I read the book of Job yesterday, but found out that we will be doing it and Ecclesiastes on Thursday. I also awoke to the understanding--which I can't really believe I didn't find out specifically while reading The Slave--that the Talmud is comprised of the Mishna and the Gemara. There's a bit less perplexion(sp?Is that even an actual word?) on my part now. I also think that I may want to read Singer's short story Gempol the Fool now. I admit that as a general rule I'm not partial to short stories(*ducking for cover as things are hurled at me in outrage*)but that one may end up among the ranks of the happy exceptions. If it's nearly as well written and profound as The Slave.

A society that doesn't honor its teachers is a doomed society. Did you read that Mr. Bush? Of course not; the Department of Homeland Security did and will probably be coming to cart me away.

I also know now that wisdom is hokmah in Hebrew, and that the Hebrew name for the Teacher in Ecclesiastes is Qohelath.

I did not know previously that Hamlet contains more question marks then any other play by Shakespeare, but I can also say that I'm not suprised that that is the case. It is a play that poses more questions than it answers, but that's why it's fascinating. Works of art or people(like Polonius) which purport to have all the answers in all likeihood do not, and bore us much more quickly then those pesky folks(like Hamlet) who do nothing but ask questions. Interesting how that works, I think.