mentalblog.com comments:
re: Luzi and Sruli:
the others did accuse the Breslovers of such activities, but let's not go there, i don't think Der Nister did.
ok, I am just saying that there are strange things about the pair, not fully explained in the 2 volumes. Like where is Luzi's wife, we know they didn't have children. May be Sruli is just a Malach, perhaps that is it?
Der Nister writes that if not for the fact the Reb Nachman was Beshts grandson he most certainly would have been put in Herem. Is there any evidence for that???
On the other hand if not for the fact that he was an enikle of Besht he would have be stam a meshuge. And nobody would have listened to him.
MISHPOCHE MASHBER. There are at least 2 Yiddish editions of this work. A 1 volume edition published in MOscow in the 1970's or 1980's.I purchaes this in NYC at the bok store at the Forward many years ago.
There is a more complete version published in NY by IKUF after WW2(1940's) which is much longer.This manuscript I believe was smiggled out of the USSR.
The SOVETISH HEIMLAND published parts of the so called 3rd volume a number of years ago.
I plowed through this work in Yiddish first in the Soviet edition and then read the additions in the NY edition and then the material published in the HEIMLAND.
The book certainly is on par with anything my Vilner landsman Reb Chaim Grade wrote and DEr Nister is certainly right up there with Grade, the Singer brothers, Opatoshau, and yes Sholom Asch (who supposedly betrayed the Jewish people) as among the greatest OF YIDDISH LITERARY FIGURES.
Der Nister paints in my opinion a very realistic portrait of the Jewish community in the Ukraine. The alliance between the gvirim and the rabbis and the rebbes, the fact thta most Breslover followers were ".
and obgerisene"
But Der Nister is careful not to attack the religion itself.
If he was living in Poland, the book would have soared to even higher spirtual and theological realms, as one ses hints of this in the Yiddish original. But alas he was writing in a very restricted enviorement
The scenes in the cemetary and the Breslever asifos are memorable. But especially interesting is his portrait of the social , economic and family lifes of Ukrainian Jews especially the grvirim.
To me the Mashbers are probably a family like the Horensteins related by marriage to rebbes, rich and learned and well versed in th epaths of Chassidius.
Not only jews are interested in this book and i'm the living proof of that.
I'm glad the work of Der Nister was saved from the past. Der Nister doesn't write about God though while reading one feels the spirit of God is always present in the ways people with different characters try to approach eachother.
Although the personalities by while have a huge resentment for others they are kept together by obeying traditional customs.
The central character of Moshe is remarkable for all people look up to his wealth while nobody but the reader knows at the very beginning of the story he is off to secretly buy a funeral shroud and a place at the cemetery to be burried. These things can hardly be taken for a good omen.
Like it is (was?) custom in Jewish communities every evening all less fortunate Jews were invited to have diner at the expence of Moshe.
Nevertheless his guests often criticise Moshe for his lifestyle. Out of envy or other, Der Nister leaves that up to our own imagination.
By while one feels the tension at the large table growing untill it explodes and Moshe orders Sruli to leave his house.
I think that must have been the most tragic moment for Moshe. He is rich yes, and he also is the most pious Jew in the story. Although there is no other option and his act is completely justified, by sending Sruli out he has to break with the sacred tradition of hospitality which shutters his faith and his desire to live further on.
The solitude and doubts of the great rich Moshe are very sharply described for his generosity only provoces reproach and the only consolation he finds is in his grandson. Haunted by all kinds of disasters he probably dies of spiritual exhaustion resulting in loosing his want for life.
Although Der Nister named his book "The Family Mashber" he makes Moshe the central figure. All others are there to make it possible for the reader to define the real position of Moshe, his character, wealthy, good, pious, lonely, Job.
The book can be easily interpreted otherwise, for deads are always the losers and survivors the winners, but i am convinced it's not the intention of the author in making a judgement about the way of "good" or "bad" lifestyle.
Best book i ever read about Jewish culture and past. Better than Singer, Feuchtwanger, Aleichem. For us it gives an insight to Jewish identity.
To my Jewish friends, these kind of sitations can be easily transplanted to Goy communities so don't go thinking you're more special than others for that would not be good for you.
Please don't take this as a reproach for it's just to state you due us the same respect as we show to you.
Shalom.
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