Muntele de Aur. Minunate povestiri hasidice despre rabinul Israel, Baal Shem Tov, si despre stranepotul sau, rabinul Nachman

by Meyer Levin

Cu doua sute de ani in urma, intr-o coliba indepartata din Muntii Carpati, a trait un facator de minuni pe nume Rabbi Israel. Unii spun ca nu a existat niciodata; la fel s-a spus si despre regele Arthur si despre Iisus Hristos insa legendele lor s-au pastrat pana in ziua de azi. Unii spun ca Israel nu a fost niciodata rabin, ci mai degraba un taran neinstruit care si a creat singur autoritatea. Se spune ca inca de cand era copil a parasit scoala din sat, ca sa fuga in padure, unde a invatat graiul animalelor si pe cel al pasarilor, al copacilor, pietrelor si florilor. Israel a coborat din munti pentru a-i invata pe oameni sa traiasca cu bucurie nemasurata, caci bucuria din fiecare lucru viu, spunea el, este forma cea mai inalta de venerare. Padurile sunt sfinte, la fel si campiile, fiecare piatra si fiecare fir de iarba contin o scanteie din Sufletul viu; fiecare act al vietii, respiratia, mancatul, mersul, trebuie indeplinit cu ardoare, bucurie, extaz, caci fiecare dintre ele vorbeste despre Dumnezeu.

Invatatii care isi petrecusera tineretea searbada aplecati peste volumele Legii si au ridicat capetele si, pentru prima oara, au vazut cerul; el i-a scos din sinagoga intunecoasa si i-a dus in campiile deschise si acolo, le-a spus el, ii va auzi Dumnezeu. El nu a incalcat traditia, ci a extins o. A respectat fiecare punct al Legii si s a inchinat in casa de rugaciune, dar a reafirmat ca adevarul divin se pierde in ritualul tuturor religiilor. A spus ca dorinta inimii de a adora este mai pretioasa decat forma sau locul adorarii. In jurul sau s-au adunat multi discipoli. Curand, a inceput sa se amplifice legenda despre faptele minunate si invataturile lui Rabbi Israel, iar apoi a fost numit Baal Shem Tov, care inseamna Maestrul Numelui Minunat. Prin Numele acela, el a avut puterea sa savarseasca fapte minunate.

Genres: Judaism, Judaica, Religion, Fiction, Jewish, Short Stories

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

Reviews

[Isobelle Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one will need to be read again and again. Like nested dolls, the layers of meaning and interpretation are many, and each one within another. Though I lack some of the cultural and historical context to illuminate every level, there is enough here for me to to ponder for years, and plenty even for those with less context.

I would add, too, that the stories of Rabbi Nachman are, without any additional speculation, highly enjoyable as image rich stories. They remind me pleasantly of the early works of Lord Dunsany, and this is high praise indeed.

[Mephistopheles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for the first half, focusing on the Baal Shem Tov stories, which are truly delightful natural folklore. Three stars for the second half, the created fairy tales of Rabbi Naachman. I found these too consciously allegorical and cerebral, missing the blood and unconscious beauty of a natural fairytale. Parts were lovely, but few were powerful in their totality.

All in all, this is a worthy addition to any folklore collection.

[Kotai Gyuri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Herald 2020

[Judith Shadford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the early section of the tales from Baal Shem Tov. They were so engaging and even plausible. In the later collection, the stories become increasingly similar--reliance on numerology, symbology and moralizing. In the early stories, when a character "becomes a coachman" you are jolting along beside the coachman and care about the outcome. The later collection are set-ups with two-dimensional characters meant to convey a moral.

[Thom Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorset.