Irvin Yalom’s (b. 1931) The Spinoza Problem: A Novel (Basic Books 2013) intertwines history and philosophy, offering a fresh perspective on two distinct but connected lives. Yalom masterfully blends historical fact with fiction, crafting a narrative that explores profound philosophical questions through the lives of two men separated by three centuries. The novel centers on the intriguing “Spinoza problem,” weaving together the stories of Nazi officer Alfred Rosenberg (1893-1946), who corresponded closely with Hitler, and the Jewish philosopher Spinoza (1632-1677), who lived in Amsterdam, a city more liberal than other European cities at the time. Despite the vast temporal gap between their lives, Yalom skillfully intertwines their stories in successive chapters, making the reader feel the continuity of the story.
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Alfred Rosenberg pursued a “Spinoza problem” as it is extraordinary to him that a Jewish man could produce such ideas and be mentioned in Goethe’s books. This fascination is evident when he reflects: “…My professor claimed that Spinoza was the most intelligent man who ever walked the earth. And yet how could such thoughts have come from a Jew?” (Yalom p. 148). This quote illustrates Rosenberg’s deep-seated anti-Semitism and the cognitive dissonance he experiences reconciling Spinoza’s genius with his own prejudiced worldview. During World War II, his Einsatzgruppe started searching for this enigmatic man’s (Spinoza’s) library.1 Rosenberg was deeply curious about the books Spinoza read during his lifetime and what inspired his thoughts.
While Rosenberg was fixated on uncovering the secrets of Spinoza’s library, Yalom simultaneously delves into Spinoza’s personal life, focusing on his character, thoughts, and most significantly, his excommunication.2 Instead of using the word excommunication, Yalom employs the Hebrew term cherem3, which more accurately conveys its meaning.
The debate regarding Spinoza’s excommunication (cherem) continues to this day. According to Steven Nadler, the exact reasons for the cherem remain unknown.4 There are various claims about Spinoza’s excommunication; one addressed in Yalom’s novel suggests that Spinoza went to the Dutch court instead of the Jewish court for a case. Yalom emphasizes the magnitude of this incident in a conversation between Spinoza and his brother Gabriel, where Gabriel says to Spinoza, “Bento, our father is dead; our older brother is dead. You are the head of the family. Yet you insult us all by turning to the Dutch court” (Yalom, p. 34). It indicates the …
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