The stories of "Tevye the Dairyman" provided the basis for the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof." They are incredibly fun to read. Though they are different from the musical, one can see how this source material was imaginatively used. All our favorite characters - and more - are here.
Tevye's relationship to God is incredibly realistic and full of dramatic tension. Tevye can't live with God, but also can't live without him. he constantly debates with God. Hillel Halkim writes in the introduction, "Even if God never answers, even if He never will, Tevy must go on debating with Him, for the minute he stops, his life has lost its meaning" (xxvii). Throughout the stories of his life, the scriptures - whether remembered accurately or distorted by Tevye - remain his constant companion, informing his life, giving meaning to his world.
Tevye's greatest fault is his obsession to be rich. In one of the early stories, Tevye tells Sholem Aleichim, "If only you knew how badly, oh Lord, how really badly I wanted to be a rich Jew, if only for just a few days!" (34).
Near the end of his life, after his wife has died and other daughters have married, his youngest daughter, Beilke, marries into a rich family, and yet is tragically unhappy. Tevye, sees this and exclaims, "Money is a lot of hooey anyway, just like the Bible says" (103). The rich family eventually goes broke and must escape to America, leaving Tevye to see that money is not all its cracked up to be. He proclaims how good a life his first and second daughter, Tsaytl and Hodl, have had, in spite of their poverty and trials. Finally, in the end, he reconciles with his third daughter, Chava.
These are great stories, full of life, faith, dreams, hopes, and trials.
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