74:), who lived in poverty and targeted the rich and powerful, both Jew and Gentile. Common folks were not safe from his shenanigans, either, but usually got off lightly. He is also remembered by Ukrainian Gentiles as something of an ethnic folk hero, who could take on establishment forces much larger than himself with nothing but his humor.
511:
few kopeks in the outhouse pit will not bother to fish them out of the waste. Berel, who is a little richer than me, would do the same for a few rubles even. So if the Lord of hosts, who has said "mine is silver, and mine is the gold" dropped fifty thousand rubles into you, He will certainly leave it there."
510:
Hershele was once collecting alms in a large town. The local gvir (rich man) rebuffed him rudely. Hershele responded with a smile and said, "I am sure you will remain wealthy your whole life". The gvir was confused and asked "why?" Hershele said, "Well, even a pauper like me who accidentally drops a
203:
When
Hershele was a child, he had a number of brothers and sisters, of whom he was the smallest. Thus, whenever they had a meal, he'd be the last to get anything. As a result, whenever they had goose, he never got to eat a foot, which was his favorite part. One evening, he snuck into the kitchen
110:
It is believed that
Hershele died of an accident that was brought about by one of Rabbi Boruch's fits of anger. Hershele lingered for several days and died in Rabbi Boruch's own bed surrounded by Rabbi Boruch and his followers. He is thought to be buried in the old Jewish cemetery in
95:
While his exploits have been mythologized over the years, the character of
Hershele is based on a historic figure, who lived in what is today Ukraine during the late 18th or early 19th century. He may have used his wits to get by, eventually earning a permanent position as
302:
Hershele once entered a restaurant and asked for two rolls. When these were brought to him he changed his mind, asked for two doughnuts instead, ate them, then walked out without paying. The owner ran after him and demanded to be paid for the doughnuts.
280:
Agreeing with his wife, the innkeeper allowed
Hershele to stay for the night, going so far as to offer him a large meal and a place at their table. After dinner, he offered Hershele one of his finest rooms, to which the vagabond happily agreed.
253:
Hershele was traveling along the road when he came to a small inn. He went up to the door and politely asked if he could have a bite to eat and a pile of hay in the stables on which to rest for the night. The innkeeper and his wife refused.
229:
That evening, Hershele took his father out to a lake near their village. A flock of geese were sleeping on the banks, each tucking one foot into its body so that only the other was visible.
324:
One time
Hershele and a vagabond friend bought two loaves of bread. Hershele picked them up from the baker, then handed the smaller one to his friend and kept the larger one for himself.
392:
Once, Hershele was selling antiques and trinkets in the market. Among his wares was a large canvas, that was entirely blank. A customer asked
Hershele what it was, and Hershele replied:
352:
On a dare to slap a hated man in his Jewish hometown, Hershele did just that, unprovoked. When the man asked him why he did this, Hershele replied that he thought the man was Berel.
290:- "Well, since you ask so nicely, I'll tell you," Hershele replied. "When my father was alone starving on the road, and he was refused anything to eat, why he'd go to bed hungry!"
756:
395:- "For a silver ruble, I will tell you about this painting. (The man, overwhelmed by curiosity, gives him a silver ruble). Well, this painting is a famous painting,
107:
In the
Hershele stories, he was chosen by members of Rabbi Boruch's court in order to counter the rebbe's notorious fits of temper and lift his chronic melancholy.
274:- "Give him what he wants," hissed the innkeeper's wife into his ear. "He's clearly insane. I don't know what his father did, but it must be something terrible!"
185:
for the stage. This adaptation has since been produced four times by
Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company, with puppets by Chris Griffith winning a 2009
235:- "There's one," said Hershele, pointing. Thinking to outsmart his son, his father clapped, waking the goose and causing it to lower its other leg.
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87:'s grandson. Publicity for the transition to reputation as a jokester is traced to a 1920s writer named Chaim Bloch and a book he wrote.
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Hershele was visiting a distant town. The local Polish lord rode in. The locals removed their hats and bowed. Hershel stood still.
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who, having offended some of his townspeople with his humor, left, wandered, and "found his calling" as court jester of the
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287:- "So," he said as the dishes were cleared away. "Now that everything is settled, I'm curious: what did your father do?"
208:
During dinner, his father noticed that
Hershele's shirt was grease-stained and that the goose's left foot was missing.
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374:, Hershele once sat across from a self-absorbed rich man who made derogatory remarks about Hershele’s eating habits.
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241:- "Wow, father! You just clapped and the goose grew a foot! Why didn't you do that to the one at the table?"
40:
633:
The Road from
Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1
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The Road from Letichev: The history and culture of a forgotten Jewish community in Eastern Europe, Volume 1
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267:- "You know what happens if you refuse me? I do what my father did when someone said no to
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Hershele was the subject of several epic poems, a novel, a comedy performed in 1930 by the
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189:, and multiple times by theater companies and Jewish Community Centers across the U.S.
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355:- “And if I’m Berel,” said the offended man, “does this give you the right to hit me?”
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377:- “What separates you from a pig, is what I’d like to know,” the man said derisively.
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333:- “I’d give you the large loaf and keep the small one, of course!” The friend said.
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before dinner and cut a foot off of the goose, slipping it under his shirt to hide.
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312:- “Well, I haven’t eaten the rolls, have I?” Hershele replied and walked away.
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417:- (Getting frustrated at having been duped) "And where's the Red Sea?!"
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358:- “Keep your nose out of my and Berel’s affairs,” Hershele replied.
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Our Man in Jerusalem: Amazing stories from Rabbi Yisroel Gellis
264:- "Y-yes," stammered the innkeeper, beginning to get worried.
330:- “What would you have done if you were me?” Hershele asked.
620:
Four Hasidic masters and their struggle against melancholy:
217:- "No, father," he said. "Maybe it was a one-footed goose."
178:
309:- “You didn’t pay for the rolls, either,” the owner said.
271:
Do you want me to do what my father did? Do you? Do you?"
223:- "Sure there is. I'll take you to see one after dinner."
238:- "There. Now, Hershele, will you admit that you stole-"
214:- "Hershele," he said. "Did you take the goose's foot?"
181:
received permission from Eric Kimmel to adapt the book
306:- “But I gave you the rolls for them,” Hershele said.
45:
654:
Filled with Laughter: A Fiesta of Jewish Folk Humor:
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862:
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136:, have been published. Both books were written by
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54:of Ostropol; 1757–1811) is a prominent figure in
126:in the 1950s. Two illustrated children's books,
714:, performed at the American Theatre of Actors.
603:"One Joke Too Far: the Real Story of Hershele"
220:- "A one-footed goose? There's no such thing!"
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8:
327:- “This is very impolite,” his friend said.
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643:iUniverse, Lincoln, NE, 2000, pg. 79-84.
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257:- "Oh, really, you're going to say no
708:Cohen, Joshua H. and Pierce, Brooke,
631:Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben,
571:iUniverse, Lincoln, NE, 2000, pg. 79.
559:Chapin, David A. and Weinstock, Ben,
340:the small one. Now what do you want?”
128:The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol
7:
622:Univ. of Notre Dame Press, p. 54-56
35:
691:Best-Loved Folktales of the World
459:"From Ostropol" Hershele answered.
397:The Jews Pursued by the Egyptians
25:
161:Best-Loved Folktales of the World
380:- “The table,” Hershele replied.
183:Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
133:Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins
115:, though his grave is unmarked.
601:Dor Saar-Man (April 17, 2018).
1:
1057:Jewish Ukrainian entertainers
481:The hat too is from Ostropol.
405:- "Well, where are the Jews?"
1047:Jews from the Russian Empire
1042:European folklore characters
656:Thomas Yoseloff, p. 183-184.
46:
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431:A story from Kehilalinks:
420:- "It's parted, dummkopf!"
177:In 1999, Shari Aronson of
1037:Yiddish-language folklore
166:In 2002, a play entitled
77:Hershel was originally a
1017:Humor and wit characters
765:Humor and wit characters
711:Hershele the Storyteller
667:Nachman Seltzer (2020).
168:Hershele the Storyteller
987:Jewish comedy and humor
582:"Ostropolyer, Hershele"
1002:People from Medzhybizh
452:" the nobleman asked.
411:- "And the Egyptians?"
414:- "Haven't come yet."
179:Z Puppets Rosenschnoz
671:. pp. 366–367.
618:Wiesel, Elie, 1978,
408:- "They've crossed."
370:During the feast of
102:Boruch of Medzhybizh
1052:Ukrainian humorists
885:Hershel of Ostropol
725:"Ostropol, Ukraine"
470:What about the hat?
450:Where are you from?
399:Crossed the Red Sea
297:Rolls and Doughnuts
140:and illustrated by
47:Hershele Ostropoler
28:Hershel of Ostropol
18:Hershele Ostropoler
1012:Ukrainian folklore
961:Shakespearean fool
652:Learsi. R., 1961,
472:" asked the lord.
261:" snapped Hershel.
193:Tales and examples
155:, was included in
147:A tale about him,
142:Trina Schart Hyman
100:of sorts to Rabbi
36:הערשעלע אסטראפאלער
992:Jewish literature
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930:Till Eulenspiegel
678:978-1-4226-2606-1
605:. Beit Hatfutsot.
587:YIVO Encyclopedia
541:Till Eulenspiegel
170:was performed in
149:When Hershel Eats
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16:(Redirected from
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944:Related subjects
839:Dănilă Prepeleac
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336:- “Well, you’ve
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905:Lange Wapper
895:İncili Çavuş
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834:Cilibi Moise
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665:"third row"
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526:Motke Chabad
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387:The Painting
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319:Good Manners
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120:Vilna Troupe
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98:court jester
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68:Crown Poland
56:Jewish humor
27:
26:
1032:1811 deaths
1027:1757 births
900:Josef Švejk
890:Hitar Petar
813:Tenali Rama
778:Bakor Patel
699:pp. 462-464
521:Hitar Petar
157:Joanna Cole
138:Eric Kimmel
122:, and a US
981:Categories
803:Miya Fuski
798:Hum Jayega
793:Gopal Bhar
547:References
124:TV program
113:Medzhybizh
966:Wise fool
910:Nasreddin
880:Hanswurst
531:Nasreddin
347:On a Dare
248:My Father
198:The Goose
60:prankster
50:, Little
41:romanized
870:Abu Abed
822:Romanian
788:Gonu Jha
515:See also
372:Passover
91:Overview
64:Ostropol
1007:Jesters
427:The Hat
365:The Pig
80:shochet
72:Ukraine
43::
32:Yiddish
1022:Clowns
956:Jester
854:Păcală
849:Mitică
783:Birbal
771:Indian
695:
675:
639:
567:
536:Păcală
259:to me?
130:, and
951:Clown
875:Giufà
863:Other
70:(now
62:from
52:Hersh
829:Bulă
693:ISBN
673:ISBN
637:ISBN
565:ISBN
269:him!
338:got
151:by
983::
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611:^
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66:,
38:,
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30:(
20:)
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