Beginnings: The First Love, the First Hate, the First Dream… Reflections on the Bible’s Intriguing Firsts by Meir Shalev, Translated from the Hebrew by Stuart Schoffman, Harmony Books, New York; ISBN 978-0-037-71718-4 ©2011, $25.00, 295 pages
By Fred Reiss, Ed.D.
WINCHESTER, California– Americans relish someone accomplishing something first! Do you remember who flew the first airplane? How about second? Or, who flew around the world first? Second? Who first walked on the moon? Who walked second? With reference to the Bible, do you know the names of the first lovers? I’ll give you a hint; it’s not Adam and Eve. They never expressed love to each other. Who dreamed the first recorded dream? Do you think it was Jacob at Bethel? How about Joseph? Think again, you’re wrong on both accounts. How about the first prophet, who was he?
Meir Shalev, an eminent Israeli columnist and author of Beginnings, draws on biblical firsts to give a second-look at these accomplishments. Sure, dreaming is no big deal. Yet, why did the author of Genesis find it important enough to report King Abimelech’s dream, the first recorded dream of the Bible? King Abimelech dreamt that he would die if he took Sarah to his bed. What lesson is there to be learned that the first animal mentioned in the Bible is the great Leviathan? Or, that we don’t find love expressed between two individuals until King Saul conveys his love for David in the Book of First Samuel?
Shalev uses his remarkable knowledge of the Bible together with his proficient writing skills to clearly analyze biblical stories. He draws from a broad swath of the Old Testament, ranging from Genesis to the Books of Chronicles and Kings, and to the story of Jonah. Shalev often presents the reader with distinctive insights and unique interpretations by stressing the unexpected and finding connections between biblical characters and tales where one least expects them.
Quite frequently, Shalev’s reflections and musing are irreverent and counterintuitive. For example, while the rabbis brush aside King David’s flaws and await the Messiah, who will come from David’s lineage, Shalev finds David to be an egoist who is incapable of anything but self-love. Jonah, the first (and last) prophet to flee from God, thanks God from the belly of a great fish for being saved from the tempestuous sea. Yet, he is so distraught over the mercy shown by God to the people of Nineveh, and the removal of a shade tree that protected him from the heat of the day, that he pleads with God to take his life. Shalev concludes, “In any case, Jonah’s actions again point to the same quality the reader sensed at the beginning of the book. He is focused on himself and anxious about his honor.”
Shalev’s mockery goes all the way up to God. In his reflections on Cain and Abel and the story of Noah and the flood, Shalev accuses God of only being concerned with the sacrifices of grilled meat.
Biblical exegesis is a serious topic. Shalev adds wit, impertinence, and his perception of the psychology behind the exploits of biblical first timers. Beginnings is an appealing book that leaves the reader with uncommon impressions of those biblical personalities who acted first.
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Dr. Fred Reiss is a retired public and Hebrew school teacher and administrator. He is the author of The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars; Ancient Secrets of Creation: Sepher Yetzira, the Book that Started Kabbalah, Revealed; and Reclaiming the Messiah. He may be reached at fred.reiss@sdjewishworld.com