People will enjoy Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel’s brilliant, enlightening, and fascinating “Of Lions, Mice & Menorahs: A Jewish Look at Aesop’s Fables.” Samuel retells thirty-five Aesop Tales, informs us who Aesop was, describes the ancient sources, tells us that they were first introduced to teach adults, why they are treasures for all ages, what ethics is, ethics among religious people and atheists, and more, and does so consistently in a fascinating and enlightening manner. He introduces us to the merging of Greek and Jewish cultures and shows how merging these dissimilar cultures enhances the lessons, increases introspection, and fosters intercultural dialogue.
Dr. Samuel translates them in a very readable manner that captures our interest and curiosity. He highlights the messages in each Tale and includes the parallel teachings in Jewish wisdom, including quotes from a vast collection of Jewish and non-Jewish thinkers, ancient and modern. Among much else, he has stimulating questions for people of all ages to ponder and learn.
Aesop’s Fables teach Ethics. Ethics is vital to life. All religions and philosophies emphasize Ethics. Ethical behavior leads to a messianic age – when prophets say figuratively, the lion and lamb will lie together, fully satisfied, in friendship and peace.
Ethics are rules of right and wrong provided to people by thinkers in society. It is a branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles. It governs people’s behavior and behavior with nature and other humans. It deals with freedom, responsibility, and justice. It guides us to tell the truth, keep promises, and help others. It creates a more fulfilling, enjoyable, and meaningful life.
It encourages us to discover how others want to be treated. It opposes setting rules for others that we do not desire. It enables us to treat others as we want to be treated. Samuel shows us how Judaism and other thinkers encouraged people to act ethically and how their ideas increased the lessons in Aesop’s Fables.
This easy-to-read volume analyzing most Aesop Fables is undoubtedly the best volume of Aesop Tales for all people, young and old. It gives readers more than other books.
I think Aesop lived about the end of the Jewish monarchy. Aesop’s fables are moral and are generally just, although the fable is often cruel. Do children like to read cruel stories? I recall you wrote that children like to read “cruel” Bible tales. But doesn’t the cruelty of the fable do more injury to the heart, especially in a child, than the moral does good to the judgment? Should Aesop’s fables and Bible stories which some people view as cruel or harsh, not be taught until the child matures into an adolescent? Your thoughts? In any case, I enjoy reading Aesop’s Fables.
You raise a good question, why are so many fables filled with cruelty. I seem to remember that Bruno Bettleheim raised the same question, but I do not remember his answer. I do remember that his answer satisfied me.
A number of the rabbis of the Talmud were acquainted with fables similar to those of Greece and India as evidenced by the list of Talmudic fables collected by Dr. Back (in “Monatsschrift,” 1876-86). Of about thirty fables found in the Talmud and in midrashic literature, twelve resemble those that are common to both Greek and Indian fable; six are parallel to those found only in Indian fable (Fablesof Kybises); and six others can be paralleled in Greek, but have not hitherto been traced to India. Where similar fables exist in Greece, India, and in the Talmud, the Talmudic form approaches more nearly the Indian, whenever this differs from the Greek. It is absolutely impossible for these fables to have been invented by the Talmudic sages, inasmuch as they were extant in Greece and India in their time. In this sense, dear Rabbi Israel Drazin, the fable in general, and Jewish fable in particular, has almost disappeared from our oral tradition, due to technical changes in human communication.Best: stephen
Thank you Stephen for this information.
Thank you for this wonderful review of Dr. Samuel’s book about Aesop’s Fables.
I think Aesop lived about the end of the Jewish monarchy. Aesop’s fables are moral and are generally just, although the fable is often cruel. Do children like to read cruel stories? I recall you wrote that children like to read “cruel” Bible tales. But doesn’t the cruelty of the fable do more injury to the heart, especially in a child, than the moral does good to the judgment? Should Aesop’s fables and Bible stories which some people view as cruel or harsh, not be taught until the child matures into an adolescent? Your thoughts? In any case, I enjoy reading Aesop’s Fables.
You raise a good question, why are so many fables filled with cruelty. I seem to remember that Bruno Bettleheim raised the same question, but I do not remember his answer. I do remember that his answer satisfied me.