Ostropol, also known as Staryy Ostropil, is a small town on the Sluch River located in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast about 133 west of Kiev, Ukraine. Ostropol was an important Jewish centre in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was a centre of learning and Jewish culture. The great hero of Jewish humor, Hershele Ostropoler, was from that town. My father's parents immigrated to The United States from this region at the turn of the twentieth century. They, like many Jews and others, left the often bleak economic hardships of the area for America.
Hershele Ostropoler, also known as Hershel of Ostropol, is a prominent figure in Jewish humour, the Jewish equivalent of Nasreddin. Hershele was a prankster who lived in poverty and targeted the rich and powerful, both Jew and Gentile. Common folks were not safe from his shenanigans, either, but they usually got off lightly. He is also remembered by Ukrainian gentiles as something of an ethnic folk hero,who could take on establishment forces much larger than himself with nothing but his humour.
He is a legendary Robin Hood who used his wits rather than the sword in his battles for justice. He was a scholar of the Talmud and Torah. He, like many Eastern European Jews of his era spent much of his time studying the Jewish holy writings and living on handouts or the strength of his wits. Judaism is a knowledge based faith. There is a Jewish expression that without the study of Torah there is no food and without food there is no Torah.
Once, Hershele was selling antiques and trinkets in the market. Among his wares was a large canvas, that was entirely blank. A customer asked Hershele what it was, and Hershele replied:- "For a silver shekel, I will tell you about this painting. [The man, overwhelmed by curiosity, gives him a shekel]. Well, this painting is a famous painting, depicting the Jews crossing the Red Sea, with the Egyptians in pursuit."
- "Well, where are the Jews?"
- "They've crossed."
- "And the Egyptians?"
- "Haven't come yet."
- [Getting frustrated at having been duped] "And where's the Red Sea?!"
- "It's parted, dummkopf!"
Jewish humor is adorned with his stories. The stories center on his struggle to survive in the difficult world of the Ukrainian peasant of the 19h century.
While his exploits have been mythologized over the years, the character of Hershele is based on a historic figure, who lived in what is today Ukraine during the late 18th or early 19th century. He used his wits to get by, eventually earning a permanent position as court jester of sorts to the famous Rabbi Boruch of Medzhybizh.
In the Hershele stories, he was chosen by members of Rabbi Boruch's court in order to counter the rebbe's notorious fits of temper and lift his chronic melancholy.
It is believed that Hershele died of a fatal accident that was brought about by one of Rabbi Boruch's fits of anger. Hershele lingered for several days and died in Rabbi Boruch's own bed surrounded by Rabbi Boruch and his followers.
The Hershele stories depict his ongoing struggle against authority and his use of humor as both a tool for physical survival and his best weapon to deal with life in the days of old. Humor is often used for similar purposes today.
The Tales of Hershele utilize a great deal of sarcasm and anecdotes to highlight their effect. There is an underlying sense of despair as we read about our heroes ongoing struggle to survive and help others to do the same. Modern Jewish humor often dates back to the Hershele era and his part of the world.
Jewish humor has a long tradition dating back to the Torah and the Midrash from the ancient mid-east. However, it most often refers to the more recent stream of verbal, self-deprecating, sometimes crude, and often anecdotal humor originating in Eastern Europe. It took root in the United States over the last hundred years. Beginning with vaudeville, and continuing through radio, stand-up comedy, film, and television, a disproportionately high percentage of American and Russian comedians have been Jewish. They may indeed owe their successes in part to the efforts of Hershele.One day Hershele was traveling, and he stopped for the night at an inn. The place was deserted: there were no other guests, and even the innkeeper was away, leaving his wife in charge.
“I’m dying of hunger,” Hershele told her. “Please give me something to eat.”
The innkeeper’s wife took a good look at her guest, and she didn’t like what she saw. Hershele was unkempt, his coat was torn, and he looked altogether unsavory. This fellow will never be able to pay the bill, she thought.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said to Hershele, “but the kitchen is closed.”
Hershele shook his head and said nothing. Then he looked straight ahead and said to the woman, “In that case I’m going to have to do what my father did.”
Immediately the woman grew frightened. “What did your father do?” she asked.
“My father,” replied Hershele, “did what he had to do.”
Hearing this, the woman grew more frightened. Who knew what kind of father this man had? And she alone in the house! Perhaps his father was a thief, a murderer, or worse.
“Just a minute, sir,” she said, and soon returned with a full plate of chicken, kishka, fish, and black bread. Hershele devoured it all, as the woman looked on in amazement. When he had finished, he told her, “Lady, that was a wonderful meal, the best thing I've tasted since Passover.”
Seeing her guest was finally relaxed and satisfied, the innkeeper’s wife dared to ask the question that had been burning in her all evening. “Good sir.” She said, “Please tell me, what was it that your father did?”
“My father?” said Hershele. “Oh yes, my father. You see, whenever my father couldn't get anything to eat—he went to bed hungry.”
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