The Yiddish Policemen's Union

Chabon’s novel argues that the world is inherently mysterious and ambiguous, and uncertainty must be accepted as a given rather than as a problem to be solved. This idea is central to the novel’s narrative structure and its character development.

This theme is demonstrated most clearly in the characterization of Mendel Shpilman, whose status as the Tzaddik Ha-Dor of Jewish tradition is a recurring question that hangs over Landsman’s investigation. Mendel’s refusal to be the messianic figure that his father wants him to be is complicated by the clear demonstration of his supernatural gifts. These contradictions deepen with the revelation of his sexuality, which disrupts his parents’ efforts to leverage him as an asset in the power struggle between Sitka’s religious factions. Mendel’s death, which is the inciting incident of the novel, also has troubling implications on his status as Tzaddik Ha-Dor, either suggesting that he isn’t the Messiah despite his abilities or that the world has rejected the Messiah and failed to realize its own promised destiny.

The many ambiguities that surround the character of Mendel parallel those that shape Meyer Landsman’s life. On one hand, the nature of Landsman’s occupation has him striving toward certainty.