The Book of Delight, and other papers

"The Book of Delight, and Other Papers" by Israel Abrahams is a set of writings that takes you into Jewish folklore, writings, and ways of life. It looks at big ideas in Hebrew and Jewish thinking while mixing in stories and wise sayings showing what it's like to be Jewish. The writings start with "The Book of Delight," telling about a love story in poem form said to be by Joseph Zabara, a big name from long ago. Abrahams talks about how Zabara wrote, mixing old stories with made-up poems, and how he helped shape Hebrew writing. The story starts with Joseph meeting Enan, a huge person who seems like a friend but turns out to be more complicated, being both funny and smart but also a bit dark. The story includes fables that look at what it means to be human and how we get along, especially about women and love, using old knowledge and personal stories. This beginning gets you ready to think more about people, right and wrong, and how stories can affect us.