The Jewish messiahs : from the Galilee to Crown Heights / Harris Lenowitz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lenowitz, Harris.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Jewish messianic movements--History.

Jewish messianic movements.

Messiah--Judaism.

Messiah.

History.

Physical Description:

viii, 297 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, 1998.

Summary:

In this book, Harris Lenowitz explores the fascinating history of Jewish messianic movements. Looking in detail at all of the Jewish messiahs about whom anything is known, he introduces each of these figures in turn, and offers extensive excerpts of the original texts that tell their stories. The messiahs whom we meet in these pages range from the inspiring to the tragic and bizarre. By examining the messianic idea in the tradition which gave birth to it, Lenowitz both sheds new light on this engrossing aspect of Jewish history and provides a firmer basis for understanding contemporary messianic groups.

Contents:

Introduction: the ritual and the accounts

The Israelite Messiahs: Jesus of Nazareth and Shim'on bar Kosiba and their forerunners

The Persian messiahs: Abu Isa, Yudghan, Mushka, and Serenus of Syria

The messiah of Amadia: David Alroy

The messiahs of the inquisition: David Reubeni and Shlomo Molkho

The messiahs of Safed: Isaac Luria and Hayim Vital

The messiah of Izmir: Shabtai Zvi

The Polish messiahs: Yakov Frank and his daughter Ewa

The Tzaddik of Hasidism

The Yemenite messiahs: reprise

Conclusion: the characterization of abandonment.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 277-285) and indexes.

ISBN:

0195114922

OCLC:

37361716