Gimpel
Gimpel of Frampol, also known as Gimpel the Fool, is the main character and narrator in the story. He is a baker whom everyone in town loves to deceive due to his gullible nature. Since childhood, Gimpel has always believed everything people tell him, and so he has developed a reputation of "foolishness" that entertains the townspeople. Even when the rabbi tells him that it is better to be foolish than to be evil, the rabbi's daughter deceives Gimpel immediately thereafter, embarrassing him once more.
The ultimate deception in Gimpel's life comes from his wife, Elka, who has ten children over the course of their marriage, none of whom are Gimpel's. However, Gimpel remains dedicated to his family, often convincing himself that he is hallucinating when he sees Elka with other men. After Elka dies, Gimpel leaves Frampol, choosing instead to travel the world as a beggar and storyteller. At the end of his life, Gimpel embraces the notion of fiction as phenomena that are simply yet to happen, ultimately continuing to believe that everything is possible and true.
Elka
Elka is Gimpel's wife. The townspeople match Gimpel and Elka as another way of embarrassing Gimpel, as they know that Elka is promiscuous. She has one child already, whom she assures Gimpel is only her younger brother. At the time of their marriage, Elka is already pregnant with another baby, but she convinces Gimpel that the baby was simply born prematurely.
While Elka is perhaps the most deceptive person in Gimpel's life, she ultimately confesses to him on her deathbed, wishing to clear her conscience before dying. After she dies, Gimpel has visions of her rotting and turning black, suggesting that she has gone to hell for her deceptions.
The Rabbi
The town rabbi is the primary authority figure in the story, instructing Gimpel on how to live his life. When Gimpel goes to the rabbi for advice, the rabbi tells him, "You are not a fool. They are the fools. For he who causes his neighbor to feel shame loses Paradise himself" (995). Gimpel continues to seek out the rabbi's help when he discovers Elka in bed with another man. The rabbi immediately believes Gimpel and instructs him to divorce Elka and stay away from her and her children. However, when Gimpel starts to miss Elka and the babies, Gimpel deceives the rabbi (and himself) by saying that he was merely hallucinating and that he believes his wife.
