The Orchard by Yochi Brandes

The Orchard is a novel that takes place in the second century common era and concludes at the gruesome execution of Rabbi Akiva and the birth of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the eventual leader and redactor of the Mishna. The book is a heavy and extensive political history of the Jewish people through the eyes of the wife of the famous rabbi, Rabbi Akiva. The author has a deep knowledge the contemporary rabbis of the period and she weaves in and out of their lives and moreover their disputes.

The story highlights some famous Talmudic stories like the insight of Kalba Savua's daughter in seeing a future Torah Great in one of her fathers employed shepherds, Akiva ben Joseph.

We are introduced to Rabbi Eliezer, through his wife Imma Shalom who has a deep relationship and understanding of Rachel, Rabbi Akiva's wife. Rabbi Eliezer is depicted as a vestige of the followers of school of Shamai (tracing the famous disputes between Hillel and Shamai) and as a result of Rabbi Akiva's emerging eminence of Biblical exegesis the School of Hillel becomes dominant and solidifies Rabbi Eliezer's isolation - halachically and socially.

We are introduced to the promoter of Christianity, Paul as related to Imma Shalom.  Ms. Brandes assumes the opinion of some scholars that Paul was actually attempting a positive clear division between Jewish believers and those who believe in the Nazarene, that they should remain separate. We are introduced to the great debate of the rabbis on whether to ignore or fight the Nazarenes.  We learn about the new petition that is added to the silent prayer that was known for its 18 petitions but now a 19th is added which is a reference to the elimination of this sectarian threat.

We learn of the harsh treatment of Rabbi Eliezer by Rabban Gamliel who excommunicated him but he, Rabban Gamliel too, was temporarily removed from office and replaced by Ben Zoma.

The books weaves in the story of the Bar Kochba revolt and how there was great infighting and dissension among the ranks of the rabbis. The book is very heavy on the disputes and dissension and quite light about Roman occupation.  Although there is criticism of Rome, not until the ten rabbis are executed brutally does the reader see how outrageous Rome truly is.

The climax of the story is however is quite bitter.  The Talmudic legend is highlighted: the mystical story of 4 rabbis entering the ORCHARD: Ben Zoma dies, Ben Azzai goes insane, Rabbi Elisha becomes an apostate/Roman citizen and Rabbi Akiva comes out whole.  The character of the Rabbi Akiva's wife demands to know what happened in the ORCHARD and before Rabbi Akiva is executed Rachel is granted a private visit to her husband and gets the explosive answer that the future of Jewish history is surveyed as the most lachrymose manifestation nobody could foresee - a history of constant bullying and persecutions basically culminating in a Holocaust. As a result, one rabbi dies instantly one goes insane and one gets "angry at God" becoming an apostate and Akiva comes out whole.  However, Akiva, for the author is not really whole, he concludes to his wife (by what he saw in the ORCHARD) that God will not help but rather we as the nation must act alone and not expect God to help.  Rachel gives Akiva words of encouragement and reminds him of his courage to believe in Hashem and indeed, he shows magnificent courage as he is tortured to death, expiring with the recitation of the SHEMA just as the Talmudic story records. Jewish history is conceptualized to profound rupture and renewal by the fact the novel ends with the birth of the great sage Rabbi Yehuda who will go on to be part of a generation that shows profound religious literary output.

I could not help but notice that this best seller on its back cover noted some very well known and famous people praising the book.  All of them seemed to me secular personages.  The idea that the nation must act alone and not expect Divine help must resonate with those who do not believe in God. The notion that God will not help is not a belief in God but merely a belief in His help. I reject the last visit and conversation between Rabbi Akiva and his wife implying that Akiva's faith waivered and needed encouragement from his wife. The same Akiva that observed the stone being carved out and penetrated by the running water of the stream and connecting such power to Hashem to penetrate his own heart is the same powerful believer to see one last opportunity to do a mitzvah, reciting the Shema  as opposed to saying "why have you forsaken me". 

The Genius: how Bill Walsh reinvented Football and created an NFL dynasty by David Harris

 Growing up in the SF bay Area, I followed the San Francisco 49ers.  It wasn't until Bill Walsh became the head coach that the team started to win with some consistency. I remember before those years the great wide receiver was Gene Washington who came to my High School and I was lucky enough as a child to procure his autograph. However, when the 49ers picked up Joe Montana and Dwight Clark and then Jerry Rice, the team became what a sports fan would call 'magical'.

The book studies the life of a complex personality.  Walsh was well read and even poetic but he was not afraid when challenged 'to go the distance' as Mr. Harris describes a scene when Bill was cut off on the road and followed his opponent off the highway. Despite the size difference, Walsh challenged his opponent and quickly settled the score by a quick combination of punches that he had learned from boxing in College.  From that scene, what was clear was that Walsh could be provoked and his anger could be explosive but decisive.

He was never afraid of making decisions. And those decisions are what made the 49ers successful. As a consummate coach knowing not to scream at his players but rather scream at his coaches resulted in the correct effect of getting players to own up to their mistakes and not blame their coaches! He understood people and enjoyed relationships. He was not afraid to say "I love you!"

Walsh had to deal with an immature owner who lost his temper whenever the team lost.  Walsh needed complete control over football operations to insure that his system of play would be unimpeded.

Early in his coaching career, Walsh was the assistant coach and offensive coordinator to the famous Paul Brown of the Cincinnati Bengels.  With Walsh the Bengels seemed unstoppable.  Much of the Brown's success was due to Walsh.  And when is was clear that Paul Brown was to retire, Bill assumed that he was the natural choice to become Head Coach.  Paul Brown had reservations about Walsh's emotional make-up and did not appoint Walsh as his successor! There was no conversation, no explanation and as a result Walsh seemed to be out of football until he was asked to coach College ball.  

Walsh was somewhat steeled by the Brown episode and continued to show that his teams could score points.  When the 49ers were bought by the Debartolo family the job was offered to Walsh even with the 'Brown cloud' hovering over him.  But the 'West Coast offense' consisting of unstoppable short passes and surprise sweeps or disguised off tackle runs, was given a vehicle in the NFL...

Walsh never liked his team being called a 'finesse' team! Football is physical and even violent so he made sure that his defensive coordinators understood that he expected that his team would not be out hit.

Players like Montana were in awe of Walsh's demand for precision.  As a matter of fact Walsh first noticed Joe Montana's footwork and chose him for his nimbleness with his legs and not necessarily because he had a good arm.  Walsh emphasized the precise number of quarterback drop back steps to insure that the wide receivers would be in the proper places to receive the pass!

Because he was so sensitive the pressure of losses weighed very heavy on him, he was really an absentee father and husband resulting for a time living with another women.  When his son became terminally ill, Walsh was shaken so much that he understood his true responsibilities and reconciled with his wife. Then he himself became sick with a type of rare leukemia and started to get his affairs in order and chose the Stanford U. church to be his final pause before being passing on. Although raised a Baptist, he converted to his wife's Catholicism.

Any one who witnessed the 49er super bowl wins can appreciate why the book was titled Genius.