Shmuel Aboab. Zichron LeB'nei Yisrael [concerning pseudo-messiah Shabthai Tzvi]
AUCTION 83 |
Thursday, June 20th,
2019 at 1:00pm
Printed Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters, Holy Land Maps, Ceremonial Objects, Fine & Graphic Art
Lot 99
(SHABTHAI TZVI).
Shmuel Aboab. Zichron LeB'nei Yisrael [concerning pseudo-messiah Shabthai Tzvi]
Venice: n.p. 1668
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
PRICE REALIZED $3,000
Exceptionally rare. According to G. Scholem: “Only a few copies are extant” (Sabbatai Sevi, p. 765, n. 209).
Shortly following the scandalous conversion to Islam of Shabthai Tzvi in the Spring of 1668, his ‘prophet’ Nathan of Gaza, appeared in Venice on a clandestine mission heading toward Rome. Nathan was subsequently intercepted and subjected to a tribunal consisting of eight judges and communal leaders: Rabbis Jacob Halevi, Samuel Aboab, Solomon Chai Saraval, Moshe Treves, Senior ibn Danon, Moshe Zacut, Yizchak min HaLeviyim and Yoseph Alvalanci. The cross-examination took place on the night of the 13th of the Omer 1668, at the conclusion of which, Nathan was forced to sign a retraction of his beliefs concerning Sabbatianism, which was confirmed and corroborated by the first three judges. The present historical record of the proceedings was forwarded by the Venetian rabbis to Jewish communities abroad, in order to discredit the erstwhile ‘prophet’ who had so ignominiously promoted Shabthai Tzvi.
This text was later appended to Aboab's responsa ‘Devar Shmuel’ (1702). See G. Scholem, Sabbatai Sevi: The Mystical Messiah (1975) pp. 763-69.