91快活林

Isaac: Schlimazel, or Something More?

Nov 17, 2023 By Aiden Pink | Commentary | Toledot

In his book The Joys of Yiddish, Leo Rosten defines one of the most useful words in our tradition: 鈥淲hen a schlimazel winds a clock, it stops; when he kills a chicken, it walks; when he sells umbrellas, the sun comes out; when he manufactures shrouds, people stop dying鈥� (347).

In the entire Torah, it seems, there is no bigger schlimazel than Isaac.

At the beginning of his life, he鈥檚 nearly killed by his father. At the end of his life, he鈥檚 deceived by his son. He barely participates in the courtship of his own wife. Isaac is hapless, passive, an eternal victim鈥攖he archetypical schlimazel.