Scott Ury, Review of Mellah of Marrakesh (original) (raw)

2008, Religious Studies Review

study of the hasidic tale, its history, its place in hasidic society, and its importance for understanding the theology and sociology of Hasidism. The first part of the book is a bio-bibliographical study of the major authors who collected and published the hasidic tales. Some of them were associated with the hasidic movement, and some were writers whose motivations were more financial than spiritual. The collections were often printed as chapbooks that appealed to a more popular audience, even though they were written in Hebrew. The second part of the book, constituting the bulk of the work, collects and analyzes hasidic stories thematically. Among the topics considered, are the hasidic tale as seen internally by the hasidic movement, the zaddiq, and his relation to his followers and his opponents. Another major theme is areas of life that the zaddiq was believed to have the power to control like health, children, and livelihood. The magical and supernatural worlds are also the domain of the zaddiq, and stories about the zaddiq's powers in this realm are also analyzed. The book is enhanced with a very helpful glossary, gazetteer of place names, bibliography, and index. This is a pioneering work that will interest not only those interested in Hasidism, but also students of folklore, popular religion, and spirituality.