Gimpel the Fool Gimpel's Statement

Gimpel the Fool Gimpel's statement "What's the good of not believing? Today it's your wife you don't believe; tomorrow it's god himself you won't take stock in," reflects that of the rabbi: "Belief in itself is beneficial. It is written that a good man lives by his faith,' (p. 17). Trusting implicitly in the innate goodness of human beings makes Gimpel appear truly foolish; he looks the other way when people trick him and throughout most of his marriage denies that his wife continually cheated on him.

However, Gimpel understands that his wife is far more foolish than he is in sacrificing her personal integrity in order to deceive a trusting man. When she confesses on her death bed, Gimpel realizes that for twenty years his wife had no greater purpose in her life than to deceive her husband. Only after she dies can her spirit admit, "I never deceived anyone but myself.

I'm paying for it all." Belief is central to Gimpel's character; without his faith he would neither be called a fool nor a wise man; as the rabbi said: "It is written, better to be a fool all your days than for one hour to be evil," (p. 5). Gimpel's way of life reveals enormous personal integrity and ascription to spiritual values. He continually quotes the rabbis words, indicating that his gullibility reflects his faith in God rather than ignorance.

While those around him make genuine fools out of themselves by deceiving the ones they love, Gimpel chooses spiritual truth over social accolades. Modern readers will undoubtedly feel uncomfortable reading Gimpel's story because of the prevailing social norm to stand up for oneself and to fight for personal rights. Most people deplore those who seem weak or who live in denial but Gimpel's gullibility signifies a deeper wisdom that cannot be earned through egotism or competition with others.

Gimpel prefers to believe than to be cynical because cynicism only leads to mistrust, negativity, and ill will. Essentially Gimpel lives outside of ordinary social norms. Foolishness is not valued in a society because most people are afraid of being embarrassed or made fun of; people would rather be liked for superficial reasons than respected for spiritual ones. Gimpel seems to have known that since he was a child and chose the path of righteousness and truth over social status.

He never did care to be accepted by people who got pleasure out of hurting or deceiving others. When the Spirit of Evil visits him Gimpel is well able to resist being lured into indignancy because of his habit of believing, of faith. Moreover, Gimpel emerges from the shocking realization that his wife betrayed him as an even wiser man than before. Whereas he trusted blindly at first, in the end, he realizes that "there were really no lies," (p. 20).

In other words, life is not as black-and-white as people prefer to believe. Gimpel's belief in God remains so solid throughout his life that forgiveness comes surprisingly easily to him. He does not become bogged down by resentment or remorse and cultivates only love and compassion. Gimpel is uniquely able to walk a path of righteousness outside of common social norms, to live in the world but not of it. After his vision of the Spirit of Evil, he.