Steinberg’s Cow and the Wild Bull

Steinberg’s Cow and the Wild Bull

“Don’t worry, the deliberations take less than a minute, and if an agreement cannot be reached, we get in touch with God and He calls the shots.” This is how the trial of Aryeh Dagan in ‘The Heavenly Court’ begins. ‘Steinberg’s Cow and the Wild Bull’ tells the story of Aryeh Dagan’s death, and the process of his passage to the afterlife. The story is told from his own point of view, and from the point of view of the angel in charge of accompanying him there. Before the trial, Aryeh gets the opportunity to visit both heaven and hell. He is positively impressed by heaven. In hell, Aryeh comes upon the cow from Eliezer Steinberg’s famous fable, ‘Before the Heavenly Court’ . It is this fable, which emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, that provides the thematic thread woven through the pages of the book. An hour before the trial, Aryeh views a presentation that describes the course of his life. He re-experiences the various events that molded his life and character – and which will eventually determine the outcome of his trial. Will Aryeh go to heaven, or will he wind up in hell?