Sabbatai Zevi (1626-1676) stirred up the Jewish world of the mid-seventeenth century by claiming to be the messiah, then stunned it by suddenly converting to Islam. His story, and that of the movement he created, is a landmark event in early modern Jewish history and a dramatic example of what can happen when mystic dreams and messianic hopes combine in an explosive mixture. Now, for the first time, English readers can experience these events through the words of those who lived through them, in lucid and compelling translations by a leading authority in the field. Of the contemporary 'testimonies' translated by David J. Halperin, three are accounts by Sabbatai Zevi's followers of the life and deeds of their messiah. These are the Najara Chronicle, an eyewitness narrative which Gershom Scholem called 'one of the most extraordinary documents shedding light on Sabbatai's personality'; Baruch of Arezzo's Memorial to the Children of Israel, a sober yet devout biography of Sabbatai written shortly after his death; and the bizarrely fanciful hagiography composed in 1692 by Abraham Cuenque of Hebron. These narratives by Sabbatean 'believers' are supplemented by two seventeenth century letters, pungent in their style and colorful in their details, in which Sabbatai and his followers are described by a contemporary rabbi who detested them and everything they stood for. Finally, a reminiscence of Sabbatai's last days, preserved by one of the most independent-minded of his followers, conveys the enigma of the man who was to haunt the generations.
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
'The translation is throughout felicitous, and the author's style engaging, with frequent touches of irony.' Norman Solomon, Jewish Journal of Sociology 'Halperin's detailed introduction and his numerous philological, theological, and historical annotations permit the reader to gain a thorough understanding of each text. In addition, he offers a short general introduction in which he contests Scholem's conviction that Lurianic Kabbalah constitued the normative theology of seventeenth-century JudaismA".' Federical dal Bo, Journal of Jewish Studies 'The aim of David Halperin for this book is to permit the reader to experience [Sabbatai Zevi's] life through the eyes of contemporaries, some rabidly supportive and some not so. This book certainly has met thus challenge ... Halperin does an excellent job in permitting us into a world that would not be accessible to most of us in a work that has taken years to produce. He uses his pedagogic skills well. We are products of the paths of so many that came before us, and he helps us understand a bit better from where we come.' Bob Nussenblatt, La Lettre Sepharade
About the Author
David J. Halperin is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He trained in Semitic languages at Cornell University, in Near Eastern Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, and in rabbinics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He received his Ph.D. from Berkeley in 1977. From 1976 through 2000 he taught the history of Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was repeatedly recognized for excellence in undergraduate teaching. He is the author of The Merkabah in Rabbinic Literature (1980), The Faces of the Chariot: Early Jewish Responses to Ezekiel's Vision (1988), Seeking Ezekiel: Text and Psychology (1993), and Abraham Miguel Cardozo: Selected Writings (2001).
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Back in the 1960s, I was a teenage UFO investigator. I grew up to become a professor of religious studies--my specialty, religious traditions of heavenly ascent.
After publishing five scholarly books, I came to realize there were things I wanted to say about faith, and the loss of faith, that couldn't be said in academic writing. That's why I started writing fiction.
"Journal of a UFO Investigator" is my first novel. I draw on my "UFOlogy" background to speak about faith and illusion, and the illusions we create to ward off the inevitability of death. Find out more at www.davidhalperin.net.
After publishing five scholarly books, I came to realize there were things I wanted to say about faith, and the loss of faith, that couldn't be said in academic writing. That's why I started writing fiction.
"Journal of a UFO Investigator" is my first novel. I draw on my "UFOlogy" background to speak about faith and illusion, and the illusions we create to ward off the inevitability of death. Find out more at www.davidhalperin.net.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
very informative of a critical part of Jewish history,
By Raanan Mallek (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sabbatai Zevi: Testimonies to a Fallen Messiah (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization) (Hardcover)
I think that this book is invaluable for scholars of Sabbatai Zevi. Due to its academic layout, it is sure to be influencial in answering the historical questions about one of the most sensitive turning points in Jewish life during the Middle Ages.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
