Chapter 1 - Jews In Europe and Shabbetai Tzvi Flashcards
How did the Jews arrive in Europe, from the Roman Empire to Germany?
The jews arrived in Europe in the 1st century after the destruction of the 2nd beit mikdash and expulsion from Rome.
How did the Jews arrive from Germany to Poland:?
The jews left Germany mainly headed to Poland due to the Spanish inquisition having reached Germany but not yet Poland.
What were some pros of the Jewish life in Poland in the 16th century?
- They all had very good jobs and were considered quite intelligent as they were literate.
- Some became “bosses” as they were so good at what they did.
- They all lived in “kahallim” and were all given permission to live independently and with their own government as long as they agree to help with the growth of the land.
What were some cons of the Jewish life in Poland in the 16th century?
- There was a rule in place “Vaad Arba Aratzot” to make the jews feel neglected from the general public. The countries who followed these laws were Poland, Spain, Portuagul and Italy.
- As part of the “vaad arba aratzot” rule the jews had to live outside of the main land and in Shtetls.
- Part of the conditions of the jews being able to live independently was that they were forced to pay HUGE taxes to the polish government.
Who was Shabbetai Tzvi?
Shabbetai Tzvi was a fake messiah, living in the 17th century.
Key events (+ year of occurrence) in Shabbetai Tzvi’s life:
Born: 1626
Expelled from community (aged 36) due to depression: 1662
Arrested+ converted to Islam: 1666
Died: 1676
What was the name of the prophet who saw Shabbetai Tzvi in his ‘visions’ and helped him become popular?
Natan
Why did the people follow him, and believe he was the Messiah?
Because at that time the jews were on an all time low and nothing could get worse so they needed something to lift their spirits.
How did Shabbetai Tzvi’s Messianic days end.
At the end, he was arrested for trying to rebel against the Sultan and given the choice: convert to Islam or die. He converted to Islam to break his nations hearts.
What was life like in Western Europe?
In western Europe (Germany, France) the jews were significantly more assimilated and part of the general culture unlike in eastern Europe. Typically, the jews in western Europe weren’t religious, and despite a few anti semetic attacks there was never any pogroms or terror threats continuously to jews in that time. The jews in Western Europe were also allowed education and were reasonably wealthy and had a substantial education.
What was life like in Eastern Europe?
In Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) found it more difficult then in western Europe, They were more religious then those in western Europe and struggled and weren’t allowed to fit in with general society. There were constant pogroms namely the chmielkki pogrom with half a million deaths and children being tortured to death in front of their mothers. The had to live in the outskirts of the cities (pale of settlement) and didn’t receive an education.
