El Cuento De Los Siete Mendigos

by Rebbe Nachman

This is the most famous tale of Rab Najman de Bratslav, its also the one that has amazed and intrigued all that have read or listened it. From the common reader to the literary critics, all people are fascinated in front of the symbolic richness of this text.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, Judaica, Fiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2005

Reviews

[Sylvia McIvers · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Seven Beggars" tell their stories over 6 days and 85 pages.

It's amazing how mystic ideas can be written in such simple English - I understood every word, and maybe 1% of the ideas.

The books is written in double form, with the upper part of the page telling a simple story, and the lower half of the page heavily footnoted to explain what the stories mean.

The rest of the stories are a lot simpler, very entertaining, and some of them have entered the Jewish story pipeline as-is, without the mystical content, because the stories deliver a punch on their own.

"Once upon a time, the Moshe the tailor had a dream that a great treasure was buried under the main bridge in the capital. He traveled to the capital, and for two days he stared at the bridge, wondering how he might dig for treasure. A soldier asked what he was doing there, and Moshe told of his dream.

The soldier laughed. "For two days, I have been dreaming that there is a great treasure hidden under the hearthstone of Moshe the tailor. Do you think I will look for the tailor and his hearthstone?"

So Moshe the tailor went home, full of joy, and dug up the treasure under his hearthstone.

Sure your treasure is in your own home all along, but sometimes you have to travel in order to figure it out. What the mystical meaning of this story is, don't ask me.

[Eliot Parulidae · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's amazing that Chasidim have become the ultra-ultra-conservative stalwarts of the Jewish world when the teachings of their masters are so...psychedelic. I will be revisiting this one as I become more versed in Jewish mysticism.

[Perlie]

I feel weird rating a Rabbi Nachman of Breslov story, so I'm going to skip that step. I'll say that this story is complex, multi-layered, and not an easy read. I think it requires someone with a deep knowledge of the underlying allusions to be able to read it, and all the more so, to teach it.
The introduction to the story, however, is worth a read in its own right, and explains the power of story to dive right into the heart.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

too mystical for me- but your tastes may vary

[Ronaldo Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tree of Knowledge and it's Symbols.

Profound Jewish concepts about spirituality. Complex sphirot interpretations on good and bad altogether. Symbolism with the human body and soul.

[Léa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing.

[Yaneth Suárez]

No se muy bien cuales eran las expectativas que había que tener a la hora de leer esta novela pues es la primera vez que leo algo de este género, al menos tan explícito. El resultado ha sido mediocre, muy mediocre.