How did I miss it? Allan Nadler writes about meeting Chaim Grade at Harvard. Tablet – Whoppers. I guess there is something to read on the Tablet after all. I would like to see that dissertation on the Maggid Pinchas Polotsker.
Allan Nadler, Der Royter Rov on the Poetic Flight of Chaim Grade
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It was published as abook something like the Religion of the Mitnagdim.Its Nadler’s sole book, so you should be able to locate it.
Yes, “The Faith of the Mithnagdim: Rabbinic Responses to Hasidic Rapture.”
At YIVO’s celebration of CG’s 100 birthday a few weeks ago, Prof. Nadler added many more vignettes about his relationship with the writer.
One involved a comment CG made about a hot blond Harvard shikse (CG was trying to convince AN to hit on the her etc.).
Another was that when CG began the seimnar in Harvard, he “shtekhed” Twersky, who asked CG to talk for only an hour, by referring to him in a faux-gravitas tone as “der derhoybener Tolner Rebbe, Professor…..” etc. Then, in reference to Twersky’s imposed time limitation, CG related: “In Vilna, one Yankel once walked into the local cafeteria & asked the owner, ‘Reb Yid, vifl vet kostn tsu esn far eyn sho’oh?’” ['Mister, how much will it cost to eat for one hour?']. CG then went on to lecture for close to 2 hours….
During the YIVO event, both Ruth Weiss & AN totally berated CG’s almoneh Inna, by quoting from CG’s “Di Rebetsin”: “Zi iz given a kluger, ober a shlekhter.”…. ["She was a smart/clever one, but an evil one."]. According to them, he would not have been able to write this novella if not for his relationship with her. Do note (this was not pointed out by them) that it was Inna who translated this story, I think sometime right after her husband’s demise.
A YIVO executive described going a few months ago to CG’s home & finding troves of papers & books all over the place, even in the kitchen cabinets & shelves. The rooms were covered with peppercorn [!] — apparently the almoneh’s attempt to keep vermin away….
Ben, it is a shame that you did not attend. Hopefully there is a recording of it.