Who is Zeidlus the Pope from The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer and what is their importance? The_Collected_Stories_of_Isaac_Bashevis_Singer English & Literature Zeidlus the Pope | The Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer

The devil sets his sights on Zeidel Cohen, a learned man from a distinguished Jewish family. Zeidel has no apparent vices that Satan can use to destroy him, but the Evil One discovers that his one character flaw is pride. He appears to Zeidel and tells him he is the greatest schpolar anywhere and tells him he is to good to be buried in a bacvkwater town place like Lublin. The devil tells Zeidel the only thing for him to do is convert to Christianity. Zeidel obeys but when he is old and dying, Satan appears to take him to "Gehenna" or hell. When he gets there, the imps who rake the coals call him "Zeidlus te Firsst" or "the Yeshiva boy who wanted to become pope."