Joann Sfar's The Rabbi's Cat

The Rabbi's Cat By Joann Sfar

In Sfar's unexpectedly witty and fast read, The Rabbi's Cat, the author uses an animal protagonist to narrate a story that explores and comments on Judaism, which represents tradition, he further comments on Christianity as well, also seen as modernity. The commentary does not stop there however, I believe that through the cat's interactions with humans there is an undeniable role reversal present throughout the storyline, for instance, animals take on humanly characteristics while the human beings act in an animalistic fashion. In addition, Sfar seems to not only define differences between religions but he also allows the reader to witness the similarities shared by both traditional religious beliefs and the contemporary practices of newer religions.

This graphic novel was overly exciting to read, but not just because of the surprising sexual humor or the wit of kitty, but because as a Catholic I was consumed by the secularity and religious questioning of the cat. Shocking I know. I felt a bond with the nonreligious feline and I was able to analyze him the easiest of the characters due to similar views regarding the need for answers. The Rabbi's cat is undoubtedly a curious cat. He, out of all the characters in the book, contains the most depth, therefore he is a dynamic character while also being insightful, stubborn, pragmatic, sarcastic, unethical (depending on the person), manipulative and "westernized" in his ways of thinking. It is ironic that a Jew, even a Rabbi, known for devout loyalty to the Lord, would own such an untraditional pet who questions the Torah, the Rabbi's Rabbi and Judaism altogether.

Overall, I found one of tthe intriguing piece of this novel involved the relation between humans and animals. Although kitty is an animal he acquires the ability to speak, therefore he is given a human right, making him more humanly. But his speech is not  the only, nor the most significant, reason for why kitty is humanlike. The cat is very intelligent, he challenges the Rabbi's Rabbi about knowledge concerning God's existence or lack of existence, he can even read and dictate French better than his human master. He is a liar, which is only an ability that humans can partake in. The cat also mimicks humanistic ways, such as saying goodbye to his new found companion the dog while his master repeats the same transaction of departure to his cousin Rebibo on page 134.

In addition, Sfar not only details animals as human but he also plays with the idea that humans, men in particular, are animals in a satirical manner. On page 37, the cat observes the Rabbinical student as the scholar speaks in front of an audience. The cat ponders that "scholarship allows them to speak at the table to get women's attention, to crush their rivals, to interrupt their father." Kitty calls the men "Such animals." as he licks himself clean. Kitty even exclaims that humans, especially men, are promiscuous and that his mistress should be careful of man's infidelity, but in the same chapter kitty publicly has relations with another cat on the roof tops. Humans perceive animals to be gross and dirty, but in kitty's eyes, his master's decision to wipe his nose on his coat sleeve was a "disgusting" display of desperateness. Needless to say I was entertained by the cat's sense of humor and worldly affairs, but I kept in mind that the cat is an unreliable narrarator and his accounts of the story are for comic relief as well as hidden meaning.

After reading Joann Sfar's novel, I can say that I related to the text, however, my relation is detached from the lierary context. I am an artist, not a self-proclaimed Picasso, but I appreciated the effort and detail of the images used for the book. I believe that the book contained more strength as a graphic art form rather than just a literary piece; I am a visual learner and I was able to pull information from not only the literal quotations but from the drawings themselves. Personally I connected with the storyline of questioning religion on a ltieral level, but I also found relatability in the realistic human reactions. Regardless of the subject of debate, whether religion, lies, dogs vs. cats or tradition vs. modernity, there seemed to be an authenticity concerning the psychological motivations of each character. I was impressed with Sfar's inclusion of realism in his characters; I knew why Zlabya was self-conscious in her own Algerian skin while marrying a Parisian, I knew why Rebibo settled for humiliating jobs in order to have monetary security, I knew why the Rabbi's Rabbi was stubborn to suggest religious flaws of Judaism and I knew why the Rabbi defended his religion but ate the nonkosher meats.
Speaking of which, I believe that the last final pages of the book portray the Rabbi as a sinner, eating the buffet of unblessed meats and "witnessing a guy breaking the Shabbat" due to work (pg. 119), because that is who he truly is. I am not fooled by the Rabbi's religious face, he is a person, a natural sinner, a man who is seemingly devout, but even he knows that he must not be consumed by his faith or else he would lose his identity. In the end of the novel, after breaking more than one sacred commandments, he speaks with Jule's father, the epitome of westernized European secularity, and he does not condemn this man. Instead, he casually talks, even admitting that "he [a Rabbi] is not intelligent enough to respond to his concerns" (pg. 138), therefore admitting his faults and assuming his humanity back. Throughout the book the Rabbi has a self-realization, on the last page he now understands that there is happiness without full committment to the Torah and he has learned that there can be a balance between tradition and modernity as he prays with the Algerian Jews.

I would recommend this book to anyone in the mood for a good laugh, and to anyone who is interested in taking the time to read the words and the pictures, because Joann Sfar is more than a man of one meaning.