The Books of Jacob

The Ottoman Empire spans from the Middle East to the shores of the Black Sea to the eastern parts of the Mediterranean. Nahman and Mordechai attend Jacob’s wedding in the Wallachian town of Turnu. The feast lasts for several days and threatens to bankrupt Tovah. Jacob is pleased with his new wife Hana, but he must leave soon after the wedding. Hana’s twin brother Hayim envies the men who will soon depart.

Nahman studies Jacob “without Jacob being aware” (723) and feels a strong pull on his heart. Though Jacob does not know yet, Nahman has already noticed Jacob’s propensity for wisdom. He has privately recorded “Jacob’s first teaching” (722) and now regards himself as Jacob’s first student. Tovah secures a job for Jacob in Craiova. Nahman, meanwhile, will return to Poland with his new wisdom and the goods he plans to sell upon his return. He reaches Rohatyn in three weeks, where they “are just preparing for a wedding of their own” (720).

In Craiova, Jacob quickly becomes a popular presence in the town. Tovah’s brother-in-law Abraham resents the new arrival but appreciates the upturn in trade brought about by Jacob’s presence. Abraham is “a follower of Sabbatai Tzvi and his successor, Baruchiah” (718).