Satan In Goray

by Isaac Bashevis Singer

The pogrom that swept through Poland was interpreted as a sign of the Coming of the Lord. In the little town of Goray, laid waste by murder and famine, grief becomes joy as good news arrives of the second coming of the Messiah. Once the town’s pious rabbi is usurped, the townspeople are free to look forward to the End of Days, when they will wear golden jackets and dine on marzipan candy. But such perilously high hopes pave the way to hysteria, and a panic which could threaten the very existence of Goray.

Genres: Fiction, Jewish, Historical Fiction, Classics, Poland, Religion, 20th Century

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Isaac Bashevis Singer was a Polish American author of Jewish descent, noted for his short stories. He was one of the leading figures in the Yiddish literary movement, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978.
His memoir, "A Day Of Pleasure: Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw", won the U.S. National Book Award in Children's Literature in 1970, while his collection "A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories" won the U.S. National Book Award in Fiction in 1974.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the wake of a pogrom, a 17th Century Jewish village in eastern Poland is further unsettled by a frantic enthusiasm for the Messiah from the east, Sabbatai Zevi.

This is a very strange book--more like an elaborate folk tale than a traditional novel. It is also very wise, and it shows with frightening clarity how a society of good people can be destroyed by great misery followed by desperate hope.

[Το Άθχημο γατί του θενιόρ Γκουαναμίρου · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based on actual historical events and reveals the fundamental psychological mechanisms that manifest among the members of a 17th-century religious sect. The narrative technique resembles the medieval chronicles thus providing a much-needed distance from the grotesque, gruesome and heartbreaking main themes and topics.

Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902 - 1991) lived in Poland up to the age of 33 and immigrated to the United States in 1935, settling in New York.

This novel was originally written in Yiddish, published, in installments, in the "Globus" literary magazine (January - September 1933) and book form in 1935. In 1978 the author was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

One of the book's main characters, the fair and tormented Rechele resembles the author's sister Esther Kreitman or Hindele (1891 - 1954) who suffered from epilepsy and mental illness and was an equally gifted writer.

Το βιβλίο αυτό είναι ιστορικό αλλά συνάμα βαθύτατα ψυχολογικό. Είναι ένα έργο που διαπραγματεύεται πολύ δύσκολα και βαριά θέματα με μία αφηγηματική τεχνική η οποία πατάει επάνω στην παράδοση των μεσαιωνικών χρονογραφημάτων, χωρίς ωστόσο να περιορίζεται μέσα σε αυτήν.

Η γλώσσα που γράφτηκε είναι τα Γίντις (Yiddish) και ο συγγραφέας του έργου, ο Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902 – 1991) έζησε τα πρώτα χρόνια της ζωής του στην Πολωνίας ως τα 1935, όταν, στην ηλικία των 33 ετών, μετανάστευσε στις ΗΠΑ, στη Νέα Υόρκη. Το συγκεκριμένο μυθιστόρημα δημοσιεύτηκε αρχικά σε συνέχειες στο λογοτεχνικό περιοδικό Globus (Ιανουάριος - Σεπτέμβριος 1933) και στα 1935 εκδόθηκε σε μορφή βιβλίου. Η πρώτη αγγλική μετάφραση έγινε στα 1955 κι ακολούθησε άλλη μία στα 1980. Στα 1978 ο συγγραφέας τιμήθηκε με το βραβείο Νόμπελ λογοτεχνίας.

Η ιστορία εκτυλίσσεται κάποια χρόνια μετά τις θρησκευτικές διώξεις (σφαγές, εκτοπισμοί, βίαιοι προσηλυτισμοί) των Εβραίων της Πολωνίας (η περιοχή που έλαβαν χώρα τα περιστατικά ανήκει σήμερα στην Ουκρανία) από τον κοζάκο αταμάνο Χμελνίτσκι (Chmelnicki).

Οι κάτοικοι του μικρού, απομονωμένου χωριού Goray, όσοι κατάφεραν να γλιτώσουν από τις φρικαλεότητες, έπειτα από ένα διάστημα όπου είχαν σκορπίσει σε γειτονικές περιοχές και επαρχίες, αρχίζουν να επιστρέφουν στον ερειπωμένο τόπο τους. Αποδεκατισμένοι, οικονομικά εξαθλιωμένοι, ψυχολογικά τραυματισμένοι αποδεικνύονται εύκολα θύματα μιας θρησκευτικής σέκτας που στηρίζεται στα μεσσιανικά κηρύγματα του ραβίνου Σαμπετάι Σεβί ( Sabbatai Zevi 1626 – 1676) η οποία επαγγέλλεται τον ερχομό του Μεσσία και τη λύτρωση των Εβραϊκών πληθυσμών από τα δεινά της καταδυνάστευσης.

Ο συγγραφέας προερχόμενος και ο ίδιος από οικογένεια ραβίνων, καταφέρνει να μεταδώσει με εξαιρετική ζωντάνια και ακρίβεια τα έθιμα, τις παραδόσεις, τις θρησκευτικές εορτές και το κλίμα της εποχής. Ωστόσο ακριβώς επειδή επιλέγει να αφηγηθεί την ιστορία του μέσα από το στόμα ενός ανώνυμου, επινοημένου χρονογράφου του 17ου αιώνα, καταγράφει τα περιστατικά με μια αποστασιοποίηση που - καίτοι δεν μειώνει τη ρεαλιστική ένταση - πετυχαίνει να απαλύνει κάπως τη σκληρότητα των ιστορούμενων περιστατικών. Κι αυτό είναι ευτυχές, καθώς οι κάτοικοι του Goray ζουν μια τρομαχτική κάθοδο στην προσωπική τους κόλαση και φαίνεται πως τα μαρτύριά τους δεν έχουν τελειωμό.

Από όλους τους κεντρικούς ήρωες ξεχωρίζει μία γυναίκα, η εκκεντρική και αλλόκοτη Rechele κόρη ενός πλούσιου άρχοντα που πλέον έχει απολέσει την οικονομική του επιφάνεια, η οποία επιστρέφει μαζί με τον πατέρα της στο κατεστραμμένο πατρογονικό της και αμέσως γίνεται το επίκεντρο των κουτσομπολιών των συγχωριανών της. Είναι μορφωμένη, σε αντίθεση με τις άλλες νέες της ηλικίας της, αλλά εξαιρετικά μοναχική και αφηρημένη, χαμένη μέσα στον μυστηριώδη και ακατάληπτο εσωτερικό της κόσμο.

Η αντικοινωνικότητά της παρεξηγείται ως υπεροψία, αλλά στην πορεία μαθαίνουμε για μια τραυματική εμπειρία που τη σημάδεψε στην παιδική της ηλικία, αποτέλεσμα της θρησκοληψίας, των δεισιδαιμονιών και των προλήψεων με τις οποίες γαλουχείται κυρίως από την υπέργηρη γιαγιά της. Έτσι κάπως, μετατρέπεται από ένα ευφυές, δραστήριο και φιλοπερίεργο πνεύμα σε ένα βασανισμένο πλάσμα με οργιώδη φαντασία, πλήθος από φοβίες και εμμονές.

Η ωραία Rechele δεν αποτελεί απλώς την υποστασιοποίηση του ανορθολογικού στοιχείου που ορισμένως συνδέεται με τα διάφορα μεσσιανικά, χιλιαστικά κινήματα αλλά και μια λογοτεχνική εκδοχή της αδερφής του συγγραφέα, της Esther Kreitman ή Hindele (1891 – 1954) η οποία υπέφερε από επιληψία και έπασχε από ψυχική νόσο, είχε παραισθήσεις και φοβόταν πως δεχόταν επιθέσεις από κακά πνεύματα, δαίμονες της εβραϊκής μυθολογίας και στο τέλος της ζωής της ζήτησε να αποτεφρωθεί ώστε να μην κινδυνεύσει το σώμα της να καταληφθεί από δυνάμεις του κακού. Ήταν ωστόσο, παρ' όλες τις εμμονές και τις φοβίες της, μια εξαιρετικά ταλαντούχα συγγραφέας και η ίδια, και μια εξαιρετικά δυνατή γυναίκα η οποία πέρασε πολλές δοκιμασίες στη ζωή της.

Είναι φοβερός ο τρόπος που η ελπίδα μπορεί να απελευθερώσει τους χειρότερους εφιάλτες, όταν οι άνθρωποι πέφτουν στην παγίδα να πιστέψουν σε ανυπόστατα πράγματα. Η σύγχυση ανάμεσα στα πραγματικά περιστατικά και τις φήμες που ενισχύουν μια διεστραμμένη προσέγγιση, ερμηνεία και κατανόηση των γεγονότων, οδηγεί σε ακρότητες που ομοιάζουν με μεταδοτική νόσο. Σύντομα όλο το χωριό μοιάζει ακυβέρνητο, παραδομένο στην κυριαρχία του Σατανά που εξαπολύει τους δαίμονές του προκειμένου να βασανίσουν και να παρασύρουν κάθε ζωντανή ύπαρξη. Όλα όσα προηγουμένως θεωρούνταν θεόσταλτα και ιερά σταδιακά μεταμορφώνονται στις σκοτεινές και ανόσιες εκδοχές τους. Καθώς η ελπίδα πεθαίνει, έρχονται η ενοχή, η παράνοια και η απελπισία για να επιβάλλουν την κυριαρχία τους επάνω στο Goray.

Είναι ένα εξαιρετικό βιβλίο, ίσως κάπως δυσεύρετο, που πιστεύω πως αξίζει να διαβαστεί.

[Siti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I pericoli del fanatismo
Romanzo d’esordio del premio Nobel, scritto in Yiddish e pubblicato a puntate su “Globus”, rivista letteraria di Varsavia, nel 1935, tradotto poi in inglese nel 1955.
Goray, piccola comunità polacca, risollevatasi dagli attacchi dei cosacchi che hanno sterminato e disperso la popolazione ebrea nel 1648, è ora una comunità pacifica guidata da un rabbino che a tratti quasi si annoia anche se fatica a incanalare i malumori dei membri della sua famiglia in perenne discordia. Progressivamente la comunità viene investita da straordinarie dicerie: prossima è la venuta del Messia e con essa la fine della lunga schiavitù del popolo ebraico, si avvicina il giorno della liberazione. E giunge l’anno 1666 e in piena aderenza ai calcoli cabalistici Shabbatay Tsevi si rivela come il Messia tanto atteso, egli chiede devozione totale al male in cambio della fine dell’esilio e della tanto agognata Terra d’Israele. Tutti gli sono devoti… In questa cornice storica si inserisce la vicenda romanzata di Rechele della quale si racconta la breve e triste sventura che accompagna il triste collassare degli eventi.
Le pagine si susseguono in un alternarsi di cadute e di risalite, di dannazioni e di resurrezioni, di grandi flagelli e di momentanee schiarite, di condanne e di pentimenti e con essi vacilla anche l’attenzione del lettore che arranca tra toni cupi ed eventi incredibili, consapevole comunque di avere tra le mani le pagine di un grande narratore, seppur all’esordio.
Consigliato se interessati alla storia degli ebrei nell’ Europa orientale del XVII secolo, all’esoterismo ebraico, alla cabala, al primo nucleo del futuro sionismo.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

È un romanzo che con ironia e toni da fiaba popolare descrive l’avvento del falso messia Shabbatai Zevi nel XVII secolo e le sue ripercussioni sulla comunità ebraica di Goraj, ricostruita a poco a poco dopo i pogrom che ne avevano decimata la popolazione e raso al suolo le case. Rigore morale e ribellione, speranza di cambiamento e disincanto traspaiono dalle pagine di Singer in un ritratto vivo e lucido. Non ci sono risposte alle domande che l’uomo si pone ed è difficile alla fine sapere se è Satana a danzare per le strade o re David.

[Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting and powerful novel. Isaac Bashevis Singer's Yiddish masterpiece is historically illuminating, theologically penetrating, and as strikingly relevant as ever. Based on the true story of the seventeenth-century apostate messiah, this novel tracks the tragic twists and turns of life in a small village awaiting word from a distant land about the promised one.

Singer gives us an interesting view of the clash between religious authority and messianism, highlighting the tenuous connection between imperfect social structures created to sustain human flourishing and eschatological hopes for their annihilation (in other words, there is a reason that apocalypticism arises in times of political unrest). In this connection, an interesting theme of the story is how religious extremism manifests as sexual violence, and how eschatological fervor can contribute to extremes of inequality. (It is clear that only the men are benefitting from this new Messianic age: whose Messiah? which kingdom of God?)

One of my takeaways is how incredibly foreign so much Jewish history and culture is to me, despite my decently broad knowledge of second-temple Judaism. This story is strange and fascinating—and the parallels with contemporary American dispensationalism are striking. The historical circumstances of the book itself are also intriguing (cf. places and dates of original publication). I doubt that a broad popular audience would know what to do with this book, as the culture and style are so strange and foreign to modern western ears, but if the subject matter interests you, it is well worth the read.

[Teresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

«Foi o romance em que Singer tratou pela primeira vez um dos seus temas recorrentes: o Falso Messias ou o Falso Bem, a sua capacidade de sedução, o fenómeno do ídolo, o seu sucesso e a loucura das massas que se erguem à sua volta; a sua posterior queda e a destruição das ilusões após o terror da descoberta partindo para a nova ilusão da penitência e possível redenção.»
— Mordechai Allen

Tentei lê-lo em 2011 e desisti nas primeiras páginas; tentei uma segunda vez e desisti nas últimas páginas. Excesso de misticismo para o meu escasso entendimento...


_____________
Prémio Nobel da Literatura 1978
Isaac Bashevis Singer nasceu na Polónia em 21 de Novembro de 1902 e morreu nos Estados Unidos da América em 24 de Julho de 1991.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posto tra Biłgoraj e Lublino, Zamość e Sandomierz, Goraj è oggi poco più di un villaggio, un paese di poco meno 4500 abitanti. Una florida comunità ebraica un tempo l’animava. Cosa resta della presenza e della vitalità ebraica di un tempo? Sì e no il ricordo, forse. Ma ben prima di Hitler e delle sue Schutzstaffel, a sradicare i figli di Abramo da quel villaggio sperduto tra le colline Roztocze, ci aveva provato l’atman Bogdan Khmelnitsky e i suoi cosacchi. Iniziata nel 1648 come rivolta dei cosacchi zaporoghi contro i signori polacchi che dominavano l’Ucraina, l’insurrezione alimentata dai tatari di Crimea e dai contadini in rivolta, si era trasformata in un massacro di massa dei cattolici polacchi e degli ebrei in particolar modo. Il racconto di Singer prende le mosse proprio dal massacro della comunità ebraica di Goraj da parte dei cosacchi di Khmelnitsky, o meglio, poco dopo quei terribili eventi. Il Satana di Singer, diversamente che nella Shamgorod di Elie Wiesel non assume le sembianze di un distruttore come Khmelnitsky , ovvero Hitler. C’è un abisso infatti tra il libro di Wiesel che visse l’Olocausto in prima persona e Singer, che scrisse invece il romanzo (la sua prima opera) nel 1935, quando nella Germania nazista era iniziata la persecuzione contro gli ebrei, ma nulla ancora lasciava presagire la catastrofe futura, le sue immani dimensioni, la sua devastante e annichilente intensità. Il peggio, in “Satana a Goraj”, sembrerebbe invece passato; la comunità rinasce, gli ebrei ritornano, le speranze rifioriscono, la vita riprende in tutta la sua pienezza. Ma la presenza satanica agisce, è già all’opera contro i figli di Abramo. Il Satana di Singer è sottile, astutissimo, menzognero e manipolatore. Non si accontenta della distruzione pura e semplice del popolo ebraico come già il Faraone, o il perfido Aman del Libro di Ester, o Khmelnitsky. Vuole invece distruggere dalle fondamenta l’ebraismo, cancellare la sua identità, la sua tradizione, la sua religione, staccandolo in sostanza dalla sua comunione con Dio e con la sua Legge. E per far questo gioca e manipola quanto è più santo, più dolce e caro: l’attesa del Messia, la sua rivelazione finale, la salvezza misericordiosa del popolo ebraico, il ritorno nella Terra dei Padri.
I tempi sembrano maturi, perché l’odio contro i figli di Abramo si è scatenato feroce con i pogrom dei cosacchi. Il Messia potrebbe arrivare adesso, forse è già qui… Si sentono infatti voci sempre più insistenti, arrivano persino dei messi a Goraj: il messia è arrivato ed è Sabbatai Zevi, il mistico, il cabbalista che sta mettendo in agitazione tutte le comunità ebraiche. Ma la delusione è enorme perché il Messia poi diventa turco, ovvero, costretto dalle autorità ottomane, Sabbati Zevi abiura per l’Islam. Una catastrofe, tanto più grande quanto grandi erano le attese e le aspettative di tutti. E allora a Goraj si insinuano strani pensieri, si inizia a forzare la mano a Dio, perché, per una strana teoria diffusa anche da Sabbatai e dai suoi, peccando contro Dio e contro la sua Legge, abbandonando riti, tradizioni e prescrizioni, si aumenterebbe l’empietà dei tempi al massimo grado e si accelererebbe l’arrivo del Messia. Ecco la finezza malvagia di Satana, mostruosa e blasfema che da il via alla vicenda di Sabbatai Zevi. Questa sì che porta alla pressoché totale distruzione della comunità ebraica di Goraj, travolta, sradicata nelle sue convinzioni più intime, nella fede più santa, nell’aspettativa fiduciosa e rispettosa di Dio e del suo Messia. Cupo il romanzo man mano che si procede, ma di una cupezza stemperata dall’ironia (e dall’autoironia), da un certo humor, caratteristico dei fratelli Singer, dalla vivacità, dal vitalismo e dall’esuberanza dei personaggi, anche minori, che vivono nel racconto e lo rendono avvincente.
È forse l’esperienza personale di Singer che anima e da vita al racconto, la sua riflessione sulla storia e sul destino delle comunità yiddish a contatto con una cultura occidentale sempre più scettica e agnostica, ricca e attraente, che disgrega lentamente la fede e la tradizione, che rende insopportabile l’attesa millenaria del Messia, così fiduciosa e incrollabile che aveva costituito nei secoli il cuore pulsante dell’identità ebraica e la garanzia della sua conservazione. I vari messia erano le idee socialiste e marxiste di palingenesi universale, che tanto attraevano l’intellighenzia ebraica europea, il Sionismo e l’inizio del ritorno nella Terra dei Padri senza attendere il messia, etc… Oppure un messia tutto personale, nato dalla stanchezza, dal disincanto, e perché no, dalla stizza e dalla sfiducia verso Dio. Alla fine del suo libro “La famiglia Moskat”, Singer farà dire ad uno sgomento Hertz Yanovar, durante i bombardamenti degli stukas a Varsavia nel settembre 1939, le terribili parole: “Il Messia verrà presto… La morte è il Messia. Questa è la verità”.

[Saturn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nella Polonia del diciassettesimo secolo segnata dalle recenti persecuzioni antisemite, si fa strada l'idea dell'avvento messianico. La figura di Shabbatay Tzevi si cala sulla comunità ebraica europea e mediorientale provocando grandi sconvolgimenti e un profondo scisma. La bella scrittura di Isaac Singer ne descrive l'impatto sul piccolo villaggio di Goraj, che è devastante. Il romanzo è fluido, ricco di immagini vivide. Non è difficile calarsi nelle atmosfere cupe della superstizione medievale, quando la notte era nera e gli interni scarsamente illuminati. In un mondo di oscurità, dalle ombre nascono demoni e gli eventi atmosferici diventano presagi.
All'avvicinarsi dell'anno fatidico 1666 la superstizione trasforma tutto in un delirio religioso e ogni cosa è un segno mistico. Con l'avanzare della narrazione questo vortice di follia non fa che aumentare fino a sfociare quasi nell'horror demoniaco, dove la follia è possessione.
E' molto interessane vedere come cambia la prospettiva delle persone al volgersi delle loro convinzioni: ciò che in un primo momento è un segnale divino, diventa improvvisamente espressione satanica da punire, bandire e cancellare.

[Bob Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literature as Anthropology

When times are desperate as they have been in many eras and many places, people tend to resort to desperate measures. They cast their lot with prophets, dreamers, and seers who foretell a bright future--the coming of the millenium, it is often called----when all problems shall be solved, the rough made plain, the poor made rich, and sick shall be healed. Movements develop. They may die away in time or they may thrive and create great civilizations. Western civilization, after all, is based on one such movement. We generally refer to these movements as "cults", unless of course they are successful. In many, but not all, millenial movements, people anticipate the immanent arrival of the New Age so strongly that they throw away their possessions and engage in dissolute behavior: singing, dancing, drinking, engaging in previously-forbidden sex, and so on. Sometimes the "pure" remove themselves to isolated spots to await the end of the world or the Great Change, in extreme cases, they may even commit suicide. Anthropologists have studied many such groups or religions; others are found in history books or newspapers. Our times are not devoid of such groups: remember Jonestown, remember the Branch Davidians, remember that group that committed suicide in California. China (the Taiping), Brazil (Antonio Conselheiro),, Papua New Guinea (the cargo cults), Africa (many studies), Burma, Europe---the list is nearly endless. The Jews have not been immune either. In the 1660s the famous "false Messiah" arose in Turkey, claiming to be ready to lead the Jews to Judgement Day and a new era. Throughout eastern Europe hope sprang up, especially in the Polish-Ukrainian regions devasted by the murderous Bogdan Chmielnitski not long before.
Written as a novel, with lively, colorful characters, Singer describes perfectly the course of such a millenial movement in Goray, an isolated Polish village. Whether you are interested in literature or anthropology, this is a description you cannot afford to miss. We follow the rise and fall of a local cult leader, a prophetess, and the feverish hopes of the Jews, longing for deliverance from "singing King Alpha's song in a strange land". Amidst strange marriages, the breaking of all the strict laws of kashrut, and the wild visions of prophecy, Goray's hopes soar and crash. If you think that the rise of post-Holocaust, post-pogrom Israel is just politics and has nothing to do with any sort of millenarianism, then you should read this wonderful book and reconsider. Powerful language, dark, dreadful images full of demons and damnation only possible from a master like Singer show the strength of the ancient dream of Israel. The tragedy is, of course, that in modern times the dream was realized at somebody else's expense. Reading Abdelrahman Munif's "Cities of Salt", in conjunction with Singer's book would not be a bad idea. It illustrates the world on which such dreams impacted. SATAN IN GORAY is a wonderful book of literature, anthropology, and history from which great understanding may flow. The world needs this understanding.



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[Aleksandar Janjic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Већ сам одавно спикирао да прочитам ову књигу јер сам чуо да се у њој описују разноразне гадости, а све то у стивенкинговском амбијенту маленог градића, с тим да није баш стивенкинговски амбијент пошто је у питању јеврејски градић у Пољској средином 17. вијека. Лијепа ствар у свему овоме је што је аутор ове књиге нобеловац Исак Б. Сингер, што ову књигу по аутоматизму чини умјетничким дјелом, тако да би свако ко би нешто приговорио њеном "дискутабилном" садржају могао исте секунде да буде проглашен не само за непријатеља лијепе књижевности већ и за антисемиту. Па ви размислите.

Да би ваше уживање у овој књизи било максимизирано, двије су ствари пожељне. Прва је познавање историјског контекста - положај Јевреја у Пољској у горе назначеном периоду, козачка побуна и протјеривање/масакр над јеврејским становништвом по некаквим селима, међу којима је и Горај из наслова књиге, као и појава лажног месија Шабатаја Цвија. Срећом, све је ово објашњено на почетку књиге, тако да дудуци као ја нису превише ускраћени, али сигуран сам да би стварно познавање историје било од велике користи. Друга ствар је познавање јеврејске културе, обичаја и, незаобилазно, јеврејске Библије (у нас познате као Стари завјет). Са овим посљедњим нисам имао проблема, али ово претходно ме је начисто дотукло. Ко није на "ти" са појмовима као што су кабала, Тора, Талмуд, празник сјеница, пасха, реб, нисан и свашта томе слично може да се послужи појмовним рјечником (ако има среће да му допадне такво издање), али то је баш оно што кажу ласт ризорт. Ја сам имао срећу да сам читао издање гдје је гомила тих појмова укратко објашњена на крају књиге. Несрећа у срећи била је што је неко крме које је узело књигу прије мене (да, ово је књига из библиотеке, учланио сам се тамо јер је практично џаба и јефтиније ми је да одатле узимам књиге него да их купујем, а и да не гомилам књижурине по кући да скупљају прашину) повадило све те странице, тако да сам за све небиблијске појмове био у тоталном мраку.

Но добро, ако занемаримо ту малу потешкоћу, шта имамо овде? Прича се дешава у Горају, јеврејском селу у Пољској, које је у козачкој побуни 1648. напуштено, да би се петнаестак година касније поново населило. Јевреји већ миленијумима чекају Месију који ће да их одведе из депресивне Европе у обећану израелску земљу. Нормално, кад преко главе претурите све што су они претурили, јасно је да ће очај да достигне такав ниво да ће људи почети да вјерују било коме, па и лажним пророцима какав је дотични Шабатај Цви (који се правио као нека фаца, а онда одмах прешао на ислам чим је мало загустило). Дотични лажњак се не појављује директно у књизи, али вијести о њему долазе у Горај и јерес наилази на изузетно плодно тло због свеопште патње и немаштине која се тамо одвија. Разумне особе могу да се преброје на прсте једне руке (добро, да се не лажемо - на један прст једне руке), док остали хрле да постану сљедбеници Шабатаја Цвија и спремни су да ураде све што било која будала која прође кроз крад каже да је Шабатај Цви наредио.

Првих отприлике двије трећине књиге детаљно описују стање у Горају, сиромаштво, прљавштину, депресију, морални суноврат и то је све много добро написано, просто осјетиш како се та негативна енергија шири с листова књиге. Међутим, виђу контрадикције, све је то описано једноставно, без јадиковања, повремено чак и прилично ведро. Е сад, ствари постају озбиљније отприлике након 2/3 књиге, кад је једини заштитник нормалности, рабин Ашкенази, напустио Горај (био је врло болестан, али уопште нисам провалио је ли умро или су га одвели живог). Ту негдје се појављује нека нарочито велика будалетина која одмах вјештим манипулацијама заузима власт у граду, а дотични (заборавио сам му име) има врло интересантну филозофију да Месија неће доћи прије него што се народ потпуно не поквари, тако да почиње да краде туђе жене и ради још свашта гадно, а подстиче и остале становнике на таква дјела, што они објеручке прихватају. Ту се писац искрено згражава над гадостима која се чине и због доброг укуса не описује их превише детаљно, али даје нам довољно информација да можемо да стекнемо комплетну слику о свеопштем расулу које влада. Наравно, ово је књига која је писана прије осамдесет година, а многе од ствари које су представљене као јасан показатељ тоталне моралне катаклизме данас се сматрају сасвим нормалним, хехе.

Е, углавном, тај дио је мнооооооого добар, али Сингеру ни то није доста, већ нам дарује риједак приказ демонске опсједнутости у "озбиљној" литератури, заједно са детаљним описом јеврејског егзорцизма, који, преточен у филм који би режирао неко иоле писмен, уопште не би заостајао за Истјеривачем ђавола и сличним хорор класицима. На крају се све завршава неким полухепиендом, месије и даље нема, много људи је изгубило животе, али барем су се преживјели довели памети и протјерали лажне пророке.

Све у сему, много поучна књига, много лијепо написана, без претјераних тупљења са описима и узалудним психоанализама ликова. Има и тога, наравно, али само у дозама неопходним да би нам се пружила, је ли, психоанализа цијеле заједнице.

[M F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book. Part historical fiction, part folklore, part allegory, part magical realism, it depicts a village, Goray, who inhabitants have, by and large, adopted Messianism in the aftermath of systematic massacres by the Cossacks in the 17th century. Latching onto rumours of a coming messiah, Sabbatai Zevi, and encouraged by a couple of false prophets who capitalize on their vulnerability, the villagers begin neglecting--even inverting--traditional religious practice and their moral schema in preparation for the coming Apocalypse, where Zevi will lead them--and the Jewish people, more generally--to salvation. Things get weirder with the introduction of Rechele, an alluring, unmarried woman who becomes the object of both false prophets' sexual desires, whose sexual exploitation triggers her possession by a dybbuk--the novel's Satan proxy. Through it all, Singer writes with a morbid humour which critiques the moral corruption at the heart of the religious frenzy.

Satan in Goray's a good read, but I would have gotten more out of it, I think, if I knew more about Jewish history and Judaism, more generally. He makes all kinds of jokes at the expense of over-eager kabbalists, and I get the sense that he's working with well-established schisms in the practice and teaching of Judaism, but I don't have all of the necessary context. Obviously, this a me-problem, not a flaw in the text, but for anyone who might consider reading this book, a working understanding of the context would be beneficial. Overall, this book feels very much like the debut novel of an author who has a lot to say and who will (I presume) go on to write much greater things.

[León Pipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al leerlo me preguntaba cómo logra Bashevis para nombrar con tanta precisión y belleza la tragedia humana que encarna la vida religiosa y mística que viven todos los pueblos en momentos de crisis, los milenialismos que proyectan en el futuro inmediato, los salvadores, los poderes te. Portales y sobre todo esa apariencia de piedad que niega la eficacia de la misma. Sabio, sabio, sabio.

[Chequers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lettura difficile questa di Satana a Goraj, a tratti mi sembrava di cogliere similitudini con l'Apocalisse di San Giovanni come ritmo, incalzare degli eventi e la sensazione di inquietudine che accompagna ogni pagina.
Indispensabile la lettura del commento del traduttore (dallo yiddish all'inglese) Jacob Sloan che spiega il contesto storico del libro: "L’atmosfera di questo romanzo è medioevale, lo stile classico, talora persino arcaico, la struttura epica, il tono distaccato, le immagini notevolmente concrete ed evocative al contempo. Satana a Goraj di Isaac Bashevis Singer è un capolavoro della lingua jiddish (...) Satana a Goraj è un episodio di isterismo religioso in Polonia nella metà del diciassettesimo secolo. Goraj è una piccola cittadina, o shtetl, situata nella provincia dominata dalla città di Lublino, e abitata quasi esclusivamente da ebrei che vivono commerciando gli uni con gli altri e con i contadini dei villaggi e delle fattorie circostanti, sotto la protezione benevola ma infida del signore feudale di Goraj.
L’azione si svolge nel corso dell’anno 1665-1666, quando le aspettative dell’avvento del Messia da parte degli ebrei sono al culmine."
Per chi ama, come me, la letteratura yiddish, assolutamente da non perdere ma armatevi di pazienza e non lasciatevi spaventare dalla sensazione di inquietudine che tutto il libro emana.

[Bbrown · Rating 3 out of 5]

WARNING: If you're picking up a copy of Satan in Goray, do not under any circumstances buy the Goodreads Press edition of the book, for reasons I discuss below.

"Young men, confused by the twists and turns of pilpul, sought to resolve a hundred dilemmas with one answer; they scorned true learning, as child's play."

You'd think that the apocalypse would be inherently terrifying, but there have always been some that find the idea appealing instead of scary. Seemingly every generation has at least some people that genuinely believe that we are in the end times, that it is only a matter of years, or months, or days until the world as we know it ends. Even putting religious prophecy aside, I can see how that idea would be enticing: Just by virtue of being alive now, you're something special, because you're part of the group that gets to see it all end. But this special status doesn't come with responsibilities; instead it lifts them from you, since, if everything is about to be over anyway, you can act nearly however you like in the short time you have left.

Isaac Bashevis Singer explores the allure of the apocalypse, as well as the difference between true learning and mysticism, in his book Satan in Goray. It starts out strong, presenting many thought provoking ideas, as well as memorable scenes. One in particular stands out to me: Among the Jews living in the isolated 17th Century Polish town of Goray are several young religious scholars. When religious fervor regarding the supposed coming of the end times is just beginning to overtake the town a mob forms, and one of the young scholars challenges the mob. The scholar expects to engage in debate with the mob regarding their ideas and convince them that the apocalypse is not imminent. Instead, the mob quickly beats the scholar to death.

Unfortunately, Satan in Goray gets noticeably weaker in its back half, when, instead of a battle between rigorous religious understanding and shallow mysticism, the book instead focuses on the town falling into ruin. The ideas being presented get muddled as well, for example it’s clear that Reb Gedaliya’s changes to the town are supposed to be for the worse (the book’s title makes that clear), but one of his early actions is to elevate the women of the town such that they are still second class citizens, but not by quite as much. Reading it with modern morality in mind, Gedaliya’s actions thus seem like a mixed bag instead of demonic as the narrative intended. Still, not bad for Singer’s debut novel.

But it’s not sufficient to just talk about Singer’s text in this review, as it’s also necessary to discuss the edition of the book put out by Goodreads Press. It is the single worst edition of a book that I have ever read. Numerous errors make it clear that this edition is a copy-paste job of text generated through text recognition software. Once the text was pasted, no one bothered to review or reformat it either. If you have the misfortune of owning the Goodreads Press edition you will notice that, in the table of content for Part 1 of the book, the chapter list jumps from Chapter 8 to Chapter 10. Likewise, in Part 2, the chapter list jumps from Chapter 2 to Chapter 4. The text of these chapters isn’t actually missing, but the formatting of the edition is so poor that they are glommed onto the previous chapters in a confusing way. The Goodreads Press edition doesn’t just miss chapters, though, it duplicates them as well. The entirety of the text of Part 2 Chapter 10 appears in this edition of the book not once, but twice. When I started to read the same words a second time I momentarily thought I was going crazy, but apparently someone incompetently pasted the same text. Perhaps most egregiously, nowhere in this book is any credit given to the person who translated the work into English. I know for a fact that Singer didn’t write the book in English, and that someone had to work to make a translation, but there is no hint of that fact anywhere in the Goodreads Press edition. These errors are unbelievable, and whoever was in charge of putting this edition together should be ashamed.

Satan in Goray interestingly juxtaposes true knowledge gained through hard work and maintained by devoted experts with cheap mysticism peddled by those catering to the desires of the masses. It’s unfortunate that this interesting conflict is largely confined to the book’s first half, with nothing as intellectually engaging present in Part 2. It’s also a shame that the edition I purchased was so incompetently put together, though of course I don’t hold that against Singer. I give Satan in Goray a 3/5, and expect to check out another of his works in the future.

[Zek · Rating 5 out of 5]

עד כה כל ספר שקראתי מפרי עטו של בשביס-זינגר הוא לטעמי פנינה ספרותית.
הספר הזה כולל את הנובלה "השטן מגוריי" ועוד סיפורים קצרים כאשר המכנה המשותף בין כולם הוא "הסטרא אחרא", "אשמדאי", שהם השמות הנרדפים לשטן, וכן שדונים שונים שמשמשים עבורו כשליחים.

כל הסיפורים נטועים חזק בעולם הקבלי ובמסורת היהודית של פולין במאות הקודמות.
הסיפור המרכזי, שהוא השטן מגוריי, נסוב על קורות העיירה גוריי עת שנכנסים לתוכה גורמים שמפיצים את תורתו של משיח השקר שבתאי צבי, אם בגלוי ואם במסווה.
בשביס-זינגר הוא מספר מחונן וסיפוריו בקובץ זה נעים בין מציאות להזייה. רותקתי לסיפור המרכזי ולא פחות ממנו גם לשאר הסיפורים.

לבשביס-זינגר יש גם חוש הומור יוצא דופן אותו הוא שותל פה ושם בין הכאוס והדרמה, והדבר בא לידי ביטוי במיוחד בסיפור באחרון "מעשה טישוויץ".

מומלץ ביותר לקרוא את אחרית הדבר של המתרגמת (הנפלאה) ד"ר בלהה רובינשטיין.

ועכשיו למשהו שלא קשור לסקירה אבל חוזר על עצמו לא פעם כאשר כותבים על ספר של בשביס-זינגר - ההשוואה בינו לבין ש"י עגנון:

יש נטייה לערוך השוואות בינו לבין ש"י עגנון, ונטייה זו נובעת לדעתי מהעובדה ששניהם היו סופרים גדולים מאותו דור שינקו מעולם התרבות והמקרא היהודי, ובעיקר מהעובדה ששניהם זכו בפרס נובל.
לדעתי אין כלל מקום להשוואה ביניהם משום שהם שונים תכלית השינוי באופן כתיבתם.
ולכן אם כבר מזכירים תדיר את שניהם אני מעדיף לדבר על טעם אישי, ולטעמי אני מעדיף עשרות מונים את בשביס-זינגר, ולו בשל העובדה שבשביס-זינגר הוא יותר נועז מעגנון, אינו נרתע לכתוב על שולי החברה הנמוכים ביותר (בדומה לאמיל זולא הצרפתי), כתיבתו יותר חושנית ומחוברת לעולם הייצרי של היהודי, על הטוב והרע שבו, ומביא באופן שנראה לי יותר אותנטי את העולם היהודי שהיה ואיננו עוד.
סגנונו הספרותי של ש"י עגנון פחות מדבר אליי למרות שאני יודע להעריך אותו ואת שפתו ה"עגנונית" הייחודית. הוא, לעומת בשביס-זינגר מעולם לא הסב לי הנאה צרופה מספריו וזה אומר הכל.

[Joanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Szatan z Goraju" to kolejny tytuł noblisty w której pisarz wykorzystuje swoje wspomnienia i dokonuje tej aranżacji w sposób dość nietypowy, przenosząc akcję utworu w czasy powstania Chmielnickiego czym wzbudza zaskoczenie i niezadowolenie ówczesnych kręgów społecznych...

Fabuła powieści toczy się w XVII w. wśród ludności małego miasteczka na Lubelszczyźnie - Goraju, w której żyje pamięć o niedawnym pogromie Chmielnickiego w 1648 roku (powstanie Kozaków przeciwko katolikom i Żydom we wschodniej Polsce). W życiu żydowskiej społeczności, pojawia się Icie Mates, wysłannik Sabbataja Cwi ogłaszającego się Mesjaszem, co wywołuje mistyczne spekulacje i religijne szaleństwo. Sprawy stają się jeszcze dziwniejsze wraz z pojawieniem się Rechele, ponętnej, niezamężnej kobiety, która staje się obiektem pragnień seksualnych fałszywych proroków, a której wykorzystanie seksualne powoduje opętanie przez "dybuka" – zastępcę Szatana w powieści...

Dość osobliwa a zarazem mocno fascynująca i przyzwoita proza z przedziwną mieszanką mistycyzmu, erotyzmu i religijnego fanatyzmu uwydatniająca przy okazji demoniczność ludzkiej natury. Singer, rzekomo przestrzegając przed takim szaleństwem, wyraźnie wskazuje na to, co może się wydarzyć, gdy żarliwa religia i przesądy zawładną ludźmi wykraczającymi poza wszelki racjonalizm...

Ciekawostka : W październiku 1943 roku gorajscy Żydzi zostali wywiezieni do Frampola, a stamtąd do obozu zagłady w Bełżcu. Kilkunastu Żydów zabito w Goraju i pochowano na miejscowym cmentarzu żydowskim.

[Koen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ondanks de titel voor de verandering eens geen horrorboek, maar een Jiddisch volksverhaal over de inwoners van een kleine Sjtetl in zeventiende-eeuws Polen, die in de ban raken van een sekte die de komst van de Messias verkondigd. Ik genoot vooral van de ironische beschrijvingen van het benepen dorpsleven.

[Amaranta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primo incontro con Isaac. E ho faticato sulle prime per la discontinuità di lettura che non mi hanno reso scorrevole l’avvio. A Goray, paesino ebreo della Polonia, durante la metà del 1600, gli abitanti aspettano con ansia l’arrivo del Messia. E sull’onda di questa allucinazione collettiva parte un delirio nero e grottesco fra falsi dei e impostori che sembra non avere fine. Una favola nera, con una morale espressa alla fine ma che porta il pensiero all’attualità del messaggio espresso da Singer. I falsi Messia popolano la nostra storia, le nostre case attraverso la tv e diventano miti indiscussi della nostra vita. Dybbuk o esseri umani in carne e ossa che si impossessano della nostra anima e del nostro corpo. E’ interessante che questo libro sia stato scritto in yiddish, lingua ormai morta per Isaac, per poi essere tradotta da lui stesso al fine di avere maggiore visibilità. La lingua morta che diventa viva per esprimersi in tutto il suo orrore, la sua cattiveria, il suo abominio, e che solo tradotta può arrivare agli altri. Forse un segno che nonostante il marcio dell’animo umano qualcosa ancora di intonso in fondo in fondo è rimasto ed è quello che non va perduto. Una lettura ardua, apparentemente facile, ma che sottende interpretazioni umane e metafisiche di notevole spessore.

[Lukáš Palán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nazdárek kašpárek,

bylo nebylo, lidi věřili v podivný věci. Třeba že sestoupí mraky a na nich se odletí do Izraele. Teď už jsme naštěstí chytřejší a díky vědě víme, že země je placatá, očkování zabíjí lidi a globální oteplování je lež. No jen si představte jak by to tady vypadalo, kdybysme byli pořád tak přitroublí!

V hlavní roli téhle židovské Pretty woman je Rechele, která je donucená se oženit v podstatě s každým mesiášem, který nakráčí k ní do chalupy. Není divu, že na konci knihy jí z toho rupne v kebuli a začne říkat, že je v ní Tomio Okamura. Pardon, Satan.

Knížka je hutná jak gulášová polévka, ale na rozdíl od Frankfurtské polévky je tu jen málo salámu. Snad vám to pomůže při rozhodování zda číst knihu.

8/10

[PN · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the writer is a Nobel Prize Winner in literature. The book is about the people living in a Jewish village in Poland in 1648. Their lives have been terribly impacted by the rise of a false Messiah. In general, I did not enjoy the book mainly due to two reasons: 1) I did not like the writing style. It was hard to read and follow (the last chapters were easier to read though). 2) I was not getting the point and the message of this book. It was like reading some religious books with do’s and don’ts. Also, if you don’t know enough about Judaism, this book is not for you.

[Ffiamma · Rating 4 out of 5]

che grande scrittore singer- ti prende e ti trascina in un paesino della polonia nel diciassettesimo secolo, tra rabbini rigorosi, seguaci di un falso messia, profetesse, dibbuk, abissi di degradazione ed eccessi di ogni tipo. satana a goray, romanzo d'esordio dello scrittore, è un libro vorticoso e profondo sul bisogno che l'uomo ha della fede, sugli ingannevolezza delle apparenze e sulla necessità disperata di arginare la confusione dovuta all'ignoto. bellissimo romanzo, bellissimo affresco su un mondo scomparso.

[DALZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit dull at times, but i loved the folklore as well as the historical references. i think the writing style of the last two chapters probably felt more organic in the original yiddish, but as i read it in english i did not enjoy them. on the whole worth it though it took me some time to finish!
3.5 stars

[Maurizio Manco · Rating 4 out of 5]

"... la vivida rappresentazione dei turbamenti che agitano gli esseri umani allorché la struttura della loro società viene frantumata da un impulso rivoluzionario che tende verso l'Impossibile." (Nota al testo, p. 179)

[Isabella González · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO scary!!!!

[Mehmet · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5-A terrifying book! Very well paced, beautifully developed, makes for uninterrupted reading. Singer is excellent at depicting people, and uses a light touch to bring the story along from strength to strength. His power of depiction is with people and peoples and events, and it is indeed an incredible depiction of community, you will find surprisingly little of the physical depiction of the world and the town, but much of the community and even of the houses they live in. The lurid is slowly established, the order is slowly broken, and when the horror is unleashed, the reader isn't spared. The interwar circumstances and fears of messianism have since passed, but readers will find that the book is so well written that it outlives its moment (no surprise, as it makes the very same point by being set in 1666) and lives on in the continued experience of social breakdown, the ease with which authority collapses against the temptation for ease, the viciousness of the proud, and the cruelty of public redemption. I highly recommend it.

[Julia ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chyba trochę źle wpisałam daty na Goodreads xd no już mniejsza o to.
Nawet nie wiem, jak ją ocenić… więc podkreślam, że będzie to spojrzenie wybitnie subiektywne. Lektura była dla mnie żmudna, nie miałam pojęcia, do czego to wszystko zmierza i po lekturze dalej nie rozumiem, co tu się do końca wydarzyło (a musiałam robić prezentację na jej temat, więc naprawdę trochę doczytałam). Więc to nie jest tak, że nie wiem, co autor chciał przekazać i jak można odczytywać tę powieść. Zastanawiam się raczej, czy nie dało się tego zrobić trochę lepiej. Mimo wszystko cieszę się, że przeczytałam, bo było to ciekawe doświadczenie i po raz pierwszy czytałam książkę tłumaczoną z jidysz. No i kolejny noblista odhaczony :)
Jeśli ktoś chce czytać tego autora - koniecznie sprawdzajcie tłumaczenia! Czytajcie tylko tłumaczenia z jidysz, a nie z angielskiego!

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strange tale based on historical events in 17th century Poland, Satan in Goray follows a small village's collapse into religious hysteria after many Jewish communities were destroyed by the Chmielnicki massacre around 1650 (an uprising by the Cossacks against Catholics and Jews in eastern Poland). What follows (in Singer's book) is a religious fervor that these events were foretelling the coming of a Jewish Messiah and the end of the world. News reaches Goray that a Messiah has appeared which stirs mystical religious speculation and madness. The main character, Rechele, is epileptic and well versed in Jewish scripture and mysticism. But, she was also ill treated growing up giving her visions and nightmares which manifest with the seizures as vessel for spirits and prophecies. The town becomes overwhelmed with speculation, rumor and religious zealotry.

This was a tough read - there's so much of the Jewish faith I'm not familiar with that I probably missed when reading it. But, the tale is clearly pointing at what can happen when fervent religion and superstition take hold of people beyond all rationality.

[Milaii · Rating 1 out of 5]

Początek lekko martyrologiczny. Końcówka naturalistyczna, podkreślająca dobitnie naturę zła. Opisy zwyczajów, duchów, ciemnoty ludzkiej, panoszącego się zła stopniowane intensywnością, im dalej tym treść staje się bardziej wulgarna. Niektóre obrazy pokrywały się z obrazami z innych książek i dawały szerszy kontekst np. podobne obrazy obecne są w Księgach Jakubowych. W pewnym momencie miałam jednak poczucie, że już nie chcę dalej tym brudem się faszerować. Książka wydawana była odcinkami w gazecie i tę fragmentaryczność czuć.

[Jenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it certainly made me go "The world is a difficult place right now but at least I'm not a Jewish villager in 17th century after a pogrom." :)

[Raúl Candelaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intenso. De las mejores obras en las que la fe es el tema principal. Pasa de lo sagrado de las oraciones del rabino a un compendio de orgías y misas negras en honor a Satán y a Lilith. Una maravilla para comprender las sutilezas del pecado, así como los peligros del mesianismo.