Jun 3, 2014

The Soul of a Yid


Chaim Grade (1910-1982) was a famous European writer who wrote in Yiddish.  He grew up religious but later left religious practice.

However, it was interesting to see how a lapsed Yid thinks when I read these two anecdotes in an old Ami magazine from 2011 which were taken from the winter 2011 Jewish Review of Books:

1) Grade was overheard talking on the phone about his Pesach seder.  When someone expressed surprise that he celebrated with a seder he said, "Avadeh! Vos meinstu, ich bin a goy?!" (Of course! what do you think I am, a goy?!)

Even more intriguing is this one:

2) Grade said, "I can pick up a Chumash and study it without wearing a yarmulke, but when I look into Rashi, in Chumash or Gemara, heibt mir on der kup tzu brennen" (my head begins to burn).

2 comments:

  1. Chaim Grade had a connection with the Chazon Ish and the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
    See here: http://forum.otzar.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5310&p=43671#p43658
    and here (page 11 and onward): http://www.livingwiththerebbe.com/pdf/82/82-2230-0.pdf

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