i am right a herem (excommunication) was proclaimed against members of the group, provoking a wave of persecution against them. in the face of persecution from the organized jewish community, group members sought protection from the catholic church, telling the local catholic bishop that they rejected the talmud and recognized only the zohar, a jewish mystical text. they also told catholic authorities that they recognized the messiah as part of the trinity, although they did not clarify that they considered zevi, rather than jesus, to be the messiah.
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