"At the Outset of the day": Mystical aspects of clothing and books in the work of S. Y. Agnon

The story "At the Outset of the Day" by S. Y. Agnon is short, but contains many meanings. It is a story about a father whose daughter's dress burns to ashes, and who throughout the story attempts, unsuccessfully, to cover her nakedness. As the article shows, the story can be defined as symbolic, with a connotative level open to interpretation as well as biblical foundations and symbols that express its hidden level.