Meir Shalev had already enchanted me with his storytelling genius, his easy charm, and his unobtrusive humor through his memoir, My Russian Grandmother and Her American Vacuum Cleaner. So, even though Beginnings was an entirely different genre on an entirely different topic, I was pretty sure I’d enjoy it.
Maybe it was the less personal subject matter, or maybe the translator (Stuart Schoffman) wasn’t as great, but Beginnings didn’t thrill me as much. Don’t get me wrong - I liked it. But it’s not as magical as My Russian Grandmother. Shalev’s voice is still friendly and sharing, and his wit still shows up, although more sardonically and less frequently. With My Russian Grandmother, it’s like Shalev amuses you with his stories over pizza and beer. With Beginnings, you picture him at a university lectern. Same nice guy, radically divergent circumstances.
In Beginnings, Shalev reviews several of the most familiar Bible stories, but his thorough analysis deepens and freshens them. With an easy, approachable style, he offers backstory and perspective that you probably never heard in synagogue or church. He does some small moralizing, but no proselytizing. His discussion feels more intellectual and literary than religious.
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| Genesis 1:1, from an illustrated 1932 Polish Torah |
Here are a couple of my critical observations. First, don’t let the title fool you. “The Bible’s Intriguing Firsts” turn out to be, in many cases, Shalev’s setup for “the first important” and sometimes even “the most important.” For example, the “First Law” chapter only briefly mentions the actual first law in the Bible. Shalev then segues into a lengthy (albeit interesting) discussion of the Ten Commandments. Similarly, since the first king mentioned in the Bible is not a primary player in Hebrew history, Shalev analyzes King Saul instead, and then continues with a thorough discourse on King David.
Also, be aware that Shalev doesn’t treat the Bible as the unquestionable truth, nor does he approach it as fiction. Instead, his stance seems somewhere between: The Bible is a work of literature to be greatly respected and generally accepted, but questioned where questions beg the asking. Throughout the book, he draws conclusions that seem to be a stretch, but for all we know, may be true (for example, that Joseph was gay and was sexually assaulted by his brothers). For context and evidence, Shalev often cites historical documents, rabbinical writings, and other extra-biblical sources.
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| Meir Shalev (copyright Bastian Schweitzer) |
If you’re idealistic about the biblical example, or if you’re a champion for the infallibility of scripture, you’ll be disappointed with several of Shalev’s opinions. He criticizes our old heroes, particularly their treatment of women and animals, and he decries God’s undue violence in dealing with His humans. Some of Shalev’s opinions might even be considered heretical, whether you’re Jewish or Christian or both.
But if you’re not pre-stocked with rigid convictions, or if you welcome challenging ideas, you’ll eat this up. Beginnings is rich with novel interpretations, and for a scholarly text, the discourse is surprisingly accessible. It’s a good opportunity to see the serious side of Shalev.
