Customer Reviews

Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet

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My favorite in the series. I love the mystery. I love learning about Judaism. I love Kemelman's characters. First rate.

This is the 6th in Kemelman's Rabbi Small mysteries. Once again, the Rabbi presents the normative, Conservative Jewish point of view while handily solving a murder mystery. Many familiar series characters (e.g. the Chief of Police) provide strong supporting roles, & Temple politics again abound. This is my 5th one (haven't read the 1st or last yet) & IMHO the easiest mystery to figure out--a bit too obvious. The characters are interesting as is the Temple conflict. However, I have a few problems with the Rabbi's approach this time. Firstly, pilpul is not universally acclaimed. It's hair-splitting taken to an absurd end & was strongly denounced by such Jewish leaders as Judah Loew of Prague (see Byron Sherwin's "Mystical Theology and Social Dissent" ASIN=0838630286) & Jacob Joseph of Polnoye (see Samuel Dresner's "The Zaddik" ASIN=1568213123). Secondly, while his perspective on Jewish mysticism may be representative of most Jewish Conservatives today & not normative, it was & is a major impetus in Judaism from Medieval if not ancient times. Besides the prophets, Kabbalists have made enormous contributions to Judaism from the Shulkhan Arukh of Safedian Kabbalist Joseph Karo to the Musar (ethical literature) of Safedian Moses Cordovero (The Palm Tree of Deborah) & Italian Kabbalist Moses Luzzatto (The Path of the Just). So, I must strongly disagree with Kemelman's assertion that Christianity is mystical but Judaism is not. Judaism is far more than just ethics or philosophy. He says, p. 50: "I've got nothing against people who collect stamps, but I wouldn't want them running the post office." He may be running the post office, but there's something to be said for collecting stamps too.

as a hurricane lashed across the peaceful Massachusetts town of Barnard's Crossing. When the storm cleared yet another member of the local Jewish community was dead and over the next few weeks the lives of many more were distrupted by the storm that followed. Rabbi David Small was again called in to solve the mystery and along the way heal a family rift, save a local business, and bring, at least until the next novel, harmony back to the temple.

This 1976 novel is the 6th in the 'Rabbi Small' series and, like the earlier ones, the emphasis here is on the characters more than the mystery. Most experienced mystery fans will have at least a clue who the culprit is and their motive long before the good Rabbi reveals all. The appeal of this series of cozies is visiting old friends, and meeting new members of the community. Kemelman's talent lies plotting his mystery through the everyday lives of the community, relying on everyday coincidences to link up all the loose ends. Long time fans also keep returning to see just what mess Rabbi Small will find himself in this time.

The thirty years since this was first written show a bit but overall the story has lost little of it's charm.