The Sabbatean Prophets

From Mystical Vision to Prophetic Eruption 111
The parallels with the Quakers were already recognized by contemporaries.
In a Polish pamphlet of 1666 Shabbatai is actually called a “Quaker
Jew”; and in another pamphlet a portrait of Shabbatai appears next to one
of the “Quaker Jesus,” James Nayler. 61 Coenen, in trying to figure out the
source of the spiritual outpouring, says: “Perhaps one should say it was surface
appearances mixed with a lot of fraud. It would be easier to imagine
that there was something artificial in it all, like the Quakers of England.” 62
Certainly the physical manifestations of Quaker prophecies were similar to
Sabbatean episodes.
At meetings after long silence, sometimes one, sometimes more, fell into a
great and dreadfull shaking and trembling in their whole bodies, and all
their joynts, with such risings and swellings in their bellies and bowels,
sending forth such shreekings, yellings, howlings and roarings, as not only
affrighted the spectaters, but caused the dogs to bark, the swine to cry, and
the cattel to run about. 63
Such bouts were often followed by prophetic or pious pronouncements.
Another important similarity between Sabbateans and Quakers was the
proclivity of women to prophesy in both movements. 64 Specific social and
religious conditions in seventeenth century England made it possible for
women to take on the role of prophets. Many of these conditions, including
shifting gender, political, intellectual, and religious structures of authority,
obtained in Jewish society as well, creating a similarly conducive atmosphere
for female prophecy. 65 The most significant similarity, of course, was
that these clusters of prophetic possessions both took place in the context of
acute messianic movements. For both Quakers and Sabbateans, the appearance
of prophecy among ordinary persons served as a confirmatory miracle,
a portent of the coming End as foretold by the prophet Joel.
Various attempts have been made to trace some direct connection between
the Sabbateans and Quakers. It is well known from contemporary
sources that Shabbatai’s father was a factor for English merchants, and one
report states that these merchants were Quakers. More interesting is the
known presence of Quaker missionaries in Izmir, Istanbul, and Jerusalem
during 1657–58, shortly before the Sabbatean outbreak. The party of three
men (all apparently from Ireland) and three women missionaries included
veterans of dangerous missions to New England and Spain. They passed
through Livorno at the end of July and beginning of August, where they visited
the synagogue and met with Jews who appeared to be interested in
their message. It is noteworthy that the Jews of Livorno were mostly former