The Sabbatean Prophets

From Mystical Vision to Prophetic Eruption 125
of the quality and content of his prophecies. Coenen, Leib’s source for much
of this information, opens with the following description.
Into this situation entered another wave of mad prophecy in Istanbul,
which had calmed somewhat after he [Shabbatai] left for Izmir, beginning
from the day of his incarceration or a few days after. Like the prophesying
in Izmir, the intent of all the prophets was to exalt his name. One of these
false prophets was Moses Serviel [Saravel; Suriel], a man honored in Istanbul
even more than Nathan of Gaza; for it was said and believed of him that
he had such spiritual enlightenment that it was in his power to reveal the
good and evil deeds performed throughout the life of every person appearing
before him, even the transgressions they had committed. 94
Leib and the French informant de la Croix add many details.
You should know that in those days a prophet arose in Constantinople by
the name of R. Moses Saravel from the holy congregation of Brussa. He was
a great prophet and all considered him to be a true prophet. He used to say
that the soul of R. Simeon bar Yohai [purported author of the Zohar] was reincarnated
in him, and he composed a new Zohar in those days, though I
cannot say where this Zohar can be found. He could tell anyone the good
and evil deeds which the person had performed that day, and could say to
that person, “For this transgression you have repented but on this you have
not.” To each he would give penances [ein tikkun] for his sins, an amazing
feat—people were forced to confess. This R. Moses became famous, as you
must have understood, and he became even better known than Nathan the
Prophet. Every night grandees and rabbis gathered by the hundreds to him.
They would hear the glories of God from him and sit around him singing
the songs and praises of Shabbatai Zvi, strumming lutes and playing other
musical instruments. In the midst of all this R. Moses would begin to dance
like a lad, and in the middle of dancing he would fall to the ground like
one in the grip of epilepsy, may God preserve us. He would twitch for a
moment, then begin to speak, and they would place a handkerchief over
his face. He spoke clearly, in the language of R. Simeon bar Yohai—the
Targumic [Aramaic] language—and reveal innumerable secrets, all in the
language of the Zohar, though not a word of what he said is found in the
Zohar. He also claimed to be from the soul of R. Simeon bar Yohai. 95 Two
scribes sat by him, furiously copying everything he said, but the gist of all
his utterances was that Shabbatai Zvi is our king messiah, the righteous re-