Q&A: Literature and Films
Literature and Films
Question
With God's help,
Hello Rabbi!
Does the Rabbi see value in reading literature (Tolstoy, Amos Oz, A. B. Yehoshua, and the like), and if so, what is that value, and how would the Rabbi recommend drawing it out from the reading? (A reading practice the Rabbi recommends?) a0
P.S. Is there a writer the Rabbi especially likes or recommends?
Thank you very much
Answer
Yes. I think it puts the focus on various human situations (and not only human ones), and in that way provides insights and sharpens sensitivities in the soul. I don’t have an algorithm for extracting insights beyond reading with attention to nuances.
There are many. People tend to dismiss Jodi Picoult as though it’s some kind of maidservant novel. In my opinion that’s really not true. She’s a genius in understanding the human psyche and in theory. I very highly recommend her books. There are also the classics: Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, Elsa Morante, Elena Ferrante, Borges, and many others. But there’s no universal prescription here. Each person according to his own taste.