The Sabbatean Prophets

76 The Sabbatean Prophets
phetic standing through a connection to an ancient visionary tradition. They
also, of course, added another level of confirmation to the messiahship of
Shabbatai Zvi.
The Letter to Raphael Joseph Chelebi
The earliest known official written announcement of Shabbatai Zvi’s messianic
identity and mission is a letter written by Nathan of Gaza to Raphael
Joseph Chelebi, the wealthy leader of Egyptian Jewry and friend of Shabbatai.
73 The letter, from around September 1665, seems to have been inspired
by the revelation that the messiah would manifest himself in a year
and some months. It was copied and spread all over the Jewish world.
Scholem points out that this letter contains two distinct elements, one kabbalistic
and the other traditionally apocalyptic, which do not generally coalesce.
74 Most of the kabbalistic section concerns specific prayers and divine
names, and how to modify them from the Lurianic practices. Since the
kabbalistic elements are of less interest here, I will quote only a few sections
from the earlier part, then most of the later part.
Beware lest you perform any of the Lurianic kawwanoth or read [Lurianic]
devotions, homilies, or writings, since they are obscure and no living man
understood [Luria’s] words except R. Hayyim Vital of blessed memory. He
followed the rabbi Luria’s system for some years, but thereafter attained
greater insight than Isaac Luria himself. He might have been the messiah if
the merits of his generation had been sufficient, and if there had not been so
many contrary forces caused by sin. At the present time, too, there are
opposing forces, but they are merely harming themselves. They cannot
oppose [the progress of the messiah] because now it is surely the last end.
Do not ask how our generation has merited this. For because of the great
and infinite sufferings—more than any mind can comprehend—which the
Rabbi Sabbatai àevi has suffered, it is in his power to do as he pleases with
the Israelite nation, to declare them righteous or—God forfend—guilty. He
can justify the greatest sinner, and even if he be [as sinful] as Jesus he may
justify him. And whoever entertains any doubts about him, though he be
the most righteous man in the world, he [the messiah] may punish him
with great afflictions. . . .
And now I shall disclose the course of events. A year and a few months
from today, he [Sabbatai] will take the dominion from the Turkish king