When Shavuot arrived, Master Nathan invited the Wise Men of Gaza to spend the night studying Torah with him. About Midnight, Master Nathan went into a deep trance (Tardemah). He stood up, walked back and forth in the room, recited the entire tractate Ketubot by heart. He ordered another Hakham to sing a certain Hymn, then did the same to another. While this was going on, all the Wise Ones became aware of a pleasant aroma, wonderfully fragrant, like the smell of a field the Lord has blessed. They went looking in the surrounding homes and streets for the source of the aroma, but found nothing. All the while Master Nathan was dancing and jumping around the room. He removed one piece of clothing after another, until he was down to his undergarment. Then he made a great leap and fell flat upon the floor.
When the Wise Men saw this, they tried to go to his aide and assist him to his feet. But he was found as lifeless as a corpse. The honourable and wise Meir Rofe was present, and he felt his wrist the way physicians do and announced that he had no pulse. They laid a cloth over his face, as one does – and G_d protect us! – for the dead.
But for a short while later they heard a very low voice. They removed the cloth from his face and saw that a voice was emanating from his mouth, though his lips did not move. The voice stated: ‘Be careful of My son, My beloved, My messiah, Shabtai Tzvi’ and then continued: ‘Be careful of My son, My beloved, Nathan the Prophet’.
When the Wise Men saw this, they tried to go to his aide and assist him to his feet. But he was found as lifeless as a corpse. The honourable and wise Meir Rofe was present, and he felt his wrist the way physicians do and announced that he had no pulse. They laid a cloth over his face, as one does – and G_d protect us! – for the dead.
But for a short while later they heard a very low voice. They removed the cloth from his face and saw that a voice was emanating from his mouth, though his lips did not move. The voice stated: ‘Be careful of My son, My beloved, My messiah, Shabtai Tzvi’ and then continued: ‘Be careful of My son, My beloved, Nathan the Prophet’.
קישור: תיקון ליל שבועות
