Eines Tages geht der Rabbi

The Rabbi Small Mysteries #9

by Harry Kemelman

--"Was sollen wir mit dem alten Schmonzes? Wir brauchen einen modernen Mann, der begreift, was heute Sache ist, und der uns für die heutigen Probleme geistigen Beistand geben kann." --"Du haettest also nichts gegen einen Wechsel?" --"Hab ich mich nicht klar genug ausgedrückt? Ich tausch fast jeden, meinetwegen sogar einen jungen Spund, frisch aus dem Seminar, gegen Rabbi Small ein." --"Darüber scheinen sich praktisch alle einig zu sein." --"Und was machen wir jetzt? Fordern wir ihn zum Rücktritt auf?" --"Nein."

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Jewish, Audiobook, Judaism, Murder Mystery, Religion

205 pages, Pocket Book

First published March 1, 1985

About the author

Harry Kemelman was an American mystery writer and a professor of English. He was the creator of one of the most famous religious sleuths, Rabbi David Small.

His writing career began with short stories for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine featuring New England college professor Nicky Welt, the first of which, "The Nine Mile Walk", is considered a classic.

The Rabbi Small series began in 1964 with the publication of Friday the Rabbi Slept Late, which became a huge bestseller, a difficult achievement for a religious mystery, and won Kemelman a 1965 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The Rabbi Small books are not only mysteries, but also considerations of Conservative Judaism.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in the day, I read the entire week’s worth of novels featuring Rabbi David Small, the sole Jewish leader in the small town of Barnard’s Crossing, Massachusetts. Usually, the mysteries were cleverly crafted, sometimes less so. I began with the first, the Edgar Award-winning Friday the Rabbi Slept Late, and finished with the last novel, 1978’s Thursday the Rabbi Walked Out. Or so I thought.

Author Harry Kemelman took a break, but then resumed writing more novels. I thought the mystery in Someday the Rabbi Will Leave (first released in 1985) ingenious, and I had forgotten what an instinct Kemelman, a college professor rather than a rabbi, had for human nature, both good although mostly bad. But I had forgotten what an annoying prig Rabbi Small is.

But don’t take it from me. Listen of one of Small’s temple members:

…[H]e acts so damn superior. According to my old man, in the old days the rabbi was the big noise in the community. He was the one educated man and everyone used to defer to him on that account. And Rabbi Small goes on like that, like we’re back in the nineteenth century and he’s the only one who knows anything.

Well, maybe not the only one who knows anything, but certainly Rabbi Small thinks himself the only one with a reliable moral compass. It’s definitely his way or the highway. The synagogue is supposed to be an amalgam of Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jewry (there not being enough Jews to support more than one temple), but, in truth, the religion is Smallism, with ideas that were falling out of favor with Conservative Judaism even in the late 1970s when I went to a mostly Jewish high school in Miami. It would spoil the novel for you if I told you the particular instance, but trust me on this one.

That said, the mystery, the philosophical/religious discussion and the insight into human nature in Someday the Rabbi Will Leave were so excellent that this ninth book (and eighth mystery) in the Rabbi Small series remains a five-star read. I read it in just a few hours. And there’s no greater recommendation than that!

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into Jewish ethics and good mystery.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book in the series where it's pretty obvious that the point to the books is not the mysteries but the opportunity to explain contemporary Judaism. It's good but there are better in this series.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rabbi Small is a low-key, mild-mannered rabbi of a Conservative temple, who asks the right questions at the right time to get to the heart of a situation. Most of the novel was about small town politics (a milk-toast lawyer is cajoled into running for state senator) and temple politics (the new temple president is a millionaire who never attends but likes to throw his influence around and run the temple like a business.) The rabbi was somewhat in danger of not having his contract removed (he really couldn't care), but the crime he helped solve changed the dynamics. Not scintillating reading, but relaxing.

[Alonzo Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like your mysteries with lots of bodies and mysteries to solve? You are really out of luck. This book is about politics in a synagogue and then politics in Massachusetts and also a bit of religion and philosophy. Well, since this is supposed to be a mystery series, there is a hit and run and therefore a corpse and a bit of casual injustice.

But since the mystery isn’t really the point, there is also some philosophical chit chat about how a woman might break into politics, and what happens when a gazillionaire takes over as President of a synagogue, and then doesn’t get his way.

Ultimately, good things happen to good people because they are lucky (when you are a writer, you can make that happen, and make handy philosophical observations about it.) The mystery gets solved in a rush in the last couple of chapters. All of this is a breezy cozy read, which helps all the philosophical stuff go down easily, but the end result is no great shakes.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do admire the integrity and insight of Rabbi David Small, who somehow is still in his position as rabbi in the Conservative (compromise) "Temple" in the small town of Barnard's Crossing, near Boston, Mass. I'm also thankful to the Almighty that he is Jewish and thus never had any influence on the CDF (modern Catholic equivalent of the Inquisition).
Harry Kemelman managed to integrate much Jewish thought (and almost Jesuit casuistry- not a Catholic monopoly, or innovation, apparently) into classic detective stories. This is "New England" before everyone owned guns (stated, firmly, in previous book), largely unaware of the world outside- even of most of the USA, let alone the rest of that continent...Barnard's Crossing is however exceptional in that it is possible for Catholics and Jews to be accepted as almost human (you have to be born there, or you're a migrant!). No chance of election to the equivalent of the burgh council, unless you're at least third generation native. This would be no place for the Scottish diaspora- the local non-Catholic Christians are decidedly "Episcopalian" with all the condescension of the ruling Anglo-Saxon hegemony!
The Rabbi has always been clear: Judaism does not mean faith - it does not require and would even deny the existence of the Almighty, being Jewish is an ethnicity (like I'm Scottish), Judaism is only a system of behaviour, but only for some descendants of Abraham (poor old Ishmael!) nothing more, and it is not even necessary or even desirable, to adhere to those norms. (Seems weird to me, being Catholic, something that influences me 24/7)
Usually his opponents are infinitely less likeable- totally stereotypical Americans - money-mad, crafty, greedy, intolerant, egotistical- but maybe he needs to get out more - except he can't - there are few houses he can accept food in ( not kosher), but still he picks and chooses which laws to obey...

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always read these for the "interesting insights into contemporary Judaism" but the mysteries are usually good, too. How far does the rabbi control what happens at the synagogue? Can he say for whom he will or will not perform the ceremonies? Yes, he can because that is the central part of his job. If he won't perform an inter religious wedding then it won't happen. His son Jonathan asks to be allowed to help the Republican committee in the primary that is coming up. I'm surprised at David's hesitancy in giving permission, but he is a very unpolitical person so I suppose it's normal. This involves David briefly with one of the candidates, who drives Jonathan home one night. There is a political science post grad who is managing this candidate's campaign. Her father is a millionaire who has just been elected president of the congregation. The story involves influence and what a person can expect in return for money or business or other benefit. David says there is no quid pro quo in his business, which is all about standards. You can give him whatever and he will be grateful, but don't expect him to change his standards for you.
I was a little disappointed about the ending of this one and, as usual, I would like to have a conversation with Rabbi Small.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the mystery and the political campaign parts of the plot, but the rabbi continuing to hold on to his job by the skin of his teeth is getting kind of old. Too bad Laura probably won't be an important character in future books in the series. It seems like her input at the synagogue could be entertaining.

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with others, not my fav, but since I am reading all in series, I went ahead anyway. Now need to check if I have missed any

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rabbi Small enters the world of politics. No, he doesn't run for office, but when a someone is found dead of an apparent hit and run on a deserted road, and the daughter of the new president of the synagogue is involved along with a host of others it is only natural that the Rabbi would look into it. Along with the murder case, the rabbi must deal with a new synagogue president who tries to run the synagogue like a newly acquired company, throwing out the dead wood and making it more efficient. The rabbi is looking more and more like dead wood.

FYI, as a bonus, the rabbi's son, Jonathan, becomes involved in this story.

Any problems with this story? One of the characters (the guy running for office) seems really lackluster and rather stupid. I can't imagine him ever being a politician... oh... wait... I think I can imagine it! Never mind. :-)

Any modesty issues? Sex happens between a couple engaged to be married. Nothing is described in detail.

NOTE: There is an issue of intermarriage between a Jew and a non-Jew. Everything that Rabbi Small said on the subject rang true to me. (He is portrayed as a Traditional Conservative rabbi) I used to be a member of a Reform synagogue (that is, more liberal than Rabbi Small is portrayed here) and our rabbi did not perform marriage ceremonies between a jew and non-Jew. In fact, I received a phone call one day asking if we did them and not only did I tell them no, I told them I refused to helped them find such a person even though I knew that person's name. As I recall, that was back during the same timeframe as when this book was written. I now consider myself a Modern Orthodox Jew. I don't have any idea what Reform rabbis do nowadays.

There are a lot of twists and turns. The ending is good and although I wasn't surprised at who did it, it was hidden well enough that made for a good overall story.

I have read this book more than once and will probably read it again, once I've forgotten who did it.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven years after Harry Kemelman wrote the last of the days of the week Rabbi Small books he returned to the series with Someday The Rabbi Will Leave. The hiatus clearly did nothing to lessen his writing skills as this book is a real page turner - I read it all in one day.

The Rabbi Small books are in the murder mystery genre. However, the actual murder is often, as in the case of this book, more of a background issue than the focus of the book. The Rabbi books focused more and more on Rabbi Small’s negotiating the difficult path of being a Jew devoted to the strict letter of the Judaic law while leading a small, not very observant congregation in a New England town.

The underlying plot of each book is the Rabbi’s battle with his Temple’s board of directors, his interactions with the Catholic Chief of Police, his dedication to studying the Torah and the Talmud, and some social issue pertaining to the time in which Kemelman wrote the book. Lastly it is about him helping to solve a murder.

The initial focus of this book is on politics, both in the town and in the temple. Into this mix in Someday The Rabbi Will Leave, Kemelman returns to the issue of mixed marriages - when a Jew elects to marry a non-Jew. While he has touched on this issue in other books Kemelman returns, once again, to the issue in this one. Clearly this was an important issue for Kemelman.

Like all of the other Rabbi books, this one is well-written, engaging, educational, and absorbing. You do not have to read the other books in the series before this one but I think reading at least the first few will increase your understanding and appreciation of Someday The Rabbi Will Leave.

[Helen Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had almost forgotten about this series when I was looking for some fiction to read that was light-hearted. In this story, Rabbi Small has to stand firm when a wealthy businessman becomes the president of the temple and tries to influence him. A very weak lawyer is convinced to run for political office and is literally pushed there by the daughter of the temple president. He becomes the candidate for his party and agrees to marry the daughter who has managed his campaign. The only problem is that she is a Jew and he is not and she had promised to be married by a rabbi. When her father tries to convince Rabbi Small to perform the ceremony, he is upset when the rabbi says no. There then ensues a behind-the-scenes move to get rid of the rabbi and to bring in another one.
However, it is discovered that the lawyer was paying money to a disreputable character who had some dirty news about one of his opponents and that might have been why he won. On his way to meet with this character to pay him off, the lawyer runs him down and then tries to frame a young man who lived nearby. After many legal manoeuvres, the lawyer is found guilty and the innocent young man is freed. The president of the temple sends his daughter to Europe to get away from the scandal and Rabbi Small is not replaced. This is a great read as it exposes the underbelly of politics and shows just how corrupt some candidates are. Through it all Rabbi Small remains calm and unwavering from what is right for his congregation.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

#9 in the Rabbi Small mystery series. David Small is the rabbi at the synagogue in Barnard’s Crossing, Massachusetts. He is conservative, a scholar rather than out going cheer leader type of person, so is not what his congregation expects a rabbi to be. So he finds himself working the police chief to solve a murder while also dealing with congregation leaders who would rather have someone else as rabbi or are at odds with him over their personal goals and what is good for the congregation.

As usual in this series, the newly elected president of the temple wants to replace Small before his daughter's wedding because he refuses, on the basis of temple rules, to officiate the interfaith wedding of the president’s daughter to a non-Jewish Boston politician. They were all ready at odds because the president wants to bring corporate efficiency to the temple at the expense of religious tradition. Then a player in Boston politics is killed in a hit-and-run accident and the police suspect a Jewish college student who Small fears has been set up—and that the synagogue president is involved.

[Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could never tire of these mysteries. I'd love it if the estate could license some more, since I'm nearing the final one.

The "B" plot mechanism (assuming the "A" plot is the murder) for most of the Rabbi Small books is the same as an episode of Three's Company: a communications misunderstanding spins out of control, with folks (save the Rabbi) making all sorts of ridiculous inferences from too little information. This story is no different, as the new tycoon temple president thinks he can get a little quid pro quo out of the Rabbi.

If there's any level of divine intervention in these mysteries, it's that a dead body halfway through the book always seems to solve Rabbi Small's temple politics struggles. In this case, a pedestrian is run over, and a local Jewish college student is blamed.

I rather preferred the red herring inquiry that Police Chief Lanigan was following before the Rabbi solved the case, but in context the solution made sense.

If you like the earlier books, you'll love this one too.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this one in a transfer box, now that I've moved from house into condo, and now that Covid-19 has the libraries closed.

I know I bought it in expectation after having read the first 7 in the series, apparently 35 years ago. I'm tempted to go back and give those the same 5 stars for hitting their targets, but on the principle that tastes can change and an old book not stand up to new reading, I won't. Nevertheless, I'm delighted to give them to this one.

I also am not quite moved to order the unread ones from ILL, or to check out the couple of the first 7 that I can reread on-screen from the County. And certainly not to take up the audiobooks that are all the City offers. At least, not when there are that many more boxes waiting for me.

I mean, that's also where I just rediscovered Sheri S. Tepper.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another step in the reading/re-reading of the Rabbi series. The mysteries are not great but I totally enjoy the information about Judaism that I learn in the book. In "Someday the Rabbi Will Leave," the rabbi faces another confrontation with the Board of his congregation when asked to perform a wedding ceremony between a Jewish woman and her gentile fiance. The father of the bride has spent his life as a successful (big) businessman and believes the whole world runs on the same steam as business. Because the rabbi, as the religious leader of the temple and the Jews in the town, doesn't share that belief he is again on the road out of the temple. By using his skills at logic and deduction, the rabbi solves the problem and that solution ends his other problems and finds him again safe as the leader of his congregation.

[Sue Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first week of the Rabbi series when they first were published years ago. Somehow I lost contact with the series and didn't realize there were still books I hadn't read. I felt as if I had reconnected with an old friend I hadn't seen for a long time.

So many characters were introduced in the first few chapters that it took me awhile to figure out who was who and how they related to one another and to the plot, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Was this the way of all the other books? It's been so long since I've read them, I'm not sure. The reveal was a total surprise to me. I suppose I should have seen it coming, but I didn't.

After I read the rest of the ones that are new to me, I might go back to the beginning and reread the whole series.

[Rex Libris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a bunch of the Rabbi David Small mysteries when I was in middle school and high school and really enjoyed. So when I found this one on a rack at the train station I grabbed it with no hesitation.

This story has several threads. A multi-millionaire becomes the president of the congregation and he thinks he is running one of his own businesses, which brings him into conflict with Rabbi Small. Meanwhile it is election season, and a political fixer is found dead from a hit and run accident. It appears to have been committed by a local college student, but the Rabbi believes the young man's protestations and investigates on his own.

As with all of the other Rabbi Small stories, a fun read.

[Marie Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gentle book with good characterizations and interesting descriptions of the interactions of all sorts of people in general and specifically at the Temple board and at various levels of government.

This was the first of three Rabbi Small books I’ve read recently. All three were similar: part of the congregation tries to fire the rabbi; a murder occurs that the rabbi solves; it’s clear the rabbi will never betray his principles even if it means losing his job.

There’s a lot of detailed discussions of the Rabbi’s beliefs. The reasons for why a suspect may or may not have committed the murder are also detailed. Sometimes there’s too much repetition.

Three similar books are enough for me for now. But I mostly enjoyed all of them.

[Sydney Scarbrough · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a refreshing switch up from my usual rotation of contemporary or futuristic novels. written in 1985, it was really fun to immerse myself in the world before cellphones and internet, even if many things have not changed.

despite being short, i feel like i came to know a lot of characters in this book and finished it understanding Judaism more. the only drawbacks of this for me was that the mystery did not transpire until the halfway point of the novel (almost at 50% exactly), and then once it was being worked out, exploring all the leads, theories, potential suspects, and finding the eventual culprit was extremely rushed. like one 10-page or less chapter discussing how the Rabbi solved it, short.

outside of that, there are certainly some things that caused me to tilt my head a bit - but again, it was written 40 years ago, so only the things that would still cause me to lower a rating in today's age affected the stars.

[Rebecca Augustine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does the Rabbi Leave?

Politics, politics, and more politics! Not only on the state-wide level, but in the synagogue itself! Who seems to have his fingers in both pies -- at least indirectly? (His daughter is managing the campaign of a local attorney's run for the office of state senator. ) The answer is the wealthy President of the congregation, who believes that since he has voted a sizeable raise for the rabbi, that the rabbi is, so to speak, 'in his pocket.' When the rabbi and the tycoon disagree on a matter of religious principle, the President plans in secret to replace him.

[Donna Sipe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rabbi Small Mysteries are clever, with puzzles inside puzzles. There are always at least 2 story lines, sometimes 3.

However, they are creatures of a different era and generation, and they aren't aging well. The descriptions of women and women's issues are not kind. They are too stereotypical -- women are girls to be condescended to, taken care of, or slept with. (No real spice, BTW.). And, the author, along with Rabbi Small, are both interested in explaining a particular approach to Judaism, especially the Conservative Judaism of the Post-WW II era.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible version: I'm giving this four stars, because I started only listening at night to put me to sleep and thought I didn't care enough about the story to really listen. I thought I might be getting tired of Rabbi Small and his fickle congregation, but they're just so much fun! I can't reveal what got me listening intently as that would give things away, but I couldn't put it down after hearing that. I skipped the 8th book as it's not really a novel, so I only have three more in this series. Sad. As always, George Guidall is the perfect narrator!

[Marieke Desmond · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rabbi in a small Massachusetts town outside Boston finds himself investigating a hit-and-run death of a political operative and the tumultuous politics of temple all at the same time.

This book is all about politics, on the streets, in campaigns, and inside temple. I found the inter-temple machinations more compelling than the actual death-mystery but enjoyed Rabbi Small and his wife and the real characters of Massachusetts filling the pages.

[Sue Herbine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved the entire Rabbi series! I have now finished them all with great sadness. This however was my second read and they will be on my shelf for a new read. Although I enjoy the murder being solved I especially enjoy, as a Christian, the insights into the Jewish religion. I have learned not to call it faith from reading this book. Excellent blending of great characters, twisted murder plots, and Jewish tradition.

[Mark Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the eighth installment of Kemelman's Rabbi Small mystery series. Rabbi David Small, a rabbi in the Jewish community in the fictional town of Barnard's Crossing, MA, near Boston, keeps watch over his flock and solves murders. It is a very good series of murder mysteries, and this one lives up to the others. It mixes politics, religion, and dastardly murder in a case that baffles police chief Hugh Lanigan. Rabbi Small to the rescue!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept. Never guessed the killer

Rabbi Small is an very focused man, very devoted to his beliefs. The conflict between the Rabbi and his congregation is established early. It is clear which character will cause the conflict. But the murder and the story surrounding it drags. Then all of a sudden, bam. It is wound up and over. I felt first sort of bored and then cheated.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all in this older series (I think this is the last one) but I was disappointed with this one. As it is, they are very light on the mystery end of things, but in this book the “mystery” did not really appear until a good part of the book was read. It felt like the author had gotten tired of writing the books and just tied some things together.

[Mike Glaser · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay entry in the series. I would recommend it to people reading the whole series in order but if you are new to the Rabbi Small’s books, I would recommend one of the earlier books. The series has reached the 1980’s but it seems as though life here is still stuck in the late 1960’s. A pleasant diversion if you are enjoying the series.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst of the series. The rabbi is barely in it, the political storyline is overly complicated and lacking in fleshed out antagonists, the B-plot with yet another temple president trying to do the rabbi dirty is repetitive and threadbare at this point, and the c-plot with the actual mystery is the first in the series to be forced and unbelievable.