Tsim-Tsum

by Marc Estrin

Tsim-tsum is a Hebrew word meaning “contraction” or “self-limitation”, and according to Isaac Luria, a
16th century Kabbalist, it was YHWH’s first move in creating the He had to tsim-tsum, because
if He didn’t, there would be no room for the material world. What’s most interesting about this is that His
first act is not one of emanation, but of hiding. The second most interesting thing is that the tsim-tsumed
God is quite similar to the postulated infinite compression before the big bang.

Anyway, God is living in a ’96 Hyundai, having returned to check out his creation. He doesn’t like what
He sees or hears on the recalcitrant radio which comes on at will reporting news from the 14th to the 20th century.
So He decides to do a second tsim-tsum, in order to give humanity a little more room for its improvement.
There are four chapters (each prefaced by a drop cap Y, H, W, and H). In the first He eats his tail and legs;
in the second, His arms; in the third, His torso; and in the fourth, His head — an ingenious topological trick.
In this last chapter, He is visited by Death and the Death Orchestra, who populate the airbag. As He finally
disappears, Cheshire-catlike, into his own smile (or grimace) we don’t know whether Tsim-tsum has been
achieved, or simply the death of God.

139 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2009

About the author

Marc Estrin is an author, cellist, and political activist living in Burlington, Vermont. He has published four novels, and a memoir of his thirty-five years of working with the Bread & Puppet Theater."