To be loved by a fool, to love a foolThe importance of love is a timeless theme, one could say that it is the most nourishing substance to a human life – and it is closely linked to Jewish literature as well as to the religion itself. Whether it is the love between a husband and wife, between a father and son, or simply between a Jew and a fool, its importance is visible throughout Jewish literature. The depiction of a “fool” 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 Bernard Malamud's "Idiot's First" and IB Singer's "Gimpel the Fool." Although both stories highlight the importance of love in similar ways, they also highlight it in distinct ways. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not 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 one might call a "holy fool", although he may live 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, even though he does not think he actually is, thus illustrating the use of self-deprecation and irony. Members of Gimpel's community regularly deceive him, and he knows it, but Gimpel tolerates it, saying, "But I'm the type to put up with it and say nothing." What to do? The shoulders are God, and so are the burdens” (Singer 20). Is this willingness to accept the burden and deception valid to classify Gimpel among the fools? 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 which hints at his inexplicit piety. Gimpel is tricked into marrying Elka, the town prostitute, and begins to love her despite her many wrongdoings and infidelities. Gimpel's love for Elka is called into question several times, such as when she gives birth to a child four months after their marriage or when he surprises her in bed with another man on several occasions. When Gimpel first catches her committing adultery, he decides to divorce her, but rather than complete the divorce and lose 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 attempts to atone for her infidelities, and Gimpel is stunned by what he hears as if he had no idea what was happening. Nevertheless, Gimpel continues to love his deceased wife and carries this love with him throughout his life. Whether Gimpel is indeed a fool is debatable, but the fact that the love Gimpel demonstrated for Elka was relentless and real is reinforced by the following when Gimpel sees Elka in a dream long after her death: "She stands by the bathtub, like our first meeting, but her face shines and her eyes are as radiant as those of a saint…” (Singer 23). It is clear that Gimpel's love for Elka is not tainted because he compares her to a saint, when Elka's actions, in the eyes of others, would prevent her from reaching such a sacred plateau. Some time after Elka's death, the Evil Spirit comes to visit Gimpel and convinces him to commit a great moral sin by urinating inthe dough that the locals would eat, as a way of getting revenge for all the times they cheated on Gimpel. Gimpel is then visited by the deceased Elka in a dream, where she warns him of the moral sin he is about to commit and convinces him not to move forward; this is important because it is Elka, whom Gimpel loves very much, who dissuades him, showing that love is important for his safety and his salvation. Along with Gimpel's madness, his love for Elka indicates that the overall importance of love in "Mad Gimpel" is symbolized by faith and acceptance. “Idiots First” is saturated with a general sense of urgency as Mendel rushes to get his son, Isaac, on a train to California. Mendel is an aging man who is near death and Isaac appears to be mentally ill, but he is seen as a fool in the eyes of the other characters often insinuating cruel jokes on Isaac. Knowing that he does not have much time left and that Isaac cannot survive without a watchful eye, Mendel sets out to secure Isaac a train ticket to California where Mendel's Uncle Leo resides. Mendel visits a pawnbroker, a wealthy philanthropist, and a poor rabbi to try to raise the necessary funds. Visiting these various people, it is ironic that the poor rabbi is more willing to help Mendel than the rich philanthropist; this juxtaposition reinforces the importance of love by showing that it is about selflessness. Once Mendel gathers enough money to buy a ticket, they head to the train station where they must overcome the final obstacle, death, personified by a man named Ginzburg. Mendel physically fights with Ginzburg, and although he is weaker than Ginzburg, Ginzburg lets Mendel and Isaac head to the station platform. In the end, after much difficulty, Mendel leads Isaac safely onto the train – his final task accomplished. Only then, because of his love for Isaac, is Mendel ready to face death without any apprehension or apprehension. Isaac and his madness are a definite contender in terms of importance in the story, but it is Mendel's love and sacrifice for this fool that indicates the extreme importance placed on love. It is clear that Mendel loves Isaac for two reasons. First, Mendel scars a lot and works tirelessly to raise enough money for Isaac's train ticket. Mendel pawns his watch for significantly less than he originally paid; he even tries to sell his coat and hat, literally the clothes on his back. Giving up his material possessions without hesitation demonstrates Mendel's deep love for Isaac. Second, Mendel refuses to die without having collected the money for the train ticket; death is personified as chasing him through the streets, but Mendel continues to outrun him. Death even says: “You should have been dead already at midnight. I told you yesterday” (Malamud 95) as if Mendel had the power to negotiate with Death. Clearly, 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 “fool” and a Jew on a two-dimensional level. On the one hand, there is a clear relationship between the fool and the Jew in each story: Gimpel and Elka are husband and wife, and Mendel and Isaac are father and son. On the other hand, under this clear and external relationship, it can be simplified as a relationship between a fool and a Jew. It is also important to note that Gimpel was capable of making the decision..