1,Aihittinan's Rough Hebraic Musk

Maurice Samuel in a New Role

Anniversary Recalls Influence of
Bible Upon Poet, His Association,
With. Jewish Biographer, Tranbel

His 'Certain People of the Book': Exciting
Modern Commentary on Many Biblical Stories

Joseph with Disraeli. Mr. Samuel
some respect, that while Balak
writes about Joseph:
talks of honors and high in-
fluence at court, Balaam speci-
Walt Whitman's dramatic calls direction against the Books of
Thomas Mann's Death
fied gold and silver. The honors
to democratic action to advance the Bible in its present form,
at the disposal of a Moabite
Mourned
must
still
survive
the collection
humanity's position; his famous
king, the prospect of command-
The
death
of Thomas Mann
in another, and dominate just
poem, "Oh Captain! My Cap-
ing a Moabite king's obedience
occurred after this review was
as much as hitherto or more
have little appeal to Balaam.
written. The entire democratic
than hitherto through its divine
He wants money. Here, we
world mourns the passing of
poetic
structure.
To
and primal
would say, are no riddles; it
the
great author and libertar-
me, that is the living. and
is as straightforward as can be.
ian:
definite ele•ent-principle of
Agiumamis
limmosab
"Unfortunately 'straightfor-
the work, evolving everything
the Dis-
called
"He
has
been
ward' is the last word to apply
else."
raeli of the ancient world.
to Balaam, and the Tradition
* * *
The comparison goes much fur-
properly Considers his trans-
Horace L. Traubel, who was
ther than is usually perceived,.
actions with Balak so compli-
Walt Whitman's executor and
and if it has not yet been
cated that it has coined to a
biographer, was a most interest-
done, someone should write
folk phrase: 'I will teach him
ing personality. Born in Camden,
two Plutarchian parallel lives
Balak,' meaning: 'I will give
N.J., in 1858 (he died in Bon
of Victoria's Prime Minister
him, a nut to crack on which
Echo, Ontario, in 1919), he was
and Pharaoh's vizier. There are
he will break his teeth'."
the son of a German-Jewish im-
many differences between the
Mr. Samuel proceeds to explain
migrant, Maurice Henry Traubel,
two men, but the similarities
that
"the
rabbis
.
.
have
put
a printer, engraver, writer and
Both were
are astonishing.
it into the Tradition that Balaam
biographer. His mother was a
brilliant and alike in their
was among the greatest prophets,
non-Jewess, and Horace referred
ability to irritate and to charm.
a rival to Moses, 'whose like has
to himself as a "half-breed."
Both were 'foreigners,' though.
not arisen to Israel.' At the same
The Traubel home in Camden,
Disraeli was second-generation
time the Tradition hints that
N.J., became a haven for Whit-
Englishborn. Both were demo-
Balaam was in the habit of com-
man when he settled there, and
cratic conservatives, concerned
mitting sodomy with his ass! One
a long and lasting friendship
with the welfare of the masses
cannot
-magine
a
more
striking
-Photo Courtesy Detroit Times
began with Horace.
as much as with the retention.
symbol of the ghastly ambival-
WALT WHITMAN
Horace Traubel wrote the pre-
of the traditional authority. The
ence of the man." And Mr.
fain!"; his unconventional chal- face to Whitman's "An American
two men even had, across an
Samuel
concludes:
lenges which became the most Primer."
interval of more than three
"These same rabbis, to whom
controversial themes in his time,
It is recorded that Whitman,
thousands years, a common
the
Tradition
was
almost
as
now are accepted dogmas and realizing that Horace Traubel
bond in Egypt; Disraeli bought
sacred as the record, have selected
credos not only for Americans will write about him after his
MAURICE SAMUEL
up the Khedive's shares in the
from
the
utterances
of
Balaam
but also for all English-speaking death, asked him to tell only
Suez Canal in a bold and ir-
the words which have opened the
cuss Biblical characters. These
peoples.
the truth:
regular maneuver and thereby
which
morning
prayers
of
practically
interesting assignments,
.. For, his "Leaves of Grass," cur-
Whitman:. "Only be afraid
determined, England's Egyptian.
all Jews for centuries, and do so
continued this year for a third,
rently being acclaimed through-
not to tell the truth."
on
forever after. The two
policy
until
this
day:
season,
inspired
his
writing
out the world, has taken its place
peripheral interest in
Traubel:
"I
promise
not
to
had
tents,
men
Biblical.
The
"
'How
goodly
are
thy
the
a
new
theme:
--among the classics of the world.
of their origin,
send you • down in history
the
people
charming
0
Jacob,
a
perfectly
result is
- Published one hundred years
wearing another man's clothes."
though in different degrees—
Thy dwellings, 0 Israel.'"
book, "Certain People of the
ago, "Leaves of Grass" now is
and here again I point out
David and Michal and Paltiel
Whitman: "That's all I could
Book," (subtitle: Some Biblical
being accorded the status of an
that
though - he was far more
new
—who
married
Michal
when
Da-
a
women
seen
in
ask,
Horace."
and
men
international anniversary.
deeply
involved than Disraeli
vid
fled
from
Saul—and
other
Alfred
A.
Knopf
light), which
Traubel, who later authored
It is a timely event, reviving
in the fate of his people, Jo-
characters, including several in
(501 Madison, N.Y. 22) has
as it does the call to freedom the biographical book "With
seph gave his best to the people
the Egyptian Pharoahs' Biblical
that was embodied in Whitman's Walt Whitman in Camden," also just produced.
of his adoption. I emphasize.
story,
are
accounted
for
in
"The
Thus,
Maurice
Samuel,
one
of
poetic enthusiasm, and especially wrote the famous tribute to "the
`his best' as applying both to
good .gray poet:" "0 my dear our ablest writers, enriches the Supporting Cast."
the following stirring words:
his abilities and to the propor-
Then Mr. Samuel takes us to
Jewish book-shelf with a Biblical
Comrade."
ton of his energies. I would
"Great is Liberty! great is
the story of Ruth, Naomi and
Traubel was a Marxian Social- classic.
* * *
also add that while he brought
Boaz, in his fascinating chapter
Equality! I am their follower: ist who supported Eugene V.
his dubious personal complexes
Helmsmen of nations, choose
In "Certain People of the "An Idyl of Old Age." He finds
Debs. He was intrigued by the
heavily into his efforts for his
your craft! where you sail,
Bolshevist Revolution in 1917, Book," Mr. Samuel plays several it easy to write about Naomi—
people, he applied a relatively
I sail,
but emphatically emphasized his roles. He is the itinerant preacher "we have a full-length portrait
objective craftsmanship to the
I weather it out with you or
preference for American democ- —the maggid in modern garb— and a happy ending." "We are
welfare of Egypt.
sink with. you."
racy. He was the founder, in who pr ea c h e s by narrating told," Mr. Samuel adds, "that
"He was objective to the
Philadelphia, of the political-lit- stories, by interpreting Scriptures, the story of Ruth and Naomi was
The Walt Whitman anniver- erary monthly "The Conserva- by enlightening and delighting written as - a protest against
extent that this worldly ca-
sary serves to recall the influ- tor" and edited it until his death
reer of his was dominated by
his readers. He is the commenta- Jewish chauvinism, Someone re-
ence of the Bible upon the great in 1919, and he also edited "The
his carefully thought-out plan
who injects his critical think- called it, or thought it up at a
tor
poet's enduring songs of liberty. Artsman," 1903-07.
for the improvement of Egypt's
ing into his interpretations of late period, in the days of Ezra
They remind us about his friends
condition; the love of power,
* * *
Biblical lore, inviting criticism but the Scribe, when he was com-
and about the fact that Horace
of course indestructible,
though
pelling
the
Jews
of
his
time
to
It. is not at all surprising that at the same time encouraging
L. Traubel, his Jewish biograph-
was subordinate to it. 'All great
criticism and creating a deeper divorce their foreign and idola-
a
great
poet
should
have
attract-
er, was one of his most ardent
men are bad,' says Lord Acton.
interest in the stories about the trous wives. I do not accept this
disciples who became one of ed and befriended a great • bio-
We certainly do not
flatly.
view, but I honor it and gladly
grapher.
Both
traveled
demo-
People
of
the
Book.
• ,,,Whitman's two literary execu-
know of anyone who had
acknowledge the points in its
"Born
of
prolonged
personal
cratic
vistas
•
together;
b
o
t
h
tors. (The other was Richard
achieved and maintained world-
echoed the inerasable poetic contact," Mr. Samuel does not favor."
Bucke.)
ly greatness without dishonesty,
Rebekah is treated as "The
words
of
Whitman
in
"Leaves
of
take
"anybody's
word
for
any-
In his lengthy introduction to
without letting down friends,
Manager": " 'Managerial', too, is
thing."
He
quotes
Tradition,
Grass":
"The Poetry and Prose of Walt
without hitting rivals below
* * *
makes direct contact "with the the best over-all word for Re-
Whitman," recently published by
the belt; and, above all, with-
bekah, the wife of Isaac; and
"Afoot
light-hearted
I
and
Text—the
source
that
is
ac-
Simon & Schuster, Louis Unter-
out instinctively weighing most
take to the open road,
cessible:to everyone," pursues his ..after it `intuitive,' unerring,'
myer, the eminent poet and lit-
persons, as and when met, for
competent,' all with a touch of
Healthy,
free,
the
before
world
task
in
the
belief
that
"many
dif-
erary critic, pointed out that
usefulness in the cause. No
greatness. I am dazzled by her
me,
ferent
opinions
can
be
justified
best,
'Leaves
of
Grass'
"at its
matter how noble the cause,
masterly
grasp
of
things,
and
by
path
The
long
brown
before
me
by
the
same
Text."
•has a Biblical surge of sound, a
* *
this automatic reduction of
her executive dash."
leading
wherever
I
choose."
:rough Hebraic music founded on
hum-an beings to functional
By
comparison,
"Three
Wives"
Interestingly enough, he begins
balance and cadence, mounting
units is of the essence of bad-
offer additional . food for thought
with
"The
Comic
as
Fool"—by
hypnotic
repetition
•rhythm and
25 More Jews Emigrate proving that "the humor of the as a study of the three women ness. No -matter, too, -how well
With the power of incantation."
subordinated the LOVE of
Bible is deadpan." His character who stood out as important
Mr. Untermyer wrote in his From Soviet, Satellites
power,
the NEED of it for ef-
-characters,
above
all
the
other
JERUSALEM, (JTA)—A total in his first commentary is Aha-
evaluation of Walt Whitman's
fective worldly action is a cor-
wives of David.
suerus,
and
the
reader
is
intro-
of
25
Jewish
immigrants
from
poetic and prosaic works:
rupting reality which will not
In "The Hellcat," it is Jezebel
the Soviet Union and Soviet bloc duced to the story of Esther,
• "Whitman was experiment-
disappear from the human
who
is
the
mean
one.
We
learn
Mordecai,
Haman
and
Ahasuerus
states arrived in this country last
ing with a poetic style which,
scene until the Messianic era.:
anew
here
the
sty
of
Elijah-
week. In addition, a party of with such charm that even those
if not wholly new in literature,
"We. do not know in detail
Ahab-Jezebel, and Elijah is the
who
know
the
Book
of
Esther
nuns
arrived
to
was new to him. Heinrich
seven Russian
how Joseph managed Egyptian
author's favorite prophet. History
by
heart
will
read
Mr.
Samuel's
take up residence -in' Russian
Heine had used it in his North
affairs during the seven "fat
analysis as if the story were en- unfolds itself here like a thrill-
Orthodox convents.
Sea cycles, although it is
years, a.nd - the seven lean
ing movie: Hollywood would do
The party consisted of Jews tirely new.
doubtful that Whitman had
years, and all the -years there-
In "The Comic as Fool," "Aha- well to recapture on the screen
from Irkutsk, Czernowitz, Vilna
read the German poet's poly-
after as long as he lived. We
the spirit evaluated. by Maurice
suerus
is
the
Pure
or
Blithering
and Budapest. Eight came from
rhythmic lines. The form was
he
that
have to assume
Samuel. •
Fool,
Haman
is
the
Masterful
or
Poland. Most of the immigrants
free, the rhythms were loose,
* * *
schemed-,
manipulated,
inspired,
Fool."
are elderly people coming to join Self-Destroying
rhyme had all but disappeared.
fixed, labored, in a great 'mix-
* * *
In his final chapter, "The Bril-
combination of strong
members of their families already
ture. of effective statesmanship.
liant Failure," Maurice Samuel,
This
reviewer
was
especially
in Israel.
stresses and irregular beat sug-
But this much We must say:
discussing at length the character
intrigued
by
Mr.
Samuel's
second
Zigmund Boiman of Budapest
gested the complicated sonority
if he let the end justify the
of Joseph, differs with Thomas
narrative,
"Perverted
Genius,"
told
newsmen
that
about
10,000
of the King James version of
means, the end was Egypt's
Mann "who makes it appear that
his
study
of
Balaam
and
Balak.
Jews live in Budapest. The
the Bible. The Biblical music
Joseph and his brothers were at welfare, and not the satisfac-
Upon
realization
that
the
author
synagogues are open, he said,
was echoed in Whitman's ca-
tion of a destructive quirk in.
war for the possession of the
but it is difficult to get the neces- was dealing with the famous
dences; to compensate for the
the . psyche: Egypt's welfare
blessing." "Actually," Mr. Samuel
Biblical
story
about
the
man
who
sary ten Jews together to hold
lack of rhyme Whitman, like
as he saw it, to be sure, but if
blessed all his
contends,
"Jacob
was
called
upon
to
curse
Israel
prayers. Assimilation is a danger
the Hebrew psalmists, relied on
we disagree with his policy it
sons . . ." He says that Mann
bal-
facing the Jewish community, he and instead blessed the wanderers
parallelisms,
repetition,
is a technical, not a moral
in the desert, your reviewer "uses a technique of evasion,"
and
height-
asserted.
Some
60
to
70
percent
metaphors,
anced
judgment."
he challenges his use of the term
wondered
what
Mr.
Samuel
of the Jews want to leave Hun-
ened symbolism."
"That Joseph is one of God's
would do with the famous Yid- "unlicked cub" for Joseph, and he
* *
gary for Israel.
points out that while "Mann ad- most wondrous works is not a
veil
mit
dish
expression,
"ich
Walt Whitman himself, in his
Ahron Berinberg, 82-year-old
monishes us against thinking of matter for debate," are the words
essay "The Bible as Poetry," in former resident of ,Irkutsk, said ihm lernen Balak," and, sure
Joseph as a schemer and time- with which Maurice Samuel
enough,
we
soon
came
to
it.
To
which he quoted from DeSola that he had worked until the day
server . . ." "on his Egyptian closes his last study—and his
quote
Mr.
Samuel's
interpreta-
Mendes' "Hebrew Poet," had this he received his exit visa directly
side to there was close inter- book. Let us apply them to the
from Soviet President Clementi tion:
to say:
"Why should he want to play between his virtues and his book itself: that "Certain People
"No true bard will ever Vorshilov.
of the Book" is a wondrous work
deficiencies."
curse the• Israelites? Obviously,
contravene the Bible. If the
is
not a matter for debate.
We
were
especially
intrigued
fee
.
We
note
Balak's
to
earn
24—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
time ever comes when ie.07/0-
—P• S4
with amusement, also with by Mr. Samuel's comparison of
Friday, August 19, 1955
Pirigrn dopR itg extrem,est in, one

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

Copyright, 1955, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.

,,

_

Maurice Samuel, whose inter-
pretations of the works of the
Yiddish writers Sholom Aleichem
and Judah Leib Peretz elevated
him to new heights as a creative
writer, emerges in a new role:
as a masterful interpreter of
Biblical themes.
It all began this way:
Two years ago, he was in-
vited to be "epposite" Mark
Van Doren on the summer
Eternal Light programs to dis-