Every book is the Talmud if you try hard and believe in yourself.

Some reading notes

In Chaim Potok’s The Chosen, one of those beautiful and transformative books of childhood, there is a beautiful and transformative moment. A moment with deep insight into learning which I completely forgot since my childhood reading.

Danny Saunders, after weeks of false starts in his daring attempts to read Sigmund Freud, slowly iterates a path forward to understanding.

He originally believed the barrier was one of language so, much to the amazement and horror of his friend Reuven Malter, Danny teaches himself German.

The German language alone however only helps illuminate just how poor the English translations are without deepening his own understanding. Freud remains impenetrable.

Only after recalling how impenetrable the Talmud seemed when he began studying it does Danny realize the way through the impasse. A commentary. After all, he reasons, how could one study Talmud without Rashi!

There were, however, no commentaries on Freud. Or at least there weren’t any at that time, in that particular library. Danny’s solution? To build his own!

He laid out his Freud in German alongside a German-English dictionary and English language dictionary of psychology. Context which was once scarce is now supplied!

While not a proper commentary the toeholds needed to ascend understanding are now in place. Every book can be the Talmud if you try hard and believe in yourself.

Context is there if you want it.