Micha Josef Berdyczewski (later: Bin-Gorion) (1865-1921) was born in Medzibezh, Podolia, and was the descendant of a line of Chassidic rabbis. His father served as the rabbi of Medzibezh during his childhood. As a young man, Berdyczewski began reading Haskalah writers and the ensuing struggle between modern ideas and the concepts and forces of traditional Judaism animated his writings throughout his life. In 1886 he began studying at the Volozhin Yeshiva. It was here that he began his literary career, infuriating his teachers. Berdyczewski left Russia for Germany (1890) and spent two years in Breslau, studying at the rabbinical seminary and the university. In 1892 he moved to Berlin, where he combined both Jewish and secular studies. Berdyczewski 's revolutionary ideas took shape under the impact of his studies in philosophy while in Germany. After studying in Bern for two years, Berdyczewski returned to spend four of his most productive years (1896-1900) in Berlin. Stimulated by his opposition to both Ahad Ha-Am and Herzl, and encouraged by his friends and other Hebrew writers there, Berdyczewski published in many of the leading Hebrew journals, vigorously attacking all accepted ideologies. In 1900 Berdyczewski firmly established himself in the history of Hebrew literature with the publication of nine volumes of articles and stories. After a short stay in Warsaw, he returned to Germany and Breslau and devoted himself to literary work, continuing through times of poverty and infirmity, until his death. In Breslau he continued to write in Hebrew, but embarked upon several new ventures - writing articles and stories in Yiddish, systematically collecting rabbinic legends, studying the origins of Judaism with particular emphasis on the Samaritan tradition and writing a diary in German. After the war he was deeply shocked at the news of the pogrom in Doubovo and his father's murder. Nevertheless, Berdyczewski wrote some of his major stories after the war, notably his short novel, Miriam, which he completed shortly before his death.
Books Published in Hebrew
From Home and Away (stories), Piotrków: Tushiyah, 1899 [Mi-Bayit U-Mi-Chutz: Tmunot Ve-Tziyurim]
Two Camps (story), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1899 [Machanayim]
On the Road (essays), Warsaw: Tze'irim, 1899 [Al Em Ha-Derech: Shmona Asar Davar]
Values (essays), Warsaw: Tze'irim, 1899 [Arachin: Asara Ma'amarot]
On the Agenda (essays), Warsaw: Tze'irim, 1899 [Al Ha-Perek: Shmona Dvarim]
Weaklings (essays), Warsaw: Tze'irim, 1899 [Namoshot: Trei Asar Davar]
From My Little Town (stories), Piotrków: Tushiyah, 1900 [Me-Iri Ha-Ktana: Reshimot Ve-Sirtutim]
Nonsense (story), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1900 [Urva Parach]
Book of Hasidim (essays & legends), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1900 [Sefer Chasidim: Agadot, Partzufim Ve-Chezyonot]
From Two Worlds (stories), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1902 [Mi-Shnei Olamot: Sipurim Ve-Tziyurim]
Claims and Arguments (essays), Warsaw: Tze'irim, 1902 [Din U-Dvarim: Asara Ma'amarot]
Articles, Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1902 [Ma'amarot: Inyanei Mechkar]
In Literature (essays), Krakow: Ivriya Center, 1907 [Ba-Sefer: Kuntres Ma'amarim]
Fairy Tales and Legends (children), Warsaw: Tushiyah/ Nitzanim, 1907 [Ma'asiyot Ve-Agadot]
Matter and Spirit (essays), Breslau: Tze'irim, 1908 [Ba-Chomer U-Va-Ruach: Dvarim Ovrim]
From Working Days (essays), Breslau: Tze'irim, 1908 [Mi-Yemei Ha-Ma'aseh: Kta'im]
From Right and Left (essays), Breslau: Tze'irim, 1909 [Mi-Yamin U-Mi-Smol: Arba'a Ma'amarim]
Not Long Ago (stories), Warsaw: Hasefer, 1909 [Me-He-Avar Ha-Karov: 24 Sipurim]
Twilight (essays), Breslau: Tze'irim, 1909 [Arbayim: Divrei Mechkar]
In the Evening (essays), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1910 [Ba-Erev: Tipusim Sifrutiyim]
To the Land of the Forefathers (stories), Odessa: Dfus Hailperin, 1910; Odessa: Moriah, 1919; Jerusalem: Moriah, 1922, Tel Aviv: Omanut, 1930 [Le-Eretz Avot: Ha-Yetzia; Ha-Bricha]
Horeb (essays), Breslau: Tze'irim, 1911 [Horev: Inyanei Dat]
Poetry and Language (essays), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1911 [Ba-Shira U-Va-Lashon]
Literary Output (essays), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1911 [Pri Sefer: Inyanei Bikoret]
The Valley of Life (stories), Warsaw: Tushiyah, 1912 [Me-Emek Ha-Chayim: Sipurim Shonim]
A Treasury of Legends [2 vols.], Berlin: Ahisefer. 1913 [Me-Otzar Ha-Agada]
Collected Works: New and Old [7 vols.], Leipzig: Stybel, 1921-1925; [6 vols.], Tel Aviv: Stybel, 1936 [Kitvei Micha Yosef Bin-Gorion: Chadashim Gam Yeshanim]
On a Distant Journey: Stories & Legends, Kupat Hasefer, 1922 [Be-Derech Rechoka: Sipurim Ve-Agadot]
On a Distant Journey (stories & essays), Dvir, 1930 [Dor Dor Ve-Sofrav: Be-Derech Rechoka]
Stories, New York: Israel Matz Foundation, 1939 [Sipurim]
A Treasury of Legends, Dvir, 1939; 1956 [Me-Otzar Ha-Agada: Mivchar Li-Vnei Ha-Neurim]
Tales from the Past (stories), Am Oved, 1945 [Ma'asim She-Hayu: Mivchar Sipurim]
Micha Josef Bin-Gorion: Selection (stories & essays), Am Oved, 1946 [Micha Yosef Bin-Gorion: Leket]
Collected Works: Stories; Articles; Legends [3 vols.], Am Oved, 1951; 1952; 1956 [Sipurim; Ma'amarim; Tzfunot Ve-Agadot]
Yeshu Ben Hanan [translated from the German by Emanuel Bin-Gorion] (non-fiction), Moreshet Micha Yosef, 1959 [Yeshu Ben Hanan]
Collected Works: Stories; Articles [2 vols.], Dvir, 1960 [Kitvei Micha Yosef Bin-Gorion (Berdyczewski): Sipurim; Ma'amarim]
The Life of Moses [translated from the German by Emanuel Bin-Gorion] (non-fiction), Moreshet Micha Yosef, 1961 [Chayei Moshe, Ish Ha-Elohim]
Micha Josef Berdyczewski; Yosef Haim Brenner: Letters 1906-1921, Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1962; Reshafim, Bet Devorah Ve-Emanuel, 1984 [Chalifat Igrot (1906-1921)]
Sinai and Gerizim [2 vols., translated from the German by Emanuel Bin-Gorion] (non-fiction), Moreshet Micha Yosef, 1962; 1963 [Sinai U-Grizim]
Yiddish Works of a Distant Relative [translated from the Yiddish by M.Z. Wolfowski] (stories & essays), Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1964 [Ktavim Yehudiyim Me-Et Karov Rachok]
Selected Stories, Dvir, 1965 [Sipurim Nivcharim]
Judah and Israel [translated from the German by Emanuel Bin-Gorion] (non-fiction), Moreshet Micha Yosef, 1965 [Yehuda Ve-Israel]
Short Novels, Bialik Institute, 1971 [Romanim Ktzarim]
Saul and Paul [translated from the German by Emanuel Bin-Gorion] (non-fiction), Moreshet Micha Yosef, 1971 [Shaul U-Paul]
Miriam (novel), Yachdav, The Hebrew Writers Association, 1971; Hakibbutz Hameuchad/ Siman Kriah, 2011 [Miriam: Roman Me-Chayei Shtei Ayarot]
Diary Chapters [translated from the German by Rachel Bin-Gorion], Moreshet Micha Yosef, 1974 [Amal-Yom Ve-Haguto: Pirkei Yoman]
Stories: Selection, Dvir, 1980 [Sipurim: Mivchar]
Sayings (aphorisms), Dvir, 1982 [Amarot]
Three Short Novels: You Shall Build a House; From a Place of Thunder; Street Residents, Tarmil, 1982 [Shlosha Romanim Ktzarim: Bayit Tivneh; Be-Seter Ra'am; Garei Rechov]
Vision Notebooks (essays), Reshafim, Bet Devorah Ve-Emanuel, 1983 [Machberot Chazon: Sefer Chasidim; Ma'amarot]
Reader (stories & essays), New York & Tel Aviv: Israel Matz Hebrew Classics, I. Edward Kiev Library Foundation, 1983 [Yalkut Micha Yosef Berdyczewski (Bin-Gorion)]
Volozhin Chapters, 1888 (essays), Reshafim, Bet Devorah Ve-Emanuel, 1984 [Pirkei Volojin (1888)]
On the Connection Between Ethics and Aesthetics [translated from the German by Alexander Barzel] (non-fiction), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/ Sifriat Poalim, 1986 [Al Ha-Kesher Bein Etika Le-Estetika]
Poesy and Language (essays), Bialik Institute, 1987 [Shira Ve-Lashon: Mivchar Masot U-Reshimot]
From Two Worlds: Short Stories, Dvir, 1988 [Mi-Shnei Olamot]
Stories, 1899-1900, Reshafim, Bet Devorah Ve-Emanuel, 1991 [Sipurei Taras]
Collected Works [13 vols. to date], Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1996-2017 [Kitvei Micha Yosef Berdyczewski (Bin-Gorion)]
Miriam: a Novel of Two Townships [annotated edition with introduction by Zipora Kagan], University of Haifa, Zmora-Bitan, 1997 [Roman Gamur: Miriam Le-Micha Yosef Berdyczewsky: Mahadura Mechkarit]
Klonimus and Naomi (story), Babel, 2001 [Klonimus Ve-Naomi]
The Thunder of Beauty (stories), Hakibbutz Hameuchad/ Siman Kriah, 2009 [Ra'am Ha-Yofi]
Books in Translation
Collected Stories
English: Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1976
Miriam : a novel about life in two townships
English: Tel Aviv, Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature, 1983
Miriam and Other Stories
English: New Milford/London, The Toby Press, 2004
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