Another sect was that founded by Sabhathai Zewi from Smyrna (1626-76), son of a rich mer chant, who proclaimed himself the Messiah, and found numerous followers throughout Germany, Poland. Italy, and Holland. Sultan Mohammed IV.. however, put an end to his mission by im prisoning him, and making him adopt Mohamme danism. Many of his disciples followed his example, others turned Roman Catholics—adher ing withal to their former doctrines and tenets, consisting chiefly of the belief in the Messiahship of their master, a distinct leaning to the dogma of the Trinity, and the abandonment of the hope of a final return to .Jerusalem under the guidance of 'Messiah hen David.' Ihey put a thoroughly mystical interpretation upon the Bible, rejected unconditionally the Talmud, and extolled their special cabalistic gospel, the Zoller, above all things created. This sect did not (lie out until the end of the eighteenth century. Jakob Frank, their last supreme pontiff (whose more intimate friends and followers called themselves by his name, Frankists), died, it is said, in a debtor's prison on the Rhine (1791). Another branch of the Sabbatians was organized in Salonica by Jacob Zewi Kerido (apparently the brother-in law of Sabbathai Zewi) and his son, Berachya (c.1695-1740). Each of these claimed to be the true redeemer of Israel. Their teachings, a strange mixture of Judaism and Islam, were of a mystical character, and they are said to have favored a species of mystical free love among their followers. They retained the Jewish rite of circumcision and regarded the Song of Solo mon as the highest embodiment of true revela tion. This branch of the Sabbatians was known as or Donmiih, and a few thousand of them are said still to exist in and around Salonica.
A notable outcome of the mystical movement in Judaism are the modern chasidini—not to be confounded with the ancient Chasidim (q.v.). They take their stand on the Cabbala, but remain ostensibly within the province of rabbinical Judaism. The sect was founded by Israel Baal shem ( c.1698-1759 ) in Galicia. its adherents are characterized by their wild mode of praying. contempt for any but mystical and religious science, by their belief in the miracles wrought by their temporary chiefs or saints, whose grandeur and pomp contrasts most strikingly with the simple mode of life of their flock. Constant repentance, joyfulness, disinterestedness, benevo lence, peacefulness, cleanliness, and temperance are some of the chief points of the practical doc trine of this sect. They are still very numer ous in Poland, Galicia, Russia, and Palestine.
In the early decades of the nineteenth century there began a movement among the Jews of Germany looking to the 'reform' of divine wor ship in the synagogues. This movement in time spread to other countries, notably the United States, and has resulted in the creation of separate 'reformed' synagogues and separate rituals for use in worship. The 'Reformers,' however, can hardly be called a sect, orthodox and reformers being rather parties within 'Juda ism (like Pharisees and Sadducees) and repre sentative of different tendencies that always existed in one form or the other. See the article JEws, section Judaism of To-day. Consult: the Jewish histories of Gratz. Reinach, Lady nus: Jost, Gesehichte des Judenthu»ms and seiner gekten (Leipzig, 1857-591 : Schechter, Studies in Judaism ( Philadelphia, 1896) : Neubauer, Gc schichte des liereerthunms (Leipzig, 1866).