Symbol: Gimpel
Gimpel himself can be interpreted as a symbol of foolishness. However, rather than simply representing the negative connotations of what it means to be foolish, Gimpel also showcases how foolishness – in the form of blissful ignorance, trust, and a belief in possibility – can be a conscious and necessary choice. By portraying Gimpel as someone who is frequently aware of reality but chooses to appear unaware, the story joins a long literary tradition of questioning whether "fools" are actually wiser than they seem.
Symbol: The Rabbi
The rabbi symbolizes moral and religious authority in the story. He is the only one who offers Gimpel any form of redemption in town, as he encourages Gimpel to see foolishness in everyone else for inflicting such cruelty on him alone. The rabbi also believes Gimpel when he claims that Elka was unfaithful, instructing him to divorce her immediately. The rabbi, who maintains authority over the town, becomes a representative of moral righteousness while the townspeople fail to uphold his teaching.
Symbol: Contaminated Bread
The bread that Gimpel bakes after being visited by the spirit symbolizes the temptation of evil. This temptation is not dissimilar from the temptation of Eve in the Book of Genesis, when Satan convinces her and Adam to eat from the tree of knowledge, thereby disobeying God. What prevents Gimpel from fulfilling this temptation is a vision of Elka, presumably suffering in Hell. In this way, Gimpel's temptation is offset by his trust in God – the same trust for which he has been deemed a fool by others.
Motif: Choosing Foolishness
Throughout the story, Gimpel encounters a number of situations in which he knows the truth but decides to believe otherwise. He knows, for example, that Elka is unfaithful to him and the children she bears are not his. However, he allows himself to be convinced otherwise, for living without her and the children is more difficult than living with his imperfect family. Gimpel's consistent choice to believe his deceptive wife calls into question whether foolishness is a truly undesirable quality or whether it has some utility for happiness and morality.
