Hayim Sheynin

Risk: A Battle for Redemption

Description

The historical tragedy entitled "Risk: a Battle for Redemption" is based on very famous Jewish legend "Maaseh Norah shel Rabbi Yosef de la Reina" (A terrible case of R. Joseph de la Reina [Joseph of the queen]) which is known in at least two Hebrew versions since the beginning of the 16 century. This story was early translated into Ladino and Yiddish. One of the editions of the early Yiddish popular version was published by Shneur Zalman Rubashov (Zalman Shazar), the third president of Israel. About one of the older Hebrew versions, that of R. Abraham ben Eliezer ha-Levi, Gershon Scholem, a renowned scholar of Cabbala, published an article. Some of former students of the latter included the topic of this legend in their research works. The said legend was very popular in Jewish milieu; it was printed and reprinted many times and in many languages. A Terrible Case of R. Joseph de la Reina attracted also attention of some Hebrew and Yiddish poets, including Shmuel Yosef Agnon, receiver of Nobel price for literature, and writers who based their poems, stories, and dramas on the legend usually closely following the original story. It is up to readers to see the differences in the interpretation of the story. The present author of the Risk: a Battle for Redemption does not follow slavishly the folkloric story. He tries to intertwine it into the frame of Jewish history of Christian Spain in the second part of the 15th century, just before the final expulsion of the Jews. Some historical events are featured here, as well as several major historical figures are characters in the play (Christian kings, Ferdinand and Isabella, Thomas de Torquemada, Don Abraham Senior, Don Meir Melamed, Don Isaac Abarbanel, etc., others are just mentioned, as well as literary works of Spanish Jews and Christians). The play uses also some opinions of the famous cabbalists of Safed (Tsfat) about the causes which brought the Christian kings to decision to expel the Jews. They blamed Rabbi Joseph della Reina, the protagonist of the present tragedy, and stated that his preoccupation with magic was the main cause of the final expulsion of the Jews from Spanish lands in 1492.

Subject headings

Joseph della Reina (15th cent.)—Plays.
Spain—History—Ferdinand and Isabella—Plays
Jews—Spain—Exile 1492—Plays
Jews—Cabbala—Plays (use word Cabbala in various spellings)
Jewish legends—Joseph della Reina—Plays

Alternative Title

Hayim Y. Sheynin has studied philology, world literatures and linguistics at Leningrad University, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. He holds Ph.D. degree in Jewish Studies from University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sheynin was professor of Hebrew literature, Semitic Linguistics and Librarian in a number of universities, colleges and research institutions in Russia, Israel and U.S.A. Over 150 of his scholarly works appeared in Hagut Ivrit Bi-Brit Ha-Moazot, Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, Jewish Quarterly Review, Sefarad, Bitzaron, Hadoar, Studies in Linguistics, Lexicographica and other periodicals, collections of articles and reference books, including several encyclopedic works. He also regularly contributes book reviews for several library and linguistic journals and electronic publications. In addition, H. Sheynin translates Hebrew and Ladino poetry into English and prepares scholarly editions of Hebrew and Ladino works. Born in Leningrad, Russia, he lives in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania.

This exciting book in the genre of a play provides the reader with a dramatic representation of the life and legend of Rabbi Joseph della Reina during the historical upheaval of the Jews in 15th century Spain.

Author: Sheynin, Hayim Y.
Title: Risk: A Battle for Redemption
Sub-title: A Tragedy in Two Acts.
Publisher: Charleston, SC: BookSurge publishing, 2007.