 After studying Talmud and Kabbalah in his native town under Jacob Hagiz, Nathan settled at Gaza, whence his name "Ghazzati".The fact of his father being a German Jew gave him the name of "Ashkenazi".As brilliant as he was as a kabbalistic theologian and as a student, Nathan of Gaza was also endowed with other remarkable characteristics that ultimately helped to promote the messianic claims surrounding Shabbetai Zevi.