Kaddish (The X-Files)
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"Kaddish" is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of the American
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
television series ''
The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
''. It was written by producer
Howard Gordon Howard Gordon (born March 31, 1961) is an American screenwriter and producer. He is well known for his work on the Fox action series '' 24'' alongside the Showtime thriller '' Homeland'', which he co-developed with Alex Gansa and Gideon Raf ...
and directed by
Kim Manners Kim Manners (January 13, 1951 – January 25, 2009) was an American television producer and director best known for his work on ''The X-Files'' and ''Supernatural''. Early life Kim Manners was raised in a show business family. His father, Sam ...
. The episode originally aired on the
Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
network on February 16, 1997. The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, a stand-alone plot unconnected to the series' wider
mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...
, or overarching history. The episode received a Nielsen household rating of 10.3 and was viewed by 16.56 million viewers. It received moderately positive reviews from critics. The show centers on
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
special agents
Fox Mulder Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
(
David Duchovny David William Duchovny ( ; born ) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He received his breakthrough with the role of Fox Mulder in The X-Files franchise, earning Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
) and
Dana Scully Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
(
Gillian Anderson Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and activist. She is best known for her roles as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi series ''The X-Files'' (1993–2002; 2016–2018), Lily Bart in the dr ...
) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called
X-File In the fictional universe of the television series ''The X-Files'', an "X-File" is a case that has been deemed unsolvable or given minimal-priority status by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. These files are transferred to the X-Files unit. Th ...
s. In the episode, Isaac Luria (Harrison Coe), a Jewish man, is killed by a group of teenagers working for a racist shop owner. One of the assailants, however, is soon strangled to death and the fingerprints on his neck are Isaac's. Despite other factors, Mulder becomes convinced that a
golem A golem ( ; ) is an animated Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
is attempting to avenge Isaac's murder. "Kaddish" was written by Gordon due to his fascination with the legend of the Golem from
Jewish folklore Jewish folklore are legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales, stories, tall tales, and customs that are the traditions of Judaism. Folktales are characterized by the presence of unusual personages, by the sudde ...
. Originally, the script called for the antagonist to be an
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
"
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott; May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI), a Black nationalism, black nationalist organization. Farrakhan is notable for his leadership of the 1995 Million M ...
-like" character, but Fox was concerned that the show's increasing popularity with black viewers would be damaged by this, and Gordon agreed to make the villains into, in his words, "cartoonish neo-Nazis".
Gastown Gastown is the original settlement that became the core of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and a national historic site and a neighbourhood in the northwest section of the Downtown Eastside, adjacent to Downtown Vancouver. Its ...
,
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
stood in for many of the exterior shots that were supposed to be Brooklyn. No Jewish synagogue would rent out their space for the episode, so Shaughnessy Heights United Church was renovated to look like one. This included completely redecorating the pews, carpet, and light fixtures, as well as crafting a Jewish altar. The episode's title is a reference to the Jewish mourning prayer service (). "Kaddish" has been critically examined for its themes concerning love and hate.


Plot

In
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
, a group of
Hasidic Jews Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those affi ...
gather at a cemetery for the funeral of Isaac Luria (Harrison Coe), who had been beaten and shot to death by a gang of three young
neo-Nazis Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and racial supremacy (often white supremacy), to att ...
. The last to leave is Isaac's betrothed, Ariel (
Justine Miceli Justine Miceli (born April 30, 1959) is a retired American actress, known for her role as Det. Adrienne Lesniak in the ABC police drama series, ''NYPD Blue''. Life and career Miceli was born in Sunnyside, Queens, New York. Miceli studied actin ...
), and her father, Jacob Weiss (
David Groh David Lawrence Groh (May 21, 1939 – February 12, 2008)Noland, Claire (14 February 2008)"David Groh, 68; Husband on 'Rhoda'". ''Los Angeles Times''. was an American actor best known for his portrayal of Joe Gerard in the 1970s television series ...
). During nightfall, a dark figure enters the cemetery and crafts a man-shaped sculpture out of mud. When one of Isaac's assailants is found strangled with the dead man's
fingerprint A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfa ...
s on his body,
Fox Mulder Fox William Mulder () is a fictional FBI Special Agent and one of the two protagonists of the Fox science fiction-supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by David Duchovny. Mulder's peers dismiss his many theories on extraterr ...
(
David Duchovny David William Duchovny ( ; born ) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He received his breakthrough with the role of Fox Mulder in The X-Files franchise, earning Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
) and
Dana Scully Dana Katherine Scully, M.D., is a fictional character and one of the two protagonists in the Fox science-fiction, supernatural television series ''The X-Files'', played by Gillian Anderson. Scully is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Spe ...
(
Gillian Anderson Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress, writer, and activist. She is best known for her roles as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi series ''The X-Files'' (1993–2002; 2016–2018), Lily Bart in the dr ...
) are called in to investigate. Scully suggests that the murder was an act of
retribution Retribution may refer to: * Punishment * Retributive justice, a theory of justice ** Divine retribution, retributive justice in a religious context * Revenge, a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance Film and televis ...
, and argues that the evidence was staged to look like revenge from beyond the grave. When the agents visit Ariel and Jacob, their request for the exhumation of Isaac's body angers the old man. Mulder and Scully then interview Curt Brunjes (Jonathan Whittaker), the racist owner of a copy shop across the street from the market where Isaac worked. Mulder tells Brunjes that the other two boys, who work for Brunjes, are in danger. Scully mentions that there is a rumor spreading that Isaac has risen from the grave to avenge his death. The two boys, who are eavesdropping on the conversation, are terrified at this prospect. That night, the boys dig up Isaac's grave and find his body intact. While retrieving tools from the car, one of the boys is brutally murdered. The next morning, Mulder and Scully find a
Sefer Yetzirah ''Sefer Yetzirah'' ( ''Sēp̄er Yəṣīrā'', ''Book of Formation'', or ''Book of Creation'') is a work of Jewish mysticism. Early commentaries, such as the ''Kuzari'', treated it as a treatise on mathematical and linguistic theory, as opposed t ...
, a book on Jewish mysticism buried with Isaac's body; it mysteriously bursts into flames. On the book is Jacob's name. The agents search for Jacob, finding him in a
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
with the hanged body of the last remaining boy. Although Jacob admits to both of the murders, Mulder believes that a
Golem A golem ( ; ) is an animated Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
—a creature from Jewish mysticism—is the true murderer. Later, Brunjes is found murdered and Mulder and Scully watch the shop's surveillance tape. They discover that the Golem has features similar to Isaac. Mulder deduces that, because Ariel and Isaac were not officially wed in a Jewish synagogue, Ariel created the Golem out of love to serve as a surrogate for her late husband. The two agents arrive at the synagogue to find Ariel and the creature exchanging wedding vows. After an intense fight, in which Jacob and Mulder are both wounded, Ariel declares her love for Isaac and returns the creature to dust.


Production


Writing

"Kaddish" was written by producer
Howard Gordon Howard Gordon (born March 31, 1961) is an American screenwriter and producer. He is well known for his work on the Fox action series '' 24'' alongside the Showtime thriller '' Homeland'', which he co-developed with Alex Gansa and Gideon Raf ...
, directed by
Kim Manners Kim Manners (January 13, 1951 – January 25, 2009) was an American television producer and director best known for his work on ''The X-Files'' and ''Supernatural''. Early life Kim Manners was raised in a show business family. His father, Sam ...
, and dedicated to the memory of Lillian Katz, Gordon's grandmother. Gordon was inspired to write the episode based on his heritage. He noted, "I was always compelled by the Golem mythology. We had never dealt with the horrors of
antisemitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
and the power of the word [on ''
The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
'']. And because I'm Jewish, it was something that was really compelling to me personally."Hurwitz & Knowles (2008), p. 109. The idea to create a story centering on a Golem, however, had been proposed several times before by "probably every Jewish writer who's passed through", according to Gordon. However, Gordon's unique take on the story, complete with an "emotional basis", began to develop after he attended a wedding of two of his friends. During the ceremony, the officiating rabbi, who was a survivor of the
Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
, used a real Jewish relic: the communal ring that was eventually featured in the episode. The ring inspired Gordon to pen a "''Romeo and Juliet''-like" story that revolved around the power of love and the powerful desire to bring back loved ones from the dead. As such, the episode's title is a reference to the Jewish mourning prayer service. Gordon's original version of the script called for both the protagonists and the antagonists to be
African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...
, and the main protagonist to be a "
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott; May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI), a Black nationalism, black nationalist organization. Farrakhan is notable for his leadership of the 1995 Million M ...
-like" character. Gordon later rewrote the script because he realized "black
anti-Semitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
is a very subtle and difficult subject and not what I needed in my dramatic structure." Gordon wanted much of his episode to focus on anti-Semitism, thereby contrasting sharply with the episode's main theme about love. To create Brunjes's propaganda, Gordon reached out to the Anti-Defamation League and requested samples from their archives. These articles were later reproduced and used in the episode with only "minor alterations".


Casting and characterization

Justine Miceli, the actress who played Ariel, based her character's sorrowful demeanor on the memory of her own father's death due to cancer. Although she is not Jewish, Miceli was assisted by a friend's rabbi, who helped her learn the proper pronunciation for many of the Jewish prayers used in the episode. Gordon was adamant that he did not want Jacob Weiss to be portrayed in a stereotypical way. Initially, he was disappointed when actor David Groh affected a
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
accent, for fear that Weiss' scenes could "lapse into parody rather easily". Gordon, however, stated that Groh had a "certain verisimilitude" and that in the end it was "the right choice" for him to have the accent. Many fans on the internet were hoping that the episode would reveal whether or not Mulder is Jewish. In the episode, however, Mulder is unable to identify a Jewish book, states that he does not know
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
, and quips that
Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
returned from the dead. When asked whether or not Mulder is Jewish, Gordon said that he did not think that he is, nor did he think he is "even half-Jewish". He did, however, note that "there's something about David uchovnythat could be Jewish or that has a Jewish sensibility."


Filming and music

The scene featuring the burning book was difficult to film, as the pyrotechnics refused to cooperate. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson ended up spending far more production time than originally allotted to shoot the scene.Meisler (1998), p. 133.
Gastown Gastown is the original settlement that became the core of the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and a national historic site and a neighbourhood in the northwest section of the Downtown Eastside, adjacent to Downtown Vancouver. Its ...
,
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
—described as "the only area in Vancouver that even remotely resembles residential Queens"—stood in for many of the exterior shots. Shots at the Weiss' apartment were filmed at the Winter's Hotel. Originally, the production team was going to remove the hotel's neon sign, but director Manners, instead, decided to "move the camera another five feet", thereby avoiding "prohibitive" expenses.Gradnitzer & Pittson (1999), p. 133. None of the synagogues in the
Greater Vancouver Greater Vancouver, also known as Metro Vancouver, is the metropolitan area with its major urban centre being the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The term ''Greater Vancouver'' describes an area that is roughly coterminous with the r ...
area were willing to let the production crew use their space,Meisler (1998), p. 132. so the scenes in the synagogue were actually filmed at Shaughnessy Heights United Church. The church was chosen because its "gothic interior" and "stained glass windows ... resembled many New York synagogues". The church was booked for two weeks so that the entire interior could be redecorated to look like a legitimate Jewish temple. This included completely redesigning the pews, carpet, and light fixtures, as well as crafting a Jewish altar.Gradnitzer & Pittson (1999), p. 134. During the construction of the altar, a Hebrew translation of the
Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (), or the Decalogue (from Latin , from Ancient Greek , ), are religious and ethical directives, structured as a covenant document, that, according to the Hebrew Bible, were given by YHWH to Moses. The text of the Ten ...
was needed, but the series' on-set Hebrew advisor was not available. Consequently, the art staff, to quote art director Gary Allen, "ended up faking it .e. the text" Series composer
Mark Snow Mark Snow (born Martin Fulterman; August 26, 1946) is an American composer for film and television. Among his most famous compositions is the theme music for science fiction television series '' The X-Files''. ''The X Files'' instrumental wa ...
heavily featured "clarinet, violin, and cello solos" in the episode's score and readily admits to "borrow ng J.S. Bach's Fugue in G minor, "Little", BWV 578 piece. He noted, "The aim was to wind up somewhere between a
Klezmer Klezmer ( or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for listening; these wou ...
band and ''
Schindler's List ''Schindler's List'' is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the historical novel '' Schindler's Ark'' (1982) by Thomas Keneally. The film follows ...
''."


Themes

Gordon said that love is the central conceit of the episode. Although, in the myth of the Golem, the creature is soulless, Gordon took "some liberties" with the legend. He wanted "Kaddish" to "literally be about resurrection". Ariel creates an imperfect reflection of her husband by crafting the Golem from mud. In essence, she is trying to play
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
, a role that Gordon later likened to
Victor Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein is a fictional character who first appeared as the titular main protagonist of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. He is an Italian-born Swiss scientist who, after studying chemical proces ...
, the scientist from
Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...
's famous novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1823). However, Ariel and Frankenstein differ in the fact that Ariel's flaw was related to her "loving saactoo much, not being able to let go, because of the cruelty and injustice of what she suffered." In this manner, Ariel's motivation for creating the Golem are "slightly more romantically skewed".
Robert Shearman Robert Charles Shearman, sometimes credited as Rob Shearman, is an English television, radio, stage play and short story writer. He is known for his World Fantasy Award-winning short stories, as well as his work for ''Doctor Who'', and his as ...
, in his book ''Wanting to Believe: A Critical Guide to The X-Files, Millennium & The Lone Gunmen'', analyzed Gordon's portrayal of racism and anti-Semitism. The author wrote that Gordon "makes very convincing point" when he argues that hatemongers like Carl Brunjes—who are openly hateful of other cultures but would never, personally, hurt them—are "just as guilty" as openly violent individuals, such as the "three Nazi thugs who beat and shoot a defenceless man."Shearman (2009), pp. 95–96.


Broadcast and reception

"Kaddish" originally aired on the
Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
network on February 16, 1997. This episode earned a
Nielsen rating Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the #Nielsen TV ...
of 10.3, with a 15 share, meaning that roughly 10.3 percent of all television-equipped households, and 15 percent of households watching television, were tuned in to the episode. It was viewed by 16.56 million viewers.Meisler (1998), p. 298. The episode received moderately positive reviews from television critics. Andy Meisler, in his book ''I Want to Believe: The Official Guide to the X-Files Volume 3'', called the episode "one of the best non-mythological episodes of the fourth season" due to its "seamless integration of character development, social commentary and the supernatural."Meisler (1998), p. 131. Juliette Harrisson of Den of Geek named "Kaddish" the best stand-alone episode of season four and called its conceit "absolutely real and utterly tragic" despite being "highly fantastical". Zack Handlen of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' rated the episode "B+", opining that, while it was "the sort of episode that works best if you enjoy it for its style and presentation without getting too caught up in the script", it felt "appropriate". Handlen did, however, criticize the episode's characterization of Scully, noting that her scientific counter-arguments were "becoming less about applying common sense to madness, and more just arguing for arguing's sake." Author Robert Shearman awarded the episode three stars out of five, and called it "one of ordon'sbest". He praised many aspects of the script, particularly the "real anger" that made the episode "something special". Nonetheless, he felt that the plot "offer dnothing unexpected" and that its position, following the revelation that Scully has cancer in "
Leonard Betts "Leonard Betts" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. It premiered on the Fox network on January 26, 1997. It was written by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotn ...
", caused it to look "as if it's cheating on the consequences of Scully's illness". Paula Vitaris from ''
Cinefantastique ''Cinefantastique'' is an American horror, fantasy, and science fiction film magazine. History The magazine originally started as a mimeographed fanzine in 1967, then relaunched as a glossy, offset printed quarterly in 1970 by publisher/ ed ...
'' gave the episode a positive review and awarded it three stars out of four. She called it a "flawed yet unusually affecting episode". Vitaris cited the Golem's disintegration as "a
leitmotif A leitmotif or () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is a partial angliciz ...
, a reminder of death, a beautiful way to translate into visual terms the depth of Ariel's grief."


References


Sources

* * * *


External links

* {{The X-Files episodes, 4 The X-Files season 4 episodes Television episodes about antisemitism Television episodes about Jews and Judaism Television episodes about neo-Nazism Television episodes about revenge Fictional golems Hasidic Judaism in fiction Hasidic Judaism in New York City Television episodes set in Brooklyn Television episodes directed by Kim Manners Television episodes written by Howard Gordon 1997 American television episodes