Where There's Smoke, There's Salmon

Need advice on where to stand at a bris?  Want to know the difference between a schlemiel and a schlemozzle? Wonder about the origin of certain curious Orthodox laws Searching for the secret to happiness? You’ll find all the answers here in Where There’s Smoke, There’s Salmon.

Beginning with the Bible and the Talmud and going all the way up to Karl Marx and Jackie Mason, author Michael Levin offers wisdom ranging from the thoughtful, “Art is a form of prayer” (Franz Kafka); to the devout, “Hear them not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God” (Isaiah); to the profane, “God is not wicked. The worst thing you can say is that He’s an underachiever” (Groucho Marx); to the downright bizarre, “You can’t ride two horses with one tuchas” (Yiddish Proverb).

This collection reflects a tradition full of suffering and silliness, piety and insolence, scholarship and random musings. As the idea of Jewish wisdom continues to evolve and become ever more complex, two traits persist: a sense of humor and a commitment to remembering the past. 

Michael Levin made his mother very happy when he received his law degree from Columbia Law School.  He is the author of What Every Jew Needs to Know About God and Guide to Jewish Internet, along with dozens of other works of fiction and non-fiction.