish communities in these areas.
The result of thirty years of research and travel, the book brilliantly interleaves the work of respected scholars -- especially the pioneering writings of Gershom Scholem -- with the author's firsthand knowledge of the lands that stretch from Europe to Asia.. A deeply researched book written with sympathy, that provides the reader with the first accessible account of a time, a place and a man that has mystified the world for nearly four centuries.
About the Author
John Freely was born in New York in 1926. At seventeen he joined the navy and served during WWII, later returning to New York, where he received a Ph.D. in physics from New York University He has lived in New York, Boston, London. Athens, Istanbul and Venice, and has written more than twenty books, including Inside the Seraglio.
Online Resources
Arthur Hertzberg on Jewish Messianism
Related in JHOM.com
The publishers of JHOM.com produced a book and CD-ROM entitled Beyond the Sambatyon: The Myth of the Ten Lost Tribes. You can read excerpts from it here. Sabbatai Sevi plays a prominent role in the story, and is a chapter in the book and CD-ROM. You can purchase the product here.
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