Maiden of Ludmir Hardcover – Import, 1 October 1990

Let me state from the outset that I have enjoyed reading many of Gershon Winkler's books, and that they have had a profound influence on my overall Hashgafah (world overview/way of seeing the world). I also enjoyed reading this book as well...up to a point. But beyond that point my reaction became very mixed -- hence, the 3 star rating. Whether or not R' Gershon presented a factual and historically accurate account of Channah Rochel, or a more fictionalized/literary account (a "docu-drama", in current parlance), the net result for me was that I found myself increasingly disliking Channah Rochel as the story unfolded. And that surprised me, since I consider myself to be a Lilithite -- an Israelite/son of Israel who feels that the world as we know it was perverted from the very beginning -- as a direct result of Hashem's (G-d's) failure to direct Adam to recognize Lilith's legitimate equal status. Hashem abandoned his first daughter by acquiescing to Adam's whiny, ungrateful, chauvinistic nature, and men have been conspiring to perpetuate that Original Injustice ever since.So, rightfully or wrongfully, I expected to find in Channah Rochel a shining example of a female Jewish role model infused with the living spirit of Lilith (which never died, unlike Adam and Eve) that would inspire women (and men) to see the fundamental falsehood, rooted in feminiphobia, of this broken Adam-dominated world. What I found instead was a one-winged bird whose flight pattern was erratic and less than commensurate with the insights she exhibited with regard to the Torah and to other people. The beauty of the Torah, at least for me, lies in its insistence that spirituality be balanced between the duties and obligations of this world, and an understanding that this world is not the end all and be all of reality. Even Lilith herself was not interested in going beyond what she considered to be a fair and equal balance in her relationship with Adam; it was Adam who arrogantly insisted on perpetrating a dominating role over Lilith, which she (rightfully) rejected. By contrast, that sort of balance is sorely lacking in Channah Rochel's life, at least as it's presented by R' Gershon.Now, whether that's the result of R' Gershon's rendering of the story, the reality that that really WAS an accurate depiction of Channah Rochel's life, or because of my own filters that colored/clouded my ability to grasp the true essence of The Maiden Of Ludomir, or some combination of the three, I'm not really sure. (Okay...that's not 100% true...I'm SURE it's some combination of the three, I'm just not sure which factor is the most dominant factor.) All I know is that I kept waiting to see Channah Rochel apply (i.e. put into action, not just think about) the same level of insight into herself that she applied to others, and it just didn't happen.For me, the hallmark of a true Rebbe is a righteous individual whose self-awareness and worldly awareness are one, flaws and all, and who does not fundamentally withdraw from the world in order to accomplish great achievements. In fact, it's the very ability to achieve holiness through the so-called mundane world that elevates such spirituality to the highest rungs. In the case of Channah Rochel, I saw too much distance from, and antagonism towards, loved ones. According to this book, she engaged in extreme acts of injustice and unfairness to those closest to her, which she then intellectualized and rationalized. As such, it was impossible to really differentiate between her noble selflessness and her almost maniacal selfishness. Consequently, I'm not really sure quite what to glean from the life of Channah Rochel as presented in this book.Nevertheless, I thank R' Gershon for all the work he put into writing this book, and I wish him continued success in all future endeavors.

And struggled with the circumstances of time, place and tradition, always desiring to be faithful. Well worth the time. Touching, troubling, meaningful.

Il prodotto è arrivato velocemente e le condizioni sono buone. Grazie per l'invio, sono contenta di averlo ricevuto. A presto