Wise, incisive, and bursting with wit and rousing conviction, this collection of tales from the life of Rabbi Yehonatan Eybeshitz, freshly translated into English, follows Reb Yehonatan (1696 –1764), the “Torah, Talmud, and Kabbalah genius” from boyhood to prominence as “one of the greatest rabbis of the last 500 years.” The stories dazzle, inform, delight, and challenge. Reb Yehonatan proves an inspiring exemplar of a “holy and righteous” life, a thinker and leader equally comfortable navigating Talmudic complexities, urging students toward breakthroughs, and addressing—and often outfoxing—kings and others with power, including a host of 18th century anti-Semites.Barber finds contemporary—but timeless—resonance in Reb Yehonatan’s work as a master maker of amulets, especially when he served as rabbi in the French town of Metz, where Jews faced expulsion. Barber demonstrates that, while facing this crisis, Reb Yehonatan inscribed on amulets a powerful phrase whose historical origin has been the source of great comment and curiosity in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. The phrase: Am Yisrael Chai, which is often translated as “The Jewish people will live for eternity.” Barber persuasively credits Reb Yehonatan with the creation of this rallying cry, and he calculates that Reb Yehonatan wrote it almost 46,000 times.
As in Barber’s indispensable earlier translations of Reb Yehonatan’s writings (Pearls of Wisdom; Sparks of Wisdom), the stories collected here have been translated with an eye for clarity of communication. They cover a wide variety of scenarios, from points of law to brilliant ripostes to why sometimes, in the face of injustice, it’s justified to bribe a judge. The prose is direct and inviting, even when the young rabbi-to-be spins marvelous, playful conclusions out of complexities of law and language. Helpful background sections provide crucial context as the stories follow Reb Yehonatan into maturity and across Europe, demonstrating not just that the Jewish people will live for eternity but invaluable guidance for how best to do so.
Takeaway: Brilliant tales of an 18th century rabbi’s life, with urgent contemporary resonance.
Comparable Titles: Yaacov Dovid Shulman’s Rashi; Rebbe Nahman of Breslov.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
