The Commentator

The recent worldwide captivation over the finale to the Harry Potter series is testimony to the powerful effect that novels and movies can have on mankind.  To a lesser extent, fantasy trilogies such as the Lord of the Rings, the Matrix, and both sets of Star Wars attracted and excited many fans throughout the world, and are indisputably classics.  When one involves himself in the reading or watching of a classic, he can experience an emotion of deep happiness resulting from his knowledge that he is involved in something that has become a part of so many people’s lives, and thus a part of the world.  This feeling leads to a greater and more meaningful appreciation of the world.  This is the most basic value that a ben Torah can gain from fantasies. However, together with the ability to penetrate people’s emotions and have a strong impact on their lives comes the great responsibility of making that influence a positive one. In the following article I will develop various ways that fantasies can benefit the religious life of a thinking Jew.

I. Themes in Fantasy and their Relevance to Judaism

Unlike most other genres, most fantasy movies successfully impart a positive message and important moral values that are particularly important for their younger fans. One important idea found in fantasy is the willingness of the hero to do good even in the face of difficult challenges.  Harry’s heeding of Dumbledore’s plea that he do what is right, not what is easy, is a basic tenet of Jewish thought and mussar.  Additionally, Neo’s character stands as a stark contrast to Cypher’s view that ignorance is bliss.

Another theme in fantasy is the potential in everyone for good and evil, which is greatly emphasized by the special connection that often exists between the story’s heroin and its villain: Darth Vader is Luke’s father; part of Lord Volermort’s soul exists inside Harry Potter.  Here it is also important to point out that many of the villains of fantasy tales are very intelligent and powerful, and originally had great potential for good.  Chazal tell us kol hagadol m’chaveiro, yitzro gadol heimenu.ⁱ  The fact that Anikan Skywalker, with whom the force resonated more strongly than any other Jedi, became the story’s villain is a strong parallel of this idea.

The theme of dying “al Kiddush Hashem,” l’havdil, is very apparent in these stories, as Dumbledore, Snape, Harry, Neo and Anikan all perform such heroic acts.  Although all of these lessons could have been learned by reading sefarim, a film or novel has the advantage of powerfully driving home these messages through the emotional involvement of the audience and readers.

Many of these lessons resonate so clearly with us because many fantasies have a strong basis in Biblical stories and contain many Biblical references.  Although this is not the main thrust of this article, they deserve some mention.  The most obvious of these references is Messianism; each of the stories mentioned above features a hero constantly referred to as “The One,” who is chosen through prophecy.  Other themes with religious roots include the guidance of an old and wise leader, a strong contrast between good and evil, and of course the famous phrase “May the Force be with you.”  The extent to which one notices Torah ideals in secular contexts, instead of the other way around, can be a good indicator of his growth in avodat Hashem.

II. Why Fantasy?

I would like to deal with a simple question.  As was mentioned earlier, fantasy seems to attract more fans than other genres.  The release of the final Harry Potter novel demonstrated that devotees of fantasy have closer emotional ties to their genre than any other type of fan.  Why is it that people are so strongly drawn to fantasy?  The high levels of suspense, excitement and especially passion that are strongly expressed can certainly play on one’s emotions, but these qualities are not unique to the fantasy genre.  The answer, I believe, is certainly no chiddush: people are enticed by the notion that there is more to the world than merely what they experience and see.  It is not childish to be excited by the thought that people can do magic. The prospect of a world full of elves, hobbits, and other mysterious creatures is a fascinating one. The possibility that we are all living in a matrix is intriguing. People want to believe that “the Force” really exists. These ideas have the capacity to spark a person’s interest in a much deeper way than a comedy or an action film. Fantasies do not simply provide entertainment; they give the audience a glimpse of the world they wish could be real.

III. Fantasy in a Jewish Context

The arousal of a person’s emotions by their imagining a fantasy world can be extended into their thoughts even when not reading a book or watching a movie. Thus, fantasies have the potential to increase a feeling of wonder about the world. If this feeling is properly directed in a religious context, it can be a great enhancement to one’s avodah.

Now, one must evaluate the different Jewish contexts in which this feeling of wonder and yearning for a more magical world can be placed. In order to do this we must specify further, why is it that people wish for a world that contains more than what they experience? A strong possibility is the idea presented in the beginning of Likkutei Amarim, that every person has an innate yearning for spirituality.  Since today’s world is devoid of spirituality, this tendency may manifest itself through attraction to fantasies.  If this is the case, our emotional draw to the fantasy genre should excite us, and hopefully bring us to realize that we need to look no further than our own religion to fulfill our desire for meaning. There really is something about the world that is more than what we see in our daily lives, and that thing is God’s hand.  Fantasy stories could be used as illustrations that aid us in internalizing this idea.

Alternatively, people could simply be amazed by their introduction to a new world in which people can go beyond the limitations that we take for granted.  This idea can also be taken one important step further.   I believe it is clear that when people are excited by fantasies, for the above-mentioned reasons, they are not merely excited about the idea of magic.  They themselves want to be the hero.  I presume that if a poll were taken, a vast majority of people would admit to wishing they could be Harry Potter.  Even when reminded that they would have had to encounter many near-death experiences without knowing that they would survive, and knowing that they have the responsibility of giving their lives to save the world, most people would still opt for both the magical powers, and the task of leading a revolution.  This is most-likely based on three desires that human beings naturally possess: the desire for power, kavod, and a sense of purpose.  These yearnings can be used for great good, and also for great evil, as is conveniently highlighted by most fantasy stories themselves.ⁱⁱ

More importantly, the unique combination of the fascination with magic along with passionate heroism and the drama of revolutionizing the world, which is only found in fantasies, is exactly how many wish to envision the coming of Moshiach. When the Rambamⁱⁱⁱ paskins like the Gemara in Brachos^iv that the only difference between the days of the Moshiach and the current world will be shibud malchuyos, we can’t help but feel a bit of disappointment. Doesn’t Tanach stress that the war of Gog U’Magog will be so brutal that it will take seven months to bury the dead^v?  Won’t the Moshiach arise from an explosion of fire, brimstone, and smoke? Won’t he have supernatural powers that he will use to lead the Jewish revolution? Are these powers not hinted to in Tanach?^vi

Moreover, and perhaps most striking, when we long for the coming of the Moshiach, and I believe we sincerely do, we really envision or wish to actually be the Moshiach, or at least one of his “sidekicks (l’havdil).” Once again, who doesn’t wish they were Harry Potter?  There is something enticing about the supernatural powers, the kavod of the entire Jewish people looking up to you, and the passion of being the leader.  Even though we genuinely want the Moshiach, whoever it may be, perhaps subconsciously we really wish it could be ourselves.

In light of all of this, should we conclude that fantasies corrupt our visions of Moshiach with hopes that are not realistic or ideal in the Jewish system of values? Perhaps fantasies do not corrupt our longing for Moshiach, but instead make them more tangible, by giving us a glimpse of our dreams so that we continue to yearn for Moshiach with even more intensity.

IV. The Pleasure of Fantasy

Finally, there is one aspect of fantasy reading or watching that I believe to be a clear benefit.  The Rambam says that in the world to come there will be no eating or drinking, rather the righteous will have pleasure from basking in God’s presence.^vii  The Rambam acknowledges that this vision of paradise is impossible for a human being to fathom.  How enjoyable will the reward of olam haba really be?   How are we supposed to understand a pleasure that is void of physicality, one that is purely spiritual?  While reading the final novel of the Harry Potter series this summer, and I admit, getting immense pleasure doing so, I tried to identify the pleasure I was feeling.  I believe it was the exhilaration of the plot development and the excitement that everything from the previous six books was coming together.  Everything that I had read about in the past made more sense.  With each revelation of a new detail of the plot, the more everything made sense, and the more pleasure I felt.  I then realized that this pleasure did not stem from eating or drinking, it had nothing to do with drugs or girls, and it wasn’t because my animalistic tendencies to enjoy violence allowed me to be entertained by action.  Instead, there was depth to my pleasure, and it stemmed from a satisfying understanding of the past.  Thus, in a way, the pleasure was spiritual.

So you see that my title was not an attempt to question one of the Rambam’s thirteen principles, but rather I was alluding to the following idea: I believe that fantasies, like Shabbos (l’havdil elef alphei havdalos), are m’ein olam haba.  A fantasy delights us by proposing that there is more to the world than what we experience.  It stimulates our emotions, slowly develops ideas and reveals to us the meaning of the past, and empowers us with a strong sense of purpose.  So too, olam haba will enamor us with an understanding of the spiritual worlds and their relation to our world, show us the beauty of Jewish history, and reveal to us a deeper understanding of the Torah, and most importantly, God.  He who takes measures to ensure that he anxiously awaits this pleasure should surely be praised!  And any methodology that can help us grasp the concept of this pleasure should surely be valued!^viii

Michael Kurin is a senior in YC, majoring in Biology and Physics 

ⁱⁱ  As an aside, on that simple level, fantasies can be a useful reminder to us to use these desires for the greater good.

ⁱⁱⁱ  Hilchos Melachim, 12:2

^iv  Brachot, 34b

^v  Ezekiel 39:12

^vi  i.e. Isaiah 11:4

^vii  See Hilchos Teshuva and Introduction to Perek Chelek

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