To be loved by a madman, to love a madmanThe importance of love is a timeless theme: it could be said that it is the most nourishing to a human life – and is as woven into Jewish literature as religion itself. Whether it is the love between husband and wife, father and son, or simply between a Jew and a fool, its importance is seen throughout Jewish literature. The depiction of a “madman” in Jewish literature is another common element that creates an intriguing relationship between characters and faith. The importance of love is a powerful theme in both Bernard Malamud's “Idiot's First” and IB Singer's “Gimpel the Fool.” While both stories show the importance of love in similar ways, they also show it in distinct ways. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay When it comes to fools in Jewish literature, there is no better example than Gimpel in “Gimpel the Fool.” Gimpel is what can be called a "holy fool", although he may dwell with a questionable intellect in the eyes of others, he is the keystone of what it means to be a righteous Jew. The story even begins with Gimpel presenting himself as a fool, despite not actually thinking he is, illustrating the use of self-deprecation and irony. Members of Gimpel's community deceive him regularly, and he knows it, but Gimpel tolerates it, saying, “But I'm the type who puts up with it and says nothing. What is there to do? The shoulders are God, and so are the weights” (Singer 20). Is this willingness to accept burdens and deception valid for classifying Gimpel as a fool? Gimpel makes it clear that he does not consider himself a fool, as he chooses to believe others when they deceive him because he loses nothing by believing them; this righteous behavior is a defining characteristic of Gimpel that hints at his inexplicit piety. Gimpel is tricked into marrying Elka, the town prostitute, and begins to love her despite her numerous misdeeds and infidelities. The love that Gimpel has for Elka is called into question numerous times, such as when she gives birth to a child four months after their marriage or when he catches her in bed with another man multiple times. When Gimpel catches her committing adultery for the first time, he decides that he will divorce her, but instead of completing the divorce and losing his faith and love for her, he convinces himself that she is not at fault or that he is hallucinating. Elka continues to live a married life for twenty years until Elka becomes ill and dies. On her deathbed, Elka tries to atone for her infidelities, and Gimpel is stunned by what he hears, as if he had no idea what was happening. However, Gimpel continues to love his late wife and carries that love with him throughout his life. Whether Gimpel is truly a fool is debatable, but the fact that the love Gimpel demonstrated for Elka was relentless and real is strengthened by the following, when Gimpel sees Elka in a dream long after her death: "She is in standing next to the washtub, like our first meeting, but his face is shining and his eyes are radiant like the eyes of a saint…” (Singer 23). to a saint, when Elka's actions, in the eyes of others, would prevent her from reaching such a sacred level Some time after Elka's death, the Evil Spirit comes to visit Gimpel and convinces him to commit a grave moral sin by urinating. in the dough that the citizens would eat, as a means of taking revenge for all the times they deceived Gimpel, he then receives a visit from the deceased Elka in a dream, where she warns him of the moral sin he is about to commit and convinces him not to go.after you; this is important because it is Elka, whom Gimpel loves dearly, who dissuades him, demonstrating that love is important to ensure his salvation. In addition to Gimpel's stupidity, his love for Elka indicates that the overall importance of love in "Gimpel the Fool" is symbolized by faith and acceptance. “Idiots First” is filled with an overall sense of urgency as Mendel rushes to get his son, Isaac, to the scene. a train to California. Mendel is an old man who is close to death and Isaac appears to be mentally ill, but is seen as a fool in the eyes of the other characters who often insinuate cruel jokes about Isaac. Knowing that he doesn't have much time left and that Isaac cannot survive without a watchful eye, Mendel decides to get him a train ticket to California, where Mendel's Uncle Leo resides. Mendel visits a pawn shop, a wealthy philanthropist, and a poor rabbi in an attempt to raise the necessary funds. While visiting these various individuals, it is ironic how the poor rabbi is more willing to help Mendel than the rich philanthropist; this juxtaposition reinforces the importance of love by demonstrating that it is altruism. Once Mendel gathers enough money to buy a ticket, they head to the train station where they must overcome the final obstacle, death, which is personified by a man named Ginzburg. Mendel physically fights with Ginzburg, and despite being weaker than Ginzburg, Ginzburg lets Mendel and Isaac proceed to the station platform. Finally, after much struggle, Mendel safely leads Isaac onto the train: his final task has been completed. Only then, because of his love for Isaac, is Mendel ready to face death without any trepidation or apprehension. Isaac and his stupidity are a clear contender for importance in the story, but it is Mendel's love and sacrifice for this madman that indicates the extreme importance that is placed on love. It is clear that Mendel loves Isaac for two reasons. First, Mendel makes many sacrifices and is relentless in his efforts to raise enough money for Isaac's train ticket. Mendel pawns his watch for much less than he originally paid for it; he even tries to sell his coat and hat, literally the clothes on his back. Giving up his material possessions without a second thought demonstrates the deep love Mendel has for Isaac. Second, Mendel refuses to die without collecting money for the train ticket; death is personified as it chases him through the streets, but Mendel continues to elude him. Death even says, “You should have been dead by midnight. I told you yesterday” (Malamud 95) as if Mendel had the power to bargain with Death. Evidently, the overall importance of love in “Idiot's First” is rooted in sacrifice and selflessness. The importance of love is illustrated in both stories through common elements. For example, both stories illustrate the importance of love through the relationship between a “madman” and a Jew on a two-dimensional level. On the one hand, in each story there is a clear relationship between the fool and the Jew: Gimpel and Elka are husband and wife, and Mendel and Isaac are father and son. On the other hand, under this clear external relationship, it can be simplified as a relationship between a fool and a Jew. It is also important to note that Gimpel was able to make the conscious decision to be a fool, while Isaac was not. The two dimensions of every relationship are essential to illustrate the importance of love because it transcends the expectations of love and grounds it in a unique and often difficult to understand relationship in which love is used as a means to demonstrate salvation and righteousness. Also, the use of mysticism is another element..