The Golem and the Wondrous Deeds of the Maharal of Prague
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Yudl Rosenberg, edited and translated by Curt Leviant
Out of Print
This collection of interrelated stories about a sixteenth-century Prague rabbi and the golem he created became an immediate bestseller upon its publication in 1909. So widely popular and influential was Yudl Rosenberg’s book, it is no exaggeration to claim that the author transformed the centuries-old understanding of the creature of clay and single-handedly created the myth of the golem as protector of the Jewish people during times of persecution. In addition to translating Rosenberg’s classic golem story into English for the first time, Curt Leviant also offers an introduction in which he sets Rosenberg’s writing in historical context and discusses the golem legend before and after Rosenberg’s contributions. Generous annotations are provided for the curious reader. The book is full of adventures, surprises, romance, suspense, mysticism, Jewish pride, and storytelling at its best. The Chief Rabbi of Prague, known as the Maharal, brings the golem Yossele to life to help the Jews fight false accusations of ritual murder—the infamous blood libel. More human, more capable, and more reliable as a protector than any golem imagined before, Rosenberg’s Golem irrevocably changed one of the most widely influential icons of Jewish folklore.
"This collection of Golem stories written in the early twentieth century by Yudl Rosenberg provides a valuable inside perspective on the shape of the legend."—Robert Alter, author of Imagined Cities
"Given the enduring attraction of the Golem myth to the Jewish and general public, this book is an important addition to the corpus of Jewish cultural texts in English translation." —Lewis Glinert, Dartmouth College
“A masterpiece of miracles.”—Mindy Aloff, Forward
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
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