''Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet'' is a mystery novel written by

Harry Kemelman Harry Kemelman (November 24, 1908 – December 15, 1996) was an American mystery writer and a professor of English. He was the creator of the fictitious religious sleuth Rabbi David Small. Early life Harry Kemelman was born in Boston, Massac ...

in 1976, one of the ''Rabbi Small'' series.

Plot introduction

The fictional hero of the book, David Small, is the unconventional leader of the

Conservative Jewish Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generatio ...

congregation in the fictional suburban

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

town of Barnard's Crossing. As the protagonist of a series of novels, Rabbi Small has wisdom, an unerring sense of Jewish tradition (which can at times put him at odds with the Jewish community when he believes that they are seriously deviating from

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

) and all the good qualities of a detective sharpened by his

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cente ...

ic training, which enables him to see the ''third'' side of a problem. He is a devoted husband to his wife and (later in the series) father to his two children Jonathan and Hepsibah. Small's logic, learned from the

, plays an important part in the plots. Usually Small is drawn into the events when they involve a member of his congregation or Barnard's Crossing's Jewish community in general. Among other characters is Hugh Lanigan, the Catholic local police chief, and the two friends often discuss religion over a cup of tea. He has many troubles with his congregation and he is constantly at odds with at least one of its powerful members, usually the Temple President at the time.

Plot summary

Marcus Aptaker, owner of the long-established pharmacy ''Town-Line Drugs'', is in dispute with the Temple Board. The land which his business leases has been willed to the Temple by the late Mr Goralsky. The Board propose to sell it to a big-time real estate operator with other plans. His wife appeals to Rabbi Small, who can do nothing but is concerned that the Temple may be in breach of

Halacha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

. He also opposes their plan to buy a country retreat with the proceeds and employ a rabbi he does not know. Arnold, Aptaker's estranged son, also a

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

, returns home. He has been involved with an ultra-religious group and has adopted the name of Akiva Rokeach, but he and his father clash and he leaves angrily. An elderly man, Jacob Kestler, dies, ostensibly from a drug-related reaction and suspicion falls on the pharmacy - in particular on Arnold who had been working there. He is arrested by Lanigan, but Rabbi Small is not convinced of Arnold's guilt and proceeds to pinpoint the real culprit. The land deal does not go ahead and Rabbi Small, who had threatened to resign, remains with the Temple. Arnold remains in Barnard's Crossing and becomes engaged to Leah Kaplan, daughter of Temple President, Chester Kaplan

Characters

* David Small – the Rabbi of the title, protagonist * Hugh Lanigan – the local police chief * Miriam Small – the Rabbi's wife * Marcus Aptaker – pharmacist * Arnold Aptaker/Akiva Rokeach – son of Marcus * Chester Kaplan – Temple President * Leah Kaplan – daughter of Chester

References

{{Reflist 1976 American novels American mystery novels Edgar Award-winning works Novels set in Massachusetts Novels about rabbis