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Preserving Book Readership
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor Emeritus
I
n the revered Sefer
Hasidim, the multiple
parables and proverbs
encourage learning and
respect for books and their
authors.
It is noteworthy with
respect to the Chasidim re-
ferred to here, that there is a
historic item worth sharing.
In the Encyclopedia of
Judaism edited by Geoffrey
Wigoder (McMillan), we are
provided with the following
facts:
JUDAH HE-HASID The
most important thinker in
the main school of Haside
Ashkenaz. Judah insisted
that a writer should never
acknowledge the author-
ship of his works, so as to
prevent him and his
descendants from taking
pride in them. All his
works, therefore, do not
bear his name, a fact which
poses difficult bibliograph-
ical problems.
He composed an exten-
sive commentary on the
prayers, which was in-
tended as a polemic
against any change in the
traditional version of the
prayers, but only some
quotations have survived.
His son testified that in
the weeks in which he
died he wrote two folios in
`Sefer Hasidim.' This
work, which deals with all
aspects of human life,
reflects Judah's wish,
probably never realized,
to create a pietistic
movement of Jews com-
pletely dedicated to the
religious and ethical
commandments, who
would segregate them-
selves from the non-
Chasidic communities
and create an elite, led by
the Wise (he-Hakham).
Because of the importance
attached here to the Sefer
Hasidim, it is necessary to
quote those admonitions to
this important work:
If a drop of ink fell at the
same time on your book
and on your coat, clean
first the book and then the
garment.
If you drop gold and
books, pick up first the
books and then the gold.
Books are made for use,
not to be hidden away.
Books must be treated
with respect.
Because of the seriousness
with which books are treated
here, we feel compelled to
turn back the pages of The
Jewish News to mid-Novem-
ber to read again an observa-
tion about our recent annual
Jewish Book Fair. In his
report about it, Manag-
ing Editor Phil Jacobs
sounded a warning:
Ms. Yashinsky, the Book
Fair chairman, has the
nation's finest Jewish au-
thors coming to Detroit to
speak and to sign their
books .. .
But when Ms. Yashinsky
leans back and looks
around at a Book Fair lec-
ture, or when she pours
through stacks of books
in the lobbies, she notices
a trend that disturbs her.
The lectures and book
signings are not short of
people; they're just long
on senior citizens and
young mothers with chil-
dren .. .
"You mention the words
Book Fair and the
younger adults think of it
as an old person's
disease," she said.
Ms. Yashinsky added
that besides taking a look
at the speakers the Book
Fair is bringing in, she is
also going to try to learn if
there are certain time
slots for speakers when
younger adults might be
more inclined to attend.
A compliment is due here
to the leadership that treats
The readership of
Jewish books has
fallen to a very low
level.
our needs earnestly. We are
obligated to ascertain that
neither books nor authors
are treated casually. We
must admit that both are
more than ignored than
treated with respect. We
must admit that there is a
lessening of reading which
causes a reduction of knowl-
edge about themselves with
emphasis on the younger
among us.
All that is necessary for a
confirmation of this accusa-
tion is to turn to the
publishers for facts. Wayne
State University Press is ex-
emplary. In the past decade
more than a score of Jewish
titles were produced by it.
How many acquired them?
The reportedly limited
numbers indicate the few
who learned from them.
Take as an example the
immense United States
Jewry by the revered scholar
Dr. Jacob R. Marcus. The se-
cond of his four volume
achievement is due off the
press soon. The predicted
distribution so far is so min-
iscule that it is shameful.
The mere mention of this
indictment must be treated
as a continuing appeal for
increased knowledge to ob-
viate ignorance.
The need for knowledge is
more urgent now as a
defense for Jewish honorable
existence. We need strength
to overcome growing anti-
Semitism everywhere. We
need knowledgeability to
overcome the prejudices ex-
tant against Israel in the
media. The Detroit Free
Press provides proof of bias.
It proved in another edito-
rial that required fairness
which was lacking in its
comment on Dec.24.
This is an appeal to reason.
I have kept making appeals
for knowledge of our position
and the need for strong self-
defense. I repeat it anew to
ascertain courage and dig-
nity by an elimination of ig-
norance.
Learning Lessons
Questions, Answers
Students of Jewish history
are provided with an over-
whelming number of corn-
mitments to a continuity of
preserved commentaries
made available by concerned
scholars and publishers.
Traditional topics are fin-
ding renewed interest in
available volumes, negating
excuses for failure to keep
reading and studying.
A lesson is contained in
the Responsa Anthology
(from Aronson) by Avraham
Yackov Finkel. The very
title of the book compels an
emphasis on one of the most
exciting means to acquire
Jerwish knowledge dating
back to the earliest times of
disputable rabbinic
exchanges.
Responsa is the modern
term applied to the ter-
minology that began as
she'alot u'teshuvot — ques-
tions and answers. Mr.
Finkel has assembled
lasting exchanges by the
most eminent scholars of the
last 10 centuries on major
problems confronting Jews
throughout the world. With
the basic questions and an-
swers available in English,
the English-speaking Jewish
communities are provided
with understanding of
challenges that puzzle
many.
The Finkel accumulation
of questions that demand re-
sponses is a veritable lit-
erary treasure. 1