Joshua Heschel Zoref
Joshua Heschel Zoref (1633–1700) was a 17th-century ascetic, and an important figure in the Lithuanian Sabbatean movement. During the messianic fervor of 1666, he claimed to experience visions similar to those of Ezekiel. He, like Judah Leib Prossnitz also, considered himself to be possessed of the role of Messiah ben Joseph, with Shabbatai Tzvi playing the role of Messiah ben David.
Shortly thereafter he began transcribing his visions into five books. What has survived of these works show them to be entirely built upon the numerical speculations (gematriah) of Nathan Nata Spira. Some parts of this work, named Sefer Ha-Zoref, came to , while others came into the possession of the Baal Shem Tov, who evidently valued them highly while unaware of their origins.
Scholem (1974) contains a lengthier biography.
References[]
- Scholem, Gershom G. (1974). Kabbalah. Jerusalem: .
- Sabbateans
- 17th-century Lithuanian people
- Lithuanian Jews
- 1633 births
- 1700 deaths
- Authors of Kabbalistic works
- Hebrew-language writers
- Jewish biography stubs