Gimpel the Fool

In the Jewish faith, bread holds deep religious symbolism, reflecting sustenance, community, and connection to tradition. For this reason, in “Gimpel the Fool,” Gimpel's role as a baker symbolizes his attempts to physically and spiritually nourish his community through his faith. This is portrayed when Gimpel shows his love for Elka. When she bears a son shortly after their wedding, he gives her "a white loaf as well as a dark one, and also poppyseed rolls I baked myself" (997) in addition to many other delicacies. Similarly, he reaches out to Elka after she gives birth to her second child. He is forbidden from seeing her, but every day he sends her "a corn or a wheat loaf, or a piece of pastry, rolls or bagels, or, when I got the chance, a slab of pudding, a slice of honeycake, or wedding strudel—whatever came my way" (999). This outpouring of generosity from the bakery symbolizes Gimpel's love for Elka and her children even though the townspeople mock him for his devotion.

Bread is also symbolic when the Evil Spirit visits Gimpel and persuades him to urinate in the day's batch of bread dough.