Prof. Scholem's Encyclopedic 'Sabbatai Sevi' (Continued from Page 48) accepted the Moslem faith, as did his wife Sarah, about whom much is recorded as indication of the rationality. of the famous Jewish im- postor. His wife was given the name Fatima Cadin, Lady Fatima. The story of Sabbatai's marriages, rumors of liber- tinism while Sabbatai was in Galipoli, Sarah's purported life as a prostitute before her marriage — these and many other details form a veritable work of fiction based on many affirmations of reali- ties. Upon Sarah's conversion with her husband, the follow- ing is noted by Dr. Scholem: "Sabbatai also agreed to take a second wife and to marry one of the queen's maids (or slave girls)—pos- sibly in order to demonstrate his fidelity to his new re- ligion and to put himself be- yond suspicion. The • mar- riage was duly denounced by anti - Sabbatian polemicists and glossed over in the Sab- batian accounts, which mere- ly suggest that a proposal of this kind was made to Sab- batai but rejected by him." Efforts were made by the Sabbatians to mitigate the effects of the apostasy. Prophet Nathan of Gaza sur- rounded it with a "smoke- screen or rather a halo of kabalistic mysteries." Many of his followers kept treating him as the AMIRAH, the title that had been accorded him. AMIRAH are "the ini- tials of the Hebrew words for `Our Lord and King, his Majesty be exalted,' the cus- tomarj designation for Sab- batai E!vi by his followers," Dr Scholem explains. Sabbatian believers per- sisted in their activities and Nathan carried on his activi- ties in support of the false messiah's visions in spite of rabbinic opposition and some excommunications. Nathan, who died in 1680, and some of the other Sabbatians, re- jected stigmas imposed upon them. Dr. Scholem conceded that "there must have been many kabalists and believers during the first years after the apostasy who were im- pressed by the kind of argu- ments of Nathan and Car- dozo," the latter's fanaticism and inconsistencies constant- ly having emerged in all of the Scholem exposes of the entire Sabbatian case. Sabbatai kept contact with his followers from his new role as a Muslim. He had gone, according to the legends and some actual stories in the great Scholem account, with fellow-converts to conduct services in a Constantinople synagogue and he was arrested, tried, ban- ished. This was on Sept. 12, 1672. Legends spread about his death, his disappearance, the " godly links, Sabbatai having professed contacts with God in his later years as a con- vert and his believers having retained faith in him. It- was primarily the result of the inspirations that still stem- med from Nathan. Dr. Scholem's record shows that Sabbatai died in 1676 in Albania. But "in the year 1678-79 the notion that Sab- batai's death was merely an `occultation' w a s already gaining ground. The term was probably introduced by Nathan after he had recover- ed from his initial melan- cholia." An interesting concluding assertion by Dr. Scholem de- scribes Sabbatai Sevi as "a great man." Dr. Scholem states: "There is a sense in which legend expresses more truth and accurate enumeration of facts and the legends a great man often tells us more about him than historical re- search ever can." Prof. Scholem especially disproves that Sabbatai was under influence of Christian sentiments in believing that the year 1666 was the year for messianic realizations. The views of the eminent his- torican, Heinrich Graetz, that Sabbatatai's father, Mordecai Sevi, has acquired such views from English merchants are disputed. Prof. Scholem de- clares: "There is not the slightest historical justification for any of these fond inventions. Sabbatai Sevi needed no Christians to be impressed with the probability of 1666 being a messianic year. He had much closer stimuli in direction from his im- m- mediate religious tradition mediate and upbringing. There is not a shred of evidence to show that Mordecai Sevi's employ- ers were millenarians, and we may positively assert that they could not have mention- ed 1666 as a messianic year. The propaganda for this date made its appearance in Dutch and English literature in the 1650s only, that is, after Sabbatai had left Smyrna. There had, of course, been a few mediaval writers who had interpreted the 'number of the beast,' 666, in Revelation 13:18 as a phophecy of the coming of Euro-Arab Economic Commission OKd PARIS (JTA) — Plans for Antichrist in the year 1666, but these isolated views were a permanent joint commis- not widely - known. Shortly sion to develop long-term before 1666, some Protestant economic cooperation were chiliasts remembered the approved here at a meeting date and began to propagate of the nine-nation European the view that the 'fifth king- Common Market and the 20- dom' would begin that year. nation Arab League. They also connected that date The commission is sched- with the hope for a restora- uled to have its first meeting tion of the Jews to Palestine •in November. and their conversion to Chris- French Foreign Minister tianity. It was mainly in the Jean Sauvagnargues, who 1650s that the year 1666 gain- led the talks for Suromart as ed_in importance in the Latin current chairman of the writings of the few chiliasti- European Community Coun- cally inclined theologians . . cil of Ministers. said the There is, however, no casual agreement was an extremely connection between this type of literature and the history of Sabbatai's development. Netherlands Ends although the synchronicity of Subsidy to Dutch, the tracts of Peter Serrarius and others, published in 1665, Israeli Chambers AMSTERDAM (JTA)—The with the happenings in the Jewish world, is certainly Netherlands Ministry of Eco- worthy of attention. Parallel- nomic Affairs has decided to ism and synchroncity are no discontinue an annual sub- rare phenomena in history, sidy of 45,000 guilders (about but as an explanation of Sab- $18,000) to the Central batai's developments they are Dutch-Israel Chamber of useless. Discussions between Commerce located in the Jews and their Christian Hague and Tel Aviv. neighbors concerning the ex- These funds are usually pectation of the messiah or used for the promotion of the Second Coming probably Dutch-Israeli trade. took place in Europe at all A spokesman for the eco- periods. nomic affairs ministry said Dr. Scholem emphasizes the decision was taken for that "a longing for redemp- "economizing. reasons." It tion through the mystical will go into effect as of Nov. power of holiness, invested 1. The decision will mean the this (the Sabbatai) legend with a sense of mystery and end of both Dutch market re- tragedy, present even in the search in Israel and publicity versions of the non-Sabba- for Israeli products in The tians trying - to recount the Netherlands. Trade between story of the great messianic the two countries now revival that shook a whole amounts to nearly 200,000,000 people." guilders (about $80,000,000 In this great work, we have yearly. The Netherlands imports the compilation of legends as well as facts. Documents, re- from Israel mainly citrus produced • prints, long and fruits, textiles, diamonds, undiluted historical records— chemicals, bromides and all add up to a masterful spare parts for computers and automobiles. compilation. Dutch exports to Israel in- A great work: this- is the unchallenged description of clude agricultural products, "Sabbatai Sevi: The Mystical food products, naval con- Messiah" by Dr. Gershom S. struction and electronic equip- Scholem. —P.S. ment. important "political fact." Ma hm oud Riad, Arab League secretary-general, said the "Arab world" was trying to build a strong base for economic development by combining European tech- nology at:d Arab capital. Observers said that the European community, which depends heavily,- on Arab oil for energy, hopes that of- fering long-term technology aid to the Arab world will prevent interruption to oil supplies, such as that which occurred during the Yom Kippur War, when the oil- producing Arab nations re- duced or halted crude oil shipments to European cowl- tries. Even after the oil boycott was ended, soaring oil prices led the European community to seek the agreement with the Arab League. 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LI 7-5068 Hours: -Doily and Saturday 9:30 to 6 p.m. dosed Wednesday Classified Ads Get Fast Results sander Levin Wins Democratic Gubernatorial Nomination; Grant, Kaufman Among Judgeship Nominees ESNE SPORTSWEAR Sander Levin, former state senator and former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Committee, won overwhelm- ingly in the contest on Tues- day for the Democratic nom- ination for governor. He will oppose Gov. William Milliken, the Republican candidate, in the November election. William Brudhead won the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 17th District, defeating Sander Levin's cousin, Joseph Levin. Barry M. Grant won the nomination for the Oakland County Probate Court. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Nathan Kaufman won the nomination for the First District Court of Appeals. Attorney Regina F. Shapi- ro won her bid for the post of 46th District Judge. Among the other primary winners are State Sen. Jack Faxon (Dem.), who will run again for the 7th District post in November and Bernard L. Kaufman, who will seek the 2nd District Court of Appeals post. Judge Victor J. Baum will seek re-election to his posi- tion on the 3rd Circuit Court bench, and Irwin H. Burdick will run for his first term on the Circuit Court. Judge Charles Kaufman also will seek re-election to the Circuit Court. will vie for the 65th District seat, and incumbent Joseph Forbes will seek re-election in the 67th District. State Sen. Daniel S. Cooper (Dem.) will run again in No- vember for the 15th District seat. Winning bids to run for Dorothea Becker (Dem.) county commissioner in their respective districts are: Den- nis M. Aaron (Dem.), 19th District; Lawrence R. Per- nick (Dem.), 20th; and Alex- ander C. Perinoff (Dem.), 21st. Judith Ann Holtz will run for the nonpartisan 47th Dis- trict Court judgeship. 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