Sabbatai Zevi

Sabbatai Zevi, (????? ??? Shabtai Tzvi in Hebrew) (also known as Shabbethai, Shabbetai, Sabbetai, or Shabtai; Zvi or Tzvi) (July 23 1626–possibly September 30 1676) was a claimed Messiah and Kabbalist. He was the founder of the Donmeh sect, which flourished in the Ottoman Empire, and which drew elements from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as of the more Judaism-influenced Sabbatian movement (Sabbatianism), which continued in Europe after his death.

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Zevi was born in Smyrna, and died, according to some, on Yom Kippur, September 30 1676, in Dulcigno, a small town in Albania. He was of Spanish descent; his father, Mordecai, was a poor poultry-dealer in the Morea. Later, when in consequence of the war between Turkey and Venice under the sultan Ibrahim I, Smyrna became the centre of Levantine trade, Mordecai became the Smyrnan agent of an English house, whose interests he guarded with strict honesty. As a consequence, he acquired considerable wealth.

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Hebrew: The word Hebrew can variously mean:...

July 23: July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining....

September 30: September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. It is the last day of September....