History of the Jews, Vol. 5 (of 6)Graetz, Heinrich
History
History of the Jews, Vol. 5 (of 6)
Graetz, Heinrich
Jews -- History
The rabbis could not regard this disorder with indifference, and
denounced the offenders to the Turkish authorities. The latter
instituted investigations, and sentenced them to severe punishments.
But the Sabbatians had learned from their founder a means of appeasing
the anger of Turkish rulers. They all, to the number of four hundred
it is said, assumed the white turban (about 1687), and displayed
more earnestness than Sabbataï in their newly-adopted faith. The
pseudo-Messiah Jacob Zevi Querido with many of his followers made
a pilgrimage to Mecca, in order to pray at the tomb of the prophet
Mahomet. On the journey back he died at Alexandria. The leadership of
the Turco-Jewish sect at Salonica was afterwards undertaken by his son
Berachya, or Barochya (about 1695-1740). He also was regarded as the
successor of Sabbataï Zevi, as the embodiment of the original soul of
the Messiah, as the incarnate Deity. His followers lived under the
name Dolmäh (properly Donmäh), that is, apostates from Judaism, a sect
distinct alike from Jews and Turks, who married only one another,
and attended the mosques now and then, but more frequently assembled
in secret for their own mystical service, to worship their redeemer
and man-God. There are still in Salonica descendants of the sect
of Sabbataï-Querido-Berachya, who observe a mixture of Kabbalistic
and Turkish usages. Of Judaism they retained only circumcision on
the eighth day and the Song of Solomon, the love dialogues and
monologues of which left them free play for mystical and licentious
interpretations. Recently the sultan granted the Donmäh, now said to
number 4,000 members, the free exercise of their religion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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