_The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language
              (A Companion to _MENDELE_)
______________________________________________________
Contents of Vol. 01.014 [Arn Tseytlin Pre-Centennial Issue, Part One]
24 July 1997

                ARN TSEYTLIN [Aaron Zeitlin] 1898-1973(1)

                         Part One

1) Yiddish Matters: From the Editor (Leonard Prager)
2) Biografye: (Yekhezkl Lifshits) [Ezekiel Lifschutz]
3) Arn Tseytlins Eseyen: Yitskhok-Bashevis Zinger [Isaac Bashevis Singer]
4) Arn Tseytlin z[ikhrono]"l[ivrokho]: Eli Vizel [Eli Wiesel]
5) Arn Tseytlin on Himself: Arn Tseytlin [Aaron Zeitlin]
6) Bamerkungen funem tsuzamenshteler: (Y. Lifshits) [Ezekiel Lifschutz]
** Endnotes

                         Part Two (Vol. 01.015)

7) "Dernenterung un noentkayt tsvishn yidish un hebreish:  Paraleln un
batrakhtungen" (Arn Tseytlin)
**Endnotes (continued)


1)----------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 25 July 1997
From: Leonard Prager <lprager@research.haifa.ac.il>
Subject: Yiddish Matters

--Arn Tseytlin Pre-Centennial Issue

What is this strange notion of a "pre-centennial" issue of _The Mendele
Review_?  One would think there were enough literary anniversaries to
celebrate without anticipating one of them by a year.  The idea is not
to celebrate now and save the trouble later.  Rather to begin to prepare
today for the proper commemoration next year, a year in which many
important celebrations will be crowded out by the central occasion of
the 50th anniversary of the State of Israel.  The principal
justification for all this, however, is the fact that a great many of
those who have come to Yiddish in the past few decades do not know the
works of Arn Tseytlin, a major Yiddish writer.  It is suggested that
Yiddish reading circles study Tseytlin's works, that he be properly
emphasized in university courses in modern Yiddish literature, that
symposia and conferences on him be organized, that collectors and
general readers search for and acquire his writings.

To those owners of the copyright of selections included here whom I have
not succeeded in reaching, my sincere apologies if I have in any manner
whatsoever trespassed on their rights.  [LP]

2)-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri., 25 July 1997
From: Leah Krikun <lejim@netvision.net.il>
Subject: "Biografye": Yekhezkl Lifshits [Ezekiel Lifschutz]

[Arn Tseytlin's biography was not included in vol. 7 of the _Nayer
leksikon fun der yidisher literatur_ (1968) where it belonged.  The
reason for this was that Arn Tseylin would not cooperate with a project
financed by German restitution funds.  This explains why in 1980
Yekhezkl Lifshits included a biographical sketch in the volume of
Tseytlin's collected essays.  Berl Kagan's entry on Tseytlin in his
_Leksikon fun yidish-shraybers_ (New York:  [privately printed] cols.
460-465) complements that of Lifshits.  [L.P.]

                          "Biografye"(2)

                        by Yekhezkl Lifshits

Tseytlin, Arn-Eliezer, yidish-hebreisher poet, dramaturg, publitsist un
eseyist.  Geboyrn gevorn in 1899(1) in Uvarovitshi, Vaysrusland.  Zun
fun Hilel Tseytlin.  Biz 1907 hot er farbrakht in Homel un Vilne.  In ot
dem yor hot zikh zayn mishpokhe aribergeklibn keyn Varshe, vu er hot
gelernt baym foter un in a kheyder-mesukn; hot farendikt a
hebreish-poylishe gimnazye un bazukht hoykhshul-kursn.  In 1920 iz er,
tsuzamen mit zayn yingern bruder Elkhonen, avek keyn Erets-Yisroel.  Er
hot zikh umgekert keyn Varshe in 1921.  Oyfn veg aheym hot er bazukht
etlekhe eyropeyishe lender.  Tseytlin hot ongehoybn shraybn vi a kind.
In 1911 hot er shoyn farefntlekht kinder-zakhn in dem Odeser
kinder-zhurnal _Prochim_, vos iz redagirt gevorn fun Livnern un oykh in
a tsveytn kinder-zhurnal _Hashachar_, vos iz redagirt gevorn fun Gleb
Revutski.

Zayn ershte literarishe shafung _Di matroynise_ hot er opgedrukt in _Der
yidisher velt_ in (April) 1914, unter der redaktsye fun Sh.  Niger.  Fun
di frie 1920er yorn hot er zikh bateylikt in yidishe un hebreishe
tsaytshriftn in Poyln, Erets-Yisroel un Amerike, vi _Undzer ekspres_ (vu
er iz oykh geven der redakter fun der literarisher opteylung), _Bikher
velt_, _Literarishe bleter_, _Teater-tsaytung_, _Varshever almanakh_,
_Varshever shriftn_, _Globus_ (vos er hot geshafn un redagirt),
_Hashiloach_, _Hatekufa_ (vu er iz a tsayt geven mitredakter un
redakter); in dem ilustrirtn khoydesh-zhurnal far kinder, _Shibolim_,
vos er hot redagirt:  _Morgn-zhurnal_, _Tog-Morgn zhurnal_, _Forverts_,
_Tsukumft_, _Inzikh_, _Yidisher kemfer_, _Svive_, _Kinder-zhurnal_,
_Hadoar_, _Zamlbikher_, _Davar_, _Folk un Tsien_, _Di goldene keyt_,
_Letste nayes_ ukhedoyme.

In bukhforem:  _Matatron_, Farlag Alt-Yung, Varshe 1922, 64 zaytn;
_Shotns oyfn shney_, lider, Farlag Beletristn-fareynikung baym Fareyn
fun Yidishn Literatn un Zhurnalistn, Varshe 1923, 135 zaytn; _Yankev
Frank_, drame in zeks bilder, Farlag B. Kletskin, Vilne, 1929, 108
zaytn; _Brenendike Erd_, roman, Farlag Yidishe Universal-Bibliotek,
Varshe 1937, 335 zaytn; _Brener_, dramatishe dikhtung in 3 aktn, Varshe
1929, 143 zaytn; _In kamf far a yidisher melukhe_, Nyu-York 1943, 31
zaytn; _Gezamlte lider_, Farlag Matones, 3 bender, Nyu-York 1947-1957;
_Ale lider un poemes_, Farlag Bergen-Belzen, Nyu-York 1970, 529 zaytn;
Gezamelte drames, Farlag Y.L.  Perets, Tel-Oviv 1974, 372 zaytn;
tsuzamen mit Y.-Y. Trunk, _Antologye fun der yidisher proze in poyln
tsvishn beyde velt-milkhomes (1914-1939)_, Nyu-York, 1946, 637 zaytn;
_Beyn haesh vehayesha_, poema dramatit, Yavne, Tel-Oviv, 1957, 391
zaytn; _Min haadam vemaale_, shtey poemot dramatiot, Yavne, Tel-Oviv,
1964, 239 zaytn; _Ruach mimetsula_, shirim, Yavne, Tel-Oviv, TaShL"H,
489 zaytn.

In Marts 1939 iz Tseytlin farbetn gevorn keyn Amerike fun Moris
Shvartsn, vos hot zikh gegreyt oyftsufirn zayn pyese _Esterke_.  Mit
etlekhe yor far dem hot dos Kunst-Teater oyfgefirt Tseytlin's _Khelemer
khokhomim_, vos iz geshpilt gevorn mit groys derfolg.  Akhuts zayn
literarishe un publitsistishe arbetn iz er oykh geven an ofter redner
oyf literarishe tsunoyfkumen un mesibes.  Er iz oykh geven profesor fun
hebreisher literatur inem lerer-institut baym yidishn teologishn seminar
in Nyu-York.  Er hot bakumen di hekhste literarishe prizn fun der
hebreisher un yidisher literatur, tsvishn zey di H. Leyvik-Premie fun
Kultur-Kongres.  Er iz geshtorbn in New-York dem tsveytn tog Rosh
Hashone TaShLa"D un iz gekumen tsu keyver Yisroel in Medines Yisroel.

Zayn foter -- Hilel Tseytlin -- hot geshribn Nigern in 1914, ven er hot
farefntlekht in der _Yidishe velt_ Arns ershte literarishe shafung, az
zayn zun "hot geshribn (un gut geshribn) beshas er hot nokh gelernt in
kheyder-mesukn" un "bshas er iz alt geven 10 yor hot er on mayn yedie
geshikt dray zeyer sheyne zakhn tsu H[er] Levner un H[er] Levner hot zey
ale opgedrukt in _Haprochim_.  Shpeter hot H[er] Gleb Revutski (Ben
Eliezer) opgedrukt zayne zeyer a sheyne zakh in _Hashachar_.  Nor di
gedrukte zakhn gibn nit afile dem mindstn bagrif fun zayn shafn... vilt
ir alzo visn vos ikh denk vegn im, iz ot vos:  Er iz nit nor a 'talant',
nor a _groyser_ dikhter, zeyer a groyser.  Er vet in zayn perzon
fareynikn Perets un Byalik tsuzamen un oyb nit nokh hekher."  (_Pinkes_
3, Nyu-York 1975, zayt 426).

Zayn fraynd Yitskhok Bashevis-Zinger halt im far eynem fun di greste
dikhter funem tsvantsikstn yorhundert.  "Er iz geven a mentsh mit groys
visn, a gaystiker riz.... Tseytlin hot geleynt on a shir.  Er iz geven a
boki in Gete, Shekspir, Milton, in der rusisher, poylisher, hebreisher,
frantsoyzisher, daytsher literatur.  Er hot dos alts geleynt in
original.  Er hot antdekt shrayber un denker.... Bay dem alemen iz zayn
lid geblibn original.  Er hot keynem nisht nokhgemakht, vayl er hot
gehat eygene kvaln un vayl er aleyn iz oft geven greser fun yene vos er
hot shtudirt_ (_Forverts_, 10tn un 16tn Feb. 1978).

Sh.  Niger hot sheyn vegn zayn ersht verk _Matatron_ geshribn:  _Vu hobn
mir in der poezye fun di hayntike tunkele tsaytn aza klorkayt, aza
likhtikayt fun zen?_ (_Der tog_, New-York, 10 Sept. 1922).

Der hebreisher literatur-kritiker Dr.  D. A. Fridman shraybt in an
araynfir tsu _Matatron_ az "Es shpirt zikh in im a velt a groyse, gezen
mit yidishe oygn;  Es hert zikh in im dos vilde gepilder fun di tsaytn,
oyfgenumen durkh yidishe oyern.... Derfar farkhapt ertervayz der otem
leynendik, vorem azoy redt a _zeer_."

3)-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri., 25 July 1997
From: Leah Krikun <lejim@netvision.net.il>
Subject: "Arn Tseytlin's Eseyen": Yitskhok-Bashevis Singer

                         Yitskhok-Bashevis Zinger

                        "Arn Tseytlin's Eseyen"(3)

Arn Tseytlin hot gehat dos glik geboyrn tsu vern in a shtub vu di
problemen fun literatur -- stil, shilderung, dialog -- zenen ale mol
geven aktuel.  Zayn foter, Hilel Tseytlin, iz geven a barimter yidisher
zhurnalist, shriftshteler, un ikh kon oykh tsugebn, gelernter, hagam er
aleyn hot deroyf nisht pretendirt.  Hilel Tseytlin hot mitgebrakht mit
zikh fun zayn shtot Homel, vu er iz dertsoygn gevorn, di gantse yidishe
yerushe.  Er hot gelernt in khadorim, yeshives, in besmedresh.  Er hot
laykht gekont vern a rov bay yidn.  Er hot fri aroysgevizn an
interes tsu kabole un oykh tsu khsides, nisht azoy vayt dos poylishe
khsides, nor tsu dem khsides fun Reb Shneyer Zalmen fun Lyadi, der
mekhaber fun dem seyfer _Tanye_, der grinder fun Chabad.  Hilel Tseytlin
hot oykh durkhgemakht oyf zayn eygenem shteyger di epokhe fun
haskole -- nisht yene haskole vos hot gepreydikt asimilatsye, nor di
haskole vos hot geshtrebt bald fun onheyb zikh umtsukern tsu di yidishe
vortslen -- tsu hebreish un erets-yisroel.  Hilel Tseytlin hot oykh
shtudirt rusish, daytsh un geven a tsayt an onhenger fun Fridrekh
Nitshe.  Loyt ale umshtandn hot Hilel Tseytlin gedarft vern a kegner fun
yidish, vi es zenen geven di merste maskilim.  Ober an instinkt, vos iz
shtarker geven fun ale aynflusn, hot im gezogt az men ken zikh nisht
umkern tsu di vortslen fun toyznter yor tsurik un farvorlozn di vortslen
fun di letste finf oder zeks hundert yor yidishe geshikhte in
mizrekh-eyrope.  Hilel Tseytlin iz gevorn oyf zayn shteyger a
_yidishist_.  Der zelber instinkt vos hot untergezogt Hilel Tseytlinen
nisht mevatl tsu zayn yidish, hot im oykh gezogt az yidish aleyn, di
bloyze shprakh, kon keyn mol nisht ophaltn dem yid fun asimilatsie..

Dos zelbe iz oykh giltik vegn der hebreisher shprakh un afile vegn a
hebreisher medine.  Tsu blaybn a yid, muz men zayn tsugebundn tsu der
baze fun yidishkayt:  gloybn in Got, in der toyre un in der spetsifisher
misye fun yidishn folk.  Ver es vil zayn kekhol hagoyim, vert a goy.

Hilel Tseytlins ideyen hobn zikh nisht arayngepast nisht in tsienizm un
nisht in yidishizm vi Hertsl, Vaytsman, Ben Gurion, Zhitlovski un di
andere tsienistn un yidishistn hobn dos farshtanen.  Tseytlin hot gevis
zikh nisht gekont araynpasn in der moderner ortodoksye vos hot zikh
ongehangen mit layb un lebn in yedn kutse-shelyud, in yeder khumre fun
doyres rabonim.  Hilel Tseytlin hot zikh farmishpet bald fun onhoyb tsu
aynzamkayt un tsu kegnershaft fun ale shikhtn.  In di shpetere yorn, ven
yidishe bokhoyrim hobn gepruvt makhn di yidishe shprakh far an
instrument fun marksizm un fun lenenizm un stalinizm, iz Hilel Tseytlin
aroysgetretn vi an aktiver kemfer in der yidisher prese in Varshe.  Er
hot oykh gekemft kegn dem fardorbenem stil fun di linke shrayber, zeyere
puste melitses, zeyer falshn kuk oyf literatur.

In aza shtub is dertsoygn gevorn der grester yidisher dikhter, Arn
Tseytlin.  Er hot efsher nisht farmogt aza groyse yerushe fun yidishkayt
vi zayn foter, ober dos vos er hot gehat hot er baraykhert mit di yorn.
Vos shaykh zayn visn in filosofye un in velt-literatur, hot er vayt
ibergeshtign zayn foter.  Er iz oykh geven a greserer kener fun hebreish
fun zayn foter, hagam Hilel Tseytlins hebreish iz geven nenter tsu
loshn-koydesh un bemeyle tsu di mekoyres.  Ikh hob geshribn vegn Arn
Tseytlin bay farshidene gelegnhaytn.  Alts vos ikh vil do zogn iz, az
Tseylin der eseyist is nisht geshtanen keyn hor nideriker vi Tseytlin
der Got-gebentshter poet.  Tseytlin hot bavizn az men ken zayn tif un
klor -- azoy in zayn poezye un azoy in zayne eseyen.

Es iz geven in Hilel Tseytlin un in Arn Tseytlin a sort problem vos
nisht der foter un nisht der zun hobn gekent leyzn.  Zayn farbundn mit
di mekoyres, visn vegn zey un zey lib hobn, iz nisht genug oyftsuhaltn
yidishkayt.  M'hot gedarft in zey gleybn.  Ober nisht der foter un der
zun hobn ingantsn gekont farzen dem fakt az a sakh fun de mekoyres
(efsher ale) zenen di verk fun mentshn, nisht direkt fun Got.  Gleybn in
Got un gleybn in antplekung zenen tsvey bazundere zakhn.  Avade hot Got
gekont zikh antplekn.  Ober hot er zikh virklekh antplekt?  Hot er
vorhaftik ongezogt di ale khukim tsu Moyshe Rabeynu, di neviim un ale
yene vos zenen gekumen nokh zey?  Beyde, Hilel un Arn, hobn tsu fil
gevust vegn bibl-kritik, vegn der antviklung fun mentsh un khaye, vegn
der geshikhte fun min mentsh, tsu konen zen shtrenge ortodoksn.  Zey
hobn oykh nisht gekent zen reformirte yidn, konservative yidn (vi men
farshteyt dos in Amerike) un afile ortodoksn in fuln zin fun vort.
Zeyer emune in Got is geven shtark, ober zeyer emune in mentshn,
oytoritetn, iz geven ful mit sfeykes.  S'hot andersh nisht gekent zayn.
Zey hobn gemuzt zen di stires fun shtrengn religyezn kuk, di mentshlekhe
shvakhkaytn un narishkaytn vos bagleytn ale religyes un oykh di yidishe.
Hilel un Arn zenen faktish geven Got-zukher, nisht Got-gefiner.  Zeyer
Got iz geven a shvayger, nisht a reder, a keyn mol nisht basheydt
retenish.  Oyb maysim zenen zayn shprakh, iz dos a shprakh aza groyse,
azoy ful mit umfarshtendlekhe verter un bagrifn, az men ken zi keyn mol
nisht derlernen.  Beyde, foter un zun, hobn zikh voyl opgegebn a khesbm
vegn dem dozikn gaystikn matsav zeyern, ober aroyskumen un zogn dos ofn
hobn zey nisht gekent, vayl dos volt geheysn gisn eyl oyf dem fayer fun
de ateyistn.  Der doziker vidershprukh iz in a zin di klole fun yedn
modernem religyezn denker, saydn er hot dem mut tsu zogn ofn:  Mayn Got
hot zikh tsu keynem nisht antplekt; ikh veys nisht vos er iz un hob
nisht keyn anung vos er vil.  Mayn gantse religyezitet iz nisht mer vi a
pruv tsu trefn epes, vos lozt zikh nisht trefn, a shtendik tapn in der
finster....  Di Tseytlins hobn dos nisht gekent zogn, vayl emotsionel
zenen zey geven tsugebundn tsu yidishkayt mit toyznt fedem.  Arn
Tseytlin hot in zayne lider gehaltn in eyn farentfern dem
Reboyne-shel-oylem, in eyn pruv oyfvayzn, az er iz a Got fun khesed un
rakhamim hagam er hot tsugelozt tsum Hitler-khurbn.  Tseytlin hot nisht
gekent tsulozn oyf keyn rege az Got iz glaykhgiltik oder, kholile
vokhas, oyf der zayt fun di roytskhim.  Arn Tseytlins Got hot gelitn in
de kontsentratsye-lagern fun Hitler, er iz gezesn in Stalins tfises.  Er
iz a Got a yid, a Got vos hot farbrakht tsvey toyznt yor in goles.

Der leyner vet gefinen di ale vidershprukhn un iluzyes un farentferungen
far Got in di dozike eseyen, vos yeder fun zey iz a muster fun logik,
stil, oysgehaltnkayt.  Es iz nisht di shuld fun Arn Tseytlin vos Got
farborgt zayn ponim.  On der doziker farborgenish volt nisht ekzistirt
keyn bkhire un di gantse bashafung fun min mentsh volt geven an umzin.
Nisht tsu zayn oyf dem tsad fun toyevoye, hot Arn Tseytlin gemuzt
bashafn Got loyt zayn, Tseytlins furem -- a Got fun gerekhtikayt,
khesed; a Got vos ken baloynen far ale laydn un vos zayn vezn iz khokhme
un genod.





4)-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri., 25 July 1997
From: Leah Krikun <lejim@netvision.net.il)
Arn Tseytlin z"l: Eli Vizel [Eli Wiesel]

                          "Arn Tseytlin z"l"(4)

                          fun Eliezer Vizel

Arn Tseytlin hot gegleybt az der malekhamoves hot nisht keyn shlite
ibern mentsh, vos iz, in zayn mehus, umshterblekh.  Er hot der doziker
teme gevidmet tsvey vikhtike, vogike bikher.  Loyt zayn tsugang lebn di
toyte oyf yener velt un haltn on afile a kontakt mit undzerer.  Zey
redn, zey monen, zey vorenen.  Di tsore iz ober, vos di lebedike zenen
tsu farnumen mit narishe, oylem-hazedike inyonim kedey tsu farshteyn di
shprakh fun oylem haemes.  Di gantse parapsikhalogishe visnshaft
bavayzt, az s'iz take azoy.  Got hot dem mentsh nisht bashafn kedey im
tsu teytn.  Der toyt iz bloyz an ibergang:  oyf yener zayt ployt iz an
andere velt faran, a velt vu altsding iz emes un koydeshdik, vu altsding
iz eybikayt.

Iz zol zayn, Reb Arn, az ir zent gerekht.  Farvos zhe, zogt mir, kh'bet
aykh, farvos zhe is dos harts azoy tsebrokhn bay ayer levaye?

Kh'dermon zikh in undzere geshprekhn, vos zenen gikher geven shpanendike
monologn:  Ikh hob lib gehat, in zayn mekhitse, nisht tsu zayn epes
andersh vi a tsuherer.

In onheyb fleg ikh im betn er zol mir dertseyln zikhroynes fun zayn
foter R' Hilel Tseytlin h[aShem]y[ikom]"d[amo]:  di legendare figur, vos
hot baloykhtn dos Varshever yidntum.

S'dakht zikh mir, az kh'hob vegn dozikn koydesh geleynt altsding, vos
s'iz faran in druk.  Er hot mikh lange yorn gehaltn mamesh vi
tsugeshmidt tsu zayn geshtalt:  der faroyszeer, der faroyszoger, der
mekoynen, der denker, der veker, der treyster un, tsum sof, der martirer
vos iz gegangen tsum toyt in talis ayngehilt un mitn Zoyer untern
orem....

Ven der groyser zun flegt redn vegn zayn groysn foter, flegt a modne
fayrl zikh ontsindn in zayne bloye oygn:  "Yo, mayn tate iz geven,
geven...."

Itst, tayerer Reb Arn, vet men zogn:  "Der zun iz geven, geven...."

Vos iz Arn Tseytlin alts nisht geven?  Aza filzaytikn talant hot di
yidish-hebreishe literatur biz im -- un oyser im -- nisht farmogt.

Er hot farfast drames un poemes, klog-lider un humoreskes, filozofishe
eseyen un literarishe ophandlungen; er hot bahersht fremdshprakhike
kulturn genoy vi di eygene; er hot tsitirt maymorey-khazal un khsidishe
vertlekh un glaykhtsaytik dermont epes fun a Sokrates oder a
Shopnhoyer....

Fundestvegn hot er bavizn zayn stil nisht tsu balestikn mit zayne
kentenishn.  Punkt farkert:  Zayn shraybn is gebentsht mit pashtes, vos
iz der hoykhpunkt fun kunst.

Faran shrayber reshoim un faran shrayber tsadikim; Reb Arn hot gehert
tsu der tsveyter kategorye.  Er iz poshet umfeyik geven aroyszogn a
shlekht vort vegn dem oder yenem kolege.  Nokh mer:  er hot afile vegn
der ershter kategorye keyn shlekhts nisht gekont zogn.

Shoen-lang flegn mir zitsn in der kikh fun zayn dire, oyf
Riversayd-Drayv, un er flegt dertseyln mayselekh fun amol, analizirn di
gesheenishn fun tog, formulirn khidushim vegn der parshe fun der vokh,
oyfmishn oytobiografishe derinerungen -- un dos alts on loshn-hore, on
rekhiles.

Nokh mer:  On biternish.  Afile ven er flegt shildern zayne same ershte
iberlebungen in Amerike, zayn aynzamkayt beshas di milkhome-yorn, zayn
umet un zayn troyer fun yener tkufe, afile demolt flegt er oykh zikh
oysdrikn mit a gelekhterl:  Er hot beshum-oyfn nisht gevolt mishpetn.
Kh'her nokh itst zayn shtim:  "Kh'bin mit zikh aleyn nokh nisht fartik
gevorn....kh'prubir nokh alts dergeyn tsum sod fun mayn lebn.  Farvos
hot punkt mikh der talyen oysgemitn -- farvos mikh un nisht andere, vos
zenen geven fil erlekher un fil beser vi ikh?...."

Nor ven mir flegn onrirn dos kapitl fun khurbn, flegt zayn filosofishe
shalvedikayt zikh fun im opton, zayn ponim flegt zikh tseflakern.
"Arele, baruik zikh....torst nisht...." -- flegt Rokhl Tseytlin, mit
tsartkayt un libshaft, zikh mit im oystaynen.  "Doktoyrim hobn
bafoyln....dayn harts...." Un kh'her nokh itst zayn entfer:  "Vos veysn
di doktoyrim vos s'tut zikh bay mir in harts?"

Fliyen itst shtiker makhshoves durkhn moyekh, di shul iz kimat vi ful.
Rabonim un shrayber makhn hespedim oyf hebreish, english un yidish.
Kh'her zeyere verter, ober kh'her nokh mer -- mit mayn inerlekhn oyer --
di shtim fun Reb Arn aleyn.

"Neyn," zogt er, "di milyonen kdoyshim zenen nisht umgekumen:  Zey lebn
ergets-vu un kukn oyf undzer mentshhayt mit opshay...."  Vayter:
"Farvos hot der goyrl mikh oysgemitn?  Kedey kh'zol kenen aroysgebn mayn
tatns ksovim...."  An ander mol:  "A yid, vos farmogt nisht keyn ahaves-
Yisroel, iz keyn mentsh nisht...."

Zol zayn, Reb Arn, az ir zent gerekht.  Zol zayn, az der toyt iz keyn
mol nisht der ziger.  Oyb azoy, freg ikh aykh, farvos iz dos harts azoy
tsebrokhn geyendik nokh ayer orn in mitn gas?  Tsi iz es vayl ir zent
geven der letster Tseytlin?  Tsi iz es vayl mit aykh iz avek mer vi der
yokhed aleyn?

Mit shtume blikn un geboygene kep geyen ayere fraynt un talmidim nokh
ayer orn -- un s'dakht mir, az zey veln nisht oyfhern tsu geyn azoy a
lange, lange tsayt.


5)-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri., 24 July 1997
From: Leah Krikun <lejim@netvision.net.il)
Arn Tseytlin vegn zayn shafn un vegn zikh

Fragmentn fun Avrom Tabatshniks "Fun a shmues mit Arn Tseytlin"
(_Di goldene keyt_, Numer 65, 1969).(5)

Ikh veys nit genoy, vos dos iz der taytsh:  a religyezer poet.  Poezye,
oyb, un oyf vifl zi fardint den nomen, iz loyt mayn meynung memeyle
religyez, oyb me farshteyt nit religye in an eng-ritueln zinen.  Zi iz
religyez afile denstmol, ven zi iz blasfemish.  Sheli [Shelley] hot zikh
gehaltn far an ateyist, ober zayn poezye hot tsu ton, oft
farshtelterheyt, mit getlekhe inyonim, vos geyen im shtark on vi a
mentsh.  Oyf vifl es geyt vegn mayn veynikayt, volt ikh -- bazunders fun
der tsayt, vos religye iz bay undz gevorn an inyen fun politik un partey
-- geret nit vegn religye, nor vegn emune, gloybn, un derbay volt ikh
definirt _gloybn_ vi epes, vos muz farshtanen vern nit statish, nor
dinamish un dialektish, dehayne, nit vi a fargliverte fartikayt, nor vi
an umoyfherlekher protses.  Dostoyevskis a held zogt ergets:  "Mikh hot
a gants lebn gepaynikt der inyen Got."  Ot dos ruf ikh an emunedikayt.
An emunediker mentsh iz koydem-kol aza eyner, vos a gants lebn geyt im
on der Got-inyen.

                                 *

Az mir haltn baym inyen fun emune un emunediker poezye, volt ikh gevolt
makhn nokh a por bamerkungen.  Me ret vegn Got-zukhers un Got-gefiners.
Ikh volt geret vegn dem, az emune iz a kseyderdik, nokhanandik, kimat
glaykhtsaytik Got-gefinen un Got-farlirn.  Ikh veys nit tsi dos iz klor.
Ikh volt gebrakht a zog fun Reb Nakhmen Bratslaver vegn dem inyen fun
Gots noentkayt un vaytkayt tsu glaykh.  Reb Nakhmen zogt:  "Vos nenter
m'iz tsu Got, alts vayter iz men fun im."  Un er git a moshl:  "A mentsh
heybt on kletern oyf a barg.  Lomir zikh forshteln az der barg iz
umeglekh hoykh.  Iz vos mer, vos hekher er kletert, alts vayter zet im
oys der barg.  Vos mer opgegangener veg, alts boyleter vert dem bargs
umendlekhe hoykh.  Dernentern zikh tsu Got heyst deriber:  hobn dos
gefil say fun noentkayt un say fun umendlekher vaytkayt."  Dos iz di
dialektik fun emune:  got-gefinen un got-farlirn in eyn un der zelbiker
tsayt, kimat tokh-kedey diber un derfun oykh di iyush-tsayt fun emune.
Yiesh un emune zenen tsvey zaytn fun eyn zakh.  Az du vest mir zogn vi
tif fartsveyflt du bist, vel ikh dir zogn vi vayt gleybik du bist.

                                  *

Ikh gloyb, az on ruekh-hakoydesh iz keyn shum zakh nito, keyn poetishe
shafung avade nit.  Farshteyt zikh, az men ken oystrakhtn lider.  Oyb
ober a lid zol beemes zayn a lid, muz es zayn der poyel-yoytse fun
inspiratsie.

                                  *

Ikh ken redn nor fun mayn eygenem nisoyen.  Ikh veys nit vi s'iz bay
andere poetn vos shraybn oyf tsvey shprakhn.  Bay mir is nito ot di
shpaltung oder tsebreklung.  Ikh veys nit genoy farvos dos iz azoy, ober
der doziker "Vov hakhiber" fun di tsvey leshoynes, yener vov-mekhaber
vos ikh hob ongerufn der loshn-koydesh fun der yidisher neshome firt
dertsu, az ikh zol in prat fun shprakh nit filn keyn shpaltung.  Keyn
ineveynikste tserisnkayt.  Vi gezogt, az ikh shrayb yidish, fil ikh gor
nit az ikh shrayb yidish; az ikh shrayb hebreish, fil ikh gor nit az ikh
shrayb hebreish.  Dos heyst, mit andere verter, az oyb s'iz a
tsveyikayt, is es a tsvey, vos iz -- oder vert eyns.  Ot dos take iz vos
ikh hob frier gezogt:  Der inyen funem alef, der oybn un der untn, dos
rekhte un dos linke, tate un mame, oyb men zol zogn, az hebreish is
tate-shprakh un yidish iz mame-shprakh.  Dos vert farbundn durkh dem
_vov_, vos dos meynt oykh neshome, es heyst:  S'iz eyn gantskayt, eyn
geshtalt, s'iz eyn alef.  Dos iz a reyn pnimesdiker protses.  Di
tsvey-shprakhike loshn-koydeshdikayt in mayne lider iz durkhoys a
subyektive aynshtelung.  Un ikh vil gor bazunders batonen, az men ken
fun dem gornit dringn in a gezelshaftlekhn oder natsionaln zinen.  S'iz,
khazer ikh iber, an individueler psikhisher fakt, a yekhidisher.  Ikh
volt afile gezogt, a privater aynshtel.  Ober ot der psikhisher
aynshtel, hot, gleyb ikh, gornit tsu ton mit mayn shraybn bikhlal, nor
spetsiel mit mayn shraybn lider.

Ikh vil zikh agev, do farentfern far nutsn in dem itstikn shmues azelkhe
verter vi shafn, vos dos hot a konotatsye fun gayvedikayt.  Mayn nutsn
do verter vi shafn, poet ukhedoyme, ongevent oyf zikh aleyn, darf
farshtanen vern poshet vi tekhnishe terminen, vos mit zeyer hilf bin ikh
oysn nit mer vi optsugrenetsn mayn shraybn lider fun mayn shraybn
bikhlal.  Ven ikh trakht vegn dem fun vanen es kumt tsu mir mayn
tsveyshprakhike loshn-koydeshkayt -- vi ikh hob es ongerufn -- dakht
zikh mir tsaytnvayz, az dos nemt zikh derfun, vos atavistish tsi ikh
mayn yenike fun der khabad-velt..  Ikh shtam dokh fun doyres khabadnikes.
Mayner an elter-zeyde, Reb Yoysef der alter khazn, iz geven fun di
ershte khsidim fun dem bal-ha_Tanye_, zayn khazn un a mutiger
farshpreyter fun zayn shite in khsides.  Khabadnikes hobn genug a gor
origineln sort yidish.  S'iz geven a min hebreyidish oder yidehebreish.
Es ken deriber zen, trakht ikh tsu mol, az dos loshn-koydesh-yidish iz
tsu mir ongekumen durkh atavistishe kanaln.  Meglekh az khabad hot oykh
andersh mashpeye geven.

                                 *

In di _Khalyastre_-tsaytn (in Poyln) bin ikh geven a _fremde flants_.(6)
Dr. Schiper(7) hot mikh a mol ongerufn:  a hebreisher poet oyf yidish.
Akhuts dem bin ikh gevaksn in a shtub, vu literatn zenen geven ofte
gest, un hob tsu fri derkent di mumim fun shraybers un shrayberay.  Vi a
forzitser fun Pen-Klub bin ikh geshtanen in kikh, vu men greyt tsu di
_kultur_.  Bay dem alemen bin ikh geven -- aleynik.  Kh'bin nit gevaksn
bekhevrusedik, hob keyn mol nit mitgezungen in khor.  Ikh volt oykh
nit gekent mitzingen in khor fun _religiyeze_ dikhters.  Ikh anerken nit
keyn khorn.  Ikh bin oft gegangen kegn shtrom.  Ven Markish hot gezungen
vegn di glikn fun der revolutsye, dehayne, az "Ivanushka Durak vet gor
di velt farnemen," vi er zogt ergets in a lid, ukhedoyme azelkhe zakhn,
hob ikh geshribn mayn eygene shturemtsayt-poeme -- yidish-kabolesdik:
_Matatron_.  Ikh bin nit-komformist, nor az es vert a mode oyf
non-konformizm iz men nit betsiber.

Formel bin ikh fun a literarisher mishpokhe.  Der foter a shrayber, der
yingerer bruder a shrayber.  Ober ikh halt nit funem bagrif literarishe
mishpokhe in zinen fun betsiberdikayt, fun kolektiver shafung fun a dor.
Dos kolektive, oykh dos historishe, dos natsionale -- dos alts darf zayn
inem yokhed aleyn.  Andersh gezogt:  Di tsayt, dos folk, di doyres
zenen, darfn zayn, in dem eyntslnem shafer oyf vifl er iz beemes a
shafer.  Oykh natsionale un kolektive motivn in der poezye zenen
yekhidishe motivn.  Oyb der natsionaler oder kolektiver moment iz in der
zelber tsayt nit-subyektiv, iz es deklamatsye.  Talant iz
individualitet, oyb nit -- iz der gantser inyen talant a mekekh-toes.
Eliot, der barimter englisher poet un eseyist, halt nit, az talant iz
perzenlekhkayt.(8)  Er kon zikh bageyn on dem.  Dos iz eyne fun di
sibes, farvos ikh kon zikh zeyer gut bageyn on di Eliots.

                                  *

Ikh hob a vidergefil tsu dem vos m'ken andersh nit rufn vi
literatur-mark.  Oyf a mark handlt men zikh ayn abisl koved, me dingt
zikh eyner mitn tsveytn, a rendl aroyf, a rendl arop.  Ikh vel zogn oyf
dir, az bist a godl, vestu zogn oyf mir, az ikh bin a godl.  Ver darf
dos?  Iz es nit kremeray?  Ikh halt fun shraybers, vos zenen mir noent.



6)-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri., 25 July 1997
From: Leah Krikun <lejim@netvision.net.il)
Subject: Bamerkungen funem tsuzamenshteler: (Y[ekhezkl] Lifshits)
[Ezekiel Lifschutz](9)


      Bamerkungen funem tsuzamenshteler

Baym tsuzamenshteln a bukh fun Aron Tseytlins ophandlungen un eseyen
shteyt nisht der tsuzamenshteler far keyn doykhek in material, nor
gikher far an iberflus.  S'iz keyn mol nisht keyn problem tsi a gevis
artikl oder esey darf arayngenumen vern in bukh, nor gikher shtayt men
far der dileme vi dos _nit_ oystsulozn.

Tseytlin iz geven a zeyer produktiver shrayber un mamesh a farkishefter
leyner.  Zayn fraynt Bashevis-Zinger zogt vegn im, az zayn
"Tayve.... iz
geven un geblibn literatur, religyeze literatur un aldos intelektuele,
vos hot a shaykhes dermit."  Zayne fraynd hobn im shtendik getrofn ton
eyne fun di tsvey oyvdes -- shraybn oder leynen.

Er iz geven a poet, a dramaturg, a romanist, a literatur-kritiker un a
religyezer forsher oyf yidish un hebreish.  Er iz oykh geven
farinteresirt in mistitsizm, parapsikhologye, filosofye un in
tog-teglekhe gezelshaftlekhe problemen.  Vegn dem ales hot er geshribn
un komentirt oyf zayn eygnartikn oyfn.

Zayne kentenishn in di zibn-akht literaturn (di yidishe, hebreishe,
poylishe, rusishe, daytshe, frantsoyzishe, englishe, -- un zint zayn
oyfhaltn zikh in Kuba in 1939-1940 in shaykhes mitn vartn oyf der
Amerikaner vize, -- oykh di spanishe vos er hot geleynt in original)
zenen oft geven tsum shtoynen.  Er hot punkt azoy intim gekont redn vegn
Getn vi vegn Tshernikhovskin oder vegn Peretsn, un nisht nor vegn di
groyse maysters, nor oykh vegn farshvigene un fargesene kinstler, denker
un vizionern.

Zayne eygene shafungen, nisht nor di poetishe, flegt er kseder
iberarbetn.  Dos kon men zen fun di farblibene tsaytung-un
zhurnal-oysshnitn.  Gantse paragrafn zenen oft ibergeshribn, zatsn
ibergeshtelt, verter gebitn, titlen geendert un bederekh-klal --
gekirtst.

Mir hobn zikh banutst mit di gebeserte oysshnitn fun di artiklen un
eseyen, vos zenen arayn in dem band un vern do gedrukt _nisht_ vi zey
zenen originel gedrukt gevorn, nor mit di enderungen, vos der mekhaber
hot gemakht oyf de marginesn fun de gedrukte oysshnitn.  Layder hobn
zikh derhaltn nit tsu fil oysgebeserte oysshnitn.

Der tsuzamenshteler hot bloyz oysgebesert befeyrishe tipografishe felern
un oysgelozene verter.

In der opteylung "Khsidishe Shites un Rabeim" iz Tseytlin etlekhe mol
mekhulik mit Shimen Dubnovn.  Dubnovs tsugang tsu Khsides iz vi fun a
ratsionalist.  Im iz nenter di Khabader shite.  Er is a kegner fun
_Tsadikizm_, vos er halt R' Elimelekh fun Lizensk far zayn bagrinder un
batrakht afile R' Nakhmens mayses far "fiber-fantazies fun a mentshn vos
iz krank oyfn guf un oyf der neshome" (Geshikhte fun Khsidism, B. II,
zaytn 8 un 223).  Tseytlin, lehipekh, hot geshribn vegn khsides vi an
eygener un noenter.  Er iz, farshteyt zikh, bagaystert far R' Nakhmens
perzenlekhkayt un nisht nor far zayne mayses un farteydikt afile dem
"Tsadikizm."

Der opkleyb in dem bukh iz
bloyz a teyl fun Arn Tseytlins artiklen un eseyen, vos er hot
farefntlekht bimeshekh fun etlekhe un fuftsik yor in tsaytshriftn bekhol
tfutses Yisroel oyf yidish un hebreish.  S'zenen oysgelozt gevorn a gor
groyse tsol artiklen -- oft gantse seryes -- fun der teglekher prese,
vos fun zey aleyn kon men tsunoyfshteln etlekhe bender.

Ikh vil do oysdrukn a dank der Yivo bibliotek un der bibliotekern Dina
Abramovitsh far der hilf baym tsuzamenshteln dos bukh.

****Romanization by Leah Krikun<lejim@netvision.net.ac.il>

                             Endnotes

(1) Zalmen Reyzn in his _Leksikon fun der yidisher literaur_, vol.3,
col. 297 (Vilna 1929) gives the date of Arn Tseytlin's birth as 1899.
This date is repeated in many places, including the 1980 _Literarishe un
filosofishe eseyen_ volume.  Berl Kagan puts the matter right in his
_Leksikon fun yidish-shrayber_ (New York, 1986, col. 600) where he gives
the precise birthdate as May 22, 1898.

(2) Arn Tseytlin, _Literarishe un filosofishe eseyen_.  Mit a forvort
fun Yitskhok Bashevis Zinger [Isaac Bashevis Singer] un a nokhvort fun
Eli Vizel [Elie Wiesel].  Tsunoyfgeshtelt fun Y[ekhezkl] Lifshits
[Ezekiel Lifschutz].  Tsugegreyt tsum druk: Y. Birnboym. New York:
Alveltlekher Yidisher Kultur-Kongres [Congress for Jewish Culture],
1980, pp. 386-388.  ["Gevidmet dem ondenk fun Arn Tseytlins ben-yokhid
Hirsh-Berele vos iz umgekumen mit der gantser mishpokhe Tseytlin
al-kidush-hashem durkh di daytshishe natsis y"sh."] ["The preparation
and publication of this volume was made possible with the help of Mrs.
Rachel Zeitlin, New York; The Atran Foundation, New York; The Memorial
Foundation for Jewish Culture, New York; The Aaron Zeitlin Book
Committee'] ["Copyright 1980 by Congress for Jewish Culture, 25 East
78th Street, New York, N.Y. 10021"]

3) Tseytlin, 1980, pp. 3-6.

4) Ibid., pp. 379-381.

5) Ibid., pp. 382-385.

6) _Khalyastre_ ('The Gang') refers both to the periodical of that
name (Warsaw 1922; Paris 1924) and some of the writers grouped around it
(Perets Markish, Meylekh Ravitsh, Y.-Y. Zinger, Oyzer Varshavski).

7) Yitskhok [Ignacy] Schiper (or Schipper) (1884-1943).  Historian,
communal activist, author of important studies in Yiddish on Yiddish
theater, on Jewish economic life and on other subjects.

8) This is apparently a reference to T. S. Eliot's famous essay
"Tradition and the Individual Talent" (1917).


9) Yekhezkl Lifshits, to whom we are indebted for compiling Tseytlin's
_Literarishe un filosofishe eseyen_, was Yivo archivist from 1954 to
1973.  He also edited _Bibliography of American and Canadian Jewish
Memoirs and Autobiographies in Yiddish, Hebrew and English_ (New York:
Yivo, 1970) and, together with Mordechai Altshuler, _Briv fun yidishe
sovetishe shraybers_ (Jerusalem:  Hebrew University, 1980).  His
biography is lacking from the _Nayer leksikon_ (vol. 5, 1963), but a
full entry can be found in Berl Kagan's _Leksikon fun yidish shtrayber_,
cols. 338-340.
______________________________________________________
End of _The Mendele Review_ 01.014

Leonard Prager, editor

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