Devar Shemu’el (The Word of Samuel)

Throughout the tribes of Israel, we faithfully made it known how the holy and wise Nathan of Gaza came here to our camp. He said that he was a prophet, bringing news of the coming of the Redeemer and his retinue. And when this matter was heard in the city of Adrianople, ministers of the government of Constantinople, may God protect it, who were present there, along with a chosen few of the Jewish community of Adrianople, sent the following predetermined envoys: The wise and eminent doctor, the honorable R. David Curiel, may God protect his soul; the noble, wise and excellent man that is still among the living, the honorable R. Asher ben Abraham Ashkenazi, may his memory be for a blessing; and the wise and honorable R. Judah ben Meshullam, may God protect his soul. They were sent to investigate and to inquire into the matter of this man, in order to uncover his disgrace in the face of the people of Israel who believe in him. Moreover, he was coming close to the city of Adrianople, and they were afraid that there was going to be a disaster, God forbid.

We have in our presence witnesses who have officially testified to the fact that these respected envoys came and inquired of him concerning some of his matters. And all of his arguments were worn out and patchy. And among the matters of their inquiry, they asked him how it is that he is perceived as a prophet, without having given any sign or wonder at all. He answered them that he was only a prophet in order to reveal that Shabbetai Tzvi was the Messiah. He said, “The Messiah is supposed to come after a year and a few months, and at the most, he will come on the following month of Elul on the twenty-fifth, God willing. His coming will not exceed this date; and if it does exceed this date, then it all will be proven to be a lie. The faithful will believe, and I have no obligation to give any sign or wonder concerning this matter. And since I am not obligated concerning this matter, I have no help from the heavens in showing any sign whatsoever.” They further told him that in each and every place in which he goes, he prophesizes concerning other matters. He answered them that the prophecy that was shown to him concerned the revelation of the aforementioned Messiah, and that all others reveal to him the souls of the pious and righteous prophets who are in the land. They pleaded with him persistently three times, day after day, from sunrise and until the evening. And after the toil and effort, he answered them that they should wait until the end of the holiday of Shavuot, for on the first day of the mentioned holiday, it was told to him through the holy spirit that a great illumination would overcome that same man in Adrianople, Shabbetai Tzvi. Through the influence of Shabbetai Tzvi, he would then have the power to perform a sign and a wonder. The aforementioned envoys waited until the end of the holiday, and they went to him to ask that he keep his promise; but received no answer. And instead of illumination, great darkness overcame him. They told him, “Since you were not able to prove anything, we ask you to write and to sign off on four stipulations, in order to attenuate the damage that you have caused for the entire people of Israel.”

1. You shall distance yourself and travel away from Adrianople at a twelve-day distance; do not burn Israel with the fire of your embers!
2. You shall not write any letter about anything at all to that same man who is in Adrianople, neither by your hand, nor by the hand of anyone else at all!
3. He shall not gather around him a gathering of people, at any of the places to which he may go. Rather, he should remain alone and be quiet, only with his in-laws and his servant.
4. If the Redeemer should not come by the twenty-fifth of the next month of Elul, God willing, then all of his words are falsities and lies, and contain nothing useful.

He accepted all of these stipulations, under oath. He wrote them down, and he signed it, and he gave it to the aforementioned envoys. And we, the chosen few of the Jewish community of Ipsala, may God protect it, were present at the proceedings of everything written above, with the wise man, may the Lord protect him, who teaches Torah in our communities. And as a witness and a proof in the hands of the aforementioned envoys, we have written and have signed our names on Tuesday, the eighth of the month of Sivan in the year 5427 [1667] since the creation of the world, here in the city of Ipsala. All is valid and clarified, and set in order.

The matters mentioned in this copy have all come forth from his mouth.