Skip to main content

Saturday the Rabbi Slept Late

I read these years ago and decided to revisit.  Very enjoyable,  Kemelman blends lessons on Judaism with a mystery.  In this book, Yom Kippur is (gently) explained, as is the ins-and-outs of a Rabbi's relationship with his synagogue, both the members and the administration.

The death is Isaac Hirsh, a mathematician who goes on benders now and again.  This time he comes upon a bottle when his neighbor is out and the deliveryman leaves it with Hirsh.

Hirsh has a young wife, is a mathematician, is non-observant.  He drinks the liquor, intending to but a bottle to replace it for his neighbor.  He throws away the box/address label.

So . . . probably poisoned liquor intended for the neighbor, Levenson.

Other characters:  and old guy, Garafosky or some such, who refuses to break the Yom Kippur fast to take his medicine.  Rabbi Small explains he's actually breaking Hebrew law by NOT taking it, but the old guy is stubborn and actually enjoys the argument.  Rabbi is at odds with the president of the synagogue because . . .   not clear yet.

Very fun, and short.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oppenheimer . . . film

 Solid opening 30 minutes (we're treating this like a mini-series).  O's involvement with left-wing causes . . . rift with Einstein (O thinks of him as over-the-hill and Einstein knows it.)  First splitting of atom.  Lawrence Lab in Berkeley--Lawrence practical applied physics . . . not O's strength.  Main actor is from Peaky Blinders.

The Master Chapter 2

February 1895 (Alice died in 1892) Money problems, jealousy of Wilde; time spent with Lord Wolseley1; off to Ireland to lick his wounds; Irish unrest--Irish landlords boycott all social events; much time spent with manservant Hammond (homosexual attraction again); fancy dress ball, appalling to James, who is only happy in company of Hammond, though Hammond remains a servant and no more; little girl alone on the grounds--inspiration for Turn of the Screw?; conflict with Webster who alludes to Wilde's successful play and HJ's failure; Wolseley was an  Anglo-Irish  officer in the  British Army . He became one of the most influential and admired British generals after a series of successes in Canada, West Africa, and Egypt, followed by a central role in modernizing the British Army in promoting efficiency. He served in Burma, the  Crimean War , the  Indian Mutiny , China, Canada and widely throughout Africa—including his  Ashanti  campaign (18...