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The Orchard
Yochi Brandes is one of the top authors in Israel. The Orchard, her eighth book, is considered the most daring and ambitious of her novels. Critics went so far as to call it a cultural phenomenon after it eclipsed the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy on the Israeli bestseller lists. The novel depicts the beginnings of modern Judaism and Christianity (in the first and second centuries) and the historical circumstances and tumultuous disputes that accompanied their births. The heroes of that generation (such as Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Ishmael, Rabban Gamaliel, Paul of Tarsus, and many others) become flesh and blood in this stunning interweaving of biblical and Talmudic lore into a page-turning read.
At the heart of the book is Rabbi Akiva and his complicated relationship with his wife, Rachel, who met him when he was a forty-year-old illiterate shepherd, married him against her father's wishes, and compelled him to study the Torah until he became the nation of Israel's greatest sage. His novel method of interpreting Scripture provides his people with a life-giving elixir, but also gives them a lethal injection the Bar Kokhba Revolt (the second rebellion against the Romans), which brought a terrible holocaust upon the nation of Israel that nearly caused its end. The Orchard offers a brilliant narrative solution to the riddle of the Bar Kokhba Revolt by tying the rebellion to one of the most fascinating stories in the Jewish tradition, the story of four sages who entered a metaphysical one died, one lost his mind, one became a hater of God, and one, Rabbi Akiva, made it out unscathed. Or did he?
At the heart of the book is Rabbi Akiva and his complicated relationship with his wife, Rachel, who met him when he was a forty-year-old illiterate shepherd, married him against her father's wishes, and compelled him to study the Torah until he became the nation of Israel's greatest sage. His novel method of interpreting Scripture provides his people with a life-giving elixir, but also gives them a lethal injection the Bar Kokhba Revolt (the second rebellion against the Romans), which brought a terrible holocaust upon the nation of Israel that nearly caused its end. The Orchard offers a brilliant narrative solution to the riddle of the Bar Kokhba Revolt by tying the rebellion to one of the most fascinating stories in the Jewish tradition, the story of four sages who entered a metaphysical one died, one lost his mind, one became a hater of God, and one, Rabbi Akiva, made it out unscathed. Or did he?
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
160 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
Yochi Brandes
19 books61 followersYochi Brandes was born in Israel in 1959 to a family of Hassidic rabbis. With degrees in both Biblical Studies and Judaic Studies, she has been a prominent and sought-after lecturer on the Bible and on Jewish cultural topics for many years.
One of Israel's bestselling writers, she is the author of seven historical novels and two non-fiction books, all centered on Jewish ideas, history, and culture. She has been awarded the Book Publishers Association's Platinum Book Prize for all her novels, including The Secret Book of Kings.
The Secret Book of Kings is her first novel to appear in English translation.
(source: Amazon)
One of Israel's bestselling writers, she is the author of seven historical novels and two non-fiction books, all centered on Jewish ideas, history, and culture. She has been awarded the Book Publishers Association's Platinum Book Prize for all her novels, including The Secret Book of Kings.
The Secret Book of Kings is her first novel to appear in English translation.
(source: Amazon)
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September 23, 2017
על פי סיפורי האגדה, רבי עקיבא היה רועה צאן של אחד מעשירי ירושלים בשם כלבא שבוע. בתו של כלבא שבוע, רחל, ראתה אותו וכי הוא איש צנוע והתאהבה בו. היא נישאה לו בסתר למורת רצון אביה ובניגוד לרצונו המפורש ועודדה אותו ללכת וללמוד תורה דבר שעשה בגיל 40. כלבא בן שבוע הדיר אותה מנכסיו ורק לאחר שרבי עקיבא חזר, לאחר 12 שנים בהן היה רחוק מאישתו ומילדיו, עם אלפי תלמידיו כרב מכובד וגדול בתורה, נתן לו ולרחל מחצית מנכסיו.
על בסיס אגדה זו רוקמת יוכי ברנדיס רומאן תקופתי שמביא לקורא בצורה חיה את אירועי התקופה. הרומאן מתחיל מנקודת מבטה של רחל, עובר לסיפור קורותיו של רבי עקיבא בשנות לימודיו ולתיאור המחלוקות בין התנאים המרכזיים בתקופתו וחוזר לנקודת מבטה של רחל בתקופה שלפני מרד בר כוכבא ועם התבוסה הקשה שתוצאותיה היו מרות ונוראיות עבור עם ישראל.
דמותה של רחל מצטיירת בספר כאישה חזקה שוויתרה על אהבה, על נוחות, ממון ועל עצמה עבור מי שראתה בו את מתת האל. בספר היא נתפסת כנביאה. שנותיה הרחוקות מבעלה, היו שנים קשות שבהן היא סבלה מניתוק ועגינות. רבים ליגלגו עליה שבעלה הותיר אותה אלמנה בחייה. על פי התיאור שיוכי ברנדיס בוחרת, שנים אלא של בדידות הותירו את רחל מרירה כלפי בעלה ומערכת יחסיהם לא חזרה להיות כפי שהיתה והיא אחת הסיבות שלדעת ברנדיס רבי עקיבא נשא לו גיורת את אשתו של טורנוס רופוס הנציב באותה העת - רופינא .
יוכי ברנדיס מסתמכת על סיפורי האגדה שיש בהם יסודות היסטוריים רבים:
רבי עקיבא לא למד תורה מנערותו. מוצאו היה מפשוטי העם. גידולו בתורה בעזרתה ובעידודה של אישתו גם הוא סיפור מבוסס היסטורית ועובדות אלה חוזרות בצורות שונות במסורות התנאיות. יחד עם זאת סיפור האהבה בין רבי עקיבא ורחל והנישואים שלהם בסתר אינו אלא אגדה שאין לה ביסוס במקורות.
הטענה כי החל את לימודיו בגיל 40 לא מבוססת וניתן להניח רק כי החל את לימודיו בגיל מאוחר. גם הטענה כביכול היה מבני גרים אינה מבוססת שכן אינו מוסר בדבריו המתועדים דבר על בית אביו או על אביו.
החלק המרכזי בספר עוסק במערכת יחסיו עם התנאים השונים בני זמנו ובמערכת היחסים בינם ובין עצמם. הספר מעניין ומרתק במיוחד בריקמה העדינה שבין בית הילל לבית שמאי והניסיון של רבי עקיבא לאזן בינהם. הסיפור שריגש אותי היה סיפור הנידוי של רבי אליעזר וסופו של סיפור זה.
החלק האחרון בספר עוסק בפרשת מרד בר כוכבא ובתמיכת רבי עקיבא בבר כוכבא. יצויין כי בניגוד למשתמע מהספר, רבי עקיבא לא הוצא להורג בעקבות המרד אלא בעיקבות כך שעבר על גזרות אדריאנוס במפורש. רבי עקיבא בלט בחיי התורה והציבור ופעל רבות בתחומים אלה, פעילות שהתגברה לקראת מותו ולקראת השנים הסמוכות למרד בר כוכבא היוותה גב ותמיכה מכרעת מרד.
אחת השאלות עליהן מנסה ברנדיס לענות, היא מדוע הצטרף רבי עקיבא ותמך בבר כוכבא והפך אותו לדמות של משיח, ואף של מלך אחריה נהו היהודים באותה התקופה? ברור לכל בר דעת כי לאחר מרד התפוצות והענישה החמורה שהשית הקיסר הרומאי אקט של מרידה באם יכשל הוא אקט של התאבדות, גם ברור כי בר כוכבא על שלל הזיותיו המשיחיות, מרדניות והלאומניות היה חייב תמיכה של מנהיגות רוחנית וזו ניתנה לו כגיבוי.
לנוכח תוצאות המחרידות לא ברור מדוע רוב החכמים תמכו במרד ושיתפו עימו פעולה ? ברנדיס מציעה הסבר די קלוש על פיו החכמים התנאים של אותה התקופה נכנסו לפרדס וכשרבי עקיבא ראה את הגורל הצפוי ליהודים, החליט ללמדם להתקומם וכי גורלם תלוי בהם.
עם כל תרומתו ליהדות, בתמיכתו הרוחנית במרד הביא רבי עקיבא לתוצאות קשות ומרות עוד יותר וברנדיס מכירה בכך בפרקים האחרונים של הספר בהם דמותו של רבי עקיבא מודה כי תמיכתו במרד ובבר כוכבא הוא הביא כליה על היהודים - לאמור בתמיכה בחזון המשיחי לאומני רבי עקיבא הביא כליה על ישראל. לא די בכך ש - 24 אלפי התלמידים שלו נהרגו במרד (האגדה כי מתו בשבוע אחד כי לא נהגו אחד בשני בכבוד היא אגדה מאוחרת שנועדה לנתק את הקשר שבין התמיכה של רבי עקיבא בבר כוכבא לתוצאות הקשות של אותו המרד) היהודים נרדפו גם לאחר שהמרד דוכא והישוב היהודי בארץ נחרב והוקם רק לאחר כ- 1800 שני של גלות.
ברנדיס אינה בוחרת לטפל בתוצאות של המרד לאחר מותו של רבי עקיבא כנראה שאין זה גם היעוד של הספר שלה לשים במרכז את התמורות שהתחוללו לאחר הכישלון הצורב והלקחים שהופקו ממנו. היא חוזרת לדמותה של רחל החוזה את צמיחתו של יהודה הנשיא
יש הרבה אלמנטים צהובים בספר שמתייחסים למערכות יחסים אישיות בין הדמויות. האלמנטים הללו כנראה מבוססים על אגדות ואולי על דמיונה הפורה של ברנדיס. לזכותה יאמר שהספר מעניין, והוא גרם לי לנבור בנושאים שהועלו בו, להיזכר בסדר הדברים ההיסטורי שתמיד מעניין אותי, ולחפש אחר הדמויות שהוזכרו בו כך שהוא השיג את תשומת ליבי המלאה ובזכות זה את הדירוג של 4 כוכבים
על בסיס אגדה זו רוקמת יוכי ברנדיס רומאן תקופתי שמביא לקורא בצורה חיה את אירועי התקופה. הרומאן מתחיל מנקודת מבטה של רחל, עובר לסיפור קורותיו של רבי עקיבא בשנות לימודיו ולתיאור המחלוקות בין התנאים המרכזיים בתקופתו וחוזר לנקודת מבטה של רחל בתקופה שלפני מרד בר כוכבא ועם התבוסה הקשה שתוצאותיה היו מרות ונוראיות עבור עם ישראל.
דמותה של רחל מצטיירת בספר כאישה חזקה שוויתרה על אהבה, על נוחות, ממון ועל עצמה עבור מי שראתה בו את מתת האל. בספר היא נתפסת כנביאה. שנותיה הרחוקות מבעלה, היו שנים קשות שבהן היא סבלה מניתוק ועגינות. רבים ליגלגו עליה שבעלה הותיר אותה אלמנה בחייה. על פי התיאור שיוכי ברנדיס בוחרת, שנים אלא של בדידות הותירו את רחל מרירה כלפי בעלה ומערכת יחסיהם לא חזרה להיות כפי שהיתה והיא אחת הסיבות שלדעת ברנדיס רבי עקיבא נשא לו גיורת את אשתו של טורנוס רופוס הנציב באותה העת - רופינא .
יוכי ברנדיס מסתמכת על סיפורי האגדה שיש בהם יסודות היסטוריים רבים:
רבי עקיבא לא למד תורה מנערותו. מוצאו היה מפשוטי העם. גידולו בתורה בעזרתה ובעידודה של אישתו גם הוא סיפור מבוסס היסטורית ועובדות אלה חוזרות בצורות שונות במסורות התנאיות. יחד עם זאת סיפור האהבה בין רבי עקיבא ורחל והנישואים שלהם בסתר אינו אלא אגדה שאין לה ביסוס במקורות.
הטענה כי החל את לימודיו בגיל 40 לא מבוססת וניתן להניח רק כי החל את לימודיו בגיל מאוחר. גם הטענה כביכול היה מבני גרים אינה מבוססת שכן אינו מוסר בדבריו המתועדים דבר על בית אביו או על אביו.
החלק המרכזי בספר עוסק במערכת יחסיו עם התנאים השונים בני זמנו ובמערכת היחסים בינם ובין עצמם. הספר מעניין ומרתק במיוחד בריקמה העדינה שבין בית הילל לבית שמאי והניסיון של רבי עקיבא לאזן בינהם. הסיפור שריגש אותי היה סיפור הנידוי של רבי אליעזר וסופו של סיפור זה.
החלק האחרון בספר עוסק בפרשת מרד בר כוכבא ובתמיכת רבי עקיבא בבר כוכבא. יצויין כי בניגוד למשתמע מהספר, רבי עקיבא לא הוצא להורג בעקבות המרד אלא בעיקבות כך שעבר על גזרות אדריאנוס במפורש. רבי עקיבא בלט בחיי התורה והציבור ופעל רבות בתחומים אלה, פעילות שהתגברה לקראת מותו ולקראת השנים הסמוכות למרד בר כוכבא היוותה גב ותמיכה מכרעת מרד.
אחת השאלות עליהן מנסה ברנדיס לענות, היא מדוע הצטרף רבי עקיבא ותמך בבר כוכבא והפך אותו לדמות של משיח, ואף של מלך אחריה נהו היהודים באותה התקופה? ברור לכל בר דעת כי לאחר מרד התפוצות והענישה החמורה שהשית הקיסר הרומאי אקט של מרידה באם יכשל הוא אקט של התאבדות, גם ברור כי בר כוכבא על שלל הזיותיו המשיחיות, מרדניות והלאומניות היה חייב תמיכה של מנהיגות רוחנית וזו ניתנה לו כגיבוי.
לנוכח תוצאות המחרידות לא ברור מדוע רוב החכמים תמכו במרד ושיתפו עימו פעולה ? ברנדיס מציעה הסבר די קלוש על פיו החכמים התנאים של אותה התקופה נכנסו לפרדס וכשרבי עקיבא ראה את הגורל הצפוי ליהודים, החליט ללמדם להתקומם וכי גורלם תלוי בהם.
עם כל תרומתו ליהדות, בתמיכתו הרוחנית במרד הביא רבי עקיבא לתוצאות קשות ומרות עוד יותר וברנדיס מכירה בכך בפרקים האחרונים של הספר בהם דמותו של רבי עקיבא מודה כי תמיכתו במרד ובבר כוכבא הוא הביא כליה על היהודים - לאמור בתמיכה בחזון המשיחי לאומני רבי עקיבא הביא כליה על ישראל. לא די בכך ש - 24 אלפי התלמידים שלו נהרגו במרד (האגדה כי מתו בשבוע אחד כי לא נהגו אחד בשני בכבוד היא אגדה מאוחרת שנועדה לנתק את הקשר שבין התמיכה של רבי עקיבא בבר כוכבא לתוצאות הקשות של אותו המרד) היהודים נרדפו גם לאחר שהמרד דוכא והישוב היהודי בארץ נחרב והוקם רק לאחר כ- 1800 שני של גלות.
ברנדיס אינה בוחרת לטפל בתוצאות של המרד לאחר מותו של רבי עקיבא כנראה שאין זה גם היעוד של הספר שלה לשים במרכז את התמורות שהתחוללו לאחר הכישלון הצורב והלקחים שהופקו ממנו. היא חוזרת לדמותה של רחל החוזה את צמיחתו של יהודה הנשיא
יש הרבה אלמנטים צהובים בספר שמתייחסים למערכות יחסים אישיות בין הדמויות. האלמנטים הללו כנראה מבוססים על אגדות ואולי על דמיונה הפורה של ברנדיס. לזכותה יאמר שהספר מעניין, והוא גרם לי לנבור בנושאים שהועלו בו, להיזכר בסדר הדברים ההיסטורי שתמיד מעניין אותי, ולחפש אחר הדמויות שהוזכרו בו כך שהוא השיג את תשומת ליבי המלאה ובזכות זה את הדירוג של 4 כוכבים
March 28, 2019
This is an ambitious historical novel, translated from the Hebrew, about the life of one of the most monumental figures in Jewish history. Rabbi Akiva lived in a tumultuous time, during the Second Century CE, when the Jews were under harsh Roman rule. In fact, Rabbi Akiva was brutally murdered by the Romans as part of their "payback" to the Jews during the Bar Kochba rebellion, a rebellion that Rabbi Akiva seemed to support.
This will be a challenging book for anyone unfamiliar with the famous Jewish sages of this period in history. Many of their names sound alike (Elazar, Eliezer, Azaria), and while the author does an admirable job of fleshing out their different personalities, there are still a lot of characters to keep track of.
Akiva was believed to have been an illiterate shepherd, and only to have learned to read and write at the age of 40. His wife, Rachel, was the daughter of the most wealthy man in the land of Israel at the time, and according to the novel, he disowned Rachel over her insistence that she marry this unschooled shepherd and not the Torah scholar her father had selected for her. The evidence is that Rachel suffered greatly in her life for her decision; she sent Akiva away to study in yeshiva, leaving her impoverished after her father cut her off. In this novel, Brandes attributes a boldness to Rachel that will probably offend many Orthodox readers. But who knows? There is no written record that would prove or disprove this version of Rachel's efforts to marry Akiva.
For me, this book was a valuable primer, helping me to distinguish much better among all the famous names of the sages who we read about during the Pesach seder who sat and studied together in Benei Brak, and who are quoted in Ethics of the Fathers. It also helped clarify the growing dispute among Jewish leaders at this dismal time after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, when Jews no longer had a central address for worship. Akiva was instrumental in creating an innovative form of "rabbinic Judaism," which allowed for individual interpretations of the law.
Akiva was also one of the sages (later known as rabbis) who made Torah study central in Jewish life, and after his ordination at a rabbinical academy at Yavneh, he founded his own academy in B'nai Brak. Brandes portrays Akiva as distant, and even a loner, who abandons his wife entirely for a dozen years after he goes off to study in yeshiva, not even sending letters. Yet somehow he becomes a magnetic teacher for young men eager to learn his innovative thinking on Jewish law. Nowhere does she portray him as having a true love of God, but only for having a drive to do what he believes God wants. The lack of any sense of personal warmth for either God or his wife is troubling.
It's impossible to know how far off the mark Brandes' characterizations are of Akiva, Rachel, and the other personalities in this novel, but it's hard to believe that Akiva the real man was as cold and intellectual as he is portrayed here. Still, if you enjoy learning about early Jewish history and some of the key players, this book can be a satisfying read.
This will be a challenging book for anyone unfamiliar with the famous Jewish sages of this period in history. Many of their names sound alike (Elazar, Eliezer, Azaria), and while the author does an admirable job of fleshing out their different personalities, there are still a lot of characters to keep track of.
Akiva was believed to have been an illiterate shepherd, and only to have learned to read and write at the age of 40. His wife, Rachel, was the daughter of the most wealthy man in the land of Israel at the time, and according to the novel, he disowned Rachel over her insistence that she marry this unschooled shepherd and not the Torah scholar her father had selected for her. The evidence is that Rachel suffered greatly in her life for her decision; she sent Akiva away to study in yeshiva, leaving her impoverished after her father cut her off. In this novel, Brandes attributes a boldness to Rachel that will probably offend many Orthodox readers. But who knows? There is no written record that would prove or disprove this version of Rachel's efforts to marry Akiva.
For me, this book was a valuable primer, helping me to distinguish much better among all the famous names of the sages who we read about during the Pesach seder who sat and studied together in Benei Brak, and who are quoted in Ethics of the Fathers. It also helped clarify the growing dispute among Jewish leaders at this dismal time after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, when Jews no longer had a central address for worship. Akiva was instrumental in creating an innovative form of "rabbinic Judaism," which allowed for individual interpretations of the law.
Akiva was also one of the sages (later known as rabbis) who made Torah study central in Jewish life, and after his ordination at a rabbinical academy at Yavneh, he founded his own academy in B'nai Brak. Brandes portrays Akiva as distant, and even a loner, who abandons his wife entirely for a dozen years after he goes off to study in yeshiva, not even sending letters. Yet somehow he becomes a magnetic teacher for young men eager to learn his innovative thinking on Jewish law. Nowhere does she portray him as having a true love of God, but only for having a drive to do what he believes God wants. The lack of any sense of personal warmth for either God or his wife is troubling.
It's impossible to know how far off the mark Brandes' characterizations are of Akiva, Rachel, and the other personalities in this novel, but it's hard to believe that Akiva the real man was as cold and intellectual as he is portrayed here. Still, if you enjoy learning about early Jewish history and some of the key players, this book can be a satisfying read.
January 2, 2023
In retrospect, this is a book I should have known I’d enjoy! :P Or maybe not. It all comes down to the deep dive Brandes does into the source material and the worldbuilding. This work in a different author’s hands might not have moved me.
This is, in essence, the life story, or more accurately the religious awakening, as it were, of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva is one of Judaism’s most well-known 1st century CE sages. Even someone like me, who at best understood his legacy in broad terms, knew him to be a seminal figure in the Mishnah and Talmudic writings. I also knew the general arc of the Orchard story, in part because I read a modern-day retelling, eponymously named, by David Hopen.
Anywho. Akiva was famously an illiterate shepherd who did not come to Torah until the age of 40. Brandes leans into the account that he was “discovered” by his future wife, Rachel, the daughter of a wealthy man on whose land Akiva toiled. After witnessing his interpretation of a will, Rachel left a lucrative betrothal, was disowned, and pushed her chosen husband into the yeshiva. Akiva, making a vow that he would not return unless he became a rabbi (a distinction he did not want) stayed estranged from his wife for 12 years.
There’s an interesting narrative structure at play. Rachel starts each section near the end of her recounting, referencing herself as staying alive in seclusion these past three years just to get the story out. Some of the narrative follows her directly, but a large portion, particularly in the middle, is about Akiva’s yeshiva education and the advancements he made when he was far from her. Akiva’s claim to fame was in his interpretations; he moved far beyond the “plain text” to be able to understand the tradition in new ways. This sort of renewal, though controversial in the community, was arguably needed.
Well, I speak from 2,000 years later, when the traditions Akiva and his ilk laid out (like the Passover seder, which we kinda/sorta got to see here!) are the bedrock of modern Judaism. (Methinks I’ll continue to reference “Jews,” rather than the more contemporary “People of Israel” or the like.) But this was also important work in the 1st and 2nd centuries, in the generations after Jews were expelled from Jerusalem. Cut off from temple worship, and with that particular sect of Jewish gatekeepers (the Sadducees) largely wiped out, the scholars of the age had to think up new ways of worship and peoplehood, lest their identity be completely obliterated.
Akiva, in my mind, is a bit of a Jewish hero. Made all the more palpable that he fought with ideas rather than with swords (well, mostly. More on that later.) But Brandes also writes him as a bit cold, and a bit of an ass. I’ve seen some reviewers take exception to this, but going by the interpretation that he abandoned his family for over a decade, how else can he be described? Brandes also extrapolates that thus abandoned, Rachel became an agunah, or a “chained woman.” In Jewish law, a woman can not re-marry without a writ of divorce (a get) from a wayward husband. And in 1st century society, such a person was largely ostracized and left to fend for herself. Thus Rachel’s bitterness was also understandable to me.
This is a character whose own brilliance (she’s seen as a prophetess…) is solely tied to her husband (…because she realized that Akiva’s Torah interpretation would be instrumental.) There’s not a lot, even when Rachel is on the page, that is about her herself. Though she is occasionally taken into other peoples’ confidence, mostly to help sway the actions of her husband. :P
To me, this is a proper mix of giving Rachel some agency while still acknowledging that she is a woman living in a particular time and place. It also makes both characters more complicated in my eyes, more human. To a lesser extent, the sages with whom Akiva convenes also have levels of dimension when it comes to their personal beliefs, usually codified through the popular schools of thought at the time (Hillel vs Shammai). The worldbuilding might be the most complicated aspect, which I love. But it’s perhaps a high bar of entry for those not as fluent in the biblical history.
There was a repetitiveness to Daniel Libenson’s translation, which I grew to appreciate given that this is, in essence, a mythological story. Repetition sears things into the memory. I also liked Dara Rosenberg’s dramatic flair at narration. It did almost feel like “Rachel” was telling us an oral history. And in my most biased turn, I had major feels for this story because I’m modeling my fantasy novel worldbuilding in large part off of Temple and Rabbinic/Interpretive Judaism. So this book is now a major resource!
Brandes’s biggest personal source of inspiration was in the Pardes, or Orchard story. The original tells us that Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Elisha, Simeon ben Azzai and Simeon ben Zoma went into the Orchard, or paradise, to look for a direct connection to Gd. Elisha became “the Other” (a heretic who rejected the People of Israel,) ben Zoma died and ben Azzai went mad. Only Akiva “came and went in peace.” (Well, Brandes said, he survived with his faculties in tact, anyway.)
I have some quibbles about how quickly Brandes introduced the Orchard story (I also think Akiva’s yeshiva studies dragged a bit, if I’m going to be critical. :P) But I like the reasons she gave for why the sages reacted the way they did in Pardes…basically what it is they experienced. Let’s just say it’s very focused on Jewish peoplehood, which frankly interests me more than any divine questions.
It also gave an explanation for why Akiva allegedly supported the disastrous Bar Kochba revolt, for which, spoiler alert, he was killed by the Romans. (I mean, this is literal ancient history, guys, so sorry not sorry. :P) All in all, I was impressed and I was moved. I’m so grateful that Brandes made Mishnaic Jewish thought and history come alive to me like never before. And I look forward to moving even further back in time with her in her next book on my TBR!
This is, in essence, the life story, or more accurately the religious awakening, as it were, of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva is one of Judaism’s most well-known 1st century CE sages. Even someone like me, who at best understood his legacy in broad terms, knew him to be a seminal figure in the Mishnah and Talmudic writings. I also knew the general arc of the Orchard story, in part because I read a modern-day retelling, eponymously named, by David Hopen.
Anywho. Akiva was famously an illiterate shepherd who did not come to Torah until the age of 40. Brandes leans into the account that he was “discovered” by his future wife, Rachel, the daughter of a wealthy man on whose land Akiva toiled. After witnessing his interpretation of a will, Rachel left a lucrative betrothal, was disowned, and pushed her chosen husband into the yeshiva. Akiva, making a vow that he would not return unless he became a rabbi (a distinction he did not want) stayed estranged from his wife for 12 years.
There’s an interesting narrative structure at play. Rachel starts each section near the end of her recounting, referencing herself as staying alive in seclusion these past three years just to get the story out. Some of the narrative follows her directly, but a large portion, particularly in the middle, is about Akiva’s yeshiva education and the advancements he made when he was far from her. Akiva’s claim to fame was in his interpretations; he moved far beyond the “plain text” to be able to understand the tradition in new ways. This sort of renewal, though controversial in the community, was arguably needed.
Well, I speak from 2,000 years later, when the traditions Akiva and his ilk laid out (like the Passover seder, which we kinda/sorta got to see here!) are the bedrock of modern Judaism. (Methinks I’ll continue to reference “Jews,” rather than the more contemporary “People of Israel” or the like.) But this was also important work in the 1st and 2nd centuries, in the generations after Jews were expelled from Jerusalem. Cut off from temple worship, and with that particular sect of Jewish gatekeepers (the Sadducees) largely wiped out, the scholars of the age had to think up new ways of worship and peoplehood, lest their identity be completely obliterated.
Akiva, in my mind, is a bit of a Jewish hero. Made all the more palpable that he fought with ideas rather than with swords (well, mostly. More on that later.) But Brandes also writes him as a bit cold, and a bit of an ass. I’ve seen some reviewers take exception to this, but going by the interpretation that he abandoned his family for over a decade, how else can he be described? Brandes also extrapolates that thus abandoned, Rachel became an agunah, or a “chained woman.” In Jewish law, a woman can not re-marry without a writ of divorce (a get) from a wayward husband. And in 1st century society, such a person was largely ostracized and left to fend for herself. Thus Rachel’s bitterness was also understandable to me.
This is a character whose own brilliance (she’s seen as a prophetess…) is solely tied to her husband (…because she realized that Akiva’s Torah interpretation would be instrumental.) There’s not a lot, even when Rachel is on the page, that is about her herself. Though she is occasionally taken into other peoples’ confidence, mostly to help sway the actions of her husband. :P
To me, this is a proper mix of giving Rachel some agency while still acknowledging that she is a woman living in a particular time and place. It also makes both characters more complicated in my eyes, more human. To a lesser extent, the sages with whom Akiva convenes also have levels of dimension when it comes to their personal beliefs, usually codified through the popular schools of thought at the time (Hillel vs Shammai). The worldbuilding might be the most complicated aspect, which I love. But it’s perhaps a high bar of entry for those not as fluent in the biblical history.
There was a repetitiveness to Daniel Libenson’s translation, which I grew to appreciate given that this is, in essence, a mythological story. Repetition sears things into the memory. I also liked Dara Rosenberg’s dramatic flair at narration. It did almost feel like “Rachel” was telling us an oral history. And in my most biased turn, I had major feels for this story because I’m modeling my fantasy novel worldbuilding in large part off of Temple and Rabbinic/Interpretive Judaism. So this book is now a major resource!
Brandes’s biggest personal source of inspiration was in the Pardes, or Orchard story. The original tells us that Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Elisha, Simeon ben Azzai and Simeon ben Zoma went into the Orchard, or paradise, to look for a direct connection to Gd. Elisha became “the Other” (a heretic who rejected the People of Israel,) ben Zoma died and ben Azzai went mad. Only Akiva “came and went in peace.” (Well, Brandes said, he survived with his faculties in tact, anyway.)
I have some quibbles about how quickly Brandes introduced the Orchard story (I also think Akiva’s yeshiva studies dragged a bit, if I’m going to be critical. :P) But I like the reasons she gave for why the sages reacted the way they did in Pardes…basically what it is they experienced. Let’s just say it’s very focused on Jewish peoplehood, which frankly interests me more than any divine questions.
It also gave an explanation for why Akiva allegedly supported the disastrous Bar Kochba revolt, for which, spoiler alert, he was killed by the Romans. (I mean, this is literal ancient history, guys, so sorry not sorry. :P) All in all, I was impressed and I was moved. I’m so grateful that Brandes made Mishnaic Jewish thought and history come alive to me like never before. And I look forward to moving even further back in time with her in her next book on my TBR!
March 29, 2018
Muy interesante, una novela histórica que abarca el periodo en el cual el Judaísmo se ve obligado a reinventarse, de ser una religión que gira completamente en torno al Templo, a ser una obligada a sobrevivir en la Diáspora. Al mismo tiempo que ilustra el pensamiento de los sabios de la época Mishnaica, sugiere que ese mismo movimiento permite la interpretación secular de la Torá, y propone una interpretación interesante (aunque novelesca) del surgimiento del Cristianismo, terminando con una interpretación fantasiosa de porqué los sabios pudieron haber apoyado la trágica rebelión de Bar Kochbá y el genocidio que la siguió. Una novela que puede ser bastante controversial, pero que me pareció muy educativa.
July 17, 2022
Takes the corpus of Talmudic legend surrounding the characters and spins into a novelist yarn.
Like her others works, the presentation is the writings of an obscure, yet resolute, feminine engine behind it all.
Like her others works, the presentation is the writings of an obscure, yet resolute, feminine engine behind it all.
July 2, 2019
I've read another Brandes book (The Secret Book of Kings ) and enjoyed thoroughly. This one was also very good and I really appreciated the story of how the Jewish and early Christian communities interacted and what the Jewish community thought.
Having said that, there's a lot about the writing of the Midrash and the personalities therein that I do not know and this book assumed knowledge without really explaining. I have the feeling that I missed a lot, but what I did get was well told.
Having said that, there's a lot about the writing of the Midrash and the personalities therein that I do not know and this book assumed knowledge without really explaining. I have the feeling that I missed a lot, but what I did get was well told.
September 25, 2019
I like "biblical fiction," but I have a big problem with books that distort what is in the text or that give biblical characters traits or predilections to make the story interesting or exciting which is why I did not like The Red Tent or The Secret Chord. So I really enjoyed this book, and I am so impressed with the author because it was interesting and exciting, even though I knew the story and how it ends. Instead of inventing things, Brandes went straight to the Jewish texts and brought the sages of yore to life. Of course Rabbi Tarfon is impatient, as his famous quote from Ethics of the Fathers chides us that "the day is long and the work is hard and the workers are lazy...". Of course the woman who saw the potential in Rabbi Akiva is strong and opinionated. If you know Jewish history and Jewish texts, you will enjoy this because you will recognized the vignettes and the words. If you are unfamiliar, you will learn a lot about Jewish history and see that our sages had distinct personalities and were often contentious.
As an aside, it was so nice to read a book I really enjoyed!
As an aside, it was so nice to read a book I really enjoyed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2018
Historical fiction at its best! I usually read Yochi Brandes in the original Hebrew and her Melachim Gimmel (Secret Book of Kings) is one of the best books I ever read, life changing in a way similar to The Red Tent. This book did not disappoint! Brandes does her research and her novels are totally beiievable, especially if you are familiar with the material - or think you are! I highly recommend The Orchard!
February 28, 2022
I received this book as a early reviewer in 2018. I read it now as part of reading Israeli literature. Yochi Brandes is the female author, born in 1959 in Haifa to a family of Hassidic rabbis. Brandes taught Bible and Judaism for many years. She is the author of novels and essays on biblical women-all of them best-sellers in Israel. This story is about the time period about the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem. It is historical and provides stories of Judaism and Christianity through the eyes of Rachel, wife of Rabbi Akiva and prophetess. The rebellion of Bar Kokhba Revolt was a real event in history and uses the sages and Torah discussion to this revolt. I found it interesting to read this book where the study and debate of Torah was more important than a person's responsibility to wife and children and more important than the relationship with the God of the Torah. It also explains how the Jewish people who believed in Jesus as Messiah were eventually excluded from the the other Hebrews and became Christians. I especially appreciated this part of the story.
June 8, 2023
A Hebrew novel translated into English, this book set me on end. I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a tapestry woven from ancient legend, Jewish teachings, and historical records about the second (?) uprising of the Jews against Rome, and the role the sages or rabbis played in it. I would love to know how much of it is actually true. Did/do Jewish rabbis engage in secret occult practices?! Was their attitude toward divorce and polygamy really as cavalier as portrayed? And I can’t believe the apostle Paul would have referred to Jesus only as “a” messiah, like the author imagined.
The cast of characters can be hard to follow, which the author acknowledges. And I’m sure a Jewish reader would have a keener grasp than I do on all the nuances and cultural aspects. But I still recommend it to anyone who enjoys a riveting novel about a culture foreign to your own.
The cast of characters can be hard to follow, which the author acknowledges. And I’m sure a Jewish reader would have a keener grasp than I do on all the nuances and cultural aspects. But I still recommend it to anyone who enjoys a riveting novel about a culture foreign to your own.
November 10, 2018
Read this for bookclub. Far from perfect. Writing was pretty simple but not sure if that was due to translation. Slow start but story picked up towards the end. A story based on the ancient Jewish Rabbis and leaders of the early century after Christ. My biggest takeaway was that these figures from childhood lure are still men who have the same desires and traits as the “common” man and for all their holiness they mess up like the rest of us. I’m not sure how much of the story was fictionalized bc author gave zero source notes which I thought was very unprofessional.
April 6, 2020
Brandes writes with passion and conviction, bringing to life the times of Rabbi Akiva. People are hungry for knowledge of our past and how that impacts on our present. And yet, I have strong reservations about this book. You have never seen an Akiva as cold stone-like and unfeeling as this. You have never met a Rachel as grudge-bearing and brimful of fury as this. She alternately rages, shouts, courses with anger, and the like. Given all the traditional sources we have about Rabbi Akiva and Rachel, these author overlays feel like character assassinatio. Most of the tannaim are portrayed as arrogant, self-serving, stubborn, wrathful, furious, jealous, and vindictive. There is one who is portrayed with tenderness: Rabbi Elisha, also known as Acher.
I was deeply troubled by the author's portrayl of R' Eliezer ben Hyrcanus as a phil-Nazarene, and the idea of the Judaism of tradition versus the Judaism of renewal, Torah as being for all mankind versus Torah as being for for the Jews. I think Brandes is trying to show the movements of the time and how as halacha was being written down, there were aspects that were fluid. Yet these ideas above cut to the core of Judaism and what it means. I was puzzled by her promotion of Beis Shammai over Beis Hillel, and where she found these ideas.
While the writing is powerful, and the scenes of Rabbi Akiva's death are heart-rending (especially the portion concerning the pain of knowledge, I would hesitate to reccommend this book.
I was deeply troubled by the author's portrayl of R' Eliezer ben Hyrcanus as a phil-Nazarene, and the idea of the Judaism of tradition versus the Judaism of renewal, Torah as being for all mankind versus Torah as being for for the Jews. I think Brandes is trying to show the movements of the time and how as halacha was being written down, there were aspects that were fluid. Yet these ideas above cut to the core of Judaism and what it means. I was puzzled by her promotion of Beis Shammai over Beis Hillel, and where she found these ideas.
While the writing is powerful, and the scenes of Rabbi Akiva's death are heart-rending (especially the portion concerning the pain of knowledge, I would hesitate to reccommend this book.
October 14, 2022
Very simplistic writing style.
July 1, 2018
What do we really know about the ancient rabbis? Most scholars say that the legends of the Talmud are not biographical works as we currently think of biography. Rather, the stories teach us as much about the compilers of the Talmud as the rabbis themselves. In Rabbi Reuben Hammer’s biography of Rabbi Akiva (see The Reporter’s review at www.thereportergroup.org/Article.aspx...), the author suggested that it would be easier to write a novel about his subject because so many of the stories about him are clearly legend. Israeli author Yochi Brandes has taken on this challenge in “The Orchard” (Gefen Publishing House) – writing a novel not only about Rabbi Avika, but the other sages of his time. In her introduction to the English edition of her book, Brandes is clear that, while she did a great deal of research, her work is a novel: “I take Jewish culture, in all its richness and complexity, and turn it into a work of contemporary literature... The Sages in my book are no vague abstractions, but rather flesh-and-blood beings – great ones, to be sure, but also impulsive, status-conscious, cutting, and damaging.” What Brandes has produced is an intriguing and moving work that gives insight into the different methods of rabbinic interpretation, in addition to showing details of Jewish life at the end of the first century C.E. and the beginning of the second.
See the rest of my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
See the rest of my review at http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
February 10, 2016
כמי שלא מכיר את רוב הסיפורים שבבסיס הספר, זו קריאה מעניינת. אבל חייבים להודות שכספר, הוא לא משהו. כלומר, יש בו עלילה, ואפילו עלילה מעניינת, אבל אין בו *סיפור*. הדמויות לא מאופינות בגרוש, הארועים מסופרים אבל לא מתרחשים, ובאופן כללי המסגרת הסיפורית היא מאוד רופפת, ונמצאת שם, ככל הנראה, רק כדי לחבר בין סיפורי האגדה המקוריים. כלומר, ברנדס אולי לקחה לעצמה חירות מסויימת בפרשנות של הסיפורים (אין לי מושג), אבל היא נמנעה מליצור להם סיפור מסגרת משכנע בפני עצמו. בשלב כלשהי הקריאה קצת הזכירה לי משחק מחשב - קטעי המעבר הסיפוריים היו שם רק כדי לחבר בין קטעי הגיימפליי המרכזיים, של סיפורי האגדה.
אבל מצד שני, אני מת על אלגוריות פוליטיות, ופה בהחלט יש חתיכת אלגוריה פוליטית. לקראת סוף הספר תהיתי לרגע אם אני קורא סאטירה פוליטית שמאלנית על המשיחיות של הדתיים הלאומיים ושותפיהם בחילוניות הימנית. אבל אז נזכרתי שבעצם יש עוד קבוצה שנוקטת בביקורת על הדתיים הלאומיים, זו שברנדס באה ממנה - החרדים. ואכן, במחשבה נוספת ניכרת הביקורת החרדית המוכרת על דחיקת הקץ של הקוקיסטים, ועל המדינה היהודית החילונית באופן כללי.
עבור עם הארץ כמוני מדובר בצהר נוח למדי לעולם שלא הייתי מתאמץ יתר על המידה להכירו אילולא היה זה קיים. ומה עוד אפשר כבר לבקש מספר?
אבל מצד שני, אני מת על אלגוריות פוליטיות, ופה בהחלט יש חתיכת אלגוריה פוליטית. לקראת סוף הספר תהיתי לרגע אם אני קורא סאטירה פוליטית שמאלנית על המשיחיות של הדתיים הלאומיים ושותפיהם בחילוניות הימנית. אבל אז נזכרתי שבעצם יש עוד קבוצה שנוקטת בביקורת על הדתיים הלאומיים, זו שברנדס באה ממנה - החרדים. ואכן, במחשבה נוספת ניכרת הביקורת החרדית המוכרת על דחיקת הקץ של הקוקיסטים, ועל המדינה היהודית החילונית באופן כללי.
עבור עם הארץ כמוני מדובר בצהר נוח למדי לעולם שלא הייתי מתאמץ יתר על המידה להכירו אילולא היה זה קיים. ומה עוד אפשר כבר לבקש מספר?
June 25, 2019
Wow - fascinating to think about how Chazal (collective of Sages) may have behaved as individuals and interacted with each other. The author weaves together numerous aggadot (Talmudic stories) and teachings - many of which are cryptic one-line comments or side points - into a cohesive narrative. She builds plausible context for well known stories such as the oven of ben Achnai and the seder in Bnei Brak, then layers in commentary on the aftermath of these events that even if unrooted in sources is still thought provoking. I have no idea how much a reader with no grounding in the source material would enjoy this book. For me, I found myself wondering every few pages if some detail were invented only to frequently find with a bit of research that indeed there was a relevant source text. I was motivated to keep reading even knowing there was no way this story could have a happy ending!
April 26, 2018
Amazing, Engaging, and Insightful
This book - told from the perspective of Rabbi Alina’s wife— covers the period from about 85 ce to 135 ce. The author weaves together midrash, Josephus , the Haggadah, and Jewish secular scholarship to bring together the multiple themes and complex personalities of the period that provides insight into the formulation of rabbinic Judaism. The significance of the struggle between the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel is explored and explained more effectively than any academic explanation I’ve ever encountered.
She also provides an explanation for why Akiba is not condemned by the sages after the failed Bar Kochba Revolt.
Well written and engaging. My must read suggestion for 2018
This book - told from the perspective of Rabbi Alina’s wife— covers the period from about 85 ce to 135 ce. The author weaves together midrash, Josephus , the Haggadah, and Jewish secular scholarship to bring together the multiple themes and complex personalities of the period that provides insight into the formulation of rabbinic Judaism. The significance of the struggle between the House of Shammai and the House of Hillel is explored and explained more effectively than any academic explanation I’ve ever encountered.
She also provides an explanation for why Akiba is not condemned by the sages after the failed Bar Kochba Revolt.
Well written and engaging. My must read suggestion for 2018
February 26, 2019
Eeeh. What to say about this. It's the most secular take on Talmudic midrash/aggadah that I've read in a while. I was somewhat impressed (not really in a good way) by the entire ability of the author to erase Rabbi Akiva's yearning for GD in all but a few places. On the plus side, the author has a solid grasp of canonical Talmudic literature and a wide variey of midrash. Brandes did a seamless job of stitching together multiple stories into a coherent whole. I did feel like the book took a bit of a dive toward the end toward personal vendetta. Better than most in this genre, but nothing to write home about. Not worth the hype.
April 22, 2019
Wow. This is a gripping and deeply moving book. To create a cohesive narrative with compelling personalities out of fragmented episodic source material is quite an achievement. Reading this requires both an interest in tradition and a very open mind to dramatic license and new perspectives. The general setting and story arc is more or less accurate. Some of the details are based in history and/or tradition, some are not, and some are contradicted by them. But the reader who's looking for emotional impact more than a faithful or factual account will be rewarded. The audacious ending is stunning and haunting.
June 3, 2015
ניגשתי לספר עם קצת הססנות, אבל יוכי ברנדס יודעת לספר סיפור והופכת דמויות שבדרך כלל מוכרות בתור שמות של רחובות לאנשים בשר ודם, אנשים עם רגשות חזקים שמעשיהן השפיעו וממשיכים להשפיע על כל מי שמבינה או מבין את המילים שכרגע נקראות כאן.
February 19, 2023
Thanks to LibraryThing and Gefen publishing for this book.
I really try to enjoy different types of books, especially Jewish related ones, but this one was too Biblical and historical for me and didn't get past page 25.
I really try to enjoy different types of books, especially Jewish related ones, but this one was too Biblical and historical for me and didn't get past page 25.
June 3, 2020
I am officially obsessed with this author and her topic. A must read for those even with minimal interest in Talmud, or Jewish history or even how any civilized society was formed. Magnificent writing,
October 12, 2020
Oof, how to rate this book. I thought it was powerfully written, with a voice somewhere between myth and fiction. It was compelling; I couldn't stop reading, and the characters were memorable.
Nevertheless, what I mostly can't stop thinking about are the things I disliked- or at least, the things that made it an unpleasant reading experience overall. A book can be both good and unpleasant, and maybe this one is. But still.
The world of this book is cruel and so are the people. Few or none of them are likable, or good, or even well-meaning. I despised Akiva, pretty much until the end, and was not especially moved by anyone else either. Mostly, this made me sad. I don't think the rabbis need to be idealized, and I'm not an expert in the Talmud, but I have spent a few months now in the Daf Yomi cycle and well....there's so much joy and play in Talmudic discussion; some cruelty sometimes, but mostly generosity, humor, intellectual gymnastics, and a concern to find a balance people can live with. None of this is in this book, where learning is a vicious competition (or a dark journey to nihilism, by the end), and the rabbis are bitter rivals, not colleagues arguing. I just found it strange, having little to do with the sources we actually have about this period.
Other choices are puzzling as well. If Jews are pictured as cruel and bitter, Christians are idealized, well-meaning and guileless. The Christian version of Jesus's life and trial is repeated uncritically. We are invited by this book to blame the Jews- but oh, it's ok, because it was only the Sadduceees! But how can one group of Jews be boxed off as unmixed evil? It struck me as a childish version of the story. Similarly, we are more or less given Josephus's version of the revolt against Rome uncritically.
Anyway, the book bothered me, and yet at the same time I did find it compelling. I'm not sure I would recommend it to anyone though.
Nevertheless, what I mostly can't stop thinking about are the things I disliked- or at least, the things that made it an unpleasant reading experience overall. A book can be both good and unpleasant, and maybe this one is. But still.
The world of this book is cruel and so are the people. Few or none of them are likable, or good, or even well-meaning. I despised Akiva, pretty much until the end, and was not especially moved by anyone else either. Mostly, this made me sad. I don't think the rabbis need to be idealized, and I'm not an expert in the Talmud, but I have spent a few months now in the Daf Yomi cycle and well....there's so much joy and play in Talmudic discussion; some cruelty sometimes, but mostly generosity, humor, intellectual gymnastics, and a concern to find a balance people can live with. None of this is in this book, where learning is a vicious competition (or a dark journey to nihilism, by the end), and the rabbis are bitter rivals, not colleagues arguing. I just found it strange, having little to do with the sources we actually have about this period.
Other choices are puzzling as well. If Jews are pictured as cruel and bitter, Christians are idealized, well-meaning and guileless. The Christian version of Jesus's life and trial is repeated uncritically. We are invited by this book to blame the Jews- but oh, it's ok, because it was only the Sadduceees! But how can one group of Jews be boxed off as unmixed evil? It struck me as a childish version of the story. Similarly, we are more or less given Josephus's version of the revolt against Rome uncritically.
Anyway, the book bothered me, and yet at the same time I did find it compelling. I'm not sure I would recommend it to anyone though.
March 31, 2022
No idea how to rate or review this peculiar book (about a peculiar people/treasure). Part ‘be careful what you wish for’, part religious fairytale, part parable, part attempt to explain what cannot be explained. The subject is extremely niche but also encompasses a wide world of history and religious tradition and tragedy… All interwoven with the story of a woman and the failures of man (& maybe of God).
Way to highlight how men suck and are selfish, and/or how growing up in a patriarchal religion sucks, and that power/politics/pride corrupt. But also love, destiny, free will, transformation, the mystical, magic, the whole nine yards. It starts out as a mere familiar story - love & stubbornness, and then somewhere along the way it starts taking turns into I’m not entirely sure what. Writing primarily from the woman behind the myth is smart & mostly works, even though I found it occasionally grating. Women suffer a lot, true- but it’s not fun to read (same for martyrdom & endless hate & tragedy). But it says something about survival & self-determination (is Rachel the nation, partially left, partially restored, unable to make change, maker of great men & change, prisoner of things foreseen, exercising will and power, lover and beloved?) Always interesting to see how people (primarily men, but also privileged people in general) think that they can love God or a great cause but not the people around them. We can see so much and be so blind.
Also, “consensus is for the simple” is possibly the most Jewish sentence ever written. Not sure how/what folks unfamiliar with the subject (people, lore, traditions, etc) will feel/take/make from this. Mildly tempted to call this religious fan fic? (Not a slur- just in the way that the story comes from established (ancient!) canon, but remixed with a modern eye; it’s elegant and literary.) I will have to think about this one for a while.
Way to highlight how men suck and are selfish, and/or how growing up in a patriarchal religion sucks, and that power/politics/pride corrupt. But also love, destiny, free will, transformation, the mystical, magic, the whole nine yards. It starts out as a mere familiar story - love & stubbornness, and then somewhere along the way it starts taking turns into I’m not entirely sure what. Writing primarily from the woman behind the myth is smart & mostly works, even though I found it occasionally grating. Women suffer a lot, true- but it’s not fun to read (same for martyrdom & endless hate & tragedy). But it says something about survival & self-determination (is Rachel the nation, partially left, partially restored, unable to make change, maker of great men & change, prisoner of things foreseen, exercising will and power, lover and beloved?) Always interesting to see how people (primarily men, but also privileged people in general) think that they can love God or a great cause but not the people around them. We can see so much and be so blind.
Also, “consensus is for the simple” is possibly the most Jewish sentence ever written. Not sure how/what folks unfamiliar with the subject (people, lore, traditions, etc) will feel/take/make from this. Mildly tempted to call this religious fan fic? (Not a slur- just in the way that the story comes from established (ancient!) canon, but remixed with a modern eye; it’s elegant and literary.) I will have to think about this one for a while.
February 24, 2020
An excellent story about some of the founding rabbis after the Romans destroyed the Temple. These are the people who developed modern Judaism. Their creativity (that some people seem to overlook), their love of the people and the worship of God, and their personality traits all come through in his book.
Having studied Talmud for 10 years, reading a more personal rendition of their lives and personalities was instructive. It IS a novel, but the writer is a Jewish scholar. Her descriptions follow the history.
Providing this through the eyes of a woman, the wife of Rabbi Akiva, gives the normally male-centered rabbinical era a different perspective. The men paid little attention to the women in their writings. Rabbi Akiva's wife, in legend, is seen as the strong, supporting figure that got him where he needed to go. But in this version, her pushing turns against her and she is left raising their children and supporting herself and them, while he is away studying and totally ignoring her.
The book is more about the development of Judaism than about specifically Rabbi Akiva. He plays a central part, but so do the other rabbis in their various yeshivot and in what becomes the "beit midrash."
The only part of the book I am not sure about, and I am having trouble researching, is the relationship of the various rabbis to the "Nazarenes"- early Christians. I had not read about that debate before.
(somewhat of a spoiler) I did have a bit of a problem with the description of the entry into the Orchard that Rabbi Akiva finally provides to Rachel. I thought a more nebulous, less historically accurate description of what the 4 rabbis saw would have been better.
I highly recommend this book.
Having studied Talmud for 10 years, reading a more personal rendition of their lives and personalities was instructive. It IS a novel, but the writer is a Jewish scholar. Her descriptions follow the history.
Providing this through the eyes of a woman, the wife of Rabbi Akiva, gives the normally male-centered rabbinical era a different perspective. The men paid little attention to the women in their writings. Rabbi Akiva's wife, in legend, is seen as the strong, supporting figure that got him where he needed to go. But in this version, her pushing turns against her and she is left raising their children and supporting herself and them, while he is away studying and totally ignoring her.
The book is more about the development of Judaism than about specifically Rabbi Akiva. He plays a central part, but so do the other rabbis in their various yeshivot and in what becomes the "beit midrash."
The only part of the book I am not sure about, and I am having trouble researching, is the relationship of the various rabbis to the "Nazarenes"- early Christians. I had not read about that debate before.
(somewhat of a spoiler) I did have a bit of a problem with the description of the entry into the Orchard that Rabbi Akiva finally provides to Rachel. I thought a more nebulous, less historically accurate description of what the 4 rabbis saw would have been better.
I highly recommend this book.
November 23, 2020
This is, by far, the best fiction book ive read in 2020. Not only is the book sublimely written and well translated, but it moves at a decent pace (the beginning is kinda slow though). The book revolves around Rabbi Akiva and his wife Rachel. Switching between first and third person in a seamless way. It starts with the fateful meeting of the two, and ends a bit after Rabbi Akivas martyrdom (which is probably the best scene in the book). Covering all the craziness that happens in between.
This book does not portray the sages of Israel as idealized figures, but rather as humans of flesh and blood. No one is perfect: everyone is flawed. Yet by doing so, it manages to make them relatable in a way that most historical narratives never could. And here is the thing, besides some creative liberties (especially those concerning the sect of the Nazarenes and its relationship to Judaism) a lot of the drama comes directly from the pages of the Talmud. Even if their personalities are fictionalized, I still feel like I know them better now. And reading the recreation of popular talmudic stores (like the oven of akhnai) is a true delight.
The book is not perfect though: Akiva and Rachel can be unlikeable protagonists at times, the early chapters move quite slowly, some of the best characters don't get enough time, the Nazarenes are treated like saints and seem more like plot devices lacking the humanity of the rest of the characters. All in all though, i can see why this book was a best seller. And the ending... its really something else.
If you are interested in the history and development of Judaism and you like historical novels, this is the book for you. highly recommend it :)
This book does not portray the sages of Israel as idealized figures, but rather as humans of flesh and blood. No one is perfect: everyone is flawed. Yet by doing so, it manages to make them relatable in a way that most historical narratives never could. And here is the thing, besides some creative liberties (especially those concerning the sect of the Nazarenes and its relationship to Judaism) a lot of the drama comes directly from the pages of the Talmud. Even if their personalities are fictionalized, I still feel like I know them better now. And reading the recreation of popular talmudic stores (like the oven of akhnai) is a true delight.
The book is not perfect though: Akiva and Rachel can be unlikeable protagonists at times, the early chapters move quite slowly, some of the best characters don't get enough time, the Nazarenes are treated like saints and seem more like plot devices lacking the humanity of the rest of the characters. All in all though, i can see why this book was a best seller. And the ending... its really something else.
If you are interested in the history and development of Judaism and you like historical novels, this is the book for you. highly recommend it :)
June 5, 2022
Required reading for Bronfman. Started off a little hard to get into, but by the end this book has inspired in me such a curiosity for its historical context. The story is very-close-to-accurate historical fiction set in first-century Roman Judea focusing on the lives of Rabbi Akiva and his fellow Sanhedrin (from the perspective of Akiva's wife Rachel) but more broadly detailing the events leading up to the Bar Kokhba Revolt. Its portrayal of the sages and the divides and factions within the Jewish community fascinated me and had me wikipedia-ing all sorts of things. The ways the ideological debates of the sages are so relevant, made so relevant on purpose of course, to modern times and modern Jewish practice is very interesting.
Also, a note about מדרש and "Akiva's Torah of renewal and interpretation" in the book—I *loved* this part, probably because of a deep similarity to a book from my childhood nostalgia, Ooka and the Marble Monsters. Both about judges, basically, who solve hard cases with new unexpected interpretations and reversals of the words. (Akiva might be a bit be a bit more practical than Ooka though).
Also, the Orchard is very well-written and translated (props to the translator who's a Bronfman faculty member I'll be living with for five weeks??!?!), and the plot is pretty good—as good as an historical plot can be without significantly changing events. That's not really why I liked the book, but it didn't hinder my appreciation for it.
I *DO* have to say this one thing about the plot though. The ending? Was incredible. It was an addition, probably the biggest ahistorical factor in the plot (yet not disturbing any of the history we know, just adding to it), and it worked incredibly well. No spoilers, but it was pretty brilliant.
Also, a note about מדרש and "Akiva's Torah of renewal and interpretation" in the book—I *loved* this part, probably because of a deep similarity to a book from my childhood nostalgia, Ooka and the Marble Monsters. Both about judges, basically, who solve hard cases with new unexpected interpretations and reversals of the words. (Akiva might be a bit be a bit more practical than Ooka though).
Also, the Orchard is very well-written and translated (props to the translator who's a Bronfman faculty member I'll be living with for five weeks??!?!), and the plot is pretty good—as good as an historical plot can be without significantly changing events. That's not really why I liked the book, but it didn't hinder my appreciation for it.
I *DO* have to say this one thing about the plot though. The ending? Was incredible. It was an addition, probably the biggest ahistorical factor in the plot (yet not disturbing any of the history we know, just adding to it), and it worked incredibly well. No spoilers, but it was pretty brilliant.
July 20, 2020
In spare, Biblical prose (translated from the original Hebrew), Yochi Brandes retells the story of Rabbi Akiva -- one of the great Jewish sages of the Talmud -- his wife Rachel, and the politics and upheavals of his lifetime, bringing to life the origins of both modern Judaism and Christianity. To anyone familiar with this period of Jewish history and famous stories from the Talmud (as I was), many of the events of the text will be familiar. But that doesn't lessen the novel's emotional impact.
Rachel, the narrator of the story, is the daughter of one of the richest men in 1st century Jerusalem. But she gives up everything to marry Akiva, an illiterate shepherd, and through the force of her will allows him to become one of the foremost Torah scholars of the generation. Brandes vividly depicts how Akiva's revolutionary approach to Torah study completely upends the status quo, engendering religious ideas that are central to modern Torah Judaism today.
Yet many of the characters at the heart of this novel are ultimately unhappy people, tortured by their devotion to each other and the constant betrayals that arise due to conflicting beliefs about the proper approach to religious study. And when Rabbi Akiva becomes a supporter of Simon Bar Kosiba, students of Jewish history know where things are heading, but will still somehow fervently hope for a different outcome.
For those who observe the yearly Jewish mourning period memorializing the tragedies that have befallen the nation throughout history, this is an appropriate read for The Three Weeks. But it's also a compelling and gut-wrenching read for anyone interested in learning more about religious history.
Rachel, the narrator of the story, is the daughter of one of the richest men in 1st century Jerusalem. But she gives up everything to marry Akiva, an illiterate shepherd, and through the force of her will allows him to become one of the foremost Torah scholars of the generation. Brandes vividly depicts how Akiva's revolutionary approach to Torah study completely upends the status quo, engendering religious ideas that are central to modern Torah Judaism today.
Yet many of the characters at the heart of this novel are ultimately unhappy people, tortured by their devotion to each other and the constant betrayals that arise due to conflicting beliefs about the proper approach to religious study. And when Rabbi Akiva becomes a supporter of Simon Bar Kosiba, students of Jewish history know where things are heading, but will still somehow fervently hope for a different outcome.
For those who observe the yearly Jewish mourning period memorializing the tragedies that have befallen the nation throughout history, this is an appropriate read for The Three Weeks. But it's also a compelling and gut-wrenching read for anyone interested in learning more about religious history.
June 12, 2025
****.5
Rabbi Akiva is one of the more revered figures in Judaism, but also rather enigmatic. The rough outline of his life is well-known, with a famous story arc from illiterate shepherd to one of the top sages, capped off by a tragic death at the hands of the Romans. But he lived 1900 years ago, so separating fact from legend isn't easy. In this book, Brandes tells his story from the perspective of his long suffering wife, who ends up being a formidable character in her own right. In fact, if anything I would have preferred for her to remain the focus throughout.
This is not the first book I've read based on the legend of the Pardes (it's killing me that I can't remember the title or the author of the other one, if anyone knows please let me know), but the interpretation in this one of what they saw chilled me right to the bone, and led to rounding up the rating to what is otherwise a 4-star book.
This is an interesting book, as it breathes life and provides personalities to the well-known names of the rabbinic sages we encounter in the Talmud, the Passover Haggadah, Pirkei Avot, etc. But it's very much a tragedy. Essentially everything that can go wrong does so, at every opportunity and with extreme prejudice. As a result it's a heavy read, and rather depressing. But worth it, as it also forces us to examine our current situation, and compare the progress we've made in the almost 2000 years since, as well as the ongoing issues that we never seem to resolve.
Rabbi Akiva is one of the more revered figures in Judaism, but also rather enigmatic. The rough outline of his life is well-known, with a famous story arc from illiterate shepherd to one of the top sages, capped off by a tragic death at the hands of the Romans. But he lived 1900 years ago, so separating fact from legend isn't easy. In this book, Brandes tells his story from the perspective of his long suffering wife, who ends up being a formidable character in her own right. In fact, if anything I would have preferred for her to remain the focus throughout.
This is not the first book I've read based on the legend of the Pardes (it's killing me that I can't remember the title or the author of the other one, if anyone knows please let me know), but the interpretation in this one of what they saw chilled me right to the bone, and led to rounding up the rating to what is otherwise a 4-star book.
This is an interesting book, as it breathes life and provides personalities to the well-known names of the rabbinic sages we encounter in the Talmud, the Passover Haggadah, Pirkei Avot, etc. But it's very much a tragedy. Essentially everything that can go wrong does so, at every opportunity and with extreme prejudice. As a result it's a heavy read, and rather depressing. But worth it, as it also forces us to examine our current situation, and compare the progress we've made in the almost 2000 years since, as well as the ongoing issues that we never seem to resolve.
January 15, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the way the author brought the ancient rabbis to life and made their disputes (many of which now feel esoteric) feel urgent. It made me think about my own views on the interpretation of Torah and where one draws the line between giving something a new interpretation and deliberately twisting its meaning, as Akiva often did. I liked learning more about that period of history.
That said, it felt like she had a series of events and topics she wanted to cover and sort of pushed and pulled the book to make them all fit in. For instance, the story about Saul of Tarsus (I forget whose uncle he was) was a rather long aside with a shift to a different narrator. Also, after Akiva is ordained as a rabbi the narration speeds up quite a bit. By the last hundred pages or so it felt like almost all the main characters had changed, and I was having trouble keeping track of the new characters. I did like getting to read about Bar Kokhba's rebellion (this is what she sped up the narration to get to), although I didn't have any sense of it building. It seemed like we went almost directly from the world of the beit midrash to the world of politics without giving much sense of what the political situation had been.
That said, it felt like she had a series of events and topics she wanted to cover and sort of pushed and pulled the book to make them all fit in. For instance, the story about Saul of Tarsus (I forget whose uncle he was) was a rather long aside with a shift to a different narrator. Also, after Akiva is ordained as a rabbi the narration speeds up quite a bit. By the last hundred pages or so it felt like almost all the main characters had changed, and I was having trouble keeping track of the new characters. I did like getting to read about Bar Kokhba's rebellion (this is what she sped up the narration to get to), although I didn't have any sense of it building. It seemed like we went almost directly from the world of the beit midrash to the world of politics without giving much sense of what the political situation had been.
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