Gog and Magog: A Novel (Martin Buber Library)

“Gog and Magog: A Novel,” also published in English as  For the Sake of Heaven: A Chronicle  is a portrayal of the Hasidic (Pietist) Jewish communities in Eastern Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the philosopher Martin Buber (1878-1965); in this case, an historical novel, instead of Buber's better-known retellings of stories by and about Hasidic leaders.If you have a copy under either title, there is no need to compare it that published under the other, as they are the same translation, by Ludwig Lewisohn.In 2013 I reviewed the edition published as “For the Sake of Heaven,” which is sometimes available used. For some reason, I never got around to doing a parallel version for the “Gog and Magog” edition (or even mentioning it), so I’m filling in the gap, now that I have (a) been reminded of it while searching for something else by Buber, and, (b) have found that it has gone review-less. This is an extensively revised version of that earlier review.The present title, “Gog and Magog,” ultimately derives from Ezekiel 38:2 — “Son of man, direct your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince, leader of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy concerning him.” There is a helpful Wikipedia article on how “Gog of the land of Magog” became “Gog *and* Magog,” and how the pair became associated with eschatological expectations, in which context they appear in “Revelation,” and so became a fairly notable part of Christian thinking about the “end of days” as well. They also appear in the Koran, Sura 18, and in subsequent Muslim tradition, as “Yajuj and Majuj.” (The Wikipedia article also has a good exposition of what Ezekiel’s audience would have understood by the names.)The present book, under either English title, deals with the material and spiritual turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars, and the eschatological expectations unleashed by the upheaval among Eastern European Jews, especially the tightly-knit communities that made up the Hasidic movement (on which see below), with its mystical underpinnings.The Hebrew text was published in 1943, as "Gog u-Magog: Megilat Yamim," and the German version, still with the explicitly apocalyptic title of "Gog und Magog – eine Chronik,” was published in 1949. (The assumption that Buber's treatment of the period of war and destruction was influenced by contemporary events can hardly be avoided.) "Chronik," (i.e., Chronicle) is a fair translation of "Megilat Yamim" (more literally "Book of Days").The alternate English title, on the other hand, apparently alludes to the early Rabbinic teaching that "controversies for the sake of Heaven" (literally, "for the name of Heaven") will endure, whereas other disputes ("not for the name of Heaven") will come to nothing. (See the tractate Pirkei Avot, or "Sayings of the Fathers," Part 5, section 20, and commentaries; the short work is found in many Jewish Prayer Books.) It did preserve the "Chronicle" subtitle.The decision of the "Martin Buber Library" edition to change the subtitle of the Book to "A Novel" may reflect a desire for accuracy in labeling, as the book is neither a document from the period nor just a collection of oral or written traditions concerning the period. However, I would probably have gone with Buber's preference, and again called it "A Chronicle."The reader unfamiliar with Jewish culture in Central and Eastern Europe, especially Hasidism (or Chasidism), would be well-advised to read up a little on the subject before trying to get into the novel, which is by no means always self-explanatory. Articles on Hasidism in one of the two editions of "Encyclopedia Judaica" and the old (early twentieth-century) "Jewish Encyclopedia" are probably a good start, and they contain cross-references to other articles of interest, so those who have access to copies may find them valuable, even if somewhat dated (especially in the case of the "Jewish Encyclopedia").More readily available are some interesting Wikipedia articles, but they are editable, and sometimes odd (mis)information gets edited in, so a certain caution is advisable.Historically, Hasidism has a somewhat paradoxical aspect, in that it presents deeply esoteric forms of Judaism, meant for the learned elite, to a popular audience not saturated with other forms of Jewish tradition: one could describe it (imperfectly) as "Kabbalah for the Masses."Readers may also want to take into account that Buber's portrayals of Hasidism, despite their literary brilliance, have come under severe criticism from scholars who find it far too romanticized, and far less tradition-minded than the real thing. Buber's presentations are definitely influenced by his own philosophy; which, confusingly enough, was itself shaped by encounters with Hasidic communities in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.(I have avoided commenting on “Gog and Magog / For the Sake of Heaven" as a work of fiction: It has been a couple of decades since I last read it, and I don't have a copy available to consult. I have deliberately restricted my observations mainly to information about the book which is not available on the product page, or in any other review of either title.)