Touching Heaven Touching Earth: Hassidic Humor & Wit

by Shmuel Avidor Hacohen, Emmanuel Mané-Katz (Illustrator)

151 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Harold Citron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would consider this an abridged version of the "Tales of the Chassidim" by Martin Buber.

I came across this book from Rabbi Telushkin's book on Jewish Humor, (he lists it as one of his source materials). While the book includes as its under-title "Hassidic Humor and Wit", it isn't a joke (two rabbis walk into a bar) book per se, but as with Buber's, tells stories both of the Hassidim and their rebbe's, and told by them to pass on teachings and wisdom of the group.

If you like such stories, you will enjoy this book. While a quick read, the stories and witticisms do come with a healthy dose of deeper meaning.

[Ashish Thakur · Rating 5 out of 5]

While walking through the flea market in Haifa on 4 February 2023, I chanced upon this book in a bookstore which mostly had books in Hebrew. It was a rare find, given how cheaply I got it (5 Shekels). I have always been interested in the core values and distilled teachings of every religion. This book is a gem. It is a collection of aphorisms and parables of the Hassidim, a movement in Judaism which arose in the eighteenth century in Western Ukraine. I could relate to almost every parable. I could relate it to the teachings imparted in various traditions of Hinduism. The essential teachings are almost the same.