The Yeshiva

When IB Singer got the Nobel Prize, Yiddishists were torn. This novel is the primary reason that many, myself included, thought that Chaim Grade deserved it instead. Grade's humanist realism recreates 19th century Jewish life, and the tale is universal in its detailing of the conflict between the high demands of fanatic fundamentalism and the weakness of being human. A friend who read this book recently adds that Grade's women are unusually well-drawn and real. I'd say that Grade's people are well-drawn and real. If "Rabbis and Wives" (3 short novellas) whets your appetite, this is the full meal. If only more Grade were translated....

The Yeshiva draws on some of Chaim Grade's own experiences growing up in Lithuania and Poland between the wars in a story that crosses religious torment with vingettes of everyday life. The main character is Tsemakh Atlas, a scholar who fanatically follows the teachings of the Mussar movement (a Jewish ethical movement that focuses on removing all traces of sin from your thoughts and actions, rejecting comfort and pleasure, and [apparently] telling the truth to everyone even if they don't want to hear it). The problem, however, is that Tsemakh secretly doubts the existence of God and openly belittles close studying of the Torah, which is what pretty much everyone else thinks a good scholar should work on.

Grade paints a realistic and show more engrossing picture of Jewish life between the wars in the period where freethinking and secular movements were threatening the traditional way of life. In Tsemakh we have a man with horribly ordinary passions and doubts who takes pleasure in tormenting himself and generally alienates those around him. He is balanced by a whole host of scholars, villagers, families, and shopkeepers who spend their time just living their lives.

[full review of Volume 1 here: http://spacebeer.blogspot.com/2009/12/yeshiva-volume-1-by-chaim-grade-1967.html ]

[full review of Volume 2 here: http://spacebeer.blogspot.com/2010/01/yeshiva-volume-ii-masters-and-disciples.ht... ] show less