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Rabbi Nachman Of Bratslav (1772-1810) Is Widely Considered To Be One Of The Foremost Visionary Storytellers Of The Hasidic Movement. The Great-grandson Of The Ba'al Shem Tov, Founder Of The Movement, Rabbi Nachman Came To Be Regarded As A Great Figure And Leader In His Own Right, Guiding His Followers On A Spiritual Path Inspired By Kabbalah. In The Last Four Years Of His Life He Turned To Storytelling, Crafting Highly Imaginative, Allegorical Tales For His Hasidim. Three-time National Jewish Book Award Winner Howard Schwartz Has Masterfully Compiled The Most Extensive Collection Of Nachman's Stories Available In English. In Addition To The Well-known Thirteen Tales, Including The Lost Princess And The Seven Beggars, Schwartz Has Included Over One Hundred Narratives In The Various Genres Of Fairy Tales, Fables, Parables, Dreams, And Folktales, Many Of Them Previously Unknown Or Believed Lost. One Such Story Is The Carefully Guarded Tale Of The Bread, Which Was Never Intended To Be Written Down And Was Only To Be Shared With Those Bratslavers Who Could Be Trusted Not To Reveal It. Eventually Recorded By Rabbi Nachman's Scribe, The Tale Has Maintained Its Mythical Status As A Hidden Story. With Utmost Reverence And Unfettered Delight, Schwartz Has Carefully Curated A Palace Of Pearls Alongside Masterful Commentary That Guides The Reader Through The Rabbi's Spiritual Mysticism And Uniquely Kabbalistic Approach, Ultimately Revealing Rabbi Nachman To Be A Literary Heavyweight In The Vein Of Gogol And Kafka. Vibrant, Wise, And Provocative, This Book Is A Must-read For Any Lover Of Fairy Tales And Fables.
This collection investigates the visionary storytelling of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, examining how his allegorical narratives function as vehicles for Kabbalistic spiritual instruction. Howard Schwartz, a scholar and multi-time National Jewish Book Award winner, compiles and annotates these narratives to demonstrate the depth of Rabbi Nachman's literary and mystical contributions. By contextualizing these stories within the Hasidic tradition, the author argues that Nachman's work transcends simple folklore to reach the complexity of existential literature. The text serves as both a primary source collection and a critical analysis of the Rabbi's unique pedagogical methods.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Scholars and readers frequently note the academic rigor and accessibility of Schwartz's commentary, which bridges the gap between mystical theology and literary appreciation. Experts highlight this as a definitive English-language resource for those interested in the intersection of Jewish mysticism and narrative tradition.
Page Count:
368
Publication Date:
2018-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190243570
ISBN-13:
9780190243579
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