Agnon's style
To read Agnon is to become immersed in many worlds- the world of the emerging Jewish state, the world of Eastern Europe at the turn of the century, the world of Jews in Germany in this century and throughout history, and the world of people struggling to find their place in and between these different worlds. Some of Agnon's stories read like rabbinic midrashim, others like contemporary literature, and others like those of the writers who influenced Agnon, such as Kafka. Agnon's sentences are often formed around allusions to Jewish texts and traditions. He interprets, paraphrases and recasts these references to extend the meaning of his own words and, in turn, the meaning of the text to which he refers. This technique brings a unique voice to Agnon's stories and begs the reader to explore the layers of meaning implied by these references. However, the richness of the stories at even their most literal level gives the reader insight into the complex mind of the writer and his struggle to define and explore the human struggle and the Jewish struggle. As a narrator, Agnon is playful and ironic, often framing his stories in a way that asks the reader to struggle with the fine line between fact and fiction.

How to read this book
Alan Mintz and Anne Golomb Hoffman have edited a volume of Agnon's stories that is immensely readable. The general introduction and the introductions to each section of stories provide the reader with important information about Agnon himself as well as with an analysis of each individual story. The notes and glossary are invaluable in aiding the reader to understand unfamiliar terms and references and will help the reader uncover some of the deeper meaning that these references add to the story. In order to take advantage of this edition, the following is suggested: begin by carefully reading the introduction to the book; before each story, read the introduction to that story as well as the notes for the specific story in the back of the volume; after reading the story, a second glance at the story's introduction will allow the reader to assimilate the story itself with the comments of the editors. Although this process seems tedious, it gives the reader a chance to process the story and understand its context.

Themes found in the stories of S.Y. Agnon

The relationship between the individual and the community

The alienation of the individual from the community

The inability to realize one's ambitions

Unrequited love

The role of the writer and the power of writing

Destruction and redemption

Loss

Rootlessness

The intersection of the religious and secular/modern life

Human determination vs. divine intervention

The struggle of the individual in Palestine/Israel.

Recounting and reclaiming the history of European Jewry

Discussion Questions:

Discussion questions are provided for one story in each section. Other stories can be discussed in light of the themes highlighted in the introduction to each section

"Agunot"

1. How does the introductory paragraph suggest themes that are played out in the rest of the story? What are these themes? Discuss examples in which these themes surface in the story.

2. An agunah is a woman who's husband has disappeared or left but will not grant her a divorce. Because of this, her status is in limbo- she is unable to move on with her life despite the ostensible end of her marriage. This story presents us with no real agunot. Who, then, are the agunot in this story? How are they agunot?

3. Shmuel Yoseph Czaczkes took the name S.Y. Agnon with the publication of his story "Agunot" and his first sojourn in Palestine. From what you've learned about Agnon through this and other stories in this collection, why did he consider himself an agunah? Does Agnon's sense of alienation (both as a Jew and a man) evolve from the particular time in which he lived? Is being a Reform Jew, for you, in any way like being an agunah?

"The Kerchief"

1. "The gifts of my father deserve to be praised at length, but who is going to praise things that will vanish and be lost?" (p.60). This statement by the narrator of the story is full of irony and premonition. The kerchief is described at length and it is eventually "lost." Why do you think the narrator makes this statement? What does this statement do to our reading of the rest of the story?

2. The theme of redemption runs throughout this story. Discuss the different aspects of redemption that appear in the story, both personal and communal. What is redemption for each character? How does the talmudic legend that the Messiah is to be found in the company of beggars challenge our own understanding of redemption and the messianic idea?

3. The kerchief in this story transforms those who come into contact with it. How and when does this happen? What objects in your life hold that kind of power for you?

"A Book that Was Lost"

1. The lost book at the center of this story is in a state of loss twice. The narrator pulls it from obscurity in Buczacz at the beginning of the story and at the end of the story he is waiting for the book to arrive at the National Library in the Land of Israel. How do these two losses frame the story?

2. Rabbi Shmaria's commentary on the 16th century Jewish law code, the Shulkhan Aruch, is considered obsolete, yet the narrator is compelled to keep it alive. History is unfolding in the Land of Israel when this book is on its way to Israel. How is Jewish history and continuity addressed in this story? How do we integrate the past into our present Jewish identities- how do we bridge the span of the thousands of years of our history?

3. Time passes quickly and slowly in this story. How does the narration of events and of time heighten the themes of this story?

"The Sense of Smell"

1. In "The Sense of Smell" Agnon writes about the act of writing and the power of the Hebrew language. For Agnon the language and even the letters of the language hold mystical power. According to this story, why is the Hebrew language so powerful?

2. Read section 3 on page 141, "The Secret of Writing Stories." Why do you think this section was given this name? What is the act of writing in Hebrew for Agnon? As Reform Jews, how do we express our connection to our past/ to the Temple?

3. How does this story affect the way you think about the Hebrew language?

"From Lodging to Lodging" and "Hill of Sand"

The protagonist in each of these stories is a young man struggling to find his place in the emerging state of Israel. They wander, they feel alienated from the community, they are tired and at times seem incapacitated, unable to function. What do we experience by reading about this period in time through these two characters?

What do we learn about the creation of Israel through these characters and the other characters in the stories? Are these stories about the new state or about the personalities of the protagonists?

The Ancestral World

"The Tale of the Scribe"

1. The relationship between Raphael and Miriam is at the center of this story. Their marriage is spiritually pure but unconsummated. Ultimately, their marriage takes on tragic dimensions. Agnon dedicates this story to his wife. The theme of the story and the dedication seem to stand in opposition. What do you think Agnon is saying about marriage through the story and through the dedication?

2. This story is full of parables. Each parable is parsed by the narrator and its lesson is drawn out for us. What effect does this have on the story? Read a parable or two and draw out its lessons for the story in your own words.

3. Discuss the role of the Torah in this story.

"Buczacz"

1. This story is considered Agnon's response to the Holocaust. What is the power of this story as a commentary on the Holocaust?

2. The beginning of this story suggests allusions to Abraham and his family's journey to the Land of Israel. Read the beginning of Parshat Lech L'cha (Genesis 12:1-5) and discuss this story in light of Abraham's call. How are their journeys to Israel different? How are they the same? What do we learn by reading them in light of one another?

"The Tale of the Menorah"

1. This story is a tale of the history and adaptation of the Jews of Buczacz told through the symbol of the menorah. Throughout the story the Jews of Buczacz struggle to relate to their land of residence. How does the use of the symbol of the menorah to highlight these themes help us to understand these issues? Which of our symbols show our ongoing adaptation to our places of residence?

2. Read the last paragraph in the story. How does this paragraph frame the story?

"On the Road"

1. We do not know where the narrator is travelling at the beginning of this story. At the end we find out that he is on his way to Israel. Does knowing this change the way we read the story?

2. "Blessed be the Almighty who has restored me to my place, " ends this story. How is the community that the narrator finds also his place (or is it not his place?) Can we have multiple "places?"

3. Read the paragraphs that describe the fascinating customs of the community in this story. The historical events that define this community shape its Jewish practice. What do the particular practices of this community say about the way they live with this horrible milieu? How do other communities do this? How do Reform Jews do this?

"A Whole Loaf"

1. What is the protagonist's struggle? Why is it so difficult for him to decide what to do?

2. This story could have been given many other names. Discuss why this story is called "A Whole Loaf." The whole loaf could refer to a number of things: Jewish law teaches that we must say the Shabbat blessing over an uncut loaf; furthermore, it is customary to bless two loaves at each Shabbat meal; a whole loaf could reflect the protagonist's greedy nature. How do each of these possible interpretations affect our reading of the story?

3. Discuss the sensation you have when you read this story-- what feelings does it evoke in us?