[Avodah] Change Has Come To Modena

[Prof. Levine]

At 03:36 PM 11/9/2011, D&E-H Bannett wrote:
>The only R' Yehiel Mikhl Epstein I knew of is the author of the 
>Arukh Hashulchan who was born in 1829.
>
>I didn't think he had anything to do with the Kitzur Ha-shlah in 1683.
>So I looked and found another Y.M. Epstein (with an 'ayyin, not an 
>alef) mi-Brisk who lived in the 1600's.  Seder Hadorot lists him as 
>author of Kitzur Hash'lah.
>
>He was the son-in-law of the Ba'al Hal'vushim R' Mordekhai Yoffe so 
>I am surprised to find he was a follower of Shabbetai Tzvi. 
>Shabbetai lived in the late 1600's so the timing is more or less 
>right.  Interesting.
>
>
>David

Shabbatai Tzvi lived from 1626 to 1676.

It is hard for people today to realize that the ST messianic movement 
swept most of Jewry at the time and had many followers, both among 
the "common people" and the rabbonim.  At the end of my article 
Recife - The First Jewish Community In The New 
World  (http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/19153) I wrote, 
"After finishing this article I discovered that Rabbi Isaac Aboab da 
Fonseca was apparently a follower of Shabbtai Tzvi. (See 
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/344-aboab#anchor9 , The 
Sabbatean Prophets by Matt Goldish page 33, and Sabbatai Sevi by 
Gershom Scholem, pages 520-522.) To put it mildly, I was shocked, 
given the greatness of Rabbi Aboab. However, it made me realize how 
strong the messianic movement in the 17th century must have been to 
gain adherents of Rabbi Aboab`s caliber."
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