Dibbouk

Dibbouk or Between two worlds (in Yiddish: דערדיבוקאדערצווישןצווייוועלטן ) is a drama in three acts written in Yiddish by Chalom An Ski, of its truth Chloïme-Zaïnvl Rapoport, and created with Vilna in 1917. It takes as a starting point the folk topic of the Dibbouk which is, in the Jewish tradition kabbalist, a spirit which enters the body of alive to have it, following an error or of an ill deed.

Chalom Year Ski, Russian folklorist, wrote this part initially celebrates between 1911 and 1914, in Russian, then in Yiddish. Dibbouk is regarded as an essential part in the history of the Théâtre Yiddish. Its author based himself over years of research in the Shtetl S in Russia and Ukraine, where it was documented on the hassidic beliefs and tales of the Jews.

Account of the part

Nissan and Sender bound of an enthusiastic friendship at the time of a meeting of Hassidim, around powerful the Tsadik of Miropol, in south-west polono-Lithuanian. They decide to bind durably by a solemn oath: if their wives, enclosures at the same time, were respectively to give rise to a girl and to a boy, they would marry between them their descendants. But Nissan dies before even the birth of his/her son. As for Sender, he forgets soon the promise and, when arrives, a few years later, time to seek a party for his daughter, he turns to rich person applicants. Two young people, who grew separately, are unaware of all the secret bond which should link them. Hanan, starveling student, wander on the roads, of Yeshiva in yeshiva, radiating fire extatic of its desire to learn while the beautiful one and Lea melancholic person, spoiled child of a gilded prison (his/her mother died by giving him birth), resigns himself to a marriage of convenience.

At this point in time what was played thwarts and that what was untied ties. From passage to Braïnitz, where the family of the young girl resides, Hanan falls in love with Lea as soon as he sees it. The pure young girl dares rising the eyes on him in the Synagog and recognizes at once in him her true been engaged. Of course, the father, egoist and miserly, want nothing to hear passion which test one for the other his/her daughter and the poor young person. Certain indices bring back, however, with its memory the old promise. What to make? he is already too late, the destiny borrowed other ways…

Despaired, Hanan is devoted to cabalistic activities to try to obtain the gold which only, thinks it, will manage to make bend the hardened heart of Sender. In fact, the apprentice-wizard appears unable to control the powers that it wakes up and, undergoing the punishment reserved for that which makes bad use of the crowned formulas, fall struck down. This brutal term does not mean therefore the end of its sufferings. Deprived of its body and even of its name, the heart of death remains captive of its unsatiated passion, condemned to float “between two worlds”.

Lea will have to marry been engaged that one chose for it and that it does not like. Imprudently, it goes to the cemetery to invite Hanan with the celebration of its weddings. It is the occasion which the Dibbouk seizes to have the body of the young virgin. Lea carries from now on two hearts in it and, at the proper time of the bridal ceremony, it is the voice of Hanan which one intends to spout out his mouth and to howl, in the middle of general consternation, its refusal of the solemn assent.

Follow of cruel meetings of Exorcisme, carried out hand of Master by Azriel, the Rabbin miraculous whose power is weakness and the weakness power. The conspiracies remain initially without effect then, at the conclusion of one terrifying confrontation of invisible forces, the judge end up triumphing and obtain the separation of the two hearts, with the detriment of poor Léïélé which will not survive this psychic amputation. Lea joined the Voice in death at the time when the music of the weddings is heard.

Thus the promise, not held on the ground, is carried out in beyond, conferring on the couple of in love Jews a statute comparable with that which occupy, in addition, Tristan and Iseut or Romeo and Juliette.

An extract of the part

Lea: I hear your voice, but I do not see your face

the Voice: you are separated from me by a magic circle

Lea: which are you?

the Voice: I forgot, but I remember me through your thoughts

Around the part

the part was assembled by Habima (Hebraic theater) in Moscow, in 1922, in a setting in scene of Eugene Vakhtangov.

In France, it was assembled several times, in particular in 2004, by Daniel Mesguich and Krzysztof Warlikowski.

See too

Theater Yiddish

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