SEFER HAZICHREINEIS: IT'S NOT A HISTORY BOOK

This post was a response to a commenter's criticism of the Rebbe Rayatz's sefer zichreineis and historical accounts:

At mentalblog.com (Thread: Modern Yeshiva – a Torah prohibition?) Yehuda writes: How could one repeat verbatim a conversation that occurred 200 years ago?

Do you really seriously think that such is the level of historic fidelity expected form any stories? Dialog accuracy? I guess all sippurei tzadikim are worthless-waste-of-time-bobe-maises, if judged by that standard.

berl, crown heights 07.18.05 - 5:27 pm #

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I was 16 when I read the Sefer Hazichreineis for the first time. Even at that age, I did not for a moment imagine that the dialog replicas were presented in the book as stenographer’s record. To hear this expectation from a grown man is just shocking! As to the genesis of the chassidus outlined in the book - it would be interesting to hear more specifics.
For instance, what specific historic claim made in the book is disputed? On what grounds? By whom?
Also remember, most of the book deals with the history of Beis HoRav and tells stories about various unknown "simple Jews". What do these subject have to do with the verifiable historic record?

berl, crown heights 07.18.05 - 7:07 pm #