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SABBATI ZEVI1,
by Julian Zhulavsky
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Introductory note: "The
ill-starred Bar Kochba uprising in
135 C. E., was the last attempt of
the Jews to regain their national
independence. Thereafter, all hope
of deliverance rested on a Messianic
Redeemer to be sent by God at His
appointed time. Many a self-styled
Messiah came forward at various
times, the most famous being Sabbati
Zevi (1626-1676), a native of
Smyrna. The acclaim with which his
appearance was greeted by Jews
everywhere, despite the opposition
of many Rabbis, was partly due to
the fact that he appeared at a time
when even Christian writers were
predicting the imminent
redemption of Israel and restoration
of Zion.
But
the hopes he raised were quickly shattered
when, arrested on a charge of conspiracy
against the Sultan, he embraced
Mohammedanism. The present play deals with
the events of the last days of his
imprisonment which culminated in his
apostasy."2
photo: Sketch of playwright of
Julian Zhulavsky. |
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"Sabbati Zevi", a
drama in three acts and five scenes with a
prologue, was first staged by the Yiddish Art
Theatre in 1923: directed by Maurice Schwartz.
Starring Maurice Schwartz (Sabbati Zevi).
Translated by Joel Entin and Moishe Katz
(Zylbercweig: translated by Y. Y. Singer), with
settings by Samuel Ostrowsky, music by Alexander
Olshanetsky and dances by Russian ballet master
Alexander Kotchetowsky. At the Garden Theater,
27th Street and Madison Avenue;
then again it was staged again in 1929.
In is interesting
to note that, in the play program remarks about
curtain calls:
"The audience is
respectfully requested to honor the tradition of
the Yiddish Art Theatre, which, for the
preservation of the illusion of the play,
permits no curtain calls until the end of the
performance. At that time, the company, if
called upon, will feel honored to respond."
Here is a
listing of the cast from the
1929 production staged on the Pacific Coast (probably
Los Angeles, California):
Jacob Bleifer,
Izidore Casher, Lazar Freed, Berta Gerstin, Wolf
Goldfaden, Ben Zion Katz, Olga Mark, Maurice
Schwartz, Morris Silberkasten, Morris (Moshe)
Strassberg, Abraham Tenenholtz (here known as
Tenen Holtz), and Anatole Winagradoff.
So, here then is the
synopsis of Zhulavsky's "Sabbati Zevi". The
name of the actor or actress who portrayed a particular
role in the 1929 production is indicated in parentheses:
SYNOPSIS
ACT ONE
A room in the
Castle at Adrianople. then the Turkish capital,
where Sabbati Zevi (Maurice Schwartz) is
imprisoned. Owing to the influence of friends at
the Sultan's Court, he enjoys privileges not
commonly accorded to prisoners of state. As the
curtain rises we see Jewish delegations from
many countries come to meet the Messiah. Among
those present are Cabalists, who are busy
arguing about God's omnipotence, and several
Talmudic scholars who question Sabbati's
Messianic claims. A dispute arises between the
Cabalists and the Talmudists, in which the
former are reinforced by Nathan Chazzati (Lazar
Freed), who professes to be the Prophet Elijah
reincarnate. Fugitives arrive from Poland
telling of bloody massacres of Jews by
Chmielnicki's Cossack bands. Loud wailing ensues
and there are clamors for the Messiah. He
finally appears and calms the multitude, bidding
them rejoice at the approaching deliverance of
Israel. All except the aforementioned Talmudists
hail him as the long-awaited Redeemer. Presently
his beautiful and voluptuous wife, Sarah (Berta
Gerstin), arrives, and there are fresh
acclamations. An Amsterdam Jew (Morris
Strassberg) turns over to Sabbati the money
cleared by the Jews of his community through the
sale of all their possessions preparatory to the
return to Zion, and the latter orders it to be
used in feeding and clothing the people. All
depart, and Sabbati and Sarah are left alone.
From their conversation we gather that, though
married, their relations are purely platonic,
such being the mortification of the flesh he has
imposed upon himself. Sarah bemoans her lot, but
when he offers her her freedom, she passionately
clings to him. A messenger arrives, summoning
him to appear the following day before the
Sultan. Sarah is filled with fear, but Sabbati
welcomes the opportunity to show that he is the
true Messiah. He rebukes his panic-stricken
followers and bids them rejoice because the hour
of redemption is at hand.
ACT TWO
The Sultan,
Mohammed IV (Ben-Zion Katz), a pathetic little
man. whose sense of his own inferiority and
weakness demands repeated assurances of his
power--is awaiting Sabbati, of whom he speaks
alternately with arrogance and apprehension.
Some Talmudists appear and denounce Sabbati as
traitor, but at the instigation of his
physician, Hakim Pasha (Wolf Goldfaden), a
renegade Jew and secret friend of the supposed
Messiah--he orders their execution. Finally
Sabbati and Sarah arrive, arrayed In royal
attire and accompanied by an army of Jews
carrying palms and chanting psalms. The Sultan
commands Sabbati to bow to him and acknowledge
his authority, but the latter remains erect, and
in turn calls upon the Sultan to relinquish the
kingdom to him, the anointed of God. Mohammed IV
quails before the Jew; but mustering sufficient
courage to yield the crown, provided the latter
gives proof of his divine powers. Sabbati agrees
to have three poisoned arrows shot at his naked
breast to demonstrate his invulnerability, and
the Sultan undertakes to do it himself. But when
he is about to discharge the arrows, a
thunderstorm breaks out, and at the same time
word comes of revolts in several provinces. The
terrified Sultan postpones the ordeal for the
next day, and the Jews rejoice, seeing in it the
hand of God.
ACT THREE
The evening of the
same day. Sabbati is praying fervently and
invoking Heaven's aid for the morrow's ordeal.
He refuses all offers of food and drink,
although he has been fasting since the night
before. Sarah beseeches him not to tempt fate
again, but he is confident of his triumph and
persuades her to retire. Left alone, he implores
God's forgiveness for having undertaken the
redemption of Israel without Divine authority,
an act to which he was led, not by any desire
for power or glory, but solely by the long
martyrdom of his people, and for which he now
does penance by scourging himself until his body
is covered with blood. Aroused by the sound of
the blows, Sarah rushes in and snatches the lash
away from him. He insists that she give it back
to him, but she refuses and mocks his Messianic
mission with all the bitterness of a neglected
wife. This outbreak soon gives way to words of
tenderness and love for him, and Sabbati,
exhausted and bleeding, sinks into her arms.
ACT FOUR
Scene 1: The
morning finds Sabbati still nestling in the arms
of Sarah. At last he awakens and realizing the
situation, bewails what, to him, is a fall from
grace. Soon the voices of his followers are
heard calling him for the ordeal. Sarah would
keep him back, but he thrusts her aside, dons
his royal robes, and is led to the Sultan.
Scene 2: It is the
same Sultan that faces Sabbati, but Sabbati is
no longer the same. And so, when the supreme
moment arrives and the Sultan is almost ready to
capitulate, Sabbati announces that he is not the
Messiah. having merely assumed the Messianic
role in the hope of leading his people back to
Zion.
When he, however,
realizes his disgrace and the ultimate stain
which he has cast upon the Jewish religion, he
suddenly announces his conversion to
Mohammedanism. This conversion is his ultimate
sacrifice, for he sees, as in a vision, that his
failure will ever disgrace Judaism, and so to
save this abhorred religion, he sacrifices
himself. One can only dimly realize the torment
cast upon his soul by becoming a Mohammedan.
At his
"conversion" he, however, tells the Sultan: "It
is not you who have vanquished me, but the God
of Israel. When the true Messiah shall come, all
your power will not avail you, for all the Kings
of the earth will bow to him." Consternation
seizes his followers, but Sarah is happy, for
the passing of the Messiah means the return of
her "husband." But her happiness is short-lived,
for Sabbati sinks to the ground and dies.
Nehemiah Ha Cohen
(Morris Silberkasten), who takes over the
leadership and rallies the Jews, bends over the
dead body and says-"Baruch Shofet reneth",
i.e. "Praised be He who judgeth ever rightly."
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