Solomon Maimon

BOOK ONE

Chapter I Leaning upon the dilapidated railing of his porch, Heimann Joseph watched the sun trace its arc westward in the sky, silhouetting the water mill on the river Niemen, and finally melt into a sea of darkness. destiny.

Such seemed his own

The buildings comprising his estate had fallen

into decay from age and required repair.

The harbour and

warehouse which were used for vessels that came from K~nigsberg in Prussia were also in a state of degeneration.

Though

according to the terms of the farm's lease, the landlord was to repair everything and put it in a condition fit for use, he unfortunately resided in Warsaw and could give no attention to the improvement of his holdings.

Indeed, his

stewards were interested only in the improvement of their own condition rather than of their landlord's property.

Although

they burdened the farmers with all sorts of exactions to be used specifically for the improvement of the farms, they spent the money for their own advantage. Despondently Heimann Joseph recollected his fruitless attempts to ameliorate his state of affairs by remonstrances to the stewards themselves.

"But sirs," he would

say, "you don't recognize the severity of my plight.

If

nothing is put into proper condition according to the lease, then I'll be unable to make enough to pay my rent!"

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Watching this Jew gesticulate in protest of unjust treatment, the stewards smiled secretly to themselves and made promises which they never fulfilled. "Of course we understand" they said.

"How dread-

ful that these problems have passed unnoticed!

But be

assured that your farm will receive the necessary repairs. We're happy that you've brought this deplorable state of affairs to our attention!' Days, weeks, months elapsed but nothing was done so that Heimann Joseph was forced to present his plea to the landlord's local agents and begin anew the same futile cycle of events. As Heimann Joseph stared into the night, he saw the faces of his brothers glow in the darkness. lot!" he thought.

"The ungrateful

"Tenants of the villages belonging to my

farm, living permanently with me under the pretense of assisting in the labor, and yet refusing to pay their rents at the end of the year.

Scoundrels!

May God blast your bones!"

The

injustice of the stewards and his own brothers burned in his heart, and he was filled with bitterness and hatred. Though Heimann Joseph felt himself victimized by destiny, the truth was that had he borne the injustice of his situation instead of seeking justice from more powerful litigants, he could by his own resources have rebuilt his farm. Thereby he would have insured for himself financial solvency and avoided certain perils.

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One day a rich Polish nobleman with an entourage of servants was passing over a bridge leading to the farm, but the supports were in such a bad stat~ that the entire structure collapsed, spilling horses and riders into the swamp.

The

Count cried out when he saw the calamity, "Seize the owner!" he said.

"Drag him to the bridge!" Four men then took hold of Heimann Joseph who was

working nearby in the fields and laid him out on the planks that remained of the bridge.

The Count then took a piece of

rope, but before he flogged Heimann Joseph he offered him a word of contempt. "Jew," he said, "know that your are fortunate! going to spare your life. death.

You really deserve a lashing to

See what you've done to my men, my animals and my

possessions through your carelessness. my trip.

I'm

And, you've delayed

I have a long journey to make today.

Out of my

kindness, I'm going to give you a light punishment." Then the Count began to beat Heimann Joseph mercilessly until his shirt was crimson-red from the blood of his wounds. To avoid such woes, one of the workers at the farm was stationed to keep watch at the bridge, so that, if any noble were passing, and an accident of this sort should happen, the sentinel might bring word to the house as quickly as possible. Then the entire family could have time to take refuge in the neighbouring wood.

When this happened, which was not

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infrequently, everyone would run panic-stricken, shouting words of terror into the forest where often they were obliged to remain the whole night in the cold air, till one after another they returned to the house the following morning.

Be-

sides the terror and consternation into which the family was thrown by such a flight into the woods, the empty house would be plundered by the nobleman and his men.

Beer, brandy and

mead would be guzzled, food and animals carried off, and religious objects desecrated.

menorahs would be smashed and

the pieces scattered on the wooden floor, talesim torn into shreds, and holy books burned in the fireplace.

After such

devastation, the male members of the family attempted to rescue tractates of the Talmud from the flames of the hearth. Such a calamitous domestic condition could have been avoided had Heimann Joseph been more economical in matters of great importance rather than in trivial affairs.

The annual

produce of- the fields, pasture-lands and gardens as well as the income from the sale of grain and hay were sufficient for the needs of his family, yet Heimann Joseph wasted both time and effort on minor details.

A typical example of his mis-

management concerned the burning of candles.

The master of

the house considered it an extravagance to burn wax or tallow candles.

Their place had to be taken by thin strips of

resinous pine, one end of which was stuck into the chinks of the wall, while the other was lit, thereby starting fires and causing damage.

Such a disasterous policy of unwarranted

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waste coupled with Heimann Joseph's unwillingness to face an inevitable reality -- the unscrupulousness of his landlord's stewards -- were merely manifestations of his imcompetence in worldly affairs, a trait he shared with his wife.

Like

h~r husband, having no suspicion of evildoing, she would lie down in her clothes when she was tired from her household chores, all her pockets full of money.

The housemaid took

advantage of this negligence by emptying the pockets of half their contents.

Amazingly, Heimann Joseph's wife seldom

noticed her loss. Unfortunately, Heimann Joseph was considered a rich man, which he really could have been had he known how to make the most of his opportunities.

He was envied and hated by

all, even by his own family; he was abandoned by his landlord; he was oppressed in every possible way by the stewards, and cheated and robbed by his own domestics as well as by strangers.

In short, he was "the poorest rich man" in the

whole of Poland. The culmination of such misfortune occurred near the end of Heimann Joseph's life.

The priest in the village was

an ignorant blockhead who had scarcely learned to read or write.

He spent most of his time with his parishioners at

the inn where his drunken, blood-shot eyes smoldered even redder with rage as he spoke venomous words of malice against the Jewish farmer.

His fat jowls quaked tempestuously as· he

thundered, and his long red hair danced like flames in the

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heat of his passion.

The source of this invective appeared

to be the fact that he had previously always let the liquor he drank at Heimann Joseph's inn be charged to his account, though he t1 a d no intention of paying.

At last he was denied

credit, an d thus he sought personal revenge. " f11 y f e 11 ow Ch r i s t i an s , " he s a i d t o hi s p a r i s h i on e rs ,

"this h s re's my plan to do God's work by punishin' this Jet·J, t his d o~ ned blasphemer who torments us through his high prices and lack of credit just as his ancestors tormented our Saviour. There ' s a be a ver-trapper who's right now livin' somewhere's a r o u nd t ho town of r ir since he's catchin' beavers on the riv e r a nd tr a d8s his furs with this accurs ed Jsw, Joseph. sp i ed him

2t

I

mid night makin' his way to the Jew's house in-

stead of deliverin' the pelts to the manor.

Let's get the

tr2pper, 2nd make him help us get our revenge." The Christians who were seated with the priest smiled at one another with bemused expressions and drew their chaits nearer the table.

A tall fellow with dirt-encrusted blond

ha ir leaned toward the minister and in a half-drunk tone asked, "And what'll happen to the poor Sheeny?" In a

ui

his per , Father Dim i tr i exp 1 a in e d his p 1 an .

" Lfa

pay the trapper to make a visit as usual to Heimann Joseph, but instead of a beaver, the bag he delivers '11 contain the body of a dead man! cemetary ..

I can get one easily enough from the

Then tell the police that Heimann Joseph killed a

man to use his blood for some Jew ritual.

A quick search of

-7the house, and they'll see we're tellin' the truth," A feeling of adventure and delight swept through this group as they agreed to the proposal.

"For the sake oF our

Saviour whom they nailed to the cross," a small moustached farmer emphatically stated.

"Let's us carry out God's will,"

they triumphantly agreed. On the first of the month, under the white light of the new moon, the trapper made his way across the fields to the proprietor's house. "Reb Heimann Joseph, you there?" "i~ot so loud, my good man. my porch for your arrival.

I've been waiting here on

How have your prospered?

What pelts

have you brought me?" "Trappin's been damn good this week on the river. Look how heavy this bag is -- what a catch I've brought you." "Good, good.

IYly God, it is heavy!

Let me strike a

match so we can come to some agreement over the price; I must see what kind of beaver this gigantic fellow is." "Hell no, Reb Heimann, not tonight! I trust you to deal fairly with me as always.

It ain't necessary. Let's talk about

it tomorrow. As usual, Heimann Joseph innocently agreed, not suspecting any foul paly.

Leaving the bag in a corner of the

room, he fell asleep.

Hardly had he begun to doze when suddenly

loud knocking aroused him. "LIJho' s there at this ungodly hour?" he cried out.

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"Allright, allright, I'm coming."

As he opened the door, a

mob of peasants led by the priest flooded into the room. Christ-killer! screamed.

Bloodhungry Jew!", Father Di:ni tri

"Search his house.

Find the innocent victim!"

In a moment the house was reduced to shambles; peasants were everywhere, tearing up the beds, ripping clothes from the closets, upsetting furniture and household goods until at last the priest himself found the trapper's bag in a corner of the room. Heimann Joseph shuddered as he saw the mob ravage his home; he was certain that he had been betrayed at the manor on account of his secret trade in beavers, but how great was his horror, when the bag was opened, and instead of a beaver, there lay the corpse. "No, it cannot be!" he cried aloud. fathers, it's not so. plot.

I'm innocent.

"Oh God of our

I'm the innocent victim of some horrible It's not my doing.

By everything sacred,

I swear I'm innocent!" The terror-stricken Heimann Joseph would have collapsed, but was supported by two large farmhands who bound his hands behind his back and placed his feet in stocks.

They then

threw him into a wagon and drove to the town of Mir while Joseph's wife stood helpless and stupefied on the doorstep. As was his custom, Heimann Joseph protested his innocence and pointed to the injustice he had suffered. one planned this whole affair," he said.

"Some-

"Someone with a

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grudge against me trumped up this horrible accusation." Such was the tenor of his defense when he was cast into a dark prison bound in iron chains, and also at the trial in the criminal court.

He related the events exactly as they

had happened and demanded that the beaver-trapper should be examined, too.

He, however, was nowhere to be found; he was

already over the hills andfar away.

The judge, nonetheless,

was deaf to Heimann Joseph's appeal and ordered him three times in succession to be brought to torture, although the old man continued steadfastly in his original assertion. Through good fortune it happened that the trapper was eventually found and examined.

Since he immediately denied

any knowledge of the affair, he was put to the test of torture. Thereupon he at once confessed the entire story.

He declared

that, some time before, he had found this dead body in the water, and was going to bring it to Father Dimitri for burial. The priest, however, had said to him, "There's plenty of time for burial.

You know the Jews are bastards and are damned to

all eternity.

They crucified our Lord Jesus Christ, and they

still seek Christian blood, if only they can get it for their Passover.

They use it for their matzo, their Passover-cake.

You'll be doing a good thing, performing God's justice, if you can smuggle this dead body into the house of the damned Jew farmer.

This will lead to his arrest and imprisonment.

I've such an interest in this righteous act that I'll even pay you for your trouble."

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Upon hearing his confession, the judge condemned the trapper to be punished by whipping.

Heimann Joseph was set

free, and the priest remained in his place, though he merely received a sharp rebuke rather than a prison sentence.

Such

was the nature of justice in eighteenth century Poland. Convinced that his release from prison was divinely ordained rather than a happy incident, Heimann Joseph composed in Hebrew an epic poem retelling the whole event and singing God's goodness.

He even declared that the day of his deli-

verance should be celebrated in the family every year and that this poem should be recited in the same way as the Book of Esther at Purim.

Such enthusiasm over the triumph of a Jew

contrasted sharply with the despondency of the masses of Polish Jews who were still mourning the Chmielnicki massacre. In this manner the unworldly Heimann Joseph lived for many years on the farm which had become the property of his family.

By Jewish ceremonial law the right of property in an

estate or Chazakah is acquired by three year's possession and this right was respected even by Christians in the territory of Prince Radzivill where Heimann Joseph and his family dwelt. By virtue of this law, no other Jew could try to get possession of the farm by an offer of higher rent without bringing upon himself Jewish excommunication. Though Heimann Joseph continually complained about being in difficult circumstances, his three daughters were well dowered and married to men of high social status.

His two

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sons Moses and Joshua were married in a similar fashion, and when the master of the household became old and enfeebled by the hardships to which he had been exposed, the management of the entire farm was given to his two sons jointly.

Since

the sons were of entirely different temperaments and inclin a tion -- moses tho elder was of a strong bodily constitution but inferior intelligence, while Joshua was the opposite they consequently could not work well together and their pattern of mutual conflict resembled that of the Biblical J a cob and Essau.

In this regard as a result of one of the

unfortunate disasters that occurred to the family of Heimann Joseph, the younger son Joshua fell victim to a torture that undermined his health. Once when the bridge collapsed and the household retreated as usual to the safety of the forest, Joshua who knew nothing of the accident stayed behind alone, playing at the back of the stove.

When the inflamed traveler came into

the house, he ordered his men to search every corner of the house, and the child was found behind the stove.

Since the

traveler could find (o'Q} one else on whom to vent his wrath, he asked Joshua if he would drink brandy, and when the boy refused, shouted, "If you will not drink brandy, then you shall drink water."

Thereupon he ordered a bucketful of water to be

brought and forced the child, with threats and lashes to drink it down. "Drink, you damned little JeL\J," he said.

"Let me see

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all of it flow down your cursed throat.

May your God save

you now; and don't think you'll escape until you've finished the last drop.

The sting of my lash will encourage you."

Not surprisingly, this treatment brought on a fever which lasted a whole year, destroyed Joshua's health, and t~ereby drove him to scholarly pursuits which merited him special.consideration.

Animosity between the brothers thus

had its origin early in their youth as a result of Joshua's jealousy of moses' physical stamina and moses' jealousy of Joshua's learning and delicate treatment.

But not only had

Joshua to face his brother's hostility, he also had his fnther's parsimony to endure. Once when scholarly Joshua ordered for himself a rabbinical suit which required finer material than that used for common clothing, Heimann Joseph was quick to lecture him on the vanity of the world. Pointing a long, sun-parched forefinger toward hia younger son, the old man reminded him of the frugality of their ancestors.

"Our forefathers," as he was accustomed to say,

"knew nothing of these new-fashioned costumes, yet they were devout people.

Did Abraham or Isaac or Jacob or the countless

righteous men after them ever have a coat of striped woolen cloth, or leather hose, or buttons; yet .1'..£!:! must have all these things!

Joshua, you'll bring me to beggary; I'll be thrown

into prison on your account. man.

What's to become of me?"

Woe is me.

I'm a poor, unfortunate

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Intoning his argument in the traditional singsong rabbinic manner, the pale scholar defended his cause. father, you don't understand my position.

"But

Have I a choice

but to dress in the manner appropriate to my role in the c O mmun i t y ?

I n 8 a ba r,1 e t z i a , i s n ' t i t wr i t t e n t hat " 0 n e mu s t

rob one's belly and adorn the body," and what could be the meaning there but that one should do this out of respect for a scholarly status?" "fi1 y

s on , I a g re e t hat s c ho 1 a r s mu s t b e re s p e c t e d in

the com~unity, but why should they dress themselves as if they were Torah scrolls bedecked with ornaments to be admired by the congregation?" "father, let's assume that the economy of a household is well arranged.

Does it matter then at all if one lives

sparingly or luxuriously as long as one lives within the confines of his income?

As the sages of blessed memory said,

"One should eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide."

Is the point they were trying to make

that one should refrain from fine food? one should live within one's means?

Isn't it rather that

father, your misfortunes

arise not from extravagance, but from the fact that you allow yourself to be plundered through negligence." "I've heard enough of this!

There's nothing further

to discuss; I've made up my mind, and I won't tolerate any frivolous innovations." Due to the ~arrow academic demands and restrictions

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of Joshua's profession, he was not particularly suited to running the farm.

He merely kept accounts, made contracts,

heard legal cases, and attended to similar matters.

To save

him from financial peril, Heimann Joseph, seeing in his youngest son a reflection of himself, arranged a marriage for him with a lively young girl who had a head for business and a worldly outlook.

Though small of stature, Joshua's wife

radiated a sense of power and determination; her deep black eyes, framed by long chestnut

colored hair, suggested mystery

and at the same time a keen intellect.

Her unusual beauty

distracted even the most diligent scholars who studied from time to time with her husband.

It was not unusual for one of

these bearded men, glancing fleetingly at the dutiful woman attending her household chores, to break his fluid rhythmic chant and movement over the worn pages of his Talmud. Joshua himself looked upon his wife Esther with a deep reverence, and on Sabbath . Eve, when she covered her eyes with her hands before the Sabbath candles, her tears glistening in the glow of the flames, she appeared to her husband like the Sabbath bride herself.

Lighting the candles, and moving

her arms over them in a gesture of embrace, she seemed to draw to herself the holiness that rose from their brightness. And when Joshua recited the words of Proverbs:

"A woman of

valour, L11ho can find?

For her price is far above rubies ... ,"

he was truly moved.

Yet, there lurked beneath her submissive

surface a portion of her soul which he could not understand.

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There was a secret part of her being which she never disclosed even to her husband; there werG times when she would drift off into that hidden recess, that secluded, distant part of her self, and lose all contact with the external world.

It was

as though she achieved a mystical union with some inexplicable essence, her eyes clouded, and her mouth curved into an enigmatic expression.

Joshua first noticed this puzzling aspect

of his wife's bearing in the bridal chamber on their wedding night.

Like all Jewish grooms, he was acquainted only on a

scholarly, theoretical level with connubial behavior; he was truly at a loss for what to do and say.

But saving him from

embarrassment and self conciousness as he began to recite phrases from the Song of Songs that he had memorized precisely for this occasion, his wife put her lips upon his and whispered, "Joshua, my husband, my love," and without words they melted into one flesh.

And then as Joshua struggled to concentrate

on Torah and to be in a mood of supreme holiness as enjoined by Jewish law, he noticed that his wife seemed to be in a distant

place as her face assumed an expression of rapture.

But it was not only during their love making that Esther had this air of mystery; several times her husband questioned her about it, but she always smiled and said it was nothing.

Chapter II Two years after their marriage, a son was born to Joshua and Esther. very easy.

He was a large baby, but his delivery was

He had the coloring of his father, and the temper-

ament of his uncle moses.

During his first years, he showed

no signs of interest in learning; he always preferred to play in the woods rather than listen to his father attempt to give him so me introduction to Jewish learning. "See, Joseph," his father would say, "these are the letters of the Hebrew alphabet which you'll learn at school when you're three.

Try to say them after me."

"Papa," Joseph would say, "how pretty the sky is today." "Joseph," his father would respond, "listen to Luhat I have to say.

You're not paying attention."

"Papa," his son would protest, "I'm tired.

Please, I

want to go into the forest and play." On the ninth of Sivan, 1753, a second son was born. Unlike his brother, this child was small and frail and had his mother's deep black eyes.

When she first saw him, she

laughingly exclaimed, "How can we show him off at the bris, he looks like a plucked chicken?"

Her humor, however, hid the

fact that the birth had been difficult.

Though the midwife

encouraged her to shriek and moan in labor -- "Scream, child, and try hard!" she would say -- the pains were so extreme

- -- --

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that they seemed to be punishments from God,

At one moment

the delivery seemed so difficult that the women from the family in the adjoining room were ready to go to the cemetary to beg their ancestors to help Esther in her travail.

The

men, too, were prepared to go to the synagogue and say the appropriate psalms. Fortunately, however, the child was born before such desperate action became necessary, and eight days later, a midst gaiety and warm words of congratulations, the parents rejoiced at the circumcision of the new addition tD the family, But like the birth, the ceremony was not without complications. When an old friend of the family, Reb Menachem, who was to have the honor of sucking the first drop of blood, put his lips to the wound, he began to choke and had to be revived by the father himself. There were problems, too, that arose during the first few months after the child's birth.

On the Sabbath after the

delivery, the child was to receive the name Solomon.

It so

happened that the Haf torah was from the mournful book of Ecclesiastes, a book attributed to King Solomon.

Those

assembled could not help associating the newborn Solomon with the despondent old monarch, and a melancholy note was struck on an otherwise joyful occasion.

Furthermore, Joshua worried

that too much praise had been bestowed upon his son, and he feared the power of the evil eye; also, he noticed that his child laughed to himself at night, a sign that he might be

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playing with the demon Lilith, Adam's first wife. Nonetheless, despite these ominous portents, Solomon grew into a strong, healthy, playful child with a perpetual inquisitiveness and sharp mind like his parents.

When the

child was three, Herr Piliezki, one of the agents who undertook the purchase and delivery of goods for the higher nobility, while having tea at Heimann Joseph's home, entreated Solomon to call his mother by the nickname given her by the merchants. "Solomon," he said with a lighthearted smile, "I'll give you this piece of sugar if you will say •mama Kuza', a term pregnant with sexual overtones. Solomon, knowing by previous experience that his mother would scold him if he called her by this name, refused to comply when she was in the room.

Herr Piliezki made a sign

to her to go into an adjoining room.

As soon as she had shut

the door, Solomon went up to the shaffer and whispered in his ear, "~1ama Kuza."

Herr Piliezki insisted, however, that

Solomon should say the name aloud and promised to give him a piece of sugar for each time that he spoke it.

Accordingly,

Solomon, with a victorious ring in his voice said, "Herr Piliezki wants ~e to say 'Mama Kuza;' but I won't say 'Mama Kuza', because God punishes anyone who says 'Mama Kuza'. Thereupon, the boy was rewarded with three pieces of sugar. When Solomon became older, he was brought to the dardeki kheyder, the Jewish school for small children, to join his brother, Joshua, who sat with him during his first

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lesson, noticed that his son concentrated on the Hebrew letters of the prayer book without the uniual inducement of candies and coins.

But it was during the hours of twilight when the

melamed or children's teacher went to the shul for the afternoon prayers that Solomon's creative intellect shone most brightly.

Sitting in the darkness by the stove or huddled

together on the study benches, the children listened with fascination to Solomon's stories about strange beasts and g ig anti c angels burning with fire who touched men and turned thGm into pure spiritual beings. Though Solomon turned out to be a gifted student, as his father suspected from the very first day of kheyder, Jo shua was dismayed by his son's questions. Cne day, in Solomon's sixth year, Joshua began to study the Sible with his younger son.

Starting with the first

verse, Joshua read out loud, "In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth ... " "But Papa," the youth interrupted, "I don't think that this is the real beginning. 'Bereshis',

You started out with the word,

'In the beginning,• but that can't be the beginning!

Because if God created the Heavens and the Earth, then someone would have likewise had to have created God.

Papa, who created

God?" "My son, God was not created by anyone. from all eternity.

He has existed

He is the first and the last, and besides

Him, there is none other.

As the Psalmist said,

'Before the

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mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.'" "Did He exist ten years ago then?"

Solomon asked.

"L!Jhy, yes, my son, not only ten years, but even a hundred years ago." "Therefore," Solomon continued, "God is already a thousand years old?" "3ilence!

Enough of your words!

God is, as I've said,

eternal." "But," Solomon insisted, "God must surely have been born at sor.ie time." "I've heard enough of this.

There's nothing to dis-

cuss; I have made it quite clear, God is forever and ever." Other theological questions troubled Solomon as well. One day walking home from school with his brother Joseph, Solomon questioned him concerning a passage he had seen in the Proverbs. "Joseph," he said, "in the Proverbs we read this verse: 'For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his goings.'

What does this mean?"

"IJJell," his brother began with a trace of elderly condescension, "the meaning is quite clear, I think. everything that man does. Adam and Eve.

God sees

Remember the story in Genesis about

They couldn't hide from God, and they were

punished because God kneLU that they'd disobeyed Him."

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"You're saying then that God knows all of man's actions. Every one.

Then He must know them before they take place."

"I don't know.

I guess so."

"It must be, since God is supposed to have knowledge of everything, and if He is forever and forever as Papa says, then His knowledge must likewise be forever and forever. Joseph, look at it this way.

But

You mentioned the garden of

Eden; doesn't it say in Genesis that Adam and Eve could eat from the tree in the midst of the garden if they wanted to?" "Yes," his brother answered. "Then, man can do as he wants, but is punished if he does the wrong thing:• "Yes, I agree." "But Joseph, don't you see the problem?

God's know-

ledge is forever and ever, and He in this way knows everything, even before it takes place.

But if this is so, how can man

choose what he wants to do, and receive punishment if he chooses the wrong thing, since God Himself knows what each man is going to do?

And Joseph, doesn't it seem evil of God to punish a

person if God knows what his action will be before he is born?" "Solomon, I don't understand your questions.

You seem

to be saying things that would anger Papa and the melamed, and I really don't see what you're trying to prove by all this talk." If the truth be known, Joseph, who was more like his uncle Moses than like his father, resented his brother's penetrating mind and ability in school.

One day while playing

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together at home, Solomon engaged his brother in a conv e r sation which drew out Joseph's hidden anger. "Joseph," Solomon asked while his black eyes fl a s hed with inquisitiveness, "we've learned that God is good and merciful; in the Shemoneh Esreh prayer, we recite his qualiti es of kindness.

But if He is truly like this, why is there so

much suffering, why so many horrible things in the world.

Ho w

can God permit people to die, if their families are so sad afterwards?" "Solomon, stop with all your questions:

Stop it!

I

can't stand to hear you say all these wicked things about Go d . What would Father do to you if he heard?

He'd take out t he

lash, that's what!" "I was only curious to know ... ", Solomon replied meekly . "~~ell, you'd be better off if you just li s tened to what those who are older than you say is right and true." Solomon's inquiries were not confined mer e ly to t he realm of theology, but concerned worldly matt e rs as we ll.

On

one occasion he was reading the story of Jaco b and Esau in th e Bible, and in this connection, his father quot e d a r elevant passage from the Talmud where it is s a id, "J acob and Esau divided bet ween them all the bles s i ngs of the world .

Esau

chose the ble ss in g s of this lif e ; Jacob , on the c ontrary , t hose of the future life; and sinc e we are descended fr om J a c ob , we must give up all cl aim to t emporal blessin gs ." Pu z z l ing over the signific ance of this p assage , Solomon

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thought to himself, ''Why in the world would Jacob have made such a choice?

I know that that I love the pleasures of this

life, playing with my friends, walking in the woods, reading at school, waiting for Shabbos with all its special qualities to come; these things I know because I've experienced them, but I don't know what the future world is like. not nearly so nice.

And who . can say?

Perhaps it's

It's better to chose

what one knows, rather than what one doesn't know at all.'' After this meditation, Solomon interrupted his father, who was expounding the meaning of the talmudic passage, and said with indignation, ''Jacob shouldn't have been such a fool; he should've chosen the blessings of this world:" As was to be expected, Solomon received from his father a box on the ear and a reprimand, but though it silenced the child, it did not remove his doubt. It happened also that one day Prince Radzivill, who was a great lover of the chase, came with his entire court to hunt in the neighbourhood of the village.

In the party was

his daughter, a beautiful, shapely maiden with golden hair that shimmered in the sunlight.

This young princess, in order

to enjoy her afternoon rest, went with the ladies of her court, the servants in waiting and the lackeys, to the very room where Solomon was sitting behind the stove.

Struck by the

magnificence and splendour of this retinue, the vivid colors of the women's riding costumes, the handsome leather suits of the men, and overwhelmed by the elegance of the princess,

-24-

Solomon exclaimed to his father in pure delight, "Oh, how beautiful!" In order to calm his son and at the same time confirm in him the principles of the Jewish faith, Joshua whispered in his ear, "In the other world, the princess will kindle the st o v e for us .

/\ s t he sages s a i d in t he nH sh n ah , ' This wor 1 d

is only the vestibule to another.'

Therein we Jews who have

kept Cod's laLu will find our reward." The effect of these words on the young Solomon was very profound.

On the one hand, he believed his father and

rejoiced in the fact that there would be such future happiness in store for him and for his family, yet at the same time, he felt pity for the lovely princess who was destined to perform such ~ark.

Gut most difficult of all to conceive was how

this beautiful princess, in such splendid and ornate clothing could ever be reduced to the role of lighting fires for poor Jews.

This paradox weighed heavily on his mind until he was

distracted by a childhood game, but it was never entirely forgotten. Solomon's talents were not confined to the intellectual sphere alone; his acute sensitivity, sparked by the glories of nature that surrounded him on the farm, led him to aesthetic pursuits.

Though he had never seen a work of art in his

father's home, he was fascinated by the drawings of trees, foliage and birds that he discovered in several of the Hebrew books on his father's shelves.

This primary interest was

-25-

strengthened by a Hebrew book of fables, in which the animals were depicted in luxurious woodcuts with deep, rich colors. On seeing these pictures, Solomon thought to himself, "How magnificent this all is! draw like this. the farm.

It's so beautiful; if only I could

There's so much to draw, so many animals on

If only I could put down on paper what my eyes see!"

In this burst of excitement, Solomon traced all the figures in the book with diligence and exactness.

Upon seeing what

his son had done, Joshua admired his skill and said, "My son, you're an artist, I see.

Your copies are very nice, indeed."

"Father," Solomon responded, "I want to draw all the ani~als in the village; the cows, the chickens, everything. And I want to draw nature, too.

See how pretty this picture

is of the letter bes with trees surrounding it!" "Solomon, you want to become a painter? will you do such a thing.

Never. Never

God is the supreme artist; it's

man's function to serve Him through study, not through this childish play.

You must study the Talmud and become a rabbi.

He who understands the Talmud understands everything. have no more of these foolish thoughts!

I'll

Come, let us resume

our study of the Bible with the commentaries." Despite this initial discouragement, Solomon continued his interest even when the family found it necessary to move to Sukoviborg, a small town on the river Niemen near his former home.

Here there was a manor-house with several

beautifully tapestried rooms which were never occupied because

-2 6-

the landlord resided elsewhere and very rarely visited the place. Whenever Solomon could, he used to steal away from home to copy the figures on the tapestries.

On a cold winter day while

Solomon made one of these ventures to the old house. The snow was falling heavily as a bitter cold wind tore its way through the wooded land, across open fields, and beat against old thatched huts.

In the midst of this blizzard,

Solomon, dressed in heavy woolen garments, trudged through deep drifts of snow, his minute dark form outlined against the solid white expanse.

Slowly he approached a large stately house,

abandoned for the winter. drawing paper.

Once inside, Solomon took out his

Holding the pad in one hand while he copied

the figures on the wall, he began his artistic exercise.

Since

there was no heat in any of the rooms, his fingers soon were numb, and after a short time his entire body was almost frozen.

It was only through good fortune that Solomon was

rescued from this danger by the caretakers of the mansion who happened to be making an inspection that particular afternoon; to their horror, they found the youth nearly frozen in his drawing position. When Joshua was informed of his son's activities, he gave him a severe lecture.

"Solomon," he said, "there is a

story told about the great sage Hillel who, when he was unable to afford to attend a scholarly lecture, positioned himself on the roof of the lecture hall so that he might hear what was said.

It so happened that it was mid-winter, and Hillel

-27-

nearly froze to death before he was rescued by several Jews who noticed that some object was blocking the skylight of the building.

From then on Hillel was able to attend the

lectures without paying since he exhibited such a quest for knowledge.

But you!

Look at what you've done!

out from the house without informing anyone.

You went

Your mother

was terrified to death, and I myself thought you might have been kidnapped as part of some horrible Christian plot.

And

th e n, not to study Torah, but to copy some ridiculous weavings on a ta p estry at a house where you were unwelcome in the first place.

Ta k e the example of Hillel to heart; if you expose

yoursel f to such danger, it should be for the sake of study or so ~ e other mitzvah, not for such frivolity.

That's enough.

Let me never hear of you drawing again, or you'll feel the edge of the lash. Thus ended the youth's career as an artist.

In his

own mind Solomon thought that had his father been more understanding, he might easily have _become a great painter, though not an exact one, for he had not the patience to work out his drawings in laborious detail.

Chapter III Leafing through his father's volumes of the Talmud, Solomon found his place in the tractate Kiddushin.

In the

branches outside the small room where, following his father's explicit comr:.and to "study Talmud day and night", he bent over the difficult words of the text, bitds sang their melodious songs.

Though distracted by the sunlight which danced across

the pages of the ancient book and by the cries of the birds which beckoned him to come out and play, Solomon steadfastly tri8d to pursue his study, keeping in mind the saying of Shimon b. Yochai that he who is engaged in the study of sacred texts and lifts his head to regard the creations of nature is as one ~orthy of death.

Nonetheless, as he pondered the

labyrinthine path of the argument, his mind drifted to other subjects. "Let me see," he thought to himself, interpretation of this Mishnah text:

11

LJJhat is the

'All obligations of the

son upon the father, men are bound, but women are exempt, but all obligations of the father upon the son, both men and women are bound.'" From this mishnah passage, Solomon did not gain even a shred of meaning. of black ink.

The Hebrew passed before him like a blur

His eyes glanced upward and watched a crow

swoop through the sky and land gently on one of the limbs of

-29-

a tall, twisted oak outside the window.

The breeze stirred

the leaves as Solomon heard his grandmother's voice call to him from the kitchen, "Solomon, are you studying?"

she asked.

"Your father will ask you questions about the Talmud when he returns for Shabbos.

Study mein kind, so he won't be dis-

appointed." Turning back to the yellowed page, Solomon mumbled an unintelligible response to his grandmother indicating that he was engrossed in study.

"Now, what can this possibly mean?"

he thought to himself.

Using the technique he taught himself

for analyzing any complicated passage, Solomon began to probe the text.

First, he assumed that the words made sense, but

that to unlock their meaning he had to put himself in the place of the person who had written them.

It was like reading him-

self into the page; he visualized himself as the author who was trying to communicate an idea, and thus, the idea became his own.

"All obligations of the son upon the father, men are

bound, but 11Jomen are exempt."

"This can only mean," Solomon

reasoned, "that sons are supposed to do certain things for th eir fathers.''

Looking at the qemoro which commented on this v e ry

problem, Solomon saw that the commentator had the same notion. "l>Jhat is the meaning of 'All obligations of the son u po n the father'?"

the qemoro asks.

"Shall we say, all o b l igations

which the son is bound to perform for his fat he r?

I f this is

so, are daughters exempt from perfor min g t hese obligations, and the responsibility re s ts only wit h the son? "

-30-

"All right," Solomon thought, "the Talmud is asking how it would be possible for the Mishnah to conclude that only sons are responsible for doing certain obligations for their fathers.

If I were the author, I would know that

daughters have to do certain things for their fathers, so this is clearly the wrong solution.

'All obligations of the

son upon the father men are bound.'

Both the qemoro and I

originally assumed that this meant that sons are bound to do certain things for their fathers, but this is wrong. just the opposite.

It's

The author is saying that fathers have

upon themselves the obligation of doing certain things for their sons. exempt."

And since only men are fathers, women must be

Looking down at the gemoro commentary directly below

the mishnah, Solomon saw that the commentator had reached the same conclusion, 'Rab Judah said, "This is the meaning of the phrase, "All obligations of the son which lie upon the father to do to his son, men are bound, but the women who are mothers are exempt."'"

"Aha," Solomon thought to himself, "that is

why the fi1ishnah says that 'all obligations of the father upon the son, both men and women are bound.'

In both these phrases

the word 'upon' means 'lie upon'; therefore, everything that must be done for the father must be done by both daughters and sons."

Following the comment of Rab Judah, Solomon saL'J

that he had made the same observation, "Rab Judah said, is its meaning:

'This

All precepts concerning a father, which are

incumbent upon a son to perform for his father, both men and

- - -- - -- - - - --

------ -

-31-

women are bound thereby.'" "Now if I were the author of this passage, what kind of things would I be thinking about?

What does a father do

for his son, and what do children do for their fathers? me think.

Let

Well, a father teaches his son Torah, and children

must honor their parents as the fifth commandment states." Looking at the text, Solomon saw that he was correct again. Though he had skipped certain passages in the commentary which did not concern the direct interpretation of the Mishnah, Solomon was satisfied that he had solved the riddle of the beginning of the mishnah text. Leaning back in his chair, Solomon closed his eyes, and listened to the sounds of the forest.

"I will rave to go

back and learn the rest of the pages I skipped, the material in between the direct answers to the question concerning the i n t en t i on o f t he au t ho r o f t he rni s h n ah . "

S k i mm in g t h e /\ram a i c

commentary of the qemoro, Solomon saw that it concerned such questions as "Is the grandfather obligated to teach his grandsons Torah?" and "At what verse is the Torah divided in the middle?" Solomon yawned and felt his eyelids become heavy. Though he was challenged by the puzzle of the mishnah text, he had no interest in the contents of the subject under study. His youthful eyes blurred as he thought about the subjects he had studied during the past year.

How utterly bored he was

by the topics; the laws of sacrifice, of purification of for-

-32-

bidden meats, of feasts and so forth. child who was not even eight years old!

What a burden for a In these large tomes

such questions as, "Hotv many tvhi te hairs can a red cow have, and yet remain a red cow?" or "If one is at the top of a tree, does he have to descend to say his morning prayers?" put Solomon to sleep.

Though he was often excited and delighted

at th e intellectual power and adroitness of the rabbis, he could not tolerate the dry topics under discussion.

The hair-

splitting logic fascinated him, and he was quick to see the nuanc e s of problems involved in the discussion of a particul a r su b ject, but he yearned for content of a loftier and mor e t he ological nature.

At times he would come to a theo-

logical section of the Talmud, and his mind would be ablaze with inter e st, but these sections would be very short and usu a lly mere digressions from the main topic of jurisprudence to which the discussion would rapidly return. Looking at the wooden cupboard which contained his father's sacred text, Solomon saw his future, his destiny. He was to make the Talmud the foundation of his life, the object of his continual study.

This was his father's wish,

it was the directive of the community; yet it was not his own desire.

True, he possessed an analytical mind, capable of

untying

the strands of a complex discussion of the Talmud; he

himself saw that he could penetrate deeper into the text than his older brother, Joseph.

But he felt himself trapped, locked

into a pattern of existence he could not tolerate.

Like

-33-

thousands of Jews before him, he sensed that he would have to follow a prescribed route leading to ordination as a rabbi and then to a life of study of Jewish law. Solomon turned and looked out the window.

He listened

to the sounds of the forest and wondered what world lay outside his village.

Was it a world of Jewish youth studying

from the folios of the Talmud?

He had heard about the evil

life of the non-Jews in the large cities of Poland, of their wild women, of their lack of adherence~ God's law, of their merciless treatment of the Jews.

But what had he heard?

Merely bits and pieces of discussions between his parents and the older members of the family.

Once, late at night, lis-

t ening in the darkness when he should have been asleep, he h ea rd the muffled voice of his grandfather Heimann Joseph describe the details of his dealings with the nobility of the province and with his landlord who resided in Warsaw.

Fas-

cinated, Solomon imagined the awful events that had taken place.

How he longed to be free of the yoke of study so that

he might discover far-off lands and meet people other than members of his own family.

Though the thoughts of such an

adventure terrified him, he could not help dreaming of it. And as he drifted in the land of his imagination, his eyes glazed with contemplation of the mysterious and the unknown,. the door banged open, and his brother entered the room. "Solomon," he said, "you don't look as though you're studying very diligently.

Is it that uninteresting?"

-34-

Aroused from his daydream of foreign lands and peoples, Solomon looked at his brother with a startled expression. scared me," he said.

" I did n ' t hear you coming .

very interesting, Joseph.

fJ o ,

"You

i t ' s not

I'm doing the section in Kiddushin

about obligations of sons upon fathers and fathers on sons." "Do you know vJhen Papa will be returning from his trip to the city?" Joseph asked. "I think he's supposed to come back just in time for Sh2bbos.

I'll have to finish this section before he returns.

I'm sure he'll ask me a thousand questions about the contents. Joseph, tell me.

Wouldn't you like to go outside the village

and see the big world; wouldn't you rather do that than sit inside and study the Talmud?" "HoLU can you ask such a question, Solomon? that we must study the Talmud. thing is found.

It's a sea in which every-

That's what Papa tells us.

Talmud knows everything.

You know

Who knows the

How can one be a good Jew if he

doesn't study?" "I know, I know," Solomon answered.

11

6ut I'm not

asking what Papa says; I'm asking if you really like to sit over these pages.

Do you really like it, Joseph?

"Of course I like it. what else would I do?

I must like it.

Really?"

And if I didn't,

Just play outside like the gentile boys?

How can you even think about abandoning these holy books? They're God's law.

Do you want to abandon God, too?

where do you think you'd go?

And just

What do you know of the big

-35world as you describe it?

You'd be afraid even to step out-

side the farm much less the village or beyond.

Solomon,

I

just don't understand your crazy ideas." Lool>ing away from his brother, Solomon gazed once again at the far hills on the horizon and lost himself in the world of his imagination.

Chapter IV Though Solomon was confined to studying at home, he was able to achieve some sense of exploration by reading. Joshua had forbidden his son to read any book other than the Talmud, but Solomon was able to disobey this command easily since his father was occupied most of the time with the business of the farm and could therefore not have constant surveillance over his activity.

One afternoon, while his father

was in the fields, Solomon raided the cupboard which contained his father's books; there he found four which attracted his attention.

The first was a Hebrew chronicle entitled Zemach

David (The Offspring .£f. David) by the Chief Rabbi of Prague, Rabbi David Gans, who was also a colleague of the astronomer Tycho Brahe at the Conservatory of Copenhagen.

The second

book by this same rabbi was an astronomical supplement to Zemach David, the third was the historical work of Josephus, and the fourth was a history of the persecutions of the Jews in Spain.

Solomon was amazed as he read about these hitherto

unknown subjects, but the work that most attracted his attention was the astronomical treatise. "How large the universe is!" he thought to himself. Though he had no conception of mathematics, Solomon nevertheless struggled to understand what he was reading.

Again, as

in the case of the Talmud, he tried to read himself into the

_ , _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii--iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~------iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii--==:=

-37-

system of thought.

"Here is a description of the phases of

the moon," he thought aloud.

"If I were writing this book,

I would begin by showing how the moon looks different at different times of the month. is.

That must be what this drawing

The Hebrew is an explanation of where the month is

divided ... "

This was his procedure in attempting to comprehend

the nature of the universe as described in Rabbi Gans' book. Since there were only a few beds in Solomon's home, it was necessary for him to sleep with his grandmother, whose bed stood in the study.

Since Solomon was obliged during the

day to occupy himself solely with Talmud and dared not be seen with any other book, he devoted his evenings to astronomical study.

Wany times he had wanted to ask his father questions

about the text he was reading but could not understand, but he knew that he could not reveal his curiosity lest he be severly punished, and his father probably would not have been able to provide any information on the subject anyway.

Thus,

after his grandmother had gone to bed, Solomon put some fresh wood on the fire, and secretly took out the treasured volume of astronomy. Finding herself alone in bed, his grandmother would usually beckon her grandson to her.

"Solomon," she would say,

"your poor, old grandmother is cold.

It is late, why do you

continue to sit in front of the fire and read? Keep your grandmother warm.

Come to me.

You can study tomorrow."

"But grandmother," he pleaded, "I'm so interested in

.,.,

-38-

what I'm studying.

And you know that the rabbis encouraged

students to engage in Torah both day and night.

You see, I'm

doing God's will by reading." "Solomon," she sighed, "your grandmother is cold. needs you.

She

It's not right that you should leave me alone; for

the sake of your grandfather, may he rest in peace, come to me so that I won't have to spend the last years of my life suff~ring at night." Solo8on was touched by this last plea of his grandmother, especially as he remembered his grandfather Heimann Joseph, who had recently died.

He felt guilt over his negligence.

Yet he could not help looking at the drawings of the heavenly spheres, of their patterns of interaction as they traced their courses in the sky, and he turned a deaf ear to his grandmother's plaintive requ8st. "How beautiful the universe is," he thought to himself. "How great must be the mind of the Holy One, Blessed Be He to have created such marvels!

A mind greater than all the rabbis

of the Talmud put together!"

Wide-eyed, he read the Hebrew

of the text, struggling to understand the complicated formulae. And as he read this Hebrew, other words of Hebrew from the ancient Jewish past kept repeating themselves in his mind: 11

The Heavens dee lare the glory of God; the firmament shotus

His handiwork." After several evenings of study, Solo~on came to a description of the celestial sphere and its imaginary circles, designed to explain certain astronomical phenomena,

:

The author

-39-

advised the reader to make a globe or armillary sphere since the many circles could not be represented in a plane figure except inaccurately by straight lines.

Therefore, Solomon

resolved to make such a sphere out of twisted rods,

He had

to take care, how0ver, that his father would not discover that he was spending his time making such a construction, and he therefore hid his armillary sphere in a corner behind the cupboard before he went to bed. His grandmother occasionally awakened and noticed that Solo mon was occupied in constructing a geometric structure out of twisted rods laid upon one another rather than in Hebraic studies.

She asked him one evening what he was making.

omon," she said, "what are you doing there? strange object your're putting together?

Sol-

What is this

Come to your grand-

mother, and cease from this playing so that your grandmother tu

ill be L'Jarm." Taken by surprise at his grandmother's tone Solomon

tlJ

a s s p e e ch 1 e s s .

11

I t ' s , i t ' s n o t hi n g , " h e s t am me re d .

" I , ah ,

am making ... ah ... go back to sleep, Grandmother, I'll be with you soon," Disturbed at hergrandson's nightime activity, Solomon's grandmother did not hesitate to tell Joshua that his son had made strange ball of some sort and was hiding it behind the cupboard,

He went at once to search for the construction, and

finding it, questioned Solomon thoroughly, he asked his son.

"L~hat is this?"

"Is it some kind of plaything you've made

-40-

instead of doing your studies?" Faced with the fact that his interest in astronomy was no longer hidden, Solomon explained in detail what he had been learning.

"No, Papa," he responded, "it's a globe."

"And what are you doing with a globe, my son?" "Papa, you know the book by Rabbi Gans in your library, the one about astronomy?" "Don't you know," Joshua replied angrily, "that all books except the Talmud are forbidden to you. learned the entire Talmud by now?

Have you

If so, let us have an exam-

ination ... " "No, father," Solomon interrupted, "of course I don't know the entire Talmud.

I know that there is so much to learn,

and I don't mean to question the importance of Talmud; it's just that ... " "It's just what?"

Joshua asked sharply.

"It's just that I want to learn about the universe, about the heavenly spheres, about God's beautiful creation. Look, Papa, at the drawing in the book and the globe I've made." Although Joshua disapproved of his son's action, · he was curious to see what Solomon had made.

Moreover, since

Joshua had no talent for science, he was impressed that his youngest son could understand a book that he had never read. "See, Papa," Solomon continued, "it's impossible to draw the lines that I've made out of twisted rod on a piece of paper.

That's why I needed to make this sphere.

See how

-41-

everything fits together.

Look at that line on the drawing.

This is the same line on the globe," Solomon said as he held up the structure for his father's inspection. Although Joshua was puzzled by his son's explanation, he did see that Solomon took the field of astronomy seriously, and he was pleased with his son's efforts.

Yet, assuming the

duty of a good Jewish father, he felt it necessary to impress upon him the necessity of engaging in Talmudic studies so that he could one day become a rabbi like his father. "Solomon," he said, "you have remarkable talent, but you know that this is a waste of time. pare to the world of the Talmud.

Astronomy cannot com-

It's the divine law.

What

could be more important!" "But, Father," Solomon protested, "I'm studying God's creation.

Didn't He create the Heaven and the Earth?

I'm only

trying to understand how the universe is put together.

Didn't

God say that His creation was good?

So, too, it must be good

to see how He constructed it." " ffl y son," his father answered "man's task is to study God's law, not His creation.

As Rabbi Ishmael said,

'the

study of Torah is not like a debt that one can discharge by paying a fixed amount and be done with it; it is an abiding duty from which no one has authority to

release himself.'

You cannot therefore study Torah during the day and be done with it so that you can pursue other interests at night. must be an all-consuming fire.

It

So, Solomon, I expect you to

refrain from these secular studies; from now on you must con-

-42-

centrate on what God has given and commanded that you study, not on what you out of your own conceit think is important." So saying, Joshua left Solomon, and in the father's mind the matter was settled once and for all, despite the fact that Solomon paid no attention to his words, and thought only of the celestial spheres that he had been studying,

Chapter V "Read!," Jossel shouted.

Roused from his slumber,

Isaac accidently knocked the Bible off his bench. J o s s e 1 s c r e am e d , " h o tu d a r e y o u fa 11 a s 1 e e p ? "

"fool!"

Wi t h t he s e

words, the lash sliced the air and cut into Isaac's back; in such a way did the melamed, the teacher of Jewish children at the Khu me sh kheyder, wield his power. "You, Solomon, it's your turn, read!"

Solomon looked

up wit h f8ar at his teacher, at the ominous figure who sat befor o hi m in a dity shirt, holding between his knees a bowl in wh ich h e ground tobacco with a huge pestle.

How often he

had seen that same pestle come crashing down upon the fingers, back or head of students who fumbled in their reading.

fre-

aunetly Jossel became so infuriated that he would flog children till they began to bleed, tear at their ears with his strong hands, or gouge their eyes with his hard knuckles.

Solomon

thus tre mbled whenever it was his turn to recite, and he hated the melamed with the greatest passion. Though most students viewed Jossel as an evil monster, they could not understand that his cruelty was the result of his personal misfortune.

Though Jossel as a child had been

given the traditional Jewish education, he lacked any ability to handle complicated texts and could therefore not continue furthering his own studies and at the same time pursue another

-44-

occupation.

He was reduced to make a living from his know-

ledge, an action frowned on by Jewish tradition (''One must not make a spade of Torah," it is said), and he was thereby demeaned by the Jewish community.

Though his services were

necessary, the community had only disdain for the melamed who "sold what should have been given away for nothing," namely the study of the holy law.

To add to his misery, his

wife continually complained of their precarious financial position.

Often she would taunt her husband after a hard day's

labour:

"So, Jessel, tell me

today?

Or did they teach you?

tu

hat did you teach your students Do they know that you have to

teach them because you don't know enough to teach advanced students?

Do they know that 'one who cannot even tie a cat's

tail becomes a melamed'?

Come, Jessel, eat what I've pre-

pared for you on the meager wages you earn." "Enough, Rivka," he would say.

"I've had enough of

your criticism and complaining. " ffo, my husband, and I suppose you like the fact

that

I have to steal bread and butter from your students so that we'll have enough to eat." "Rivka, we've talked about all this before." "I suppose you think that I take pleasure in telling the children that the cat stole their food rather than the truth -- that I'm forced to become a thief because my husband can't support his family? Had Solomon been aware of Jossel's humiliation and

-45-

suffering, he might have more easily understood why his teacher vented his personal frustration and hostility upon his students. "Read, Solomon!" Jossel said again. Swaying and chanting the words in a fixed melogy, rocking backward and forward, Solomon read aloud first the biblical text, and then the commentary.

"'In the beginning,'"

he intoned, "'God created the Heavens and the Earth.'" explanation of the verse is as Rashi states,

The

'At the begin-

ning of the creation of Heaven and Earth, when the Earth was without form and void, and there was darkness God said, "Let there be light."

Now, the text does not intend to point out

the order of the acts of creation, that is that the Heavens and the Earth were created first, before anything else, for had it intended this meaning it should have had a different gram matical construction, (Bereshiso) "At first God created," etc.

Therefore you just admit that the text teaches nothing

about the earlier or later sequence of the acts of creation."'" As soon

as Solomon finished, his teacher asked him,

"So,~• Solomon, what tuas troubling Rashi?" Trembling for fear that he would make a mistake, Solomon responded, "The problem concerns the first word, 'Bereshis,

'in the beginning.'"

"Good, so?" "Well, the question is, were the Heavens and the Earth the first things God created or was there something out of which God created the Heavens and the Earth?"

-4G-

"Yes, go on." "In other words, was there something there, I mean in the universe, before God created the Heavens and the Earth? Or did He create them out of nothing?" "Good, so what is the ansLuer?" "Rashi gives the answer clearly," Solomon said. says,

"He

'the proof that the Heavens and the Earth were not the

first thing created is that the Heavens were created from fire and water, from which it follows that fire and water were in existence before the Heavens.'" "So, Solomon, horn do we then translate the biblical text?"

Jossel asked. " L!Je should read,

'In the beginning of God's creating

the Heavens and the Earth ... ' because in this way, we show that the Torah opens with God's creating the Heavens and the Earth, not with God creating the Heaven and the Earth first, before anything else, for we have seen that God must have created water and fire before the Heavens and the Earth." "Not bad, Solomon, not bad at all," Jossel responded after Solomon's long explanation. Sinking into his chair, Solomon gave a sigh of relief. He had escaped the wrath of the "scourge of God" as people in the village called Jossel.

He had even received the highest

praise which Jossel seldom gave hi~ pupils:

"Not bad at all."

This was the prize, and at the same time the phrase that meant that no punishment was to follow the reading.

-47-

Despite the tension of the classroom, Solomon liked the challenge of grappling with the text, trying to squeeze out its implicit meaning.

Most of all, he liked to receive

praise from his tyrannical instructor while his fellow students looked at him with eyes full of envy and resentment. Nevertheless, Solomon found in his path tremendous obstacles which were an intrinsic part of the kheyder system. The fact that there were no dictionaries and that grammar was not taught at all meant that Hebrew had to be explained by means of Yiddish, which itself was full of defects and grammatical inaccuracies, and therefore little progress was made toward a precise understanding of the language of the texts.

Unfortunately, grammars and critical commentaries

on the Bible, such as those written by Rabbi David Kimchi and Ibn Ezra, were hardly ever used. What plaqued Solomon most, however, was Jossel's strict adherence to the literal interpretation of the biblical stories.

One afternoon Jossel asked Solomon, "1.ilhy does it

say in the text concerning Adam and Eve that God asked Adam who'd told him he was naked?

What's the significance of the

question?" "It's as Rashi says," Solomon answered, "Rashi commerits,

• The phrase, "\JJho told you?" means "from where did

you receive the knowledge that there was shame in being naked.'''" In other words," Solomon continued, "man had no knowledge that there was any shame in being naked before he ate from the

-48-

forbidden tree.

To know that there was shame in standing There-

naked he would have had to taste the forbidden fruit.

fore, by his statement to God Adam gave away the fact he'd eaten from the tree.

But of course this is only a fable."

"And just what do you mean by that?" "L Jell, everyone knows that serpents don't talk, and 1

the whole story about Adam and Eve and the serpent only illustrates that man shouldn't disobey God," Solor:ion answered. "Uhat is this you're saying?" Jossel screamed. "3ut you don't really believe it's true, I mean the part about the serpent talking, do you?" Solomon asked meekly. "L'Jhat king of question is this?" Jossel shouted. course I believe it:

"Of

Would the Holy One, Blessed Be He, lie?

LiJould f:"ioses, our teacher, write anything but the truth?" "But ... ," Solomon protested. "There's not a word, not a letter, not a vowel which isn't divine.

And you, a mere child, doubt the truth of the

divine word, of the writing of our greatest prophet. never again utter such blasphemy:"

may you

And Jossel struck Solomon

across the face with his lash, and pounded the pestle into the back of his neck until blood began to flow and mingle with his tears.

L

Chapter VI "/\11 right," Solomon's father said, "let's get the cargo moving.

We've spent enough time packing up all the

herring." II

The city of Koenigsberg in Prussia was filled with merchants from all over Eastern Europe.

Jews and gentiles

mingled at the docks, bargaining with one another, laughing together, putting their arms around one another as they walked and talked.

One would have thought that no animosity

could have possibly existed among them, but it was only business -- the transactions that began early in the morning and continuted throughout the day -- which masked the deep-seated hostility running beneath the surface.

"The dirty kike," one

gentile LlJould say to another, "he always tries to rob me of my very last penny.

11

"The goyim are all the same,

11

one Je\iJ

tuould say to another, "they're still trying to persecute us for what was done to their Saviour thousands of years ago. Look how much I'm charged for my purchases:" It was in this trading center that Joshua made a purchase which eventually cost him his entire farm and all his holdings.

While loading the vessels he had bought onto

a ship OLlJned by Prince Radzivill, he thought to himself, "The time is ripe for this merchandise; I feel in my bones that

I am going to make a phenomenal profit:"

Unfortunately,

-50-

Joshua, like his father Heimann Joseph, was not a practical man, and his confidence had no sound basis.

Had he been more

astute, he would have realized that by shipping his goods on a boat owned by his landlord, he would be putting himself at the mercy of the same unscr~pulous agents who had previously victimized. his father. Thus, when he returned home and went with the bill of lading to obtain the goods after the ship docked, the agent Schachna absolutely refused to let him take them.

"I'm sorry,

Herr Joshua," he said, "it's impossible for you to have the merchandise." "What do you mean?" the herring; it's mine. rightly mine.

Joshua protested.

"I've paid for

You can't refuse to give me what's

Look, here's the bill of lading which I got in

II

l<oenigsbcrg; there can be no misunderstanding." "The bill of lading has no importance for me," Schachna replied. "L1Jhat :

ment!

Wha t ' -s t hi s?

I t ' s p r o o f , i t ' s a 1 e g a 1 d o cu -

Look it's signed and dated and describes the contents

of the shipment.

And here, here is where it says how much I

paid." "Let me see the paper," Schachna said coldly. Taking it out of Joshua's hands, Schachna tore it into pieces and tossed them quickly into the flames. Dumbfounded, Joshua could only stammer, "I ... I ... can't believe you have done this.

It ' s ... it ' s ... u·n i magi nab 1 e .

0h ,

-51you'll pay fer this. cf robbery.

You can never get away with this sort

Never, we'll go to court, and I'll win."

Burning

wi~h anger, Joshua slammed the door as he left Schachna's office.

Though he wauld have liked to have hit the agent in

his rage, Joshua knew that there were more rational means by which to gain his objective. As Joshua had threatened, the case was taken to court, but it was a long and costly affair.

Under Polish law he was

compelled to make a trip to K~nigsberg, which he did the following year, in order to obtain a certificate from the custom-house, showing that he had shipped the said goods in a

vessel of Prince Radzivill's under the control of Herr Schachna. As soon as Joshua arrived back at the village, the agent was summoned to court, but Schachna found it convenient not to make an appearance. the verdict.

Therefore, Herr Joshua was award e d

Making it clear that Joshua had been the victi m

cf unfortunate circumstances, the Judge stated, "It is evid e nt that you are the party to whom restitution must be mad e .

It

is the will of this court that Prince Radzivill's agent mu s t, in accordance with the dictates of Polish justice, r e l ease the said cargo to you immediately. King,

As r e present a tiv e of the

I decree this case closed." In spite of all this legal for ma lity, P oland suffered

from a wretched administration of ju s ti ce -- particul arly with regard to its Jewish p op ul a ti on .

Th erefcre , Joshua had

no power to execute th e decision of the court , and from this

-52-

successful suit he did not even recover the costs.

And to

this exasperating situation was added the fact that by his suit Joshua had made of Herr Schachna an enemy who desired to persecute him in every possible way.

Unfortunately for Solomon's

family, this Schachna was able to accomplish very easily since by intrigue Schachna got himself appointed steward of all the Radzivill estates situated in the district of ~ir. Resolved to ruin Joshua, he waited patiently for a convenient opportunity to carry out his revenge. A Jew named Schwersen who lived in the vicinity of rn ir had had his eye on Joshua's farm for many years.

Known

as th e bigg0st scoundrel in the entire province, Schwersen had no scruples about enriching himself by overlooking the laws of Chazakah in order to dispossess the old legal Jewish farmers.

Since he occupied himself mainly in the examination

of farms in the neighborhood, he knew how to gain possession of the most lucrative among them by offering their stewards the bribe of a higher rent.

Unfortunately for Joshua, a

certain financial situation enabled Schachna and Schwersen to join forces against him.

Joshua's uncle Jacob, who lived

in another village belonging to the farm, had become indebted to Schwersen for the amount of about fifty thalers.

Since he

could not discharge the debt when it fell due, his creditor Schwersen came with some servants of the manor to Jacob's home. "We've come to see your husband," Schwersen said to

-53-

Jacob's wife as he mounted the steps leading to the house. "I hope you don't mind if my men come with me; we have an important matter to straighten out." Though terrified at the sight of these threatening figures who poured into the hallway, Jacob's wife tried to be cordial, "Yes, please come in," she said. will be right with you.

"!Yiy husband

Let me tell him you're ho,re."

Rushing up the stairs, Jacob's wife was out of breath when she entered the bedroom where Jacob stood half-dressed. "Jacob," she said trembling, "they've come.

What shall we

do?" Hiding his own fear and attempting to calm his wife, Jacob said with confidence, "Don't be afraid, Sarah, Trust in the Lord.

Our creditor will give us another extention

as

usual." As Jacob descended the stairs, however, he was filled with gloorr..

"It's the end," he thought to himself.

finished.

What can I do?

violent.

What will they do to Sarah?

matters like this.

"I'm

My God, I just hope they won't be

Lord, help me.

She's not strong '. in

Be with me."

As Jacob appeared the men rose from their seats. Schwersen was the first to speak. know why we've come.

"Reb Jacob," he said, "you

Let's not waste any time, do you have

my money or not?" "Can't we discuss the matter, gentlemen?"

Jacob said.

"Perhaps we can reach some equitable solution to ••• "

-54-

"Just answer the question directly, Reb Jacob," Schwersen interrupted.

"Let's not play games with one another."

"Not only do I have to face Christian malice," Jacob thought to himself, "but I have to be confronted by this Jewish tyrant, this Jewish ignoramus who can't speak or read a word of Hebrew.

How can one Jew dare to persecute another

when we all live in this boiling pot of hatred?" "L~ e 11 , "

5 c h we r s en s a i d , b r e a k i n g J a co b ' s f 1 ow o f

thought. "Herr Schwersen," Jacob responded, "times haven't been good.

There's been little rain; the crops have suffered ... " "Listen, Jacob, I don't have time for such stories.

I'm interested only in collecting the money you've owed for quite some time.

You've had your last extension."

"But ... "

"I see that you've nothing to give us.

In that case

my men will be forced to seize your family savings which I know you've deposited in that cauldron," he said as he pointed to a large kettle in the corner of the room.

Though it was

supposed to be a secret that Jacob had placed his money in this cauldron, the Christian maid who worked in his home had been bribed to tell Schwersen about its contents. Shocked that Schwersen knew of his cache, Jacob saw that he needed to act quickly.

"Herr Schwersen," he said,

"I don't have enough money even in that cauldron to pay you the required amount.

But this is what I can do.

If you'll

-55-

give me until this evening, I think I'll be able to borrow the difference and in this way pay off my debt." Reluctantly, Schwersen agreed. Reb Jacob, we'll return this evening.

"All right, all right, But be sure, for the

sake of your own safety, that you keep your word." In great consternation, Jacob peered through the window and watched Schwersen and his men ride off.

"Sarah," he

said to his wife, "we must go immediately to Joshua's farm. There we can hide our money in the marsh.

Otherwise we'll

lose everything." "Jacob," she said, her lips trembling, "will we be safe?

What will they do with us?

I'm afraid, Jacob.

Hold me.

11

Taking his wife in his arms, Jacob pondered the future. He had no idea what would happen to him, yet he was impulsively driven to care for the money it had taken him so long to save. "Come, Sarah, all will be well," he said.

"Let's put the

kettle in the wagon." Before nightfall, Jacob and his wife successfully buried the cauldron in a secret place in the marsh behind Joshua's house without telling anyone else. Suspecting that Jacob would not keep his promise, Schwersen followed him and his wife to the marsh.

However,

the cauldron had been hidden by the time he arrived.

He

searched all over the area, but could find it nowhere.

"Look

again," he said to his men in desperation. where.

Now find it!"

"It's here some-

After hours passed, Schwersen called

-56-

to his men. for now."

"Enough.

L!Jho knows where it is?

Let's stop

Irritated at his failure, and breathing vengeance

against Joshua, who he believed had rescued Jacob, he rode to town.

The next morning he took the steward Schachna a gift

and offered to pay double the rent for Joshua's farm besides promising Schachna an annual voluntary present. " ~7 y good Herr S ch a ch n a , greetings ! " with a boLu.

"How good to see you again.

Schwer sen s a i d

How's your family?

I presume everyone is well?" "All is exceptionally well, Herr Schwersen, and your family?" "Excellent," he responded. wine, the kind I know you like.

"I've brought you some

Please take it as a token of

my appreciation for all the help you've given me in the past." "HoLU kind of you," Schachna said with a broad smile. " Tha n k you so v e r y mu c h !' " No t a t a 11 , me i n He r r , " S c h uJ e r s en s a i d . • "N ow I ' v e come to see you about a particular matter." "Yes, please feel free," Schachna said as he fondled t h e LU i n e b o t t 1 e . "It concerns the farm of Herr Joshua." "/\h, that accursed wretch!

Yes, I know him and his

land very well." "Well, Herr Schachna, I'd like to make you an offer. I'm willing to pay double his rent and at the same time give you a little present each year for his farm.

What do you say?

-57You ' · d

be rid of th i s pest , and I ' d gain some good property . Pleased with the offer and mindful of the disgrace

that Joshua had brought upon him, Schachna agreed on the spot. "Yes," he said, "I do like your idea. exactly as it stands.

I accept your plan

From now on the farm and the neighboring

property L'Jill be under your management." In this way all of Joshua's property -- his barns full of grain, his cattle, all the buildings -- was lost even before the end of his lease.

When he heard the news of his eviction,

he turned white with rage and fear. " f.!y God, it's not true!" he exclaimed.

"They can't

do this to me; I have chazakah.

I'll fight! I'll take it to

court!

No, it cannot be.

I'll plead for justice!

no right .•.

Oh, God in Heaven, what will I do?

lost, the land of my father. of

t•J i

nt er .

We ' 11 f r e e z e .

We can't go now.

They have

It will be It's the dead

r,1 y Go d , n o , n o . . . "

Driven from their lodgings, Joshua and his family faced the prospect of wandering like nomads, like the ancient Israelites in the wilderness.

Though the entire community lamented "What

the fate of Joshua's family, nothing could be done. can we do?"

one of their Jewish neighbors sighed.

II

It 's

hopeless." Even the old and faithful gentile servant of the family, Gabriel, who was eighty years old, insisted sorrowfully on going with the family.

"Y-ou can't leave me," he said firmly.

"It was I who carried Heimann Joseph when he was a child.

I'm

-58-

going VJhere you go." "But Gabriel," Joshua protested, "it will be a hard winter, and we don't know where we'll go." "It's of no concern to me," Gabriel responded. coming, too.

"I'm

I'm part of this family; its fate is my fate."

Reluctantly, Joshua agreed, though Gabriel did not travel long with the family.

His advanced age, his grief over

the misery that had befallen his loved ones, and the severe weather proved too much for him; he died after ten miles and was buried in an open field.

Chapter VII "/\re you all right, Solomon?" Esther said to her son. Trembling in the bitter cold wind, his shoes wet with snow, Solomon squeezed his mother's hand, and looked at her wi th b 1 a ck , mourn f u 1 eyes ,

" I ' 11 be a 11 r i g ht , 0, am a , don ' t

worry," he said with teeth chattering. The family had just buried Gabriel, and the men were now tired and hungry,

As they saw the marker of his grave

disappear in the blizzard, they looked at one another,

"Shall

this be our fate, all of us?" Joseph thought to himself.

The

world seemed covered with a white blanket; no sign of life could be seen anywhere,

As the party moved onward along the

road, the trees overhead, their branches heavy with fresh fallen snow, looked like the vaults of a synagogue.

"Be

strong and of good courage, children," Joshua said to his family,

"The Lord in His mysterious Luay is watching over us.

He'll not hide His face from those who seek Him; He'll help us in the hour of our distress," "But, Papa, what will we do?

It's so cold, and Lue

don't know where Lue're going," Solomon said tearfully, "Don't despair, my son," his father answered, Lord won't forget us. wilderness, land,"

"The

We're now like our ancestors in the

But have faith; there'll surely be a promised

-60As he said these last words, there appeared as if from nowhere a small village at the bottom of a deep valley. Dropping to his knees in the snow, Joshua offered a prayer to the God of his fathers. · "Our Father, you've provided for us,

in the hour of our need you've listened to our sup-

plication.·.. Encouraged now,

the family held onto one another as

the snow fell more heavily than before.

Silhouetted against

the whiteness of their surroundings, Joshua, Esther, Joseph and Solomon cried tears of joy. "Papa, you were right!"

Solomon exclaimed.

"The Lord

has worked a miracle for us as He did for Moses and the Children of Israel in the desert." "Joshua, we're safe," his wife said with a deep relief. "3ut Father," his older son said,

"we must hurry.

Night

will come soon, and we can't afford to delay. "Yes, come," Joshua said, "you're right.

Lile must

arrive there before nightfall." The village that the family had come upon was owned by two landlords; one part was already leased, but the landlord of the other part had as yet no buildings to lease. was in the process of contruction.

He

Weary of his winter wan-

dering, and afraid of what further dangers he might have to confront, Joshua felt he had no choice but to sign a contract to lease a house which was yet to be built, and meanwhile, t i l l the house was finished,

to'take up quarters in a

reconverted

-Glbarn. When he saw the dilapidated structure which once had served as the barn for the animals of the village, Joshua shuddered.

"f:1y God," he said, "what a place!"

Turning to

his wife who was staring at the broken stalls and empty window frames, he took her hand in his.

And then as their gaze

met, they both began to smile, and all at once they both broke into 1 aught er .

"Joshua , " s·h e said , "i t ' s the worst p 1 ace I

have every seen!" " Ye s , " h e r e s p on d e d , " i t ' s t he wo r s t . It's terrible, incredible.

The v e r y tu o r s t !

Esther, I don't believe it."

And

as their parents laughed hysterically, the two sons looked on in confusion. After braving the hard Polish winter, the family finally was a b le to ~ave into their new home. destined to fail.

The house had not been put together well

and was constantly in need of repair. of deep melancholy.

Yet, everything seemed

Esther fell into a state

The winter months, full of anguish and

difficulty, rueighted heavily on her spirits.

Despite her

husband's comforting, optimistic words, she was full of anxiety about ho~ the family would be able to subsist.

For hours she

would sit beside the stove and stare into space.

Her beauty

began to fade as she became thinner and thinner, and ev e ntually she became so weak that she could not feed herself.

Her once

lively temperament disappeared; she became withdrawn and silent. Looking at his wife seated like a corpse by the

wind □ ~ ,

< :2Joshua resolved to take drastic steps to bring his wife back to health.

"I can't bear to see Esther this LUay," he thought

t O h i ms e 1 f .

" S om e h ow I mu s t

f i nd a

uJ

a y t o s e n d he r t o a

doctor Lvho'll be able to lift her spirits."

He had heard of

a celebratod specialist at Novgorod who had an excellent reputation for curing mental disorders.

Seeking advice as to

what to do, he asked one of his neighbors for his opinion. 11

Re b /\ b r ah am , " J o s h u a s a i d , " my uJ i f e i s , as y o u k n ow ,

in a very bad state.

She's changed so drastically that I

hardly even know her myself.

She's become so thin and weak

and hardly ever says a word.

Let me ask you, and please keep

everything we discuss in confidence, do you know of the famous specialist i)r. Scholomov in Novgorod?" "Yes, I do," his friend answered. "I've heard," Joshua continued, "that he has great success with his patients.

I've hardly any money, but I think

I can b o r r o tu e n o u g h t o s e n d he r t o h i m.

liJ ha t

do you t h i n k 7 "

After a few moments' hesitation, Abraham responded. "Reb Joshua," he said, "I myself am very skeptical about what I have heard.

If you really want my opinion, I'll tell you

what I think.

Our ancestors had no specialists trained in

mental disorders; they had only their faith in the living God and the words of the sages.

Yet, though they suffered the

most horrible tragedies, they were always able to revive their spirits.

There was no test, no misfortune that was too hard

for them.

Look, too, at the biblical story of Job.

He lost

-63-

everything, his family, his fortune, his health, and yet trusting in the Lord, he was able to retain his integrity and confidence.

So, too, you must try to counsel your wife through

the words of our tradition.

Certainly, you're a learned man,

a rabbi, this shouldn't be such a difficulttask for you." Influenced by his neighbor's advice, Joshua attempted to help his wife himself. me."

"Esther," he would say, "look at

But she would make no movement.

would plead, "all will be well. Lord in Heaven.

"Esther, my wife," he

Trust in me, trust in the

I know everthing will turn out fine."

But

his entreaties were met with only a cold silence. Finally, Joshua in his despair was driven to send his wife away to Novgorod.

His wife's illness eventually had

reached such proportions that he had no choice.

After

the

first month in their new home, Joshua was awakened one morning to the sound of his wife's moaning.

Curled up in a corner of

the room, she began to let out long moaning sounds.

Terrified

that she was desperately ill, Joshua rushed immediately to her side, but as he came near her, she turned against him, sinking her fingernails into his face as she screamed, her black eyes flashing hatred and horror, and finally collapsed into his arms. Throughout his mother's sickness, Solomon had an almost morbid interest in the progress of her mental disease.

Fascin-

ated by her abnormal behavior, he used to watch her for hours. "Solomon, you're a wretch!" he thought to himself.

"Here's

your mother suffering, and you sit staring at her, watching her

-64-

wither away."

Yet he could not stifle his insatiable curiosity.

Though he hated himself for doing so, he even kept notes outlining the development of her mental illness and her eventual lapse into insanity. After several months had passed, to the relief and joy of Joshua and his two sons, his wife returned home from Novgorod healthy and happy.

Though Joshua questioned her con-

tinually about what cure had taken place under Dr. Scholomov's guidance, she only smiled and kissed him saying, "Joshua, it's all past.

Everything is fine now.

Come, we've so much work

to do." At this time Solomon was sent to school at Iwenez, about fifteen miles from his parents' new home. began to study the Talmud exclusively.

There he

Since David, the chief

Rabbi of this small town, was related to Joshua, his father gave Solomon a letter of introduction asking that the boy be put in the charge of an able teacher.

Rabbi David, known for

his breadth of knowledge and sympathetic understanding of students, was only too happy to comply with Joshua's desire and offered also to give some attention to Solomon's progress. One Sabbath afternoon, when Solomon was invited to Rabbi David's home, he unburdened himself of the difficulties that he had encountered at schools

during a discussion con-

cerning a passage in Kiddushin, Solomon seemed to his teacher to be disturbed about something as he recited.

"All right,

Solomon," Rabbi David said, "novJ you said that a man may

-65-

betroth a woman through himself or through his agent.

The

gemoro asks why it's necessary to say that he may do so through himself, if it states explicitly that he can do so through his agent.

IJJhat is Rabbi Joseph's answer?"

Lost in his own thoughts, Solomon did not even hear the question. "Solomon," his teacher said with a troubled expression, "this is very unlike you. is quite clear.

f.'ly question is very simple, the text

What's wrong, my son?

It's not difficult for

me to see that something is troubling you.

Tell me -- maybe

I can help." "Rabbi David," Solomon replied, "I like you very much, and I want you to like me,

But I'm afraid that if I tell you

what is bothering me, you'll be mad at me." 11

[·~ 0,

Solomon, please tell me; I'm ready to listen, and

I L'JOn' t be mad at you.

I promise.

Now, tell me the truth."

"lJ e 11 , Ra b b i , I kn ow t hat t o b e a t a 1 mu d i s t

honored position that one can have. not even the greatest riches,

i s t h e mo s t

Nothing else is important,

If a rabbi like you enters a

place where there are other Jews, everybody stands.

I know

all this, but ... " "But what, Solomon?" his teacher asked. "Rabbi, I don't like the Talmud.

Please forgive me

for saying these words, but they're true." "Tell me, Solomon," the rabbi asked gently, "why don't you like the Talmud?"

-66-

"Rabbi Eleazer, my teachGr, makes it so uninteresting. I like the times we -- you and I

spend together on Shabbos,

but when I study with hir., during the week, it's horrible." "What's so horrible?" his teacher asked. "L!Jhen we discuss in class," Solomon answered, "we' re expected to know both Rashi's commentary and the tosaphos on the text we're studying. t at or s as

uJe 11 .

t e x t s o t ha t

tu

At times, we read the othercommen-

Each week we're supposed to memorized the

e kn ow i t b y he a r t . "

"Yes," Rabbi David said. " But that's all we ever do.

We never try to understand

the difficulties of the argument; we never try to see how the com ~ entators differ and why.

The only time we discuss the

topic is when we have to explain why a certain word or figure of speech is used, but these questions have nothing to do with the discussion itself.

And when we make mistakes or ask ques-

tions that the teacher doesn't like, he beats us." "So, Solomon, tell me, why do you think your teacher is this way?

L~hy don't you examine the central arguments?"

"I don't know, but I think it's because he hasn't prepared the lesson, and also because he himself doesn't understand the text." "And why do you say that he doesn't understand the text, Solomon?"

Rabbi David asked.

"Because when

r . dispute with him over a translation

or over a point in the argument, he never listens to me."

-67-

"What does he do then?" "He tells me to be quiet or he hits me and says to me,

'a child shouldn't be too inquisitive, he must see to it

merely that he memorizes his lesson and not ask so many questions.'

But I know that I'm right.

are good ones.

I know that my questions

Please forgive me, Rabbi David, but I must

say that at times I know the problems in the discussion much better than Rabbi Eleazer." Recognizing that Solomon's education was suffering as a result of his teacher's mediocrity, Rabbi David decided to take him as his own student.

Despite the fact that the chief

rabbi was an old man, and was therefore not able to sustain a conversation for a long period of time, he nevertheless delighted in challenging his young pupil with the most difficult questions concerning the interpretation of a text.

Unlike

Solomon's former teacher, Rabbi David conversed with Solomon on the main subject of the discussion in the Talmud and then asked the boy to analyze the various commentators' viewpoints. When Joshua learned that his son was studying with his famous relative, he was overjoyed.

And when Rabbi David wrote a

letter telling him how proficient his son was in his studies, Joshua was ecstatic. "Esther," he said to his wife, "listen to this. hardly believe what the chief rabbi has to say:

I can

'my dear

relatives, how good it was to receive your son as a student. I am only too happy to havB him under my tutelage. tell you of his progress in Talmud.

I want to

Though he is only nine

-68-

years old, he discusses the arguments like a man.

Never in

my entire career as a Rabbi, have I encountered such a penetrating mind on the part of a student.

There is no doubt in

my mind that he will one day be a great Talmudist.

He is

forever taking an argument and examining it from every conceivable standpoint; there is nothing which escapes his vision. There have been several times during the past months when Solo mon has even taught his teacher, and I have been reminded of the saying of the sages, "~1uch I have learned from my teachers, and more than that from my colleagues, but most have I learned from my students."'" Full of pride, Joshua put the letter down, and both parents rejoiced in their good fortune.

Yet, within the

hidden recesses of his soul, Joshua harbored a secret resentment that he could not acknowledge even to himself.

Never in

his own career as a student had he received such words of praise nor had any of his teachers made such a glorious prediction about his future as a scholar. his younger son.

Joshua was jealous of

Chapter VIII " f,1 y Go d : " t he p r i n c e e x c 1 a i me d ,

place!"

"W ha t a b e a u t i f u 1

On a bright July morning Prince Radzivill and an

entourage of servants were traveling through mohilna, a small hamlet four miles from the royal residence at Nesvim.

Bor-

dered by the river Niemen on one side, and by a forest of stately trees on the other, this village was ideally adapted for trade and shipbuilding, and as the Prince passed by on horseback, he calculated how to make use of this property. "There's no doubt," he thought to himself, "that this district has innumerable advantages; here workers could build ships from the available timber, and the place could serve as an excellent trading center.

Moreover, the land is rich in productive soil.

Farmers would easily be attracted by such conditions. a profit to be had here. UJ

There's

I could use the extra income very

e 11 ; Go d kn o L1J s , I n e e d i t ! " When the caretaker of the farm, whose family had for

generations been in possession of this fertile and lucrative property, heard that the Prince was planning to make the land available to anyone who desired to settle there, he was furious. "No, no," he told his wife, "such an action won't take place! It can't be.

I'm merely a link in the chain of caretakers that

stretches for generations. as it is of the Prince's."

It's as much a part of our family

-70-

"~~hat can you do?" his wife asked. "I don't know. peration.

I just don't know," he said in des-

"The Prince can do whatevEJr he vJills, there's no

one, no court, to which I can appeal.

I fear I'm lost; it's

hopeless." " 3u t , " h i s

VJ

i f e s a i d , " you co u 1 d t r y t o i n f 1 u e n c e

the agents of the Prince to divert his attention from the matter.

Certainly, it's not a major concern.

Perhaps he'd

just forget about his plan." "Ruth," the caretaker said to his wife, "there's so @sthing in ~hat you say.

At least, it's worth a try."

Following his wife's advice, the caretaker approached the ag2nts with a number of plans.

"Sirs," he would say, "I've

brought you some fine timber which should prove valuable to you in the construction of ships."

Or bringing agricultural

products from the farm he would use the same devious tactic. "Gentleliien," he would say, "please take some of these vegetables and some of these animals for your family. you a wagon-full of goods.

I've brought

You know I've no request to make;

I only hope that you'll get the Prince to stop thinking of making my farm free property.

If you do, I'll be able to

keep furnishing you with fine products, and I, too, will benefit from having the entire land at my disposal." The agents, happy with the existing arrangements, prevented the Prince from carrying out his proposal for nearly a year.

However, the Prince, who grew more desperate in his

- - ~ - ---------

- 7 1-

quest for additional income, finally put his plan into action, Everyone who so desired he announced, was at liberty to settle in the district, surrounding and including Mohilna, and to pursue any kind of trade with the accompanying provision that he was even to be free from all taxes for the first six years. As was to be expected, such a generous offer was well received, and when Joshua learned about the Prince's plan, he d e c i cJ e d t hat hi s f am i 1 y s ho u 1 d s et t 1 e in f1l oh i 1 n a .

" Es t he r ,

t hi s i s a

11 1 ~

r:1

a r v e 1 o u s c ha n c e , " h e s a i d t o hi s wi f e .

lived long enough here,

Je've

There's really nothing to keep us in

this villagG; we should take advantage of this God-given op p ortunity." "Joshua," his wife replied, "I'm sure you're right, but how will we earn enough there so that we can live decently? And who will teach Solomon now that Rabbi David has passed away?" "I know; these are serious problems. recovered from the loss of his teacher.

Solomon hasn't

I'd heard that Rabbi

David was consumptive, but I never knew that he was in such a delicate state of health.

I just hope that the extra strain

of teaching Solomon didn't contribute ... " "Joshua," his wife interrupted, "this is all in the past.

And you know from his letter hos much your relative

enjoyed teaching Solomon.

It was a pleasure, not a burden.

Perhaps it even gave him something to live for. we have to concern ourselves with the present."

At any rate

I

-72-

"Yes, but I think there is a solution," he responded."

I can easily teach both my sons.

And pershps I could even

obtain some kind of teaching position in the beginning to help us along, but first I must make a journey to see the caretaker so that I can obtain his consent to settle in ruohilna. It's just a formality, but it must be done." "You should have no trouble," his wife said.

"The

caretaker is a brother-in-law of your uncle, and I would assume that he'd be delighted to have a relative as a neighbor." As Esther rightly guessed, the caretaker greeted Joshua with outstretched arms and emphasized how delighted he would be to h2ve him settle in the area.

"Reb Joshua," he said

upon hearing his proposal, "of course I give you my consent. You've no idea how happy it will make me and my family to have a relative nearby.

/\nd let me tell you quite frankly, I've been

full of fear that on the announcement of the Prince's wish people would stream in from all sides and push me out of my possession.

Would that only -my relatives would settle here

rather than absolute strangers!" Happy to hear such words of encouragement, Joshua shook his relative's hand with excitement and enthusiasm.

"Good,"

he said, "then it's settled." "And Reb Joshua," his relative added, "if there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask.

You know we're

always here to help." Though Joshua was at first received by hls relative

-73-

in this friendly manner, as time passed the caretaker changed' his attitude.

Since no one but Solomon's father offered to

settle in Mohilna, he realized that his fear of being dispossessed was entirely groundless.

Clearly, the prince was

too burdened with State affairs in Warsaw to be able to carry out his plan.

Thus the caretaker began looking upon Joshua

as a burden, an intruder with whom he would have to share what he had before owned alone.

In order to prevent Joshua

from coming, the caretaker built a splendid house and succeeded in persuading the Prince to order that no newcomer should receive any rights until he had built a similar house. Despite the caretaker's attempt to frustrate their plans, Joshua and his family settled in Mohilna. looked upon Joshua's family as vagrants.

The former

"They're nothing

but wandering tramps," he would say to his tui fe.

"Now they've

corae to disturb me, to eat up my possessions like parasites. The entire lot is a plague, a plague of devastating locusts!" On the other hand, Joshua looked on his relative as a despicable tyrant.

"He's nothing but an ignoramus," Joshua

would say to his wife.

The revocation of the original consent

he had given made Joshua's blood boil.

"Look at him, trying

to restrict my rights, trying to obstruct every move I make," he would say.

"May his bones rot!"

Since Joshua was the only scholar in the area he was given the position of chief rabbi in a small synagogue which was erected after he arrived.

By means of this office, he had

-74hoped to correct his relative's conduct, but unfortunately his efforts were of no avail. As chief rabbi he was also in a position to take talmudic students and to teach his sons as well.

In this

reg a rd, however, Solomon proved to be more than a match for his father.

Though ho was only nine years old at the time,

he could nevertheless understand the Talmud and its commentari Bs correctly and took delight in questioning his father's conclusions.

"Father," he would say, "Don't you see that

~a bb i Nah ~ an and Rabbi Simeon Ben Gamaliel don't disagree over th2 m2i n issue?

It only seems as though they disagree

i n thB ~n~or o, but as Rashi and the other commentators imply this isn't so in reality.

They don't say explicitly that they

do not disa g ree, but that's the direction of their thinking. Look a t the Tosaphos." Since Joshua L\Jas busy with his many du t i ·e s , he did not have time to prepare the text as thorough 1 y as his son, and Solomon derived a childish pleasure from seeing his father totally at a loss to interpret a passage, perplexed over his son's questions and over the inherent intricacies of an argument. When Joshua saw his son smiling at him over the pages of his Tal~ud as he struggled to untie the threads of a discussion, his resentment turned to anger, and he SL\Jore never to teach his son again.

"Let him try to learn without me,"

he thought to himself.

"It would be an impossible task.

here he is sneering at his teacher.

The ungrateful child!

And

-7 5 Such presumption should not go unpunished."

In this way, the

chief rabbi of Mohilna, the scholar of the Talmud, both hated and feared his own son despite himself.

Nonetheless Joshua

could not help but feel pride at his son's accomplishment, and was therefore unable to carry out the con.templated threat of punishment. Solomon, too, was ambivalent about the entire situation. Though he liked to see his father grimace and suffer under the impact of his analytic probing, he disliked what he saw in himself.

Often he would think, "Solomon, why don't you leave

your father alone?

Doesn't he have enough problems without

having to face such humiliation?" his devilish inclination •

. ---

Yet, he could not resist

Chapter IX "No, don't kill me!"

The demons pursued Solomon as

he tried to run through the dark forest.

The more he struggled,

the mora tightly he was bound to the earth as if tied by the cords of his own sins.

Suddenly, they encircled him, their

wings so large that they seemed to cover the entire sky. "Thief!" they cried.

Together they lifted their knives, and

in one swift lunge, a thousand sharp points plunged into Solor:ion' s heart. Panting and terrified, Solomon woke from his dream. They had almost killed him, the dark spirits that lurked in the depths of the woods; they had amost destroyed him because of his iniquity.

Lying down again in the safety of familiar

surroundings, he began to doze.

Again, he was being chased,

yet this time by his fellow schoolmates.

A sea of black

figures, sidecurls bobbing up and down in the fury of movement, seemed to crash upon him, and as the scene came into focus, Solomon saw that he had metamorphosed into a pig. was trapped into a corner.

He

They moved closer, mocking him,

screaming at this pink animal that they despised.

In horror,

Solomon began to squeal, louder and louder, until the sound became deafening.

And then as Solomon looked up, he saw the

butcher's knife slice the air, and he felt the blade cut into the flesh.

-77-

"Solomon," Joshua said as he shook his son, "are you all right?

You've just had a bad nightmare.

going to be fine." eyes.

Everything is

Terrified, Solomon looked into his father's

"You screamed so loud," Joshua said, "you woke us both,

y o u r mo t he r an d me .

LlJ h at a ho r r i b 1 e d re am y o u mu s t ' v e ha d . "

Relieved to find himself in the protection of his father's arms, he held his father tightly, laying his head on Joshua's chest.

Though his dream had ended, he still felt a

special pain gnawing inside him.

The pain was not the result

of a physical injury; it was the wound of a guilty conscience. And as the tears flowed down his face, he remembered the events of the last few days. Never before had he been seized by the desire to steal, but there was something about the caretaker's medicine box that he couldn't resist.

Perhaps it was the unusual glazed

painting on the top, but at any rate, he had no intention of taking the money inside it.

When Solomon saw that it was full

of small change, he was heartsick. he thought to himself.

"How can I steal money?"

"It's so dishonest.

I just want the

box, but I can't leave the change, otherwise they'll know that it's gone."

Since no one was in the caretaker's house,

Solomon saw that it would be simple to run with this prize but he was reluctant to take the money, particularly when he realized that it belonged to one of the children of the household.

"Here I've come to play with the caretaker's children,"

he thought to himself, "but instead I'm stealing their belongings!"

-78-

Despite the fact that he had only contempt for his action, Solomon could not resist the temptation, and he took the medicine box and its contents with him. As Solomon stepped onto the porch of the caretaker's home, he saw his young friends playing by the road.

"How can

I be so unrighteous?" he thought, and as he waved to them, the holy words of the Bible pounded inside his head: not steal"

"Thou shalt

"Thou shalt not covet" -- and he vJas deeply

ashamed. Like a fugitive fleeing for his life, Solomon ran the entire way home, and when he saw that no one was around, he buried the box in the garden by the side of the barn.

"It will

be safe here," he thought, "and I'll be able to dig it up later."

Indeed, Solomon felt relieved when he saw the box dis-

appear from sight; it was as though his immoral act had disappeared with it. That night Solomon could not sleep.

He tossed from

side to side, and as he began to doze, the images of the care- taker's children came to haunt his dreams. he thought to himself. money.

"I can't stand this,"

"It wasn't right for me to take the

Adam couldn't hide his sin from God, and though what

I've stolen is buried, it's not hidden from God's sight. certainly be punished."

I'll

Tortured by guilt, Solomon resolved

that night to return what he had taken, and he set out in the darkness to dig up the medicine box.

As he ventured into the

darkness, Solomon was filled with courage; he was sure that he

-79-

was doing a righteous act, a nd therefore he had no fear of what might lurk be hind the shadows cast by the moon.

/\s

he?

approached th e place where he had hidden the box, he heard a dog howl in the distance. he re as sur e d himself. he bega n to dig.

"There's nothing to be afraid of,"

The wind was cold, and he shivered as

Quickly he removed the dirt and rushed back

into the house with the medicine box clutched tightly to his chest. Th o nex t morning, after a good night's sleep, Solomon r e co n sid e r e d his decision of the night before, bo x :

11

i1 e

3

a i d t o hi ms e 1 f ,

" Th e d raw i n g s a r e s o n i c e ; I ju s t

can't be ar t o pa rt with this tr e asure. min e ; I ri, u s t

"What a pretty

Yet the money isn't

return it somehow."

jith tho coins in his pocket, Solomon set out for the car et ak Gr' s h ouse.

When he arrived, he noticed that the entire

family was outside, and thus entered through the back to ths room wher8

h□

had originally found the medicine box.

He

decided to place the money on the shelf of the closet, but since the shelf was rather high, Solomon had to stand on an old chair • stored in the closet,

All at once, the chair collapsed, and

Solomon fell, dropping the coins all over the floor.

Hearing

the crash, the entire family rushed inside to see what had happened.

When the caretaker saw Solomon sprawled out, sur-

rounded by gold coins, he exclaimed, "What is this? you doing here, Solomon?" "I ... r ... fell," Solomon stam1:1ared.

L'J hat aro

-80-

"Explain yourself," the caretaker asked with anger. "LJJhy are you in the closet, and what is all this money doing on the floor?" Rocognizing that he had no choice but to tell the truth, Solomon said, "Sir, I've done a terrible thing.

Please for-

give me, but I accidently saw a beautiful medicine box in this room y es terday, and I just couldn't resist taking it.

I

knovJ I've dong a horrible thing, but ... " "S o

LIJ hat

are you do in g now? " t he care taker asked .

"You see," Solomon said, "I recognized that I did the wron g thing so I'm returning the money. " ;1 n d t he b o x , wh e re i s i t ? " t he ca re t a k e r a s k e d .

" UJell ... I ... uh ... " "1'\ha," the caretaker said, "you 're ready to bring back the money, but not the container. this?

What kind of honesty is

Is it any less an act of thievery if you return only

part of what you've stolen?" "Solomon's a thief!" the caretaker's son exclaimed. "Robber:

Thief!" the rest of the children joined in.

"Enough, children," the caretaker said.

"Solomon will

be punished adequately when his father, the chief rabbi, learns of his son's activity. training.

See, this is the product of his

Our chief rabbi, the holy man of mohilna, has reared

a er i min a 1 ! " When Joshua heard about his son's behavior, he was shocked.

"I can't believe it," he said to his son Joseph.

-81-

" The r a b b i ' s s on :

I ' m di s gr a ce d .

l~ hat

can I d o ? "

Recognizing that this was a perfect opportunity to vent his animosity toward his brother, Joseph said with righteous conviction, "Solomon must be severely punished so that he'll never do such a thing again." Burning with rage, Joshua took off his belt and called Solomon who was hiding underneath his bed. Robber," his father called.

"Come here, Herr

Aware that he had to face the

inevitable, Solomon slowly made his way to the room in which his father was preparing to beat him.

Seeing his father's

coat strewn across a chair, Solomon knew that his father had removed the garment so that he might more easily inflict the p u n i s h me n t .

" Com e he re ," ..b97 u a s a i d c o 1 d 1 y , " n ow we ' 11 s e e

how courageous the talmudic scholar is." Joshua began to lash his son.

With these words,

Blinded by his anger, Solomon's

father did not even realize that he was cutting his son's flesh with the buckle of his belt. When Joshua finished, he lectured Solomon, who was sobbing in the corner of the room, "Remember, my son, what the Rabbis have said.

'He whose hands are smeared in robbery will

call upon God but will not be heard.'

God won't listen to

your pleas unless you refrain from such iniquity. sinned, Solomon!

You've

There's only one course to follow.

repent, and promise God that you'll never steal again.

You must Know,

too, Solomon, that you have a responsibility to me as well. Don't forget that I'm the chief rabbi in this village.

What

--82-

will people say if they know that one of my sons is a thief?" Though Solomon's nightmares were caused by guilt concerning these events, he could not overcome the temptation to possess beautiful objec~s.

When Russian soldiers were quar-

tered for some time in mohilna they were allowed to purchase new clothing and sell their old uniforms.

Solomon's brother

and his cousin Beer were given brass buttons by a distant relative, and since these buttons were considered a fine decoration, they were sewn on their socks in place of the wooden buttons that they had before. Green with envy, Solomon pleaded with his father for justice.

"Papa," he said with passion, "it's not right that

Joseph and Beer have just isn't fair.

so many buttons and I have none.

It

Please make them give me some."

Since Joshua saw how unhappy his younger son was, he agreed to ask Joseph and Beer to give up some of their brass buttons. dO •

"All right, Solomon," he said, "I'll see what I can

11

Confronting Joseph, Joshua said, "l\low listen, I know that you and Beer were given these buttons as a present, but look at your brother. so important.

See how sad he is.

The buttons aren't

Be a good lad and give him a few so that he'll

leave us in peace." "But, Papa," Joseph protested, "the buttons were a gift to us.

It's not right that we have to give them away.

We don't ask for everything that Solomon has.

Please, Papa,

-83-

let us keep all of them." " fil y s on ,

b e g e n e r o u s wi t h wha t y o u ha v e .

F o r t he s a k e

of peace in the family," "But, Papa ... " "I have spoken.

[\low do as you' re told."

When Solomon learned of his father's decision, he was e 1a t e d .

" i'J DL'J

I ' 11 ha v e but t on s 1 i k e t he Russi an so 1 die rs , "

he thought to himself.

Though he knew how greedy and covetous

he was in this entire affair, the fact that he was to have something very attractive overcame his sense of fairness. Joseph and Beer, however, could not get over their loss.

"Look, Beer," Joseph said, "we're the victims of in-

justic e .

S o 1 CJ 1r. o ,1 di. d n ' t cfo 3 e :r v a t ho s a bu t t on s , an d we we r e

forced to give them up." " S o wha t can

LU

e do? "

"Let's go again to my father. tell him how l'Je've beenwronged.

He's a just man.

Let's

I'm sure he'll listen."

With firm resolve, the two boys confronted the chief rabbi.

"Father," Joseph said determinedly, "we've come to

present our case before you as a rabbi.

~ y brother's been

given something he didn't rightfully deserve.

Is this justice?

If this fair?" "Joseph," his father said, "you're taking this matter much too seriously.

After all, they're only a few brass buttons.

But if it will make you happy, I'll tell you what you can do. I can't take the buttons away from Solomon, but if you can

-84-

devise some scheme by which to remove the buttons from Solomon's socks, then you may have them back. no force will be allovJed.

But remember that

11

Delig~ted with his father's words, Joseph thought of a plan.

Spying Solomon walking in the garden, both boys

rushed up to him and said, "Solomon, you've done a terrible thing:

You've sewn the bottons on your woolen socks with

linen instead of woolenthread.

This is a transgression of the

law prohibiting the combination of wool and linen. go about this way.

You can't

Let us help you so you won't be punished

for disobeying God's law." Bewildered, Solomon watched as they pulled the buttons off his socks, and ran with them back to the house. "rJo, you can't do this:" he cried. on with the right thread.

"You must seLu them

They're not yours to take.

Give

them back:" Pursuing them into the house, Solomon screamed, "Give them to me or I'll tell Papa."

Despite Solomon's threat,

the boys ran up the stairs into the bedroom and locked the door behind them. Seeing his father sitting in the kitchen, Solomon approached him and said, "Papa, Joseph and Beer have stolen my buttons.

They told me that they were sewn on with linen

rather than wool, and they tore them off my socks.

Tell them

to give me my buttons." "Solomon," Joshua said with a smile, "you've let yourself be deceived.

This is quite out of character for you.

I

-85can only say that I the future."

hope you'll be wiser and more careful in

Chapter X The synagogue where Joshua was the rabbi was a small wooden structure with a sloping thatched roof.

Inside, the

ark was c a rved from pine, and the bimah was formed out of cruving b aro q ue pillars.

Here, the few Jews of ~ ohilna came

to pray, and on the Sabbath, men from neighboring communities where t hs ra was no house of worship, came to fill the ranks of the con g regation. ~h en e ver Solomon sat among this group of Jewish men he knew th a t he was the object of attention.

One man would

say to the p e rson sitting next to him, "See that boy.

That's

the rab bi's son.

A tal-

I've heard that he's a real genius.

mudic scholar at the age of nine!

Some people say that he

even knows part of the Talmud better than his father." In such a highly-charged atmosphere, Solomon felt self-conscious.

Though he liked the fact that all eyes were

upon him, he nevertheless felt uncomfortable as the object of so much discussion.

"Papa," he would say during the

prayers, "are these men talking about me, or am I imagining it?"

" No, my son," his father would respond with pride,

"you're not imagining it.

Don't you know that you're a

famous personality in this district? your ability as a talmudist.

They're talking about

But come, the Lord is waitin g

for our prayers; let's not discuss such matters during th e

-87-

service," One Sabbath morning when the sky was overcast and the synagogue was particularly cold, Solomon reflected on the content of the prayers he had been saying.

The

time for the

Shemoneh Esreh prayer arrived, and as the congregation rose, Solomon pondered the nature of what he was about to do.

"Here

I am," he thought to himself, "ready to praise God for His glory and to ask Him for favors,

How similar this is to what

I do when I want something from my father.

First I tell him

how wonderful he is, and then I a~k him for what I want, and that's the same technique Lue use here in synagogue." thought of his own devioµsness,

As he

he was troubled that the Jews

he saw swaying back and forth, covered by their prayer shawls, were no different than he, and that their trickery was directed to the Holy One Blessed Be He.

"How deceitful we all are,"

he thought to himself. ~hen Solomon came to the qualities attributed to God, he was puzzled,

"God is supposed to be great, mighty, and

awesome, the 'father of His children Israel,' and the 'King of Kings.'

Yet He has no form, and is 'without beginning and

end' as we read in the Yigdal.

Now, it's all a confusion to

me; I don't understand it," When the service ended, Solomon left with his father, and as they walked home in the cool air, Solomon began to question his father concerning the service, " I ha v e some questions to as I< you .

f',1a y

"Papa," he said,

I ask you n mu? "

"Of course, Solomon," Joshua answered, "but we'll have to keep walking as we talk since your brother is sick at home, and I want to return as quickly as possible to find out how he is.

But tell me, are the questions about what we have

been studying in Talmud?

It is a very interesting section we

have been doing, don't you think, Solomon?" "YGs, Papa, but my questions are about the service this morning, not about the Talmud.

Is that all right?"

"Yes, certainly, do you want to know something about the liturgy?" " i~ o, Papa, I'm confused about the prayers." "Surely you must know what they mean, my son." "Yes, but I want to ask about what they say about God. Please don't be mad at me." "I'm not mad," his father said. "LiJell, this is what I was thinking. as great, mighty, and awesome.

We describe God

We say, too, that He's the

'father of His children Israel,' the 'King of Kings.'

Isn't

this true?" "Yes, it is so.

No only that, but He's also a savior, a

helper, a protector, and a shield.

Yet, Solomon, you should

be careful, as the rabbis counsel, not to go to excess in counting the praises of the Lord for it is written,

'Who can

utter the mighty acts of the Lord, or Proclaim all His praise?' Indeed, it's for this reason that one utters only three attributes of God in the first benediction of the Shemoneh

-89-

Esreh rather than a multitude.

You know the story in Berachos,

don't you, about the man who ascended the pulpit in the presence of Rabbi Hanina?

He recited the words,

'The Great,

~ ighty, Awesome, Exalted, Brave, Strong, True, Fearful, and Powerful God.'

The Rabbi waited until the man finished, and

then he said to him, i, 1a k e r?

'Have you completed the praises of your

/\ s f o r t h e f i r s t t h r e e a d j e ct i v e s t ha t you u s e d , i f

f., oses had not included them in the Torah, and if the f11 en of the Gre a t Assembly had not included them in the Sher. oneh Esr e h, we should not have said them at all, for who can say enough praises of God?

It's like a king who possesses millions of

silvor pieces.'

Wouldn't this be a derogation of him?"

When his father finished, Solomon resumed his questioning.

" J ut, Papa, let me ask you, isn't it true that one

says all these things about men.

That is, a man is great or

p o L'Je r f u 1 o r f e a r f u 1 o r b r av e? " "Yes, that's true, but ••. " "Well, Father," Solomon interrupted, "then God is described, even by these three adjectives in the Sh em oneh Esreh, as a man.

[i,oreover, He is a father, and a father can

be only a man.

We say, too, that God is the 'King of Kings.'

A King is always a man.

Now, I realize that no Jew thinks

that God is a man in fact, but if we describe God in all these human ways, then we're forced to think of God as a person, as a man.

And that surely is not the correct way to think of the

'Creator of the heavens and the earth.'"

-90-

"[11y son, on one thinks that God is a human being,

These

descriptions are only approximations," "Yes, father, I realize 'that, but look at it this Luay, We say that God is without beginning and without end, that at the beginning of the service, has no for m,

We said

We said, too, that He

These certainly are not qualities that men have,

r:; en are born, and men die, and men have a very definite form, So, Papa, if we describe God as a man in certain ways and as something which is not human in other ways, then how are we to conceive of God? thing else,

He ends up half-human, and half some-

I really have no idea Luhat God is then,"

"Yes, Solomon, there are difficulties, believe with faith,

But you must

I have no difficulty in knowing what God

is like," "But Father, this isn't the end of the problem,

How

does one know that such and such qualities can be applied to God and such and such qualities cannot,

For example, how do

I know that God is brave and strong or good and true, and yet that he has no beginning, and ever, without end,

You have said that God is forever

But couldn't I be just as right to say

that God had a beginning and will have an end,

Why is your

judgment more correct than mine? "Solomon, it says in the Holy Scriptures that God is without beginning and without end,

It's the divine word, not

my own opinion." "I have other questions, too, Papa,

If God is infinite,

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then how can we ascrib0 finite qualities to Him.

This seems

like a contradiction, for how can one attribute such finite qualities as 'strong' or 'great' to what is infinite?

more-

over, how can God have the emotions of a finite man?

If God

is 'angry' or 'kind' like a man, how can He be the infinite 'master of the universe?'" "I can tell that you have other questions to ask, Solomon.

Continue," Joshua said. "Yes, I have a lot of questions." Solomon responded.

"Papa, we say that God is a unity.

When we say in the Shema,

'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,' isn't that what we mean?" "Yes," his father said, "that's so." "3ut, Father," Solomon continued, "if God is One, then how is it possible to say that He has all these attributes? For example, if I say that God is brave, or strong, or that he has mercy, doesn't God need to be made up of many parts to have all these qualities?

That's to say, if a man is strong,

then he must have arms and legs and a body which are strong, or if a man is angry, he must have a mouth to yell with or an arm to strike with.

But God is a single unit, One, and

how can that which is One have all these qualities? another problem, too.

There's

If God really is a single unit, if God

is p~rely One, and we say He has such and such a quality then we're making him ore than One. splitting him up into parts!"

We're making him many things,

-92-

"f\lo, my son," his father responded.

"This isn't true.

Let me give you an example so that you'll see where you've made your mistake.

Think of a volume of the Talmud.

If I

hold a single volume of the Talmud in my hands, how many volumes do I have?" "One," Solomon answered. 11

/\nd hmv many pages are there?" Joshua continued.

" fi': an y

p a g e s , " S o 1 om on an s VJ e re d .

"Good," Joshua said, "and how manycovers does the volume have?" "Tt1Jo covers, Papa." "LJ e 11 ,

s e e , " hi s f a t he r con t i nu e d , " we ha v e a s in g 1 e

entity, the volume of the Talmud, which is made up of many parts.

The fact that it has many pages, many words, two covers,

and so forth, doesn't make it any less a unity, one book. God is like this. time One.

And

God has many aspects, but He is at the same

You see, there L\Jasn't such a problem after all."

"I understand what you're saying, Father, but I don't think you're right," Solomon said.

"It's true that a book

can be a unity while having many parts, but this isn't the case L\Jith God.

Let's look at your example.

The book has a lot of

pages; it's composed of a lot of different things. where contains the unit one. it is one. to the book. unit.

But it no-

It is you, Papa, who say that

You're taking this number 'one' and applying it And the number 'one' has no parts; it's a single

But nowhere does the book contain that simple unit which

-93-

can't be divided up.

You see, in the case of God, one doesn't

look at many things, like the pages of a book and its covers, and say that it is one. His very nature.

God is pure unity.

He is One.

Th2t's

And since it's His nature to be One, to be

something which can't be divided up into parts, it's not right to give hi m many attributes and by doing so divide him into pieces.

Do you see what I mean Father?" "It's not too clear, Solomon." "~JG 11 , Fath e r , 1 et me ask you another question .

If

God is strong and mighty and has mercy on his children, then ~hy doesn't Ha stop people from suffering?

Why did Grandpa

have to suffer so much at the hands of the agents of the Prince? Dr why do the Jews, God's chosen people, have to suffer?

If

God is good and all powerful, then what is the reason He permits all these terrible things to happen?

Maybe He's not so

powerful after all?" " No, Solomon, you're entirely wrong about this.

You've

forgotten that God rewards His righteous people in the world to come.

In the afterlife, divine judgment is made.

This

world is only an entrance to that future life." "But Papa, doesn't it say in the Shema that if we keep God's laws, then he we'll be rewarded with a good rainfall in the appropriate season. in the world to come:

Surely, we won't be praying for rain And if you're rewarded in this world

for keeping God's commandments, then it's only logical that you'll be punished if you don't keep God's commandments.

But

we know that people are punished in this world even when they do keep God's commandments. I think.

The contradiction is very clear,

Either God is not so all-mighty or the prayerbook

is uirong." "Solo mon," his father said, "how can you _ say such things!

Of course you know that God is all-mighty and that

the prayerbook is 1nithout flaws." "Father," Solomon said, "I have only one more question. f'1, ay

I as k it?"

"All right, Solomon, but just one more.

\JJe're nearly

ho me." "The pr a yerbook says that God does things for men, that He has a definite role in their lives, read th a t tha t

For example, we

'God cures the sick,' that 'He frees the captives,'

' He o iv e s p e ace to His creatures,' that 'He comforts the

oppressed.'

Now, my question is, how do we know when God,

and not man, has acted?

And if God does all these things, then

how is man able to have free choice? to make this more clear,

Let me give an example

We read in Exodus that God hardened

Pharaoh's heart, and made him take back his word.

for this

reason the Egyptians chased the Israelites to the Red Sea." "IJJhat then is your point, Solomon?" his father asked. "L1Jell,

Papa, if God hardened Pharaoh's heart, then

Pharaoh had no choice about it.

You could even say that Phar-

aoh didn't do the wrong thing, an act for which he'd be punished, because it was God who directed him.

I want to know

- 9 5then how man can do what he wants?

And I want to know where

God leaves off making decisions and man begins.

HGw can we

know whether a man has made a decision or God has made it for him?

Did Pharaoh know that he didn't harden his own heart,

but that God did it for him?" Though Joshua was somewhat annoyed by his son's continual questioning, he was intrigued by the subtlety of his reasoning. "Come," he said, "let's hurry. home.

"We've taken too long to get

Your mother will be angry.

And we must thank the Lord

for the food He's given us before it gets too cold."

Chapter XI "One must not look at a virgin if he finds pleasure in her beauty, nor at a married woman even if she be ugly ... for he who looks at a woman will eventually come to carnal sin ... and he who passes a coin from his hand to her with the intent of looking at her, will not escape the punishment of Hell."

Solomon contemplated these words from the Shulcha Aruch,

The Code of Jewish Laws, as he watched the young Jewish maid who worked in his home bathe by the river.

"The heart and

the eye are two agents of sin; the eye sees and the heart desires."

The tradition echoed in his memory as he felt with-

in himself desires that he had never known before.

"Gaze not

upon a maiden lest you be trapped ... Turn away your eye from a beautiful woman:" 11

f11y

God," Solomon thought, "I mustn't stare at her:"

Yet he could not help himself, and his eyes were riveted to her form.

Soft curves, the fullness of her breasts the round,

firm shape of her hips tantalized him; he wanted to touch her, to press his lips against hers, but he was shocked by his own lust.

As she turned and ran toward the river, Solomon thought

of the words of the sages:

"It is better to walk behind a

lion than behind a woman." The leaves of overhanging branches touched his face as they swayed in the afternoon breeze, and he dreamed that they

-97-

were Deborah's fingers stroking him. he could hear her say.

"Come, let's make love,"

"Come, Solomon, let us lie together.

No one will see us here; no one will know.

Come, kiss me,

take me.". "No, no, I won't succumb. man imagined himself saying. You'll lead me astray.

Never.

It's a sin," Solo-

"I know what you'll do to me.

He thought of the words of Proverbs

what they warned would happen to an innocent young man:

"she

caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face and said to him,

'Come let us take our fill of love until the morning.'"

J\nd he thought:

"i\lo, it won't happen to me!

Leave me alone.

Harlot!" The day was hot, and Solomon began perspiring as he stood by the river. sunlight:

Deborah's black hair glistened in the

Solomon studied her naked body.

he whispered, "but I can't help myself. thing so beautiful!"

"Forgive me, Lord,"

Never have I seen any-

The tapestries he had copied when he was

a child, the drawings in his father's Hebrew books, the carving on the medicine box he had stolen, were nothing compared to this magnificence.

As he looked on, he struggled to remember

the prayer that Rabban Gamliel had said in defiance of the law. When he saw a beautiful woman, he pronounced a benediction in praise of God who had fashioned so exquisite a creature. Though Solomon had not meant to spy on Deborah, he chanced to walk by the place where she bathed two or three times a week.

Ever since this young girl entered Joshua's

-=--

-98-

home, Solomon had been stirred by her beauty, but it was here, when she stood naked, that Solomon became completely enraptured. Mindful of the strict talmudic laws prohibiting such behavior, he desired to flee but he could not; he remained standing out of sight, as though rooted to the spot.

But finally, fearful

that he might be observed, Solomon managed to muster enough determination to return home.

Slowly he climbed the stairs

to his room and collapsed on his bed, immersed in sweet and pleasurable memories. That night Solomon had a dream unlike any he had ever had before.

Deborah, completely nude, approached him, took

his hand and led him to a bed of soft grass by the river.

He,

too, was undressed, and the sound of birds singing their melodious songs rang in his ears.

Together, they lay down, and

Deborah's flesh touched his as they held each other.

Gently

touching her breasts, he heard himself recite words from the Sano .Q.f Sonqs:

"Thy two breasts are like two young deers that

are twins which feed among the lilies."

And as he looked into

her eyes, he saw that he was gazing at his mother's face.

Sud-

denly, he felt the dew from the grass all over his body and heawoke from his dream trembling.

As he looked at himself, he

realized that he was in fact wet all over, and he remembered in fear the words of the Shulchan Aruch: discharge semen in vain.

"It is forbidden to

This is a graver sin than any other

mentioned in the Torah ... as a punishment for this iniguity, children die when they are young."

Chapter XII "Don't you know it's true? arranges marriages!"

It's God, not man, who

Joseph protested.

"Look, Solomon, let

me tell you a midrash which proves that I'm right.

There once

lived a Roman matron who asked Rabbi Jose ben Halafta, 'What has your God been doing since He finished making the world?' 'He's been matching couples in marriage,' the Rabbi replied. 'Is that his occupation?' the matron asked. easily do it as well,

'Why, I could

I possess many male and female slaves,

and in a very short while I could pair them together,'

'You

may think it's simple,' Rabbi Jose responded, 'but it's as difficult for God as parting the Red Sea,' do?

So what did she

She summoned a thousand male slaves and a thousand

female slaves, set them in rows, and announced who should marry whom.

In a single night she arranged marriages for all of

them." "So what happened?" Solomon asked. "The next day they came to her, one with a broken head, another with gauged-out eyes, a third with a broken leg, and so forth.

She asked them with amazement, 'What happened?'

One female said, 'I don't want him.' A male said, 'I don't want her.'

When she heard all the gruesome stories concerning

the events of the past night, she sent for Rabbi Jose ben Halafta and said to him, 'Truly, the task of arranging

-100-

marriages is more difficult than I thought.

Your God must be

very wise, indeed!'" When his brother, who had married recently finished speaking, Solomon smiled incredulously.

From his own recent

experience, it appeared that God had very little to do with his father's matrimonial schemes, and Solomon was skeptical of his brother's notion when he considered the events of the past few months. The caretaker had two sons and three daughters.

The

eldest daughter was already married, but the second, Pessel, who was near Solomon's age, was an ideal candidate for marriage.

The peasants of the village even saw a resemblance

between Pessel and Solomon's features and conjectured that there would be a match between them, children had a mutual affection.

In addition, the two

One day, walking by the

river, Solomon broached the topic of marriage.

"Pessel," he

said as he tossed a stone into the water, "have you noticed that people have been talking about us?" "Yes, she said. "And what do you think they've been saying?" he asked as he looked across to the other side of the river. "Solomon, I think they're making plans," she answered. "Plans for what?" "Solomon, I think they're planning for us to get married," she answered blushing. "Well, what .Q.Q. you think, Pessel?" Solomon asked without

-101-

looking at her. "l>Je always have a good time when we play together, And I like you,

But I don't know what marriage is like,"

"Neither do I," he said, And I think it would be very nice.

"But I do like you, Pessel. Just think," he said with

enthusiasm as he turned toward Pessel and took her hand, "this way I wouldn't have to sneak away from my Talmud studies so that we could play in the forest." Suddenly a frog leaped out from under a log, and they were distracted from their discussion of plans for the future. "Come on," Solomon shouted, "maybe we can catch it!" Though Solomon and Pessel considered the matter settled, circumstances prevented the match from taking place.

By ill

luck Rachel, the youngest daughter of the caretaker's, fell into a cellar and dislocated one of her legs.

Although she

completely recovered, the injured leg remained slightly crooked. fearing that it might be difficult to find a husband for this crippled child, the caretaker insisted that she marry Solomon. "Ruth," he said to his wife, "we have a problem.

I've been

worried what we will do with Rachel now that she limps. won't be easy for us to find her a good match.

It

But I have a

plan." "Tell me what you're thinking," his wife responded. "Well, it's common knowledge that Pessel is supposed to marry Solomon, but since there's nothing definite about this, I think it could be arranged that Solomon would marry

-- - -- -

-102-

Rachel, and perhaps we could find a wealthier candidate for Pessel.

You know I'm ·not very happy about having the damnable

rabbi as an in-law, but Solomon is a fine prize.

One day he'll

be a great talmudic scholar, and he already knows our Rachel. It would be much simplier than having a matchmaker try to find a husband; she'd probably not find anyone with Solomon's yichus. moreover, since Pessel is the most desirable of the two, we might find a wealthy family to become our relatives." With this plan in mind, the caretaker confronted Joshua 2nd tried to convince him that Solomon should marry his youngest daughter.

"Rabbi Joshua," he said when he met

him walking ho me after morning services. talk to you about. talk now?

"I've something to

I don't want to keep you, but could we

It's something quite important."

Sensing that the caretaker wanted to discuss the match between his son and Pessel, Joshua consented. course," he said.

"Of course, of

"It's such a beautiful morning; let's take

a little walk toward the woods." As they headed out along the main road, wooden carts loaded with goods from all over the district passed by on their way to market.

Seeing these two bearded men dressed in black

walking in the early morning light, a driver would cross himself and say, "where're these Jews headed for so early in the day?

They're sure not on their way to market, they've no

merchandise.

IYlaybe they're on their way to meet the Devil:"

"Yes, it is a fine day," Joshua said, "but what is it

-103-

you wanted to talk to me about?" "Well, Rabbi," the caretaker answered, "it's about my daughter and your son ••• " "I had an idea that was on your mind," Joshua inter"And I want you to know that you have my full consent.

rupted.

Nothing would make me happier than to see Solomon married to Pessel." "No, Rabbi Joshua, you don't understand.

That's not

what I had in mind." "It isn't?" Joshua asked with a startled expression. "Why, everyone expects that such a match ... I mean, I would have thought that you desired that Pessel ... " "No, Rabbi Joshua, I'm referring to my youngest daughter Rachel.

You see, I want you very much to be my in-

law, but I was planning to betroths Pessel to the son of a family who are distant relatives. to my proposal.

But Rabbi, please listen

Rachel will have a very large dowry, and

Solomon will become a wealthy man.

I promise first to give

you thirty thalers as a fixed sum for the dowry.

Second, I'm

willing to make Solomon the joint heir of my entire fortune. And lastly, I'll provide Solomon with anything he might need for the rest of his life.

Never, God willing, will he be

forced to earn a living instead of studying Talmud; he'll always be free of any financial problem. Rabbi?

What do you think,

Is this not a generous offer? Dumbfounded, Joshua didn't know what to say.

"Well,

-104-

I ... I just don't knovJ ... 11 he muttered. "And another thing, Rabbi," the caretaker interjected. "Both you and I knotU we've had a continual battle ever since you and your family moved to Mohilna.

But if you decide to

accept my plan, be assured that this feud will immediately stop. v1

Our families will become in-laws, and such quarreling

i 11 do u s n o go o d . " "I must think," the rabbi said.

"You'll just have

to let me consider the whole matter." "Certainly," the caretaker responded. the conditions of the marriage. sure you'll agree. offer again.

"But remember

They're very good ones, I'm

I'm not sure you'll ever have such an

You've no idea how happy it would make me to

have such a son-in-law as Solomon.

He's indeed a brilliant

talmudist, and he has great promise for the future.

Think it

over carefully, Rabbi." "(lly God," Joshua thought to himself as he walked home, "I just don't know what to do.

There is no doubt that such a

match would be suitable, but it's not what I originally hoped. Solomon will be disappointed too.

Yet, he would be secure for

the rest of his life; he'd never know the kind of misfortune I've had to endure." As he neared his home, Joshua saw his wife standing on the porch waiting for him. been worried.

"Joshua," she exclaimed, "I've

Where have you been?

long to return from Shachris!"

You've never taken so

-105-

Smiling at his wife's unwarranted concern, Joshua comfarted Esther.

"Nothing is tJJrong, my love," he said.

"But

come, 11Je' ve a very important matter to discuss." Sitting at the kitchen table, Joshua told his wife of his relative's proposal. lem.

"Esther," he said, "LUe have a prob-

I 0as stopped on my way home from the synagogue by Nach-

man, I was sure that he was going to discuss the possibility of Solomon marrying his eldest daughter, but guess tJJhat he tJJanted to talk about?" "Joshua, you know I dislike the caretaker.

There's

no doubt in my mind that every sin in engraved on his bones; whenever he speaks, it's like the hissing of a snake, s u re t hat

tu

ha t e v e r h e ' s s a i d

j_ s n ' t

I'm

f o r o u r be n e f i t . "

"Esther, though I agree with you in principle, in this case he made us very fine offer,

He told me this morning that

he wanted to betrothe his youngest daughter to Solomon, and her dowry 11JOuld be.,," "Joshua," his wife protested, "Your relative is a ooniff!" "Wait, Esther,

Listen to what Rachel's dowry will be,

First, Nachman promised to give thirty thalers; secondly, he promised to make Solomon a joint heir to his fortune, thirdly, he promised to provide Solomon with enough to live on the rest of his life, and lastly, he assured me that this family feud which has been going on for years would finally end, this is a handsome offer, don't you think?"

Now,

-lO S-

"Forgive me, Joshua, but when I hear you talk this way, I hear the voice of your own father. the same.

You sound exactly

You mean to say that you trust the word of this

man after what he's done to you?

You can't believe him!

You'll just be falling into his trap.

Heimann Joseph, may

he rest in peace, did just the same, and he lost all his possessions in the process.

You must learn from your father's

mistakes, Joshua." Indignant at his wife's criticism of his father and of his

O l!Jn

judgment, Joshua asked angrily, "So, what is his

trap, if you know so much?" "I'm sorry, Joshua," his wife ansLue~ed tenderly.

"I

didn't mean to insult you or your father, but I'm only worried about Nachman's intentions.

He's as crafty as a weasel.

I'm

sure he won't keep his promises; they're as empty as the air he breathes." "So, why would he want Solomon to marry Rachel? "I'm sure it's because of her leg, Joshua.

He knows

that it would be difficult to find her a good match," "I fear you're right, Esther," Joshua said.

"He knows

that Solomon is a fine scholar, and he wants him to be part of his family. community.

This will give him a certain standing in the

You know, it makes little difference to me that

Rachel limps; she's a fine girl, and probably would make Solomon a good wife." " Of course, it doesn't bother me either.

Yet, if such

-107-

a marriage were to take place, I'm sure we'd never be able to obtain the dowry he spoke about.

And can you imagine what it

would be like to have Nachman as an in-law.

The plague would

be better:" "You're right.

Yes, we've no choice.

Now that I

think about it, I see why he didn't want to marry Pessel to Solomon.

He told me that he was planning to arrange a mar-

riage for her with a distant relative, but it could have as easily been to Solomon, and he could have married Rachel to the distant r e l a tive whoever he might be, that no such relative exists. who is from a rich fa mily.

But I've an idea

He's just waiting for someone

That way he'll be able to marry

his daughter into money, and thereby enhance his own financial position. offer.

You're right; we've no choice but to refuse his

But perhaps I can convince him to change his mind.

I

still think Pessel and Solomon should be betrothed as I originally expected even though it means we'll have our crafty Nachman as an in-law." Since Nachman was determined to match Rachel with Joshua's son, he would not listen to the rabbi's suggestion that Pessel, in place of her younger sister, be betrothed to Solomon.

"No," he would say, "I've given you my offer.

either Rachel or no one.

Don't be a fool.

It's

What difference

does it make, if you have the same dowry." Since Joshua refused to give his consent to such a match, the feud between the families became more intense.

Soon,

-103-

however, a new match was arranged and the former dispute was eclipsed by new concerns.

A wealthy and learned Jew from

Schmilowitz learned of Solomon's accomplishme~ts and desired to betroth his only daughter to the rabbi's son, sight unseen. Replying to Herr Levowich concerning the proposed match, Joshua concluded with a passage from the Song of Songs:

"The thou-

sand are for you O Solomon, and two hundred for those who keep the fruit of the vineyard" -- Joshua meant that he was to receive two hundred oulden as part of the dowry while Solomon was to receive one thousand gulden.

Such were to be the

conditions of the agreement. In accordance with tradition Joshua made a journey to Schmilowitz and saw his future daughter-in-law.

OOhen he first

looked at her, he was overwhelmed; she was not at all as he had expected.

Rather than being a beautiful young girl, she

was very fat with a pock-marked face, and to his complete dismay, she was even taller than he.

"How can I do such a thing

to my son?" Joshua asked himself.

"The rabbis even counsel

that a man should not marry a woman who is ill-suited to him. Oh well," he rationalized, "who knows, maybe Solomon would like her."

And as he looked at the luxurious furnishings of

his future in-laws' home, he decided that the match would not be so bad after all, and he calculated how to make an extra profit from this alliance.

"At least I can prosper financially

even if I won't inherit a lovely daughter-in-law," he thought to himself.

-109-

When the marriage contract was completed, Herr Levowich handed Joshua the two hundred gulden in accordance with the statement in his letter.

"There you are," he said smiling,

"it's exactly as you indicated in the beautiful letter that you sent to me, Rabbi Joshua. of scholarship.

It truly was a wonderful piece

How I appreciated the eloquence and erudition

you used in weaving together biblical and talmudic verses.

A

true work of art!" "Oh no, there must be some mistake," Joshua said with apparent surprise.

"I didn't mean for you to take the passage

from the Song .Q.[ Songs literally.

I was obliged to limit my-

self to two hundred gulden so as not to spoil the vers~ itself. But I meant to indicate that I should in fact receive twice that amount.

I'm so sorry that there's been a mistake."

"Rabbi, you must be jesting," Levowich replied. "No, no, that's the very truth.

I just assumed that

you would realize that two hundred gulden is not a very large amount.

Certainly a man of your means knows that •.. " "Rabbi Joshua," Herr Levowich interrupted, "you're a

difficult man.

But if this is your wish, so be it.

is precious enough to me.

Solomon

I am willing to pay the difference."

So ended the transaction in which Solomon's matrimonial fate was decided, and Joshua left the village of Schmilowitz pleased with the arrangement.

In his pack he had the

four hundred gulden. as well as several presents for his son including a cap of black velvet trimmed with gold lace and a

-llD-

Bible bound in green velvet with silver clasps.

When he arrived

home he greeted his son and wife with these words, "Solomon, I congratulate you.

You are a groom.

fi1azel Tov !

look what presents Herr Levowich has sent!

Look, Solomon,

have you ever seen such a finely decorated Bible? a cap, too,

Isn't it magnificent?

Esther,

And here's

/\nd, Esther, most important

of all, see what I got for my share of the dowry:

four hun-

dred aulden!" " But Joshua, I thought you were to receive only half that amount.

That's what you told me when you wrote the letter

of acceptance." "I know, I know.

But vJhen I saw the splendor of their

home and surroundings, I realized that it wasn't enough. I suggested a more equitable sum. there was no problem.

So

It was really all right;

Reb Levowich could well afford it; other-

wise I'd have been perfectly satisfied," Later that evening, when Joshua and his wife were alone, she asked him about her future daughter-in-law. me Joshua, what kind of bride will she be? substitute for Pessel?

"So D!:!,, tell

Is she a good

Will Solomon be pleased?"

Reluctant to tell her the whole truth, Joshua was vague in his answer.

"Well," he said, "she's not the lovliest young

girl I've ever seen; in fact, she's on the homely side,

But

she comes from a good family, and I'm sure she'll make Solomon a good wife. family.

In addition, he'll be well provided for by her

You see, Solomon has nearly forgotten about Pessel,

I.

-111-

and my fears that he'd be terribly upset when he learned he couldn't have a match with her have been quickly dispelled. I feel certain that he will be happy with this new arrangement. Don't worry, Esther."

With these words, Joshua put his arms

around his wife and fell fast asleep, wearied by the day's travel. The next few weeks were spent in busy preparations for the coming joyful event.

Solomon began to think about the

verses he would use for his wedding speech and how he would combine them together into an eloquent and learned presentation. Esther began to bake the cakes she was expected to take with her to the wedding and to prepare the preserves she would send. All at once, however, a letter arrived which cut short all this activity. "VJhat is it?" Esther asked v;hen her husband opened the letter from Herr Levowich.

"r:i y d ea r f r i en d s , " J o sh u a read o u t 1 ou d .

" I don ' t know

how to tell you of my grief during the past few days.

Thus,

let me say quite simply, it was God's will to visit Golda with smallpox.

It pains me to write of her death.

I'm sure that

you can understand how deeply disturbed I have been.

Please

forgive me if I say no more at this moment, but I thought you would want to know, Sincerely, Emmanuel Levowich." "No, I don't believe it:" Joshua exclaimed.

"Why I

just saw her less than a month ago, and she was perfectly

-112-

healthy.

How horrible:

The poor man.

We must try to do some-

thing to help him in his grief." "The poor man.

What a misfortune.

Smallpox.

It's

unbelievable," Esther said. "There'll be no marriage," Solomon said.

"It is sad,

Papa, what can we do?" As husband, wife, and son sat together in silence, each was thinking his own thoughts. "LV e 11 , i t ' s n o t so bad a f t e r a 11 , " t hough t Jo s h u a . I'm four hundred qulders ahead, and Solomon has some very nice gifts.

/\nd I am glad he didn't have to marry such an ugly

girl; I can just imagine what his expression would have been when he lifted her veil at the marriage canopy." "□ y:"

Esther thought to herself.

"Now that I've done

I

all this cooking, Solomon's fiancee is dead, will spoil.

All my pastry

The cakes and preserves will perish.

All my

labor for nothing:" "Well, at least I have a nice new cap and a pretty Bible," Solomon thought.

"/\nd I can eat some of my mother's

cakes; I won't have to wait so long. some without getting caught.

I just hope I can steal

As for my marriage speech, I'm

sure I'll be able to use it some other time."

Chapter XIII Through mismanagement, Joshua's financial position deteriorated day by day.

His rabbinical income was negligible,

and his salary from the few students who studied with him amounted to a mere trifle.

Esther began to worry, and she

relapsed into a state of depression.

As the months passed,

she became thinner and thinner, and Joshua was filled with anxiety.

"I just can't keep everything in good order," he

thought to h i ms elf, "particularly since Esther isn't well. If only I kn ew how to manage my finances in a more satisfactory wa y:" Recognizing that he needed to have more students, he decided to move once again to the town of Nesvij.

Though his

wife suffered in the bitter cold of winter, Joshua felt he had no choice but to change their residence.

In this village,

Solomon's father opened up a school of his own with his son as an assistant.

"Esther," he said to his ailing wife, "things

will be all right now. worry.

There's no longer any need for you to

We've trusted in the Lord, and He's been good to us.

Now I have my own school, Joseph's married, it's time for Solomon to find a wife.

I only wish that you were well and

could share this joy with me."

Despite the fact that Joshua's

financial situation improved, Esther remained confined to bed since she had contracted pneumonia in the middle of winter.

J

-114-

In this small town th e re lived a Jewish widow who owned a tavern which was frequented by men from throughout the district.

She had heard of Solomon's fame as a talmudist,

and she desired to make a match between the rabbi's son and her own daughter. you.

"Sarah," she said, "this is the match for

Of all the young Jewish boys in this entire area, Reb

Solomon is the most brilliant. plan to convince his father.

If we can only figure out a We must act quickly!"

~he n th e inn k e e per, Madame Rissia, presented this plan t o he r r e l ati v e s, she received little encouragement.

"Look,

Rebe cc a ," h e r si s t er s aid, "you've no idea what you' re asking. Reb Sol omo n ' s f a t he r isn't just an ordinary man; he was the Chi e f Rab bi o f fil o h iln a .

Do you think he'd settle for the

da ughte r o f a wi d o we d tavern owner?

No offense, but I just

don' t t h i n k t h er e 's even the remotest possibility." " f1y wif e's right," Madam Rissia's brother-in-laLu add e d.

"You h a ve to remember that he will make fantastic

dem ands o n you.

Could you possibly afford to support Reb

Solomon wh ile he continues his studies?

And where will you

ever be a b le to find enough money to provide a large enough do wry?

Rebecca, give up your farfetched notions!" "There's one other point, Rebecca, which you should

know about," her sister said.

"I've heard talk . myself that

the most prominent and wealthy Jewish families have their eye out for this young Ta l mudist. butcher's son?

What about Reb mendele, the

I've heard that he's quite a good tal mudic

-115student, too." Undaunted, Ma dame Rissia hounded Joshua with her proposal.

"Rabbi," she would say, "you've no idea how L'Jonderful

a couple Reb Solomon and my daughter Sarah would be. give c a reful consid e ration to my offer.

Please

And as for any demands

concerning a dowry that you raight make, you can be assured t h a t t he y'll b e fulfilled.

I don't mean to rush you in this

decision , but tJhy l\Jaste time? ~J ha t

and a ll would be se ttled.

You could say yes right now, d o yo u t hi n k , Rab b i ? 11

Annoy e d by he r i mpor t unings, Joshua refused his consent on t h e p r et ense that he needed more time to consider the ma tter . One c old day Joshua and his son walked to the end of

t ,e ro _d u ic

passed by their home.

co m~? Solo mon asked .

"When will the carriage

"I'm so a nxious to get to tOLIJ n."

" So am I, Solomon, but I don't think the next one ui ll co -r; e fo r at l e as t ha lf an hour." "Half an hour!" Solomon exclaimed . · "LVe 'll freeze to death by th e n, Papa ." "I

kn o w.

\JJ e 11 ,

to wait at the inn.

tu

e . ha v e on 1 y on e ch o i c e .

We ' 11 ha v e

Be lieve me, I don't want to get into a

long conv e rsation vJi th f, iadame Rissia, the innkeeper, but I don't think there's any oth er solution.

Give me your hand,

my son." When Solo mon and his father entered the tavern, ~adame Ri s s i a L'J as o v e r j o ye d .

" LJ h y ,

Ra b b i , VJ ha t a s u r p r i s e ! 11 s h 9

-116-

said.

what a schol a r he 'll be so me day, dotun,

Ye s, he is pale;

"And th is mu s t be your f afll ous son.

L~ ha t

tu o u 1 d y o u 1 i k e

But come,

P lease sit

t o d r i n k , Ra b b i ? "

"Th a nk you for your kindn e ss," Joshua responded, "but my son and I ar e me r e ly wa iting for the next carria g e to to wn." " 0 h u1 e 11 ,

you ha ve qui t e a

wa i t ,

p 1 e as e ha v e s ome a 1 e .

It's the be s t we ha v e in the entire tavern, hou se ,

/\nd it's on t he

Now , Ra b b i, t e ll me -- you've never met my dau ght er,

ha v e you ? " " We ll , n o I ha ven't,,," "~ or.i e he r e , ~a "' r a h ,' " r·11 a d a me Rissia called. s a id , " i sn ' t she a f i ne o irl?

"See," s he

~Jhat a fine wife she'll make!

Lo o! , Sa r ,Jh , this is Reb Solo mon, the r abb i's son,

Do n 't

t he y mc, ke a n i c e p a ir ? " " Dea r Lad y , I think the carriage will be coming soon; we re a l l y must g o ,

I h ope you,,, "

" Wh y Rabbi , you just arrived, and the carriage won't be he r e for a t le as t h a lf an hour, co mfort ab l e ,

Just sit and make yourself

Now look at th e se two children, wouldn't they

make a nice match?

Hmmm, what do you think, Ra b bi?

have your consent?

Really, how can you resist when you see

Do I

them together?" "Pap a ," Solo mon said in a whisper, "what's going on? I don't understand." "Everything's under control; don't worry," Joshua answered.

"I'll explain it all later,"

-

-

- -=----- --

c

-117"Are you talking it over with your son, Rabbi?

Good.

I always think it's better when the groom is pleased beforehand." " i\J ow ,

r,1a dam e , " J o s h u a s a i d f i rm 1 y , " we ' v e on 1 y come

to escape the bitter weather.

We're really waiting for trans-

portation to town, and I don't want at this time to discuss any matrimonial ... " As Joshua was speaking, the Chief Rabbi of Nesvij, the elders of the congregation and many of the most prominent gentry burst into the tavern.

" ri1 a z e 1

To v :

Cong rat u 1 at i on s :

Aha, here is the future bride and · groom!" they shouted. "Drinks for all.

It is time to celebrate."

This group of

men had been invited to a circumcision at the house of a distinguished Jew near the inn, and when Madame Rissia saw Joshua and his son approaching the tavern, she sent her own son to invite the Chief Rabbi and his entourage to celebrate a betrothal. "It is a happy occasion, Rabbi, why are you so distraught?" the Chief Rabbi asked. Overwhelmed by the entire situation, Joshua could barely speak.

"Why ... why ... there must be some mistake.

There's no betrothal.

I'm sorry, but you are misinformed.

I ... I ..• just don't understand." The excitement died at the Chief Rabbi spoke softly to Joshua.

"Yes, I understand," he said sympathetically,

"you've only settled the preliminary agreement.

You still

-118need to write out the contract.

Why not let me help?"

" No, no Rabbi, nothing has been settled. given my consent.

I haven't

You see, my son and I were just waiting

inside the tavern for the carriage to arrive, and we.,." Since the chief rabbi was half-intoxicated from the circumcision festivites, he was not in full control of himself.

When he heard Joshua's words, he became enraged, and

interrupting him, said with passion. making sport of us?

"ll.lhat is this?

We've been invited to a betrothal, and

you can't decide whether to give your consent. foolishness is this?

You' re

What kind of

You're Rabbi Joshua, isn't that correct?

Just who do you think you are?

How dare you play games with

these prominent men who've come here to celebrate with you?" "Rab b i," Joshua protested. been a grave mistake. any of you. quence.

"Please forgive me.

There's

I certainly wouldn't want to trouble

It's true I'm a Rabbi, but that's of no conse-

I'm merely a humble Jewish teacher trying to make my

living here.

Please excuse this misunderstanding; it wasn't

my intention at all to mislead you." 11

\JJhat's this you say?" the chief rabbi replied.

of no consequence you're a Rabbi? thing?

"It's

How can you say such a

A teacher of God's law looks at his position as having

no meaning?

L\lhat kind of blasphemy is this?"

"No, Rabbi, that's not what I meant.

I was only trying

to say that ... " The Nesvij rabbi recognized now that Joshua had not

/

-119in fact initiated the invitation to attend the betrothal.

He

knew he had no right to insist that the marriage take place, but he sympathized with Madame Rissia and took a new approach. "Herr Joshua," he said, "forgive me if I've been overbearing. It's just that I find it difficult to understand why you're so reluctant to give your consent to this match.

Look at this

fine girl; there's no doubt in my mind that she would make your son a wonderful wife.

Did you know that she comes from

quite an honorable family?

Her grandfather, her father and

her uncle were all learned men and rabbis.

And I'm sure

~adame Rissia would comply with any demands that you might make concern i ng a proper dowry.

Isn't that so, Madame?"

Fa c e d with such formidable pressure and embarrassed before th e s e dignitaries, Joshua felt compelled to give his consent.

The marriag e contract was made out, and in it, Madame

Rissia made her daughter heir to the tavern and all its belongings as a bridal portion and promised to board and clothe t he newly-married couple for six years.

Solomon received as

an additional present a complete Talmud worth three hundred thalers and many other gifts. Though Joshua was not ·entirely pleased with this arrangement, he nonetheless was relieved of the burden of ma i n t a i n i n g hi s y o u n g e st son .

"L~ e 11 , i t ' s set t 1 e d , " he t ho u g ht

to himself as he rode in the carriage for toLUn. validity in what the Chief Rabbi said. so bad."

"And there's

All in all, it's not

-120-

"Papa," Solomon said, "that girl, Sarah, is to be my wife then? it.

It all happened so quickly.

I just couldn't believe

Is it arranged?" Reassuring his son, Joshua said, "Yes, Solomon, the

marriage contract has been completed. your Lui f e.

Sarah is going to be

She's a lovely girl, don't you think, Solomon?"

"Yes, Papa," he said, "I guess so." Weeks passed, however, and Joshua heard nothing further from f1adame Rissia.

"Esther," he said to his wife, "I just

don't understand why we haven't heard from our future in-law. VJhat could have happened?" "Should she have contacted us first?" his wife asked. " UJell, when we left the tavern, she told Solomon she would send for our entire family, and she would send him several presents she didn't have with her in the tavern at the time.

Her parting words were, 'you' 11 be hearing from me

in the next few days.'

I would've spoken to her immediately

were it not for the fact that she seemed to insist on taking the initiative." "Lllhat do you think, Joshua?" Esther asked.

"Do you

think she might have changed her mind?" "I'll tell you what I think. woman from the moment I met her. dear Nachman.

I haven't trusted this

She's a mirror-image of our

Now that we've escaped him, we've come upon a

person just as unscrupulous.

At any rate, I'm sure she's

trying to escape from the conditions of the dowry.

I had a

-121feeling that she really couldn't afford to undertake the kind of responsibility involved." "Do you really think she'd try to do that?" "I'm convinced of it. us.

Otherwise she'd have sent for

As far as I'm concerned the betrothal is off." "Can you really do such a thing, Joshua?

Isn't there

a written agreement?" "Of course, Esther, but it's good only so long as b o t h p a r t i e s f u 1 f i 11 t h e i r o b 1 i g a.t i on s . " Certain that his judgment was correct in this affair, Joshua entered into another betrothal arrangement.

Herr

Dukor, a rich caretaker, who used to bring liquor to Nesvij for sale, needed lodging, and when Joshua saw him at morning services, he invited him to stay at his home. guest," he said.

"Please be our

"You'll be no trouble at all."

" But I don't uJant to be a burden," the caretaker protested. "You're no burden," Joshua insisted. pleasure.

"It Lvill be our

Indeed, you may help to liven my wife's spirits.

She's not been well, and perhaps seeing a guest may cheer her up.

And I want you to meet Solomon, my son." "How old is he, Herr Joshua?" And I'm very proud of him.

He'll

"No, really?" the caretaker said with interest.

"Tell

"He's nearly twelve. soon be ordained a rabbi."

me about him."

-122-

"IJJell, it isn't really proper for fathers to praise their sons, but I can't help saying that his command of the Talmud is really incredible.

He amazed me at times."

"I do want to meet him," the caretaker said. When Joshua spoke so highly of his son, he actually had no ulterior motive with regard to matrimony,

However,

the caretaker, after discussing Talmud with Solomon during his short stay at Joshua's home, was convinced that this youth was the right choice for his daughter.

But instead of

spe ak ing dir e ctly concerning his desire, he planned to make Joshua his d ebto r and thereby force him to consent to his union.

" He rr Joshua," he said, "you've been so kind to me

during my stay in Nesvij that I'd like to offer you some barrels of whiskey o n credit. t ak e your time .

It's not necessary to pay me immediately,

Perhaps you'll be able to make a profit, and

I'll give t hem to you at a special price." Delighted with the offer, Joshua quickly agreed,

How-

ever, as months passed and the day of payment approached, Joshua found himself in difficulty.

Though he had been able

to sell the barrels and had made a small profit, the money was quickly eaten up by domestic needs,

Esther's doctor had to

be paid, and the number of his students began to decrease. Thus, Joshua was unable to discharge his debt to Herr Duker. When the caretaker came and reminded Joshua that he owed him money for the liquor, the rabbi pleaded for more time.

"Have

patience with me," he said, "things haven't been going well,

I'

-123-

and I just don't have the funds.

But the situation is sure

to improve, and then I'll be able to pay you." "Herr Joshua," the caretaker said, "I' 11 speak you quite frankly concerning this matter.

uJi th

Your circumstances

are growing daily worse, and I don't see any possibility of your being able to clear off your debt. fore is this.

You have a son, and I have a daughter who is

the sole heiress of all my property. alli a nc s .

The best thing there-

Let's enter into an

By this means not only will your debt be wiped out,

but a su m to be set by yourself will be paid you in addition, and I'll try to help you improve your financial situation as far as I c a n ." As was expected, when Joshua heard this plan, he was overjoyed. fully agree.

" LVh y ,

t ha t ' s v e r y k i n d o f you , " he s a i d , " I

l·J o t h i n g co u 1 d p 1 e as e me mo re . "

Immediately the marriage contract was formulated in which Herr Dukor promised to pay Joshua fifty thalers, and in addition the bill for the debt was destroyed. After his visit to Joshua's home, the caretaker stopped at the inn owned by madame Rissia since he had to collect several debts in the vicinity.

Proud of the match she had

contracted between her daughter and Solomon, and unaware that she had been remiss in contacting Joshua, Madame Rissia be ga n to boast about her future son-in-law.

"Let me tell you, Herr

Dukor" she said as she set down the bottle of brandy that he had ordered, "about my daughter Sarah's betrothal.

--

··- - - - --

The fat:-ier

-124-

of the bridegroom is a great scholar, a nd I've heard that his son is even better than he.

People say he's almost frightening

in the way he s o quickly understands the Talmud.

They say he

knows the answers even before the questions have bee n asked. Someday he 'll be a great man, I'm sure.

I've no idea how

happy I a r.i ! " " I also , thank God," replied the caretaker, "have m2·d e a g o o d c ho i c e f o r my d a u g ht e r .

l1J he n

I f i rs t me t t he

young man, ! couldn't believe my ears when I heard him di s cu ss a difficult passage of the Talmud which I myself have been rec e ntly s tudyin g .

Whe n I read the commentaries to the agru-

men t , I had no idea what the solution to the problem was . That's

hy I c h o se t o p resent my future son-in-law with this

parti cul a r pass a ge .

And imagine this!

Although he hadn't

~tudied the discussion in great detail, he anticipated what questions t he co mme ntators would ask as well as how they'd solve the pr o b lem in the text. a penetrating mind. t e x t . . h i ms e 1 f .

Never before had I seen such

It was almost as if he'd written the

/\ s you can

tu

e 11 i magi n e , I , too , am v e r y hap p y . "

"P e rh aos I knol'J the young man you're speaking a bout. I t sou n d s a s t ho u g h he ' d be we 11- kn o ttJn a r o u n d he re ,

11

r,, a dam e

Rissia said. "You ha ve, I'm sure, heard of the celebrated scholar, Rabbi Joshua, and of his young son; he's my daughter's bridegroom." " LJ hat ! 1

11

fil ad am e

Riss i a shrieked .

"It's impossi b le.

-125-

Reb Solomon is to be my Sarah's bridegroom!" " i~ o ,

y o u mu s t

be mi s t a k e n , f,1 a dame , " He r r Du k o r s a i d .

"I've just come from Rabbi Joshua's house, and everything's been settled." " He c an ' t g et aLU a y

VJ

i t h t hi s ! " r,1a dame Ri s s i a e x c 1 a i me d .

"Look, sir," she said, taking the marriage contract out of a drawer in the chest where she kept her valuables. is

tlJ

"See, this

r i t t e n p roof t hat I ' m co r r e c t . " ThR c a ret ak er then showed her his own contract, and

they be g a n disputing who had the rightful claim upon the rabbi's son.

"I wa s first," she cried. " '.·Jo ,

my d e a r

tlJ

"See, look at this date."

om an , " t h e care t a k e r re s p on de d , " I ha v e

the le g a l right si nce I've just spoken vJith the boy's father." ~-a d 3me Rissia in desperation finally took the matter to court and wo n her case.

When Solomon heard the details of

these ma trir.,onial schemes that had been concocted during the past r.i on t hs, he couldn't help but smile,

"Is this what always

happens wh en one is betrothed?" he asked himself. toJhat marriage tuill be like?"

I wonder

Chapter XIV

" r,1 y mo t he r i s d y i n g , " S o 1 om on t ho u g ht as he 1 o o k e d a t Esther lying on the bed. the family.

The room was filled with members of

As enjoined by the law, some men were discussing

the Tor ah ; ot hers were reading Psalms, prayers and supplications. As Solomon moved closer to his mother, oblivious of what was going on around him, he felt empty,

"I've never seen anyone

die," h8 t 1ou gh t to himself as he looked at his mother's pa llor. Su dde nly the room became silent; no one moved. on e turn e d a nd loo k ed toward Joshua's wife.

Every-

"I think she's

stopp e d b re a thing," Solomon heard someone say.

Slowly Joshua

appro a ch e d his wife and placed a light feather above her nostrils.

"Li g ht the candles," he said, "she's gone."

at once, the me n broke into wailing.

All

And as they recited the

prayer, " 2oruch Dayyan ha-emes," they ripped their garments. Solomon's eyes filled with tears.

The angel of death

had come for his mother, and in that moment when her soul departed, Solomon remembered his relationship with her during the years when he had been a child.

The warmth of her touch,

the softness of her voice, the tenderness of her caress filled his me mory.

He could see her holding his hand as the entire

family walked through the blizzard when they had been evicted from their farm.

He remembered, too, the twisted face of his

-127-

mother when his father took her away to Novgorod to be cured by the doctor there.

Guilt mixed with his tears as he thought

of the notes he kept describing the progress of his mother's insanity.

"VJhy didn't I help her?" he thought.

"She needed

me, but I just watched her sit alone by the stove." Amid s t the cries of his father, brother, and relatives, he thou g ht of the voluptuous body of Deborah the maid servant who used to work for his parents.

He remembered the dream in

which he had fondled her breasts and found himself gazing into his moth e r' s face.

Deborah and his mother had become one,

and he wa s as ham ed.

Covering his face with his hands, Solomon

thought, too, of his forthcoming marriage and the slender figure of h is future bride, and he began to sob uncontrollably.

Chapter XV "Look, Solomon, you'll just have to come to the ceremony," Joseph insisted.

"Everything is ready.

All the

guests have arrived, and the rabbi can't be kept waiting.'' " ~J o, not yet, Joseph," Solomon prot~sted.

"Not until

Papa comes!" "Solomon, don't be a fool. for him

.I..

t,O

•

arrive.

We've waited a whole day

Maybe something happened on the way, and

he was ju st un ab le to free himself. everybody is waiting.

Who knows?

But, Solomon,

I've heard people say that if you don't

co me soon, they'll send a troop of soldiers and drag you to the c hupoah_." "Joseph, I just can't get married VJithout my father here.

Can't you understand?

How would you have felt if you'd

been married with no parents at the ceremony? don't have any choice.

See, I just

Papa told me he had some affairs to

attend to and he'd come back right away.

I just don't under-

stand why it's taking so long." "Solomon, for the memory of our mother, may she rest in peace, don't be so stubborn!" Full of apologies, Joshua finally arrived.

"You can't

imagine VJhat problems I encountered," he said as he stepped out of the carriage.

"I had no idea I'd be detained . so lone.

I'm sorry to have kept you all Luaiting.

.J

Please forgive me!"

-129-

Since Solomon had been fasting the entire day, he was quite weak when the marriage festivities began.

As he was

escorted to the courtyard of the synagogue by a group of attendants, he felt faint and nearly collapsed in the road. As Solomon waited for the ceremony to begin, he notic e d that they were arranging the marriage canopy outside.

It was a

large wool t a llis elaborately embroidered and held up by four poles.

Sudd e nly he was pushed forward by a throng of guests

who wer e c a rrying lighted candles.

As Solomon took his place

und e r the c a nopy, he he a rd several people shout, "They're 1 e a d i r1 g i n t he b r i d e :

Lo o k how 1 o v e 1 y s he i s : "

VJhen he s a VJ

her wh i te form mov e toward him, Solomon thought of his mother. " Ho Lv b e a u t i f u 1 s h e mu s t ha v e b e en : " he w hi s p e re d t o hims e 1 f . "l:Jill Sa r ah be a s gentle?" he wondered. Aft e r th e r ab bi pronounced the betrothal benedictions and the coupl e drank from the same cup of wine, Sarah circled Solomon seven times in accordance with the tradition.

Watching

her walk around him, Solomon's mind drifted off, and he thouoht of the celestial spheres he had studied in his father's book on astronomy.

Smiling, he imagined that he was the sun being

circled by the pl a net earth. t hough t t o hi ms e 1 f . own.''

"Such should be my role," he

"n1 y w i f e ' s 1 i f e mus t rev o 1 v e a r o u n d my

Remembering the custom that a man may insure lordship

over his wife by stepping lightly on her foot during the ceremony, Solomon was ready to execute such a gesture wh~n bride returned to her place next to him.

However, before he

his

-1 3 0-

could even raise his shoe, he felt his wife's foot upon his. The pain of her crushing step was so excruciating that he almost let out a scre am , but was inhibited by the formality of the occasion.

His physical pain was accompanied by the

mental a nguish of the i mm ediate intuition that he would forever be under the rule of his wife. After Solomon placed a golden ring on his wife's finger and r e cited the oath of consecration, Solomon was ready to bre a k the gl a ss from which he and Sarah had drunk wine.

When

he he a rd t he l a st word of the rabbi's benediction, he brought his foot do wn wit h such force that he fell off balance and mis s e d t he g l as s completely.

It was only on his third try,

th a t he s ucc e ssful sh a ttered the goblet, and with a sigh of relief the crowd shouted but words of congratulations amidst em braces, l a ughter and tears. During the feast that followed the marriage ceremony, Solo mon a nd his bride were led away to their bridal chamber. Terrified at the prospect of consummating the marriage, Solomon spoke haltingly to Sarah.

"I know," he said, "that ... that ...

we must ... well ... that we are supposed to make love, but I just ... well, I just don't feel like that's what I want to do right now." " S o l o mo n , " h i s n e Lil b r i d e , " I u n d e r s t a n d .

But come,

kiss me." Astounded by his wife's boldness, Solomon stood across the room from her frozen like a statue.

"I ... I can't" he

-131-

muttered.

"IJJhere is my courage?" he thought to himself.

II

I

once wanted so much to hold Deborah, but I just can't move, What kind of a husband will I be?"

As he thought of the

passion he had felt when he saw the housemaid stand naked by the river, he was mad at himself.

"L~hen it was against the

law, I was aroused, but now that the law demands it I can't do a thing!" "Solomon, don't just stand there," Sarah said with a h i n t o f mo ck e r y i n he r v o i c e .

" I t ' s Go d ' s

LIJ

i 11 . "

beg a n to undress, her new husband began to tremble,

As s he Images

of his moth e r and grandmother flashed through his mind.

Faint

from hunger and petrified at the thought of what Sarah was expecting of him, Solomon collapsed in the corner of the bedroom. 'Jhen the bride's family heard what had transpired in the brid al ch amb er, they all conjectured what must have been the cause of Solomon's fear and impotence. "He must have been thinking impure thoughts," one aunt hypothesized. "I think he was just exhausted by the tension of the entire marriage.

I know what I felt like when I Luas a groom,"

an uncle said. "Perhaps he was overcome by the demons," another suggested. "It was the evil eye," another said emphatically, "No, you're all wrong," Sarah's grandmother said.

-132-

"Solomon must h a ve o a ten so me light food like salted fish or veget a bles t h e d a y before the marriage. his desire.

That's what killed

Believe me, I've had plenty of experience when

it co mes to these things, and there's no doubt in my mind. He should'v e had so me roasted garlic or eggs.

It's just too

ba d nobody a sked me." Whe n ma da me Rissia heard all these explanations, she decid e d th at Sol om on had to be taken to a witch in order to be cur e d, b u t it wa s with great difficulty that she obtained J os hua ' s

cons ent .

" i"l y Go d , woman , " he f i n a 11 y s a i d a f t e r

being p e st e r e d to d eat h, "all right, all right, take him. Just l 2 a ve

iil B

i n p ea ce."

Chapter XVI

When Solomon saw the witch who was to stimulate his sexual appetite 9

"The ugliest woman I * ve

shocked.

he

ever seen,11 he thought to himself as he stared at her long 9 matted hair and protruding teeth.

"See," she said to him 9 new wif e,

See,

too.

Mwe111 arouse passion in your

This fresh wax I've moulded into a young girl.

these are her sexual organs,

on the breast and the back. for a full day.

Go 9

and I've written her name bury the figure and leave it

Then 1*11 show you what to do.

But go, bury

it in the garden near the big tree.11 When Solomon returned from his mission 9 the witch spoke to him again.

"No如 it1s your turn, Reb Solomon,M she

said qrinnino.

"Hqw different this is from the Talmud,M Solomon thought to himself as he contemplated these magical pro­

cedures . "Solomon, pay attention!M hladame Rissia shouted when

she saw that her son-in-law was not looking at the witch, MThere are several things that me must do 9 the witch said with emphasis.

nothing to worry about;

"Don't be afraid.

you111 feel no pain.

young man,M

There 1s

Are you ready,

child?*1

"Yes," Solomon responded with reluctance•

-134-

"Take this copper plate and this glass goblet.

Now,

I want you to fill this glass with your perspiration and then

can recite a spell over it.

give it back to me so I

have to hide it in a place where your bride walks by.

you can do this later t

You111

But

and don11 forget to put the copper

plate inside the goblet •

This is the first thing you must do.n

"How ujill it ujork?** Solomon asked.

111s a secret f

Solomon•

But this is what you must

You must cut your finger and toe-nails and some of

do next.

your pubic hair,

burn it to a powder,

nine days and nights,

leave it standing for

mix it with mater, and then drink it

before you make love.11

vjould taste horrible,H Solomon said with a grimace• Solomon,H Madame Rissia said,

"you'll drink

it："

MPladame Rissia," the witch said, a hen and tear its heart out. Solomon1s.

"you'll have to buy

Then place its tongue under

This is a cure that always works."

When Solomon thought of actually going through with

this magical rite f

he felt nauseous.

"I think 11m going to

be sick," he said. MThere are two more things you must do, Solomon,

you want to solve your problem,M the witch continued.

if

"First,

you must take some blood from the heart of a guinea-pig,

leave

it in a dish until it dries up 9 and then inject the dried blood

-135-

in to the quill of a feather.

You must then place this quill

secretly between yourself and your ujife when you're together in bed.

Second,

and most important,

you1ve got to put some­

thing like the blood of a guinea-pig or the hair of a mole in

your bride 1 s vagina

vjhi le

If you follow all these

you 1 re having intercourse with her .

directions,

you1 re sure to love your

wife with the hottsst passion and you111 never care for any­

one else.n

Although Solomon looked upon these remedies with dis­ dain and skepticism,

to his amazement,

they did in fact arouse

his sexual appetite . I L When Sarah saw that Solomon was sexually stimulated,

nAt

she was overjoyed•

summate our marriage.M on top of his uji f e, "Ry God,"

"Finally we 111 con­

But when Solomon fumblingly climbed

she noticed that his penis was enormous.

she said to herself,

scholar be so

large?H

as huge as a horse.

MI

last, H she said.

"how can such a pale,

"Solomon," she said fearfully,

thin "you're

I ' m afraid you111 hurt me."

am?" he asked.

"I

don't have anything to compare

myself with. ** "Solomon” HAt last,”

I'm afraid,H Sarah said trembling.

he thought to himself with a feeling of

virility and masculine triumph,

as he penetrated her,

"I've conquered my tu i f e. n

he felt that he had conquered his mother-

in-law as well. "Solomon,

And

I want you to go deeper,

but I 1m scared.”

-136-

Filled with delight at his new discovery9 Solomon thrust himself into her, till amid sighs and moans of pleasure 9 he reached a climax.

in his arms 9

As he leaned back on the bed 9 his wife

he felt ashamed•

Looking at the naked white body

which lay across his, he sank into despair as he thought of his mother who used to hold him at night when he was afraid.

And as Sarah looked at him with tenderness, he saw in her eyes those of his mother.

Chapter XVII Leaning across one of the tables at Madame Rissia1s

tavern 9 some of the Catholics in the village discussed angrily the actions of Prince Radzivill• '•Just unbelievable!M one peasant exclaimed to his

neighbor.

A disgrace!

What the hell's the world comin * to?M

“So tell me what • s happen • raise yer voice •

I*m dyin1

Don1 jes stan1 there and

to know the details•

Get on wi•

it J

"Well, there I was at mass with my mhole family•

And

while we was prayin * . . . wellt you jes won1 believe it." "Com已 on,

1*11 believe it," the neighbor protested

with impatience• "All of a sudden 9 there1 s a lot of noise and everyone

looks around at the back of the church.

And guess who * s

arrived?w

MLet•s not play these silly guessin• games9 jes get on wi• it."

"Couldn't believe my own eyes9 but the church starts fillin * with soldiers•

Seemed like hundreds of soldiers•

way 9 these men make an aisle see -- an in between them that

Prince walks till he come to the front 01 the church.

You

shoulda seen the look on the priests * faces when all them soldiers arrivedj l don1 think nobody knew the Prince was

Any­

-138aroun'・”

HSo?

The fuckin1 point already!

What happen then?"

••Well 9 the Prince is dressed up all fancy, don' ya know -- velvet n1 fur n1

jewels n1 a gold trim like.

everythin1s out of place.

His cape is stained an his wig's

twisted over to one side of his head.

soused•

Staggerin *

But

No mistakin1 it -- he1 s

And then f that Fuckhead

to the altar.

unbuttons hi s f ly, he does, an1 right in front of the whole congregation -- tAJomen! n' children -- he pees all o'er the altar and the priest! n

"No：" the neighbor shrieked with laughter.

why, that1s the damn funniest thing I ever hear.

HHoly Mary,

He didn1

really, did he?" "Look, L u k e ,n the first peasant said with hostility f

"it weren't no joke t1 see.

must a thought•

Imagine what my wife and children

A grown man carryin1 on that way•

IFn' he

weren11 the Prince he 1d be punished9 maybe even killed.

If

he were you or me 9 thisf d be his last day to walk the earth.M HSo, tell me 9 what did they do?

The priests and the

soldiers and the people in church?n ^Everyone uuas horrified.

You'd haft a see the priest1 s

Face after he1 d been soaked by the Prince1 s piss.

That

fuckin1 Prince must a been drinking day n1 night 1 cause the place was really flooded.n

"What did people do?" the neighbor asked again. "Well, the soldiers quickly run up to him an1 carry

-139-

him out.

moves.

But everyone1 s so stunned, in the beginnin1 nobody But think of that!

That1s how the goddamn nobles act 9

the motherfuckers taken everythin1 me got with their fuck1n

taxes.

We pay so • s that they c1 n desecrate our church.

I hate

'em："

God,

The feeling of revulsion and anger that the peasant expressed was shared by the clergy and the prominent citizens

oF the town•

Gathered together at the inn where the Prince

was staying,

these men confronted him with his horrendous

deed when he became sober.

"Your Highness t H the eldest priest began, "I've been in charge of this church for over twenty years 9 and in my

entire time here,

I•ve never seen such disgraceful behavior.

I don11 have to remind you that you were in a house of God, of our Savior•H "Look, Father,1* the Prince repliedf "I don't even

remember being in the church.

Everything1s a complete blank.

The only way I know what you1 re talking about is because my

men told me what I did. horrible thing,

I was •

I apologize；

I realize it was a

but I just was so drunk, I didn't know where

I * m sure you understand.

We can do something good for

your church by way of compensation.11 "And what would that be?" the priest asked. "I • 11 issue an edict that the Jews of this district

will have to pay a special tax to support the Church.

I 111

say that since I provide protection for them, they must show

-140-

their gratitude by contributing to the welfare of the church.

How does that sound?

See, ujhat I 1 ve done will work for your

benefit •" When the decree was proclaimed, the Jewish population

was utterly shocked •

"Oh no,11 one Jew said to his co-

n11 isn 11 enough we 1 re taxed so that we hardly

religionist •

have anything on which to live, but now we111 be forced to

give up even more.

When vji 11 it stop?11

11 God knows," the other Jew responded• the reason me have this new taxation?

"Well,

"Why now?

What's

Does anybody know?"

I heard it has something to do with what hap­

pened at the church.

You know the story about the Prince?1*

"Doesn't everybody?*1 the first Jem answered• a typical action by a goy•

Theyf ve no respect even for what

is supposed to be holy to them•

people doing the same thing?

"Such

Can you imagine one of our

Particularly someone who1s a

leader of the community?11 "The reason 9

11 ve been told, is that the Prince was

forced by his priests to do something beneficial for the church.

And instead of giving them money out of his own pockets, he calculated a way to give the church funds without any hardship

on himself. n

"That seems to be our destiny,M the other Jew said with despair.

"Will there ever come a day when no longer we111

be at the mercy of these persecutors.

Shrugging his shoulders, the first Jew said forlornlyf

"Who knows?

Certainly it won11 happen in Poland.M

Chapter XVIII

HLook out, Solomon!H

Sarah shouted as her mother

tossed plates 9 glasses and silverware at him.

"ShUs a maniac!M

Solomon thought as he crawled underneath the table•

"Why do

I have to endure such torture?

"Hqlu dare you criticize my cooking：" bladame Rissia screamed.

"You ungrateful good-for-nothing•

do is sit over your books all day long•

All you know to

God forbid you should

help me and your wife：" "Look," Solomon said9 a change.11

"I just wanted something new for

Peering out from underneath the tablecloth, Solomon

pointed at the pot on the stove.

"It's the same thing we've

had all week•••" Suddenly Solomon felt a blow on the back of his head• Reaching around he grabbed his mother-in-law who was bending

over him and pulled her to the ground.

'•Stop it you twolM Sarah yelled. any peace in this house?

"Why can *t we have

Is this any way for a rabbi to act?

Stop it f do you hear me!11

Pulling Solomon by the hair, ffladame Rissia spit into his face and smashed his head against one of the table legs.

••Take that,11 she said, "that'll teach you："

in the heat of anger, Solomon picked up one of the pans lying on the floor and hit Madame Rissia across the shoulders.

-142"For God * s sake 9 stop it Solomon 911 Sarah shouted in

nLeave my mother alone ； she * s an old uioman.

desperation •

How can you be such a beast?" The battle between Solomon and Madame Rissia began on the first night that he moved into his wife's home.

Usually Sarah came to her mother * s defense despite the fact that Madame Rissia nearly always initiated the argument and

F inally 9 Solomon in self-defense devised a plan

was wrong.

to save himself from such humiliation•

Rising at midnight,

Solomon crept into his mother-in-law^ room one evening and

hid underneath'her bed•

Placing to his lips a large vessel

shaped like a horn that he had brought with him to his lips, he rebuked her for the treatment she had given her son-in-law. do you know who I am?

I'm the spirit of

Esther, your son-in-law Solomon * s mother.

Youf re an ungodly

Rissia 9

Rissia 9

woman 9 Rissia.

be punished!

Why do you treat him so badly?

Surely you111

If you don't change your vjays9 then your end is

near at hand, and youfll be condemned for all eternity•n

When

Solomon finished speaking 9 he got out from beneath the bed 9

pinched madame Rissia on the arms and face, and swiftly left the room before she awoke.

The next morning Madame Rissia was deeply disturbed. When she saw her son-in-law9 she said to him9 ,,Solomon 9 please

forgive me•

11ve been terrible to you, and now I know that

I * ve been an evil woman• woman.11

Have pity in your heart on an old

And when Madame Rissia saw Sarah, she told her about

— 143-

the .dream ujhich she had had the preceding night • she asserted,

"It's true,11

"Solomon's mother really did come to me.

Look,

do you see these bruises 9 n she said pointing to the marks left

by Solomon from the night before 9

Hthere1s no question that

her spirit came to haunt and punish me.

Oh, I've been so

terrible!n

"Mother,

control yourself 911 Sarah said when she saw

that her mother was trembling with fright.

What on earth hap-

pened?"

H11 was just terrible , H Wadame Rissia answered.

MI

was sound asleep, and all of a sudden I heard a voice cry out

to me.

11 said ,

1 Rissia 9

Rissia, I am Solomon 1 s mother. 1

And

then she told me that I would die if I didn * t treat Solomon

better.

The sound of the voice was just awful; it was just

what the dead sound like when they return to visit the living•

God, God, how scared I was!H When Solomon saw that his plan was successful9 he was

exuberant•

himself•

"At last there * 11 be some peace 9 n he thought to

However, his evaluation was premature, because only

a few weeks after Madame Rissia had fasted in repentence and begged on Esther * s grave for forgiveness, she began tormenting her son-in-law anew.

And soon plates, glasses and silverware

were flying across the kitchen once again•

Chapter XIX At the age of eleven Solomon had been ordained a

rabbi •

In addition to his knoujledge of the Talmud, he iuas

familiar aith certain aspects of astronomy 9 history and mathematics.

His soul burned with a passionate desire for know-

ledge > and he was continually restless.

One day at the home

of the Chief Rabbi of Nesvij, he stumbled across a single book which changed his entire life.

In a dusty corner of the

rabbi's bookshelf, Solomon spied a thick volume written by the Rambam 9 ths medieval philosopher Maimonides t whose com­

mentaries Solomon had previously studied.

"What's this?** he

asked the Chief Rabbi• "Gh, that book. the rabbi answered.

A very dangerous volume f Solomon,"

,fYou1 d be much better off spending your

time studying the Talmud."

"It's dangerous?1* Solomon asked with interest. "Jell, yes. There aren't many copies of the work in these parts -- I obtained this one from the library of an old

Jew who1d been a close friend of my father• through it,

11 ve only looked

but it1 s very difficult to understand.

The original

was written in Arabic, and the translation is by Samuel Ibn

Tibbon tuho lived at the same time as Maimonides.

You know 9

the whole Jevjish world was split into two opposing camps after the publication of this book!M

-145"Nq, really?M Solomon said wide-eyed. "Jews were divided in their reactions to the Rambam's

approach.

You see, this book is a philosophical treatment

of certain ideas concerning God and prophecy.

From what I 1ve

heard, the Rambam relied too heavily on the Greek philosopher

Aristotle and thus became confused in his understanding of certain principles of Judaism.

Looking at the mysterious book, Solomon was possessed with an overwhelming desire to discover its contents. he asked,

"may I borrow it?

be very careful with it.

MRabbi,H

I won't keep it long, and I'll

I realize it's very valuable.n

Sensing that Solomon might become deeply influenced

by this controversial work, the chief rabbi was reluctant to

lend it to the young scholar.

"Solomon," he said, MI hope

you111 understand 9 but I can11 give it to you •

You might be

overwhelmed by the errors in the Rambamf s thinking.

You

should read such a book only when you become older."

When Solomon heard these words, he mas dejected.

must read this book,11 he thought to himself •

"I

"This will be

the first thing I've stolen since I made off with the care­

taker 1 s medicine box. he reasoned,

There was no excuse for doing that,"

"but this is an entirely different situation.

I'd be taking it to broaden my knouiled ge 9 and I ' d return it

when I was finished reading it.

How could God punish me f or

trying to study the words of the Rambam• Determined to take the book 9 Solomon thought of a

-146plan which he executed on the following Sabbath.

Knowing that

the Chief Rabbi would be away during the afternoon 9 he went

to his house and asked the rabbi * s wife if he could look at a volume of the Olidrash in his bookcase.

"It's a special

commentary on a topic that my father and I mere discussing911

he said.

"Could I look at it for a moment?11

Happy to see

the young rabbi engaged in Torah, the rabbi's wife lead him

into the study.

"Ah, yes,

here it is," he said as he took

the book by fGaimonides off the shelf and put another volume

in its place •

"Thank you very much f n Solomon yelled as he

walked briskly by the kitchen with the book hidden under his coat.

"You're welcome 9 Rabbi Solomon 9 H the Rebbetzin said

as she heard the door slam shut.

"That's strange,H she

11 he was here for only a minute.

Well f he

must have immediately found what he was looking for.

What a

thought to herself,

strange lad!

How quickly he left without letting me walk him

to the door.

He must be very shy, but perhaps that1s because

he 1s so brilliant.H

When Solomon arrived home, he secluded himself up­

stairs and opened the book to the title page. tha PerDlmxrd," he read aloud.

"The Guide of

A very strange title f H he

thought to himself.

111 wonder exactly what the reader would

be perplexed about •M

Glancing at the introduction, Solomon

was struck by the opening words from the Psalms and Proverbs:

Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk 9 For unto Thee have I lifted my soul.

-147Unto you, 0 men 9 I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.

Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, And apply thy heart unto my knowledge. "Hmm," Solomon mused,H I wonder why the rabbis would have

censored a book which begins this way?"

through Maimonides1 purposes.

As Solomon glanced

introduction, he saw that the book had two

The first was to explain the meanings of certain

terms occurring in books of prophec y

and the second was to

explain very obscure parables in these same books. Solomon thought 9

nthis should be very interesting, but I don't

exactly see what the Rambam is talking about.

become clearer as I continue ・"

the statement 9

Reading on 9 Solomon came to

but with great exactness and exceeding

and with cars to avoid failing to explain any

obscure point.”

Delighted with Maimonides1 quest for pre­

cision f Solomon thought 9

written•

Maybe it will

"the diction of this Treatise has not been

chosen haphazardly 9 precision,

"Well,"

"this is the way a book should be

Every word should be important.

If only I could

write with such care!M

Turning to the first chapter, Solomon read:

"It is

on account of intellectual comprehension that it is said of

man:

11n the image of God He created him•1

Yes," he thought t

Mthere1 s no doubt that this is the meaning of the passage from

Genesis.

I never thought of it in this way, but it1 s true.

Rian is created in t he image of the Holy One, Blessed be He because man can think, he can reason•

This is what makes man

-14 8different from the rest of the animals.

And if it1 s man's

mind which elevates him and links him to the Almighty > then I must be serving God if I study this book.H Leafing through the Guide, Solomon came upon a section

which caught his interest.

"There are three opinions with

regard to the eternity of the world.

The first opinion 9

which is the opinion of all vjho believe in the Lauj of Koses,

is that the world was brought into existence after having been absolutely non-existent.

The second opinion f which is the

opinion of the philosophers, is that it is absurd that God would bring a thing into existence out of nothing.

The third

opinion, which is the opinion of Aristotle, is that the ujorld

was not created from nothing but that it is eternal.11 11 How strange! H Solomon thought.

"I don't see how one

could prove any of the three points of view.

There1 s no ujay

I could ever know if the Holy One created the world out of nothing or if matter is eternal •

We read that Hakodosh

Bcruch Hu of the heavens and the earth, and if Jews believe that created the world from nothing, they must use this belief

as proof that God exists.

But 9 since I can11 know if the

Almighty really did this, I can11 use this belief as a proof.n

Though Solomon felt guilty that he could not readily accept the opinion of "all who believe in the Law of Hoses" as Maimonides wrote, he had to follow his own reasoning.

"I just

can11 see how I'm supposed to make any decision since my know­ ledge is limited,11 he assured himself.

-149Turning to a section further on in the second part of the Guide, Solomon continued reading.

"The opinions concerning

prophecy are like their opinions concerning the eternity of the vjorld.

I mean by this that there are three in number.

The first opinion, which is the opinion of pagans and some Jews, is that God chooses whomever he desires and turns him

into a prophet.

11 makes no difference vjhether this individual

is educated or ignorant, young or old, as long as he is moral.H "Well," Solomon thought,

"I guess I must be one of those Jews

since this is my belief.

Amos, for example 9 mas no prophet.

He said so himself. fruit. mission.

He was just a shepherd and a gatherer of

And the Lord just chose him and sent him on his

What other opinion could there be?

in the text."

111 s all so clear

Turning over the page 9 Solomon continued •

second opinion is that of the philosophers.

"The

11 affirms that

prophecy is a certain perfection in the nature of man •

According to this opinion it is not possible than an ignoramus should turn into a prophet; nor can a man not be a prophet on

a certain evening and be a prophet on the following morning.

Things are rather as follows:

When 9 in the case of a superior

individual who is perfect with respect to his rational and moral qualities, and his imagination is perfect as well, and when he has received the proper training, then he will nec­

essarily become a prophet.n

"Odd：" Solomon thought aloud.

"The Rambam seems to

be saying that prophecy is the result of some sort of perfection,

-150-

something that can be gained through learning, and that one becomes a prophet without God having anything to do with it.

If a person becomes a prophet by necessity, then God has no role in the process.

God doesn11 choose him at all!

see what the third opinion is.

Let's

The third opinion f n he read,

"is the opinion of our Law and the foundation of the Jewish

faith.H "Aha,” Solomon thought, 11 the second opinion has nothing to do with Judaism 9 ** but as he continued reading, he saw that

he had wrongly prejudged the text.

11 it is identical with the

philosophic opinion (the second opinion) except in one thing.

For we believe that it may happen that one who is fit for prophecy and prepared for i t should not become a prophet, on

account of the divine command.

To my mind this is like all

the miracles and takes the same course as they do.M

"How peculiar!n Solomon thought to himself. read anything like this before. at a miracle.

"I've never

What a strange way to look

The Rambam says that when the Almighty prevents

a person who is fit to be a prophet from becoming a prophet f

this is a miracle.

I always thought a miracle took place

when He performed some event which went against the laws of nature, like the parting of the Red Sea.

But what is meant

here isn't that God did something against these laws of nature, but rather that He merely stopped nature from continuing along

its normal path.

According to the third opinion, then, pro­

phecy is a natural event 9 like rain falling or the stars

-151-

moving in the Heavens. intervening.

11 takes place without the Holy One

I don11 know if I agree or disagree, but I 1 ve

got to study this some more... 11

As Solomon was pondering these new ideas, Pladame Rissia's voice interrupted his flow of thought. she shouted 9

Hcome down right away!

Shalcsh Seudos.

"Solomon

111 s time for the

Don't waste time; we f re ready.M

That night after Haudoloh service, the ceremony sep­ arating the Sabbath from the rest of the week, Solomon

quickly put away the silver candlesticks, the spicebox and

the ujine gobi巳t so that he could return to his study. Arranging wood in the fireplace, he had the feeling that he "I feel I 1 ve done

was reliving an experience from his past.

this all before ,M he thought.

But suddenly he remembered

when he was a child and had to study about astronomy late at

night so that he ujould not get caught.

Smiling to himself,

he considered the ridiculousness of the situation.

"When

will I be free of this secrecy 9 when will I have no f ear of reading what I want?** he asked himself.

Again he was holding

in his hands a forbidden book > and a feeling of rebellion

surged

ujithin

him, enflaming his interest.

"Now, where was I?" he thought.

the Rambam's description of prophecy.M

”Oh yes, I was reading Attempting to find the

place where he had stopped, Solomon came to a passage which he

found confusing.

"'God is the intellect as well as the intel­

lectually cognizing subject 9 and at the same time the

-152intellectually cognized object •

Solomon asked himself.

Now what can this mean?"

The Rambam seems to mean the Almighty

is three things at the same time.

He is the divine mind.

guess that * s what God is most of all.

I

Particularly if man is

similar to God in that he thinks.

Well, now, the divine mind

must do something 9 it must think.

This must be ujhat is meant

by the term

intellectually cognizing subject. 1

then has to be the Holy One himself.

The subject

But what could God

The Rambam says that the Almighty is also the intel­

think?

lectually cognized object •

IF this is so, He must think about

The subject and the object become one and the same.

Himself.

That must be the meaning of what follows after the passage I

just read,

1 these three notions form in Him, may He be exalted,

are one single notion in vjhich there is no multiplicity• 1 Yes, perhaps it1 s so , H Solomon speculated.

"God's essence must

be to be a mind ujhich has for its object of thought its own

self.

The Holy One Slessed be He1s activity is to think Him­

self .

11 does sound odd, but I can see what the Rambam was

trying to say.” "No囚》vjhere1 s the section on prophecy?** Solomon asked

himself.

Di a y b e i t was closer to the front.

And as he searched

through the book, he came to another section which caught his

attention .

111 There are ten separate intellects. . .the

spheres

are nine according to the reckoning of the philosophers ；

namely, the one that encompasses the universe, the sphere of

the fixed stars, and the spheres of the seven planets.

The

-1E3tenth intellect is the Active Intellect. 1

What in the vjorld

could this mean?11 Solomon asked himself.

"What are all these

intellects and spheres?

universe?

Is he referring to the order of the

I • ve heard somewhere that there are supposed to be

a certain number of spheres and intellects which govern them that compose the universe.

Ten intellects and nine spheres.

That gives each intellect one sphere to rule except the last. Why?

Oh, y es,

the tenth intellect is the Active Intellect,

that must mean that it rules the lowest sphere, which is the

Earth."

Looking back over the text, he saw that his guess was

correct.

hlaimonicies had written:

n Aristotle affirmed unques­

tioningly that there exist separate intellects whose number

is equal to that of the spheres, and that each intellect is the mover of the corresponding sphere.11

"Good,” Solomon thought to himself.

"So there are ten

intellects and ten spheres, but what is their exact relation­

ship?

How doss each intellect affect each sphere?11

down the page to find the answer Solomon read:

Looking

"it follows

necessarily that God brought into existence the first intellect,

tuhich is the mover of the first sphere.

Again the intellect

that causes the second sphere to move has as its cause and

principle the first intellect, and so on.H

HSo Almighty God is the cause oF this entire process,11

Solomon thought.

"That makes sense 9 since He1s the ruler of

the heavens and the earth.

But how did He bring the first

intellect into existence?11

Searching for the answer Solomon

-154found these words,

Hthe world derives from the overflow of

God and He has caused to overflow to it everything in it that

is produced in time.

In the same way it is said that He

caused His knowledge to overflow to the prophets.n MiAlell,

that answers the question.

The maker of the

universe thinks about Himself as an object, and in the process an overflow is produced which is the first intellect.

This

first intellect is the mover of the first sphere and the

cause of the second intellect which is the mover of the second sphere 9 and so on down through the tenth sphere which must

be the Earth.

"Now if this is all true,11 Solomon reasoned f "then

what's the relationship between God and all these intellects and spheres?

Particularly the last sphere which is the earth?"

After skimming the Guide, Solomon finally found the answer to his question •

"The universe,n he read, "exists because the

existence of the Creator 9 and the latter continually endows

it with permanence.

Accordingly 9 if the nonexistence of the

Creator were supposed 9 all that exists would likewise be non­

existent; and the essence of its remote causes f of its ultimate ef f ects 9 and of that which is between these 9 would be abolished.H

"Yes," he thought y 11 this is clear, I think.

the ultimate cause of everything.

The Holy One is

That we1ve seen•

He also

sustains His creation by a continual overflow.

Without God,

you might say, the world mould cease to exist.

But what can

be meant by the term 1 remote causes * ?

Remote means 1 far away.

-155-

I guess the Rambam means to say God is the most remote cause. 11 says here that

1 God,

is the remotest cause.1

That must

mean that every action has as its ultimate source the Almighty who is,

the Rambam says here f

1 the primary cause.1n

Putting the book aside, Solomon leaned back in his

chair while the flames of the fire danced in the fireplace 9

and he pondered what he had read.

source of the universe•

thought is Himself 9

"The Almighty then is the

He thinks, and the object of His

the divine mind.

In doing so y He over-

flows and His overflow becomes the first intellect which is

the mover of the first sphere and the cause of the second in­ This process goes on until the Active Intellect is

tellect .

produced which is the mover of the last sphere which is the

earth.

So God in this process is the remote cause 9 the final

source,

but He1s got no role beyond being this continual over­

flow which sustains the world•

Him,

Everything is derived from

but He doesn11 interfere among all the intermediary

causes •

Yes,

I think I see it all;

it's quite simple and much

clearer than before .11 "Now,

I read previously that God causes his knowledge

to overflow to the prophets in the same way that the world is

derived from God's overflow•

Where was that passage I was

reading?M

Turning ahead9 Solomon finally found his place in

the text.

MAt last,11 he sighed,

Mhere it is.

1 The true

reality and essence of prophecy consist in prophecy being an overflow from God, may He be cherished and honored, through

the mediation of the Active Intellect, toward the rational faculty in the first place and thereafter toward the imagin­

ative f acuity.

This is the highest degree of man and the

ultimate perfection that can exist for his species. 1

difficult,11 Solomon thought to himself •

threads of his theory?

That1s

"Can I untangle the

The Rambam said that God Almighty is

the remote cause of the universe and that He doesn1t choose

whomever He ujacts to be a prophet.

Rather, a prophecy itself

is obtained after study and is part of the natural order of the world.

The Holy One really has nothing to do with the

process unless He desires that the person not become a prophet•

But He can11 make a person a prophet.

You become a prophet

only if you1ve achieved the highest degree of perfection pos­ sible.

Now 9

i f God overflows and in so doing creates the

universe, his overflow also sets the natural world in such an

order that it becomes possible for a man to reach this highest stats of perfection so that he can become a prophet. that's it,n Solomon said aloud.

Yes,

"God provides the world with

a natural order so that man can become a prophet which is the

highest perfection man can obtain•

And this means that when

it says in the Torah that God caused the prophet to do some­ thing ,it doesn11 mean He had direct contact with the prophet,

only that He's the ultimate cause of the prophet1s action f the

remote 9 not the proximate or direct cause•n

Looking at the

end of the second part of the Guida Solomon saw that his observation was confirmed by rtlaimonides* own words:

HAll

-157proximate or direct causes are described in the books of the prophets to God.

And according to their manner of expressing

themselves f it is said of such and such an act that God did

it or commanded it or said it.H "These terms then ,11 Solomon reflected 9 "like 1 saying 9

• speaking , *

or 1 commanding

literally.

They only point to the Hakodosh Boruch Hu as the

most remote cause

-- they're not to be interpreted

He who created and sustains the universe

but doesn * t play a direct part in its operation.M

Dazzled by Maimonides1 explanation t Solomon felt as

though a new world had opened up to him.

"I never looked at

the Holy One in this way," he thought.

"How am I to describe

Him?

I f He doesn11 enter directly into the affairs of men?

What can this remote cause be like?H

With this question in

mind 9 while the embers in the fireplace burned white, Solomon fell asleep over the pages of Maimonides 1 Guide,11

Chapter XX When the sun broke through the windows of the upstairs study Solomon was asleep at the table where he had been reading

the night before.

His head rested against the hard wooden

corner and his hands were spread out before him, his fingers

gently touching the edges of the book•

Suddenly9 the crow of

a rooster awakened him from his slumber.

"Ifly God,M he said

to himself as he looked at the golden light of the rising sun f "I fell asleep.11

Picking up the book which lay before him,

he thought to himself 9 "Well, I might as well continue where

I left off.

I 1 d gotten to the part about God Almighty as a

cause of prophecy.

Oh yes, I was wondering what He must be

like if He1s the ultimate 9 remote cause•

I don11 know if the

Rambam discusses this topic -- I'm sure he must; 1*11 just

have to see if I can find the right place in the text." Turning to the first section of Maimonides1 book,

Solomon read, M God 9 may He be exalted 9 is one in all respects ； no multiplicity should be posited in Him; there is no notion

that is added to His essence.n loud, "Yes, there it is.

Exuberant 9 Solomon said out

That1s what I always thought!

If

God is a unity, One 9 then He can't be described as having many attributes.

But then vjhat does Scripture mean when it attri­

butes certain qualities to Him?" he wondered. Torah can * t be wrong."

"Surely the

Reading on 9 Solomon f ound the answer

-159to his question:

"the

numerous attributes possessing diverse

notions that are found in Scripture which describe God9 may

He be exalted 9 are mentioned in reference to the multiplicity

of His actions and not because of a multiplicity subsisting in His essence.11

"That's the answer then," Solomon reasoned.

"The attributes are of God * s action 9 not of His essential nature, because God cannot be divided up into attributes since

Hef s One.

This is what I was once trying to explain to Papa.

As in the case vjhere certain expressions like 1 God said1 or 1 God commanded • are used in the Torah to point to God as the

ultimate cause, so here, too 9 certain attributes used in

Scriptures do not directly describe the Holy One but only point to His creation which He has produced as an ultimate 9

remote cause•

more clear.

Here * s an example that makes this whole idea *Fire melts some things f makes others hard, cooks

and burns 9 bleaches and blackens •

He uiho does not know the

nature of fire thinks that there subsists in it six diverse activities•

However9 he who knoms the nature of fire9 knows

that it performs all these actions by virtue of one active quality, namely , heat.1

"I think I understand all this 9 M Solomon said to him­ self 9 "but if itf s the case that those qualities attributed

to Hakodosh Eoruch Hu only describe His actions and not the

Holy One Himself, I have to return to my original question: •What is God like?11

How can I describe Him?"

Continuing his investigation, Solomon read:

"when we

-leosay that God is One,

the meaning is that He has no equal and

not that the notion of oneness attaches to His essence.11

"How

"The Rambam doesn1t even think

curious,n Solomon thought•

that the notion of oneness can be attributed to God.

But

this doesn1t mean that the Almighty has multiplicity.

It

only means that the Rambarn doesn1t want to attribute the

qaulity of being Cns to God.

But vjhat in the vjorld can one

say about God if one can11 even say that He is One?°

Turning to the next chapter, Solomon read, Mthe description of God, may He be cherished and exalted, by means

of negations is the correct description •

On the other hand,

if one describes God by means of affirmations, one implies that He is associated with what He is not and implies a deficiency in Him.H

"Oh,

I see," Solomon thought to himself.

MYou can11 say that God is One;

God is not a multiplicity.

butes like

instead you have to say that

You can only use negative attri­

'God is not a substance1 or 1 God is not finitef

in order to describe Him.

wants to say this.

And I understand why the Rambam

He knows that only God Himself can attain

knowledge of His own essence 9 but that God1 s reality is hidden

f rom man1 s gaze.

I remember once Papa told me a story about

somsone who came before Rabbi Haninah and recited many adjec­

tives like "great," "mighty," "strong,” etc. ,

• •.

Aftervjards

Rabbi Haninah told him that he had said too much.

This must

have been because Rabbi Haninah knew that positive attributes could never really describe God's essence.11

-16 1Suddenly, Solomon realized that this new conception of God answered many of the questions he had asked his father when they were returning f rom Sabbath morning services •

the terms in the Scriptures are not taken literally

111 f

he

thought, Hthen the Almighty no longer resembles a man •

They

have to be vieiued as describing His actions t since one can only describe God by negative attributes, by saying what He God also has no multiplicity, and therefore, no affir­

is not •

(native attribute can be applied to Him for that would add to His essence.

And, too 9 since God is a remote cause, creating

and sustaining the universe, He has no direct role in human

affairs.

He formed the natural world and left it to function

according to divine laws ； then He isn11 responsible for the

suffering and evil that exist in the world, since He's not the

direct cause. action.

And he also isn11 the direct cause of human

He1 s only the indirect f remote cause 9 since He's the

ultimate cause and principle of everything.M Stirred from his deep concentration, Solomon heard the

sound of his ujife and mother-in-law in the kitchen. be early morning 911

he thought to himself.

1111 must

All at once 9 the

rasping sound of his mother-in-lawfs voice grated against his ears.

"Solomon," she said, "what are you doing up there studying

so early in the morning.

you woke me up.

I heard you talking to yourself, and

What kind of crazy business is this?11

n Frothing , nothing,M Solomon mumbled.

"I'vm got to

return to what I•ve been reading,H he thought to himself.

"工

-162-

just couldn * t face seeing this horrible woman after reading

the sublime words of the Rambam.H Turning to the end of the Guide, Solomon read the con­

clusion of the book taken from Isaiah: Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened• And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; They that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death 9 Upon them hath the light shined. ARIEN "Amen," Solomon ujhi spered to himself.

"I've been one oF the

blind, one of those who lived in darkness, but the Rambam has been my light,” Solomon thought •

"Houj great he must have been!

He was like the prophet who has achieved the highest perfection that a man can reach.

If only I could attain such wisdom!H

And as Solomon sat gazing out the window at the horizon > he vowed to himself that the quest for knowledge would be his

life1s purpose.

"I'll be his disciple/* he said aloud.

Pioses ben Oiaimon will be by guide."

"Rabbi

And as he looked at the

cover of the book that lay before him, he thought to himself. "From now on >

I'm no longer Solomon ben Joshua 9 Solomon the

son of Joshua;

1*11 be Solomon ben Waimon, Solomon the son of

Maimon.

Yes , Solomon Maimon will be my name.11

Chapter XXI

Though Solomon was inclined toward the rational approach of hioses ben Maimon he was nonetheless fascinated by the mystical writings of the Kabbalists.

When he found out

that Reb Mordechai, a distinguished Jew in his village 9 was adept in the Kabbalah, he lost no time making his acquaintance.

One af ternoon, however, after perusing a book on Kabbalah that

Mordechai had left in the synagogue f Solomon wrote him a letter expressing his longing to become a student of the

Kabbalah•

When Reb Mordechai received Solomon1s letter, he was overjoyed.

"Dinah," he said to his new wife r "there's a young

rabbi here who wants to learn about the Kabbalah.

what he has to say:

Listen to

11 have been extremely interested in

studying the sacred science so that I might have some know­

ledge of the essence of the Holy One Blessed be He and how to influence nature by means of His manifold names.

You have no

idea how pleased I would be if you could assist me in obtaining

books that I might be able to study.1H

"You have some books that you could lend him 9 don11 you fuordechai?H his wife asked.

M0f course. him have them.

Of course.

11d be only too happy to let

First, he should study the Shaarei Orah which

will explain the names of the spheres and how these spheres

-164are applied to the Talmud and the Torah.

He should also

look at the Pard-s of Rabbi Moses Kordovero and the work of

Rabbi Isaac Luria's student, Rabbi Hayyim Uital, the £z Hayyim, Yes, he must study all these books.

1*11 ask him to come

speak with me so that we can arrange a time for him to study here in our home.

"You won11 let him take them home with him?" his wife asked•

"Ko, I don11 think that would be a good idea.

These

books once belonged to my grandfather and were given to me by my father.

to them.

I can11 take the chance that something would happen It's not that I don't trust this young scholar ；

it1 s only that I'd feel more comfortable if I knew that they

didn't leave our house.

Do you mind, Dinah?

I'm sure he

won't be in the uiay." "N。，no, (Yiordechai.

Do what you think is best,M

Dinah responded. When Solomon received Mordechai1s invitation, he was elated.

"Ulhat a letter,M he thought to himself.

MHe says

that my soul must be derived from the world of the Almighty1 s

Divine emanation since I show such zeal without any outside encouragement.

Well f vjho knows?

At least 1*11 get to learn

about this mysterious science.n When the Kabbalistic scholar and his beautiful young

wife saw for themselves hcvj diligent Solomon was, they tuere

amazed.

—16 5—

MHe

"What dedication,H Mordechai said to his wif e. just sits there day and night poring over the pages • **

Solomon1 s tendency to stay late and read by candle light came, however,

to be an inconvenience to Reb Mordechai

and his wife since the study was located in the corner of the "他y

bedroom.

he leave?

God," Hordechai thought to himself, "when will

I want to fulfill my duty as a husband, but I

can * t make love to my wife while Solomon1 s sitting in the same room.

When ivill he go home?1*

While Solomon1s mind was elevated above the sphere

of sense, Dinah like her husband could only think of how her sensual desire was being thwarted by this studious rabbi.

Finally, in exasperation, she said to her husband f "Nordechai, forgive me for being so direct, but it1 s been over a week now

since Rabbi Solomon has become an occupant of our bedroom•

And f Mordechai, I want you.

You1 re my husband, and I want

Can11 me do something?

you to love me, and I want to love you.

Kissing his wife tenderly and holding her close to him in bed, fuordechai whispered into her ear.

more of this either.

"I can' t take any

Though I don11 want to, 1111 just have

to let him take these books home•

I

sure that nothing will

happen to them 9 anyway.M

This decision pleased Solomon immensely•

At last he

was free to pursue the Kabbalah at his leisure in his own study vjit hout feeling guilty about disturbing anyone.

Solomon,

however 9 underestimated the impact that this continual study

-166-

of sacred texts was having on his own married lif e.

iAlhen

Sarah saw her husband return home the next day with a load of books under his arm > she decided that it was time for them

to discuss his life as a scholar.

"Solomon：" she yelled at

him as he approached the porch.

"Come inside f we have some­

thing to talk about.n Putting the books down on the path a few yards from

the porch steps, Solomon said, "I'll be there in just a second.

You have no idea how heavy these volumes are • drop.

I 1 m ready to

Aly arm has fallen asleep, I think.11

"Hurry up 9 Solomon,11 Sarah said with impatience.

11 All right,

I * m coming . n

As Solomon entered the house, Sarah rebuked him for

being out all night.

111 suppose this is another example of

how you plan to spend the rest of your life.

read, Solomon.

Don11 you care about us?

forgotten that I 1 m your wife?

All you do is

About me?

Have you

Did it ever occur to you that

I might want a little attention now and then?H 111 1 ve been studying , M Solomon answered meekly •

"UJhat

could be more important that these holy books?"

nHe, that1s what," his wife

answered angrily.

"But …" "UJhat kind of marriage is this, Solomon?

posed to study;

I know that.

You're sup­

But that doesn11 mean you 1 re

supposed to forget about your married life.

Has it occurred

to you that you haven11 slept in the same bed with me for over

-167-

two vjeeks?

bride?

I s this any way for a husband to treat his new

I know that it's necessary according to the Law that

a husband please his wife!

What kind of a husband are you,

Solomon?

MSolomon 9 don't just stand there stammering, explain tuhy you1 ve been avoiding mm."

Not knowing what to say, Solomon picked up his books f

and quickly walked up the stairs to his study• "Solomon, Solomon,M his wife shrieked.

way to act.

"This is no

Why won't you ansvjer me when I talk to you.

Solomon, you 1 re ruining our marriage!H Shutting the door behind him, Solomon took out one

of the treasured books of the Zohar, thereby losing himself in his reading so that he would not have to think about his wife f s demands.

to himself•

"She's so much like her mother f H he thought

"Why did my father have to make such a choice?M

he sighed•

Turning to the front of the book he began to read, 11 in the beginning -- when the will of the King began to take effect,

he engraved signs into the heavenly sphere that sur­

rounds him.

Within the most hidden recess a dark flame issued

from the mystery of the Infinite, like a fog forming in the unformed -- enclosed in the ring of that sphere, neither white nor black, neither red nor green, of no color whatever.

Only

after this flame began to assume size and dimension, did it

-168produce radiant colors.

From the innermost center of the

flame sprang forth a well out of which colors issued and

spread upon everything beneath, hidden in the mysterious

hiddenness of the Infinite.n

When Solomon finished reading the passage y he set the book down before him. to himself.

"I

"It's all very beautiful,H he thought

like all the colors, and the image that this

description depicts.

But I think I've read enough of this.

11 just doesn11 make as much sense as the Rambam or even as much sense as the commentaries.11

Though Solomon was discouraged by his introduction to the Kabbalah during the short time that he studied at Reb Mordechai * s home,

he nevertheless continued to borrow

books from him until he decided with finality to turn his

interest toward another part of the Kabbalah,

"Enough of

the theoretical Kabbalah,M he thought to himself one day.

"Perhaps practical Kabbalah will be more interesting.H When Reb fnordechai learned that Solomon wanted to

pursue another aspect of Kabbalah9 he said, "Solomon, let me tell you about the wonders of practical Kabbalah.

I don11

want you to talk to anyone about this f but i t * s possible for me to become invisible by certain preparations •H "No?" Solomon said with wonder.

"You mean that I

could become invisible, that I could see others, but they wouldn1t be able to see me?"

''OF course;

there's nothing difficult about it."

-169Delighted at such an idea, Solomon resolved to

accomplish this amazing feat.

"Perhaps 1*11 be able to punish

h: a dame Rissia for all the horrible things she1 s done to me.

I * d be executing divine justice;

I•m sure it would be God's

will,H he thought to himself.

F ollowing Reb Riordechai's instructions, Solomon fasted for three days in succsssion and every day he said certain

Kabbalistic prayers .

I feel so weak,

Finally Solomon thought,

"I'm invisible .

but I must accomplish my mission.n

Spying his mothor-in-law walking along the road leading

to toujc, ha decided to follow her until she came to a wooded

He planned to seize her there and push her

area by the river.

into the water while at the same time yelling, "I am the spirit

of Solomon1s dead mother. warning.

Nouj,

You haven11 paid attention to my

you111 have to pay for your misdeeds!M

As Solomon walked on the road, he felt as though hs

were walking on air.

"No one can see me,11 he thought.

even the birds or the cows in the fields!n

"Not

Exultant at his

new physical state, Solomon forgot that he had not eaten in days and felt a special resurgence of strength.

The road

turned abruptly and Solomon watched Madame Rissia follouj its path through the forest.

Quickly he ran up behind her and

grabbed her by the legs.

Turning around she beat him with her

shopping basket.

,,Solomon , you ungodly wretch! n she shouted.

"How dare you do such a thing? me in the road!

Sneaking up and trying to trip

Here, take that!M

Uli th these words, the old

-170-

woman kicked her son-in-law in the stomach and pushed him into the river. "My God J Solomon thought as he felt himself falling

into the ujater,

”I don't believe it.

11 just didn't work!M

When Solomon pulled himself out of the river and lay down on

the grass, aching from the bruises he had receivedf he thought to himself 9

111 must see Mordechai.

I 1 ve got to find out what

vjen t wrong ." The next day Solomon walked to the house of the Kab-

"Look, Reb Mordechai , H he said.

balist.

work.

11 Your theory doesn 11

I wasn * t invisible at all!" 111 f you observed all my instructions, then I can * t

explain tuhat happened.

Did you recite prayers before you went

to sleep?M "I recited them all day, but not just before I fell asleep •"

nThere .

That1s the answer!n Reb Mordechai exclaimed.

Determined to become invisible, Solomon followed the

same ritual the next day.

F inally 9 after three days of fasting,

he went to the House of Study where he resolved to hit one of

his comrades ujhoE he particularly disliked.

"He's so ignorant 9

and he makes such pretences that he1 s a scholar•

This will

show him that he should watch his ways," Solomon thought to

himself.

When Solomon approached him from behind, however,

and gave him a blow on the back of the head, the youngster

turned around and pounded Solomon in the face.

"What in the

-171world are you doing,

you good-for-nothing!1* he screamed •

You come upon me while I•m not looking•

"What's this?

If

you want to fight, let's go outside and do this the right way, Solomon •"

With a black eye 9 Solomon approached Mordechai for

the third time •

"Now,

process is dangerous.

listen here,11 he said. See what I look like!

"This whole

This is the

result of your crazy idea that I can become invisible.H

"Rabbi Solomon,M Mordechai responded, "you must be doing something wrong.

I never have any problem•

You1 re sure

you followed my instructions carefully?"

"One more time 9 one more time will I try this,"

Solomon responded with a resolute spirit. After three more days of exacting preparation9 Solomon was ready to venture outside as an invisible man.

however 9

This time,

he planned no violect act 9 but decided merely to go

to the House of Study to see if he would be observed.

As he

entered the old wooden buildingf a young student approached him and said,

"Rabbi Solomon 9 11 ve been having terrible prob­

lems with this passage from the Talmud•

11 concerns the

question of what benedictions one is supposed to say When Solomon saw that he was not invisible9 he walked

immediately out of the House of Study and ran straight to Reb Mordechai1s home.

"fvm tried this whole thing three times 9

and it hasn11 vuorked.

I think it's impossible to become in­

visible ;the whole thing is a big lie."

-172-

"Rabbi Solomon 9 I•m sorry to say this, MReb Iflordechai said coldly 9 "but I can't explain this otheruvise than

by supposing that you1 re unfit to become invisible•"

Angry at himself for having wasted so much time in this futile process 9 Solomon thought to himself 9 "This is

all ridiculous.

There * s no use in studying either the theo­

retical or the practical Kabbalah.

Enough of the occult!

From now on 9 11 m only going to study pure science • be the road to truth.M

That must

Chapter XXII

nLet me see," Solomon thought out loud9 Hthis is an Aleph f

so this must be the first letter of the German

Latin alphabets •n

and

Determined to master foreign languages so

that he would be able to gratify his desire for scientific

knowledge 9 Solomon was forced to learn the letters of Latin Finding several

and German by a kind of deciphering process•

alphabets in some of his father1 s Hebrew books, he was able

to see how certain letters of one language corresponded to

the letters of the other language 9 and finally 9 he combined these foreign letters into words and phrases. After a considerable time, Solomon resolved to .attempt

to read some German books and thereby try out the German

reading skills that he had taught himself.

When he discovered

that the rabbi of a neighboring town, who in his youth had

lived for a while in Germany, had a fair library9 he made a trip to ask him if he would be able to borrow several volumes.

"Sarah," Solomon said,"工，m going to take a carriage to town 9 and then I have a long journey to make."

••Solomon, it *s the middle of winter.

walk in all this snow?

You expect to

You111 freeze to death.

And you don•t

have good enough boots."

"Sarah. I 1 m leaving >n Solomon said vjith determination. 111 * ve made up my mind. H

-174-

HIs this going to be a short trip like the last one?" Solomon * s vjif e asked mockingly •

"I suppose you 1 re going to

go over a hundred miles just to see some Hebrew book like you did last summer• "Sarah,

my God, Solomon 9 have you lost your mind?”

I 1 m going to see Rabbi Hirsch9 and itf s not

He has some German books I want to read.M

so far away.

"Ha：" Sarah laughed•

"What do you knoiu about German?

All you can read or speak is Yiddish and Hebrew.

How do you

expect to read German?11

11 As a matter of fact," Solomon said defensively9 "I can read German•n

"UJhat? no teacher.

Houj is that possible?

Certainly you • ve had

What goy would teach a poor Rabbi?

nI taught myself 9 Sarah," Solomon answered with pride. Now I just want to see how well I can read.11

"Solomon," his wife said, "you're a fool.

You're sup­

posed to spend your time with the Talmud, and you1 re supposed to support your family as iue 11 •

Why waste your time with

German?11 "Sarah, your mother promised as part of your dowry that she * d support us •

Have you forgotten?

job； she * s broken her word.

This isn11 my

There * s no reason why 11m forced

to teach, and why I have to inspect Torah Scrolls in order that

we might be able to eat•

I*m supposed to be free to pursue

my studies, to have time for reading German.H

HPlease leave my mother out of this,11 Sarah said

-175-

"You're my husband and you should take care of me

bitterly.

as well as our new-born son David•

You plan to leave us and

go off to obtain some stupid German books•

Solomon.

You1 re cruel,

You 1d probably just let us starve9 wouldn11 you?

Don•t you think I have enough trouble?

and 1*11 be alone•

Now, you111 be gone f

David1 s only two months old9 and already

you1 re willing to leave me with all the responsibility.

I

wouldn•t be surprised if some day you just left and never came back•"

11Y ou * 11 be fine , S arah,

Your mother is here to help

you, and you knovj l canf t do anything anyway •

I'll be back

in less than a week."

"Solomon," his wife whined, "you can11 do this to me..."

Without replying9 Solomon put on his winter clothes and left the house amid his wife1 s complaints and sobs.

Though

he felt guilty about leaving his new-born son y Solomon could not resist the temptation to pursue his study.

When he

started out from town on his long hike, he remembered the trip he had taken vjith his parents and brother when they were

evicted from their farm• himself•

"Will I always be a nomad?" he asked

n11 seems my destiny is to be like the ancient

Israelites who wandered through the desert for forty years

searching for the promised land• land will be for me;

the desert•

mother.

I wonder what the promised

certainly my life now is as desolate as

God, how I hate being a slave to my wife and her

They * re my taskmasters 9 I wonder if the Egyptians

-176-

could have been more cruel?

lAlell 9 at least I have my interest

in science to sustain me."

As Solomon trudged along the snow-covered road, he thought of the time he had walked to the caretaker1 s mansion in order to copy the drawings on the tapestries 9 and he smiled to himself.

HWell, he thought, I guess 1111 never be a

renowned painter.

How funny Papa was with his story about

Hillel, as though I did something horrible by trying to learn how to draw•

If he knew what I *m doing now, I don11 think he1d

be very happy either•

11m sure he1d say,

you abandoning the Talmud? and night! •

'Solomon, why are

You should concentrate on it day

Oh well 9 he just can * t understand.11

Toward nightfall9 Solomon reached Rabbi Hirsch1s home. When Solomon knocked on the door, the rabbi greeted him with

warmth and enthusiasm.

"Come in 9 come in,H he said.

MYou

must be all but frozen to death from walking so long in the

cold.

Here, take off your wet clothes and stand by the fire."

"Thank you 9 Rabbi Hirsch,M Solomon said as he took off

his heavy boots •

I • m really not so cold; all that walking kept

me warm."

111 was so happy to receive your letter.

Do you realize

that in the 31 years since 11 ve returned from Germany 9 not one person has ever asked to see my German books.

Tell me, my

son, where did you ever learn to read German?

Did your father

teach.••?”

Hl\lof no," Solomon interrupted, "I taught myself by com-

-177paring the German alphabet with the Hebrew.

I'm not really

sure that my method has been successful; that1 s the reason I • m so interested in trying to read the books you have•M

"That's quite incredible 9 M the rabbi said in amaze­

ment •

"You mean to say that you've never heard German spoken y

you1ve never had a German teacher?M

HYes, that1s correct•

Oh, I 1 ve heard people speak

German in the street but I couldn11 understand what they were saying•

I really only know how to read*

At least 9 I hope

I do.”

HI must say that I'm a bit sceptical 9 but you1 re welcome to whatever books you1 d like to take•M Looking through the rabbi1s collection 9 Solomon came

upon four books that attracted his attention.

"With your

permission Rabbi,M he said, "I'd like this book on optics 9 and this one on general physical science 9 and these two on

medicine.n HAre you sure you want these books?11 the rabbi asked with a shocked expression.M

They 1 re very difficult, parti­

cularly for someone who1s never read German before•

How about

some simple stories like these books for children I received in my youth?

Of course you won't learn as much9 but• •.11

MNo 9 thank you, Rabbi Hirsch,H Solomon responded 9 "but

I think I'll be able to understand them•

At least, I'd like

to try• tl "Solomon,

listen,11 Rabbi Hirsch said, "why don11 you

-178remain here a few days, and that way I can help you if you have any p roblems.

visitor,

My wife will be delighted to have a

and perhaps we'll have an opportunity to discuss

some talmudic work I 1 ve been doing.

If d be interested in what

you have to say about my interpretation of a particular prob­

lem I 1 ve been studying with some of my students.11

Delighted at the opportunity of having guidance in his

reading of German, Solomon readily accepted.

Though he found

the reading excrutiatingly hard and mearisome in the beginning, he was able» after several days, to follow most discussions in the books although he did not know every uuord.

Foilowing

the same method that he had used in studying the Talmud and the work of Maimonides9 he attempted to anticipate the arguments

as well as the answers.

say to himself, be the pioblem?"

"Noiu, if I were the authorf M he would

"what would I be troubled about?

What would

Trying always to step inside the system of

thought, Solomon endeavored to express the thoughts of the author in his own words and to fill in the missing gaps•

By

this method9 the system became his own, and he was able to

perceive it as a unified whole.

At the end of the week, Solomon set out for home early enough to be able to arrive before the Sabbath.

Though it has

been snowing continually since his arrival at the rabbi1 s

house 9 on the Friday morning that he departed the sun rose over white fields of snow.

uHow beautiful nature is：" Solomon

thought to himself as he walked on the open road with the

-179-

German books in his pack.

TGoved by the glory of the dawn,

Solomon felt that he was at the threshold of a new existence•

"It's the dawn of a new period in my life," he thought as he made his way through the heavy snowdrifts•

"What took you so long?11 Sarah shouted when Solomon entered his home•

What did you do 9 so worried I

"Look at yourself 9 you1 re wet all over! fall into a pile of snow?

Oh, Solomon 9 I was

How can you do this to me?"

"What kind of a greeting is this?11 Solomon asked•

"Lum

been away for days, and the first thing you do is yell at me." MAnd just what should she do?" Madame Rissia said as

she entered th 2 kitchen and saw Solomon taking off his boots in froot of the stove.

"工

suppose you expect her to be pleased

that you just left with no excuse and stayed away for almost

a week.

Do you suppose that she should be overjoyed at the

sight of you?” in silence 9 Solomon looked with hatred at his two adversaries •

nI 1 m going upstairs to study the books I brought

back,11 he said.

"What：" Solomon1s mother-in-law shrieked, said turning to her daughter. son or care to see him.

"Sae," she

"He doesn11 even ask about his

This is the bastard you1 ve married!n

nPlease 9 mother,H Sarah said, "don't use such language.11

M0h, yes," Solomon said with a feeling of guilt•

is he?

Hotw is David?

"How

I don11 know why I forgot•11

"Go see him, Solomon 9 ,f Madame Rissia said with disgust •

-180"He's asleep in the bedroom•H After Solomon had looked at Davidy he retreated to

his study where he opened up the volumes he had taken from

"Where was I?" he asked himself.

the generous rabbi•

yes 9

"Oh

I was reading about the origins of storms •11 After several weeks. Solomon finished all four books 9

and he felt he had found a key to all the secrets of nature• "How ignorant these Jews are," he thought to himself as he looked at his co-religionists.

11 They believe they can control

nature by means of incantations, magic, amulets t divination. How stupid!

If they only knew the truth.11

Attempting to dispell the ignorance that he saw around him > Solomon tried to demonstrate to his neighbors the fallacies in their thinking.

One afternoon 9 he struggled to teach a

fellow Talmudist that the earth was round. "Ha：" the talmudist exclaimed•

where your theory is false•

"See, here r this is

You say the world is round.

But

if this were the case 9 then those on the bottom of the earth would fall off 9 only those on the upward part would be able

to stand up straight •

You expect me to believe that people

on the bottom walk upside down?" "No, no," Solomon protested•

"You don't understand•

The idea of over and under are not to be interpreted literally. They are only figures of speech.

The earth is round 9 and

every body on it is pulled toward the center, not toward empty space• fl

-181"What?

HYou think that everything is pulled toward the

a smile• center.

round f

This is very amusing," the talmudist said with

Look, right?

I'm a simple man.

You see this stone?

It fs

Well, when I put anything underneath it

falls off.

You expect me to believe that the earth is any

different•

No, Solomon 9 the earth is flat, and we all walk

on its flat surface•

of f •

IF me come to the edge 9 we111 all fall

Doesn * t that make more sense than your fantastic and

absurd theory?H

Undaunted 9 Solomon continued his quixotic attack upon the ideas of his colleagues•

One morning9 Solomon took a

walk with some of his friends.

11 happened that a goat lay

across the road and blocked the way•

Taking his walking stick

and raising it up in the air, Solomon beat the goat until it bleated loudly• "For God1s sake, leave the poor thing alone > Solomon 9 H

"Can't you see that you * re hurting

one of his friends cried.

it?

All me have to do is walk around it.

Come on 9 Solomon•M

"No, you1 re entirely wrong about this f M Solomon said

"You honestly believe that the goat feels pain when

firmly• I hit it?

That1 s nonsense.

The goat is merely a machine.

I've studied all about it in a book on physics by a famous

scientist named Sturm•M When Solomon1s peers heard this explanation, they broke

into hysterical laughter.

M0h, that1 s very funny.

"Very goodt Solomon,H they roared.

The goat is a machine211

-182"What's so funny?" Solomon asked with contempt•

"Ry

theory is true 9 ask any physicist and he111 tell you•M H But, Solomon,H one of his friends said, "don't you How could it possibly

hear the goat cry when you strike it?

be a mere machine?**

"Ah, but don't you see that it's no different than a musical instrument?

Look, when I beat a drum 9 it cries, too •M

"Oh, Solomon 9 you1 re very Funny," another of his

friends exclaimed.

"You should really try to get a job as a

jester for weddings•n 11 took only a short time for reports of this incident

to spread all over the town t and it was rumored that the young

rabbi had become mad since he held that "a goat is a drum." Not only mas Solomon considered strange on account of

this theory, but people spoke with dismay about vhis interest

in medicine •

One one occasion 9 Solomon examined a Jew who

was suffering from a particular ailment.

Looking up the

symptoms in the large medical dictionary he had obtained from Rabbi Hirsch9 Solomon tried to discover the cause and the

method of its cure•

In addition 9 Solomon tried to inf er the

presence of other accompanying symptoms•

the old Jew lying in bed before h.im«.

"Yes," he said to

This is the cause•

Now

if you111 only follow this cure, you should be well in only a meek.

By the way you must have a headache•

You do 9 Reb

Jacob, don't you?" MNo, Rabbi Solomon, I don't," the old man responded.

-183"That's impossible.

You must•

Now concentrate•

Does

your head hurt?11

"No, I assure you, Rabbi Solomon 9 I have no headache •M

"Look, Reb Jacob." Solomon said impatiently9 11 it says

right here that you must have a headache. scholarly medical book be wrong?

Hom can this

Just listen•

MIn the case

of this disorder, we find that a strong pain in the area of the upper part of the brain.o•n

Hl

Chapter XXIII

HMoses 9 I think you're exactly right 9 n Solomon said

to his best friend as they leaned back on the soft green grass

by the river.

"There's no doubt about it."

"Yes," Moses continued9 nthe scholars pursue know­ ledge not for its own sake9 but because it serves as a tool

for gaining povjer and prestige•

Anyone who thinks a rabbi

feels that the Law is being honored when people rise in his presence is only kidding himself•

He wants people to honor

him； he likes the Peeling of being an important man•

Solomon 9

it1 s all just a big contest for status and control•

Religion

and erudition are merely a means to an selfish end, and

believe me 9 that end has nothing to do with honoring God.

the Zohar it states that 9

In

1 Those who learn for the sake of

learning find the Torah smeet; those who learn for ulterior motives find it bitter0 *

I don11 think I've ever met a man

in our village who didn11 have a bitter taste in his mouth!11

MYou know, Rioses, I think the same thing applies to morality.11 good?

Do people act righteously for the sake of doing

No, they only do such an act if they111 be rewarded for

their action.

Constantly we're told that the rewards are in

the world to come.

I remember once when I was a child, my

father told me that the Jews would receive special treatment

in the world to come; there, Christian princesses will be

-185their servants and light stoves for them.

But not only is

this opinion false, it points to the reason why moral laws

are followed.

selves ； end.

111 s not because they 1 re good in and of them­

it * s because they * re a means toward some profitable

Let me give an example to prove my point.

If I were

lying right here starving, and a Jew could help me only by

violating certain laws, do you think he1d do it?

I am con­

vinced he wouldn11,for he1d thereby forfeit the spiritual reward which hinge upon the performance of these laws•

other words ,

In

I 1 m saying he'd be motivated by selfish needs f

not by a humanitarian interest•u

"That's a very good example 9 Solomon f n Ploses said, smiling •

11 But there are other motivations as mell.

Let me

tell you a story about an incident I witnessed not too long ago•

You remember when there mas a plague of smallpox?

Well,

the elders of the city held a meeting in which they tried to

discover what type of sin must have caused the disease•

Since

I was walking near the building where the inquiry was being hsld 9 I looked in the window and watched the proceedings.

And

Before a panel of judges, a widow

you know what I sauj? pleaded her innocence.

This woman was accused of having

intimate relations with some servants of the manor.

Ths only

evidence presented was that these people were in the habit of

drinking at her house, but there was no proof that she was guilty of any sin.

She protested that she merely received

them in a courteous and pleasant manner.

And then what do

一工2 6 一 you think happened?11

.

"Rhat?” "Just as she was about to be acquitted, an elderly

matron came rushing f orward to ujhere the tuidow was sitting >

and pointing a finger at her,

screamed,

ture her until she confesses! 1

1 Torture her!

Tor-

Now, Solomon f let me ask you.

Do you think that this matron made such a fierce complaint against the widow merely because she1d been seized by a holy zeal for righteous judgment?

Never!

That1s not the answer!

I'm convincsd she mas enraged because the widow was a beau­

tiful worn an,

You see,

and she was jealous of her physical attractions t

jealousy can be as strong as influence as the desire

for spiritual rewards.n

"Yes," Solomon said f know moral action is based,

"工'm sure you1 re right.

And you

too, on the fear of punishment.

Once my mother-in-law was afraid of being punished because of the way that she'd been treating me.

guilty because of her iniquity?

Do you think she felt

Do you think she apologized

to me because she was truly sorry?

No, she made penance only

because she ujas afraid of what ujould happen to her.

And the

proof of all this i s that after a few wmeks passed, when the

fear of divine punishment dwindled, she resumed her previous mistreatment.

I guess f

oses , it1 s the same with nearly every­

one ；people act out of fear of punishment, not out of the

desire to do good.11

Looking at Solomon with a sad expression, Rioses

-187-

continued his discussion of the hypocrisy of the world.

at the entire Jewish community 911 he said.

11 Look

"It's supposed to

be based on holy principles, but that certainly isn11 the case

in reality.

Everybody in the community is dependent on the

elders and the rabbis for every aspect of his life• my opinion, you knovj why it1 s this way?

And, in

Because the rabbis

and the elders want to have a11-controlling power.

And not

only that 9 but they want to separate themselves from the masses of Jetvs they tax so heavily•

You and I have gone

through the educational process that secures status within

the community, but think about it.

What about all the Jews

ujho either intellectually or financially weren11 able to pursue talmudic studies?

They work hard at menial tasks t and

they1 re regarded with condescension by the scholars.

111 s a

vicious circle in ujhich the educated are jealous of their own position and separate themselves from the masses.

In

addition 9 they control the entire system which protects their hold on power within the community.

They permit those who

qualify to join their ranks, and then these newcomers, when they are older, and the other elder men have left the circle

of the elite t begin the cycle all over again.

And, as I said

before, though the entire operation of the system is theo­ retically supposed to function for the sake of high principles,

in reality it functions only to serve those who control it. Am I right or wrong9 Solomon?*1 ••I'm afraid what you're saying is true, Moses.

And

-188-

the sad part is that both of us are trapped in this horrible

structure•

We 1 re both fifteen , we both have families, we 1 re

both talmudic scholars, and we both do exactly what is expected. Someday

vje111

probably become just like the men who are now

elders of our village•

Is there any way out?"

"Well, Solomon,M Moses answered, "one thing is certain. VJe1 re different in that we understand how the system operates ； me see the evil of it, and we1 re willing to discuss what uje

see so clearly.n 11 You know ,11 Solomon said , "there's one thing that1 s been bothering me •

I wanted to talk to you about it -- it fits

in with all the things we1 ve been saying.

You know about the

funeral of Reb Simon, the rich merchant who lived in Mir.

My

father and brother and I just traveled there for his funeral since my father once traded with him.

largest funeral I 1 d ever seen.

Anyway, it was the

11 seemed as though every Jew

in this whole province was there.

The rabbi spoke about him

during the service and described him as though he were a saint.

But I know from the way my father spoke about him when he was

alive that he was a thief and completely dishonest.

the saying that,

You know

1 a man should not tell lies in the hour of

death. 1

Well, the preacher certainly didn11 follow the sages1

advice.

At any rate, you know vjhy so many people came to the

funeral and why such things were said in the eulogy?

11 was

because Reb Simon was one of the richest Jews in Mir.. The

rabbi knew that his family were big contributors, and he wanted

-189-

to have a piece of the inheritance for himself and for his synagogue.

Do you think that honor is paid to those who deserve

it because they are righteous men?

Not at all.

Even if a

person were one of the thirty-six righteous men in a generation, he wouldn't have such a funeral unless he were rich besides.

111 s all for money! take about it. men ! **

Money speaks quite loudly f make no mis­

And it talks loudest in the company of religious

He paused. "信oses,

I have a final question to ask you,M Solomon

said after some moments of contemplation.

give me an honest ansujer. sincerity of others.

M And you have to

We've been talking about the in­

But what about us?

You uumer dirty old

clothes, and I walk around in shoes split up the middle.

we're content.

But

We complain that the general population is

concerned ujith material things, with things of no consequence. And ujb sit here by the river, and pass judgment.

pass judgment on ourselves.

But let1 s

If we1 re honest, then we have to

admit that this contemplative life of ours is the result of

our indolence and inclination to idleness which we sesk to defend by all sorts of rationalizations about the vanity of

the ujorld.

We1 re content with the way we look because we can't

alter our outujard appearance without first fighting against

our tendency to be idle.

And furthermore, with our pretence

of contempt for everything outside ourselves, me nonetheless both harbor a secret wish to be able to enjoy better food and clothing than me do at present.

We reproach everyone as vain

-ISO-

men addicted to pleasures of ths senses.

But how can we

justify our alleged superiority over them when we merely

follow our inclination and they follow theirs? or right, my friend?

Am I wrong

Be honest with me and tell me the truth.n

When Mose3 heard Solomon 1s words, be broke • into

laughter.

M0h , Solomon ,11 he said, "you really are funny.

Here we are engaged in a deep conversation about the faults

of others,

and out of the blue f you begin to focus on our o/n

weaknesses and faults .

Solomon,

Of course you 1 re right.

you1 re truly a good friend.

You know me so well, and you're

able to look at yourself critically, too. our friendship such a good one! guilty of everything you say.

That * s what makes

What can me do?

We1 re

I fear, however, that there1s

nothing that vjg can do to change our mode of life.

But at

least uje can face our oujn motivations quite honestly.

But

listen, as long as we're being so truthful, let me tell you what I've been thinking.

I 1m afraid, Solomon!

What * s going

UJe don't pray any more at all.

It's been

nearly a month since I've gone to daily services.

You know

to become of us?

what a great transgression this is?"

11 There1 s no reason to fear anything, Mosms," Solomon responded.

"But how can you say that?

We've both learned that

one is punished for failing to pray.M "You kn。％ that 11ve been studying the Rambam,M Solomon replied > and he says that our duty is merely to achieve 1 the

-191-

attainment of perfection through the knowledge of God and the imitation of His actions. 1

Prayer in this sense is simply

the expression of our knowledge of the divine perfections9

and is intended only for the common man who cannot by himself reach this knowledge;

understanding.

therefore it1s adapted to his limited

fuoreover 9 prayer doesn * t achieve the ends

which the common man assumes it will accomplish .

When one

prays, God doesn1t listen in the way that a father listens to the requests of his sons.

When a father hears these reouests f

he decides ujhether to grant them or not.

God isn't human.

like this.

He has no ears, and He doesn1t

act on the requests made of him.

Universe,

But God isn11 at all

He • s the master of the

the force that sustains it, the first and ultimate

cause of everything.

Do you think the Holy One 9 Blessed be

He, would be concerned with the petty desires of the Jews in

our tovjn?

Do you think He'd bother to attend to the ridicu­

lous whims of my mother-in-law, for example?

all this.

God stands above

And it's our role to contemplate Him and thereby

strive to reach perfection.

such a task,

Of course, we can never complete

but in the words of Rabbi Tarphon 9

'it's not

incumbent upon a person to complete the work, but he' s not free to desist from it! 111 "Do you really think so?11 Rioses asked.

And with these

words, he took his friend1s hand f and together they lay down by the bank of the river.

As Solomon felt Noses1 hand touching

him, caressing him 9 he flushed.

Yet he could not disentangle

-1S2himself from his Friend's grip.

Suddenly, he felt an over­

whelming urge to embrace Moses.

Though filled with guilt f

Solomon could not resist the temptation, and he slowly put

his lips on his friend's mouth, as they both fondled each other's genitals.

Yes, this is real love,H Solomon thought

to himself as he rolled on the ground.

were as gentle：n

"If only my wife

Chapter XXIV

When Solomon observed the rabbis who lived near him 9 he was convinced of the validity of Moses1 cynicism• all pious frauds,11 he would say to himself.

"They're

Searching for

some sort of religious purity t Solomon became interested in

a new group of fanatics who had appropriated for themselves the ancient name -- "Chasidim," 11 the Pious•11

Howeverf when

Solomon became aware of the extreme behavior of these fol­

lowers of a wonder Rabbi to whom they gave the mystic name Baal Shem Tov, he temporarily abandonded his interest in them. One afternoon, when Solomon was visiting his father f Joshua

said,

"Let ms tell you about the most amazing incident that

This will convince you of the absurdity

took place last meek•

of this strange group of Jews who have the audacity to call

themselves 1 Chasidim.1

They 1 re crazy, absolutely meshuoeh,

They should call themselves 1 the Crazy * rather than claim virtuous qualities.

Anyway, let me tell you what happened.

I woke early as usual and went to the barn to milk the cows.

And imagine what I savj!

Lying in a stack of hay was an old

Jew with torn black clothes.

He was asleep y and when I tried

to wake him up, he just wouldn't stir.

And when I touched

him, I realized that he was merely skin and bones； and believe me, there wasn11 much skin.

one so emaciated.n

I don 11 think I 1ve ever seen any­

-194"UJho was he, Father?" Solomon asked.

n I looked at his face which was covered with hair; he had a full white beard vjhich came down to his chest, and I

realized that it was Reb Simon of Lubtsch.

I've never seen

the man before, but had heard of him on account of his piety.

The description that I remembered fit him exactly.

But I

must tell you about the acts of penance that he observed.

11 * s

said he fasted daily for six years and avoided eating for supper

anything that came from a living thing.

Imagine that!

In

addition, he wandered continually, without stopping for more

than tvjo days in one place.

Moreover, he wore a hair-shirt

next to his skin."

"What an interesting man he must be,11 Solomon said with

fascination. "But there's more, my son, M Joshua continued.

"Reb

Simon felt that he1 d not be doing enough to satisfy his con­

science unless he further observed the 'T'shubath Hamishkal,1 the penance of weighing, which requires that there be a par­

ticular form of penance for every sin.

I 1 m sure you're f ami-

liar with this, aren't you, Solomon?" "Yes," his son answered.

HUlell, he's reputed to have found by calculation that the number of his sins was too great to be atoned f or, and so

he decided to starve himself to death.

I found all this out

after he found his way into the barn.

At any rate, I finally

revived him and brought him something to eat.

But you know

-19 5-

what he said, Thank you,

but

have no choice. 11

I

wouldn11 listen to me. thing else,

He said,

this strange man?

So I

'No,

no,

I pleaded with him,

ho might eat it.

At this point I had no idea that and I assumed that he was

either delirious or that he didn * t like the food I 、

returned with some other Food, uj e a k,

he was terribly

and so I

saw?

of the road,

brought.

he was gone.

I knew

felt sure that I 1 d find him on

the road not too far from the house.

and do you know what I

but he

thought that if I found some­

he1 d taken a vow of starvation,

But when I

I can11.

So,

There he was,

I ran after him,

lying in the middle

his hand clutched around the Zohar,

dead from

，

utter exhaustion J H

story made a deep impression on his son, but

Joshua's

it was not until Solomon actually came into personal contact

with a Chasid that he became fully aware of the peculiarities

One evening on his way home from the House of

of this group. Study in Nesvi j,

Solomon came upon a Jew who was wearing a

large amulet

around his neck and' muttering to himself.

of a sudden,

he threw his arms up in the air and began to dance

in the road. Pastam,

Laughing hysterically,

Paspasim ,

he exclaimed,

All

1 Anaktamf

Dionsim:1"

"What in the tuorld is going on?" Solomon asked aloud. "Aha,” see them?

wings!

I

the Jew replied.

"See,

frightened them away.

Did you see?H

there they go.

Did you

Look at them flap their

，

"What are you talking about?" Solomon said with horror.

-19 6-

Turning around,

Lilith , n

shreiked .

he

the Jevj pointed to the sky. "She 1 s come for me !

Taking out his knife,

1*11 kill her!f,

he slashed at the air until with a tri­

he announced,

umphant gesture,

"It's

"I've done it.

She 111 bother

rnenornore.n "Would you mind telling me what this is all about?"

Solomon said as

he watched these crazed actions.

HI 1 m Jossel of Klezk , H the Jevj answered.

you * ve heard of me.

I

have dedicated my life to bringing

about ths advent of the Alossiah. calling to me .

You see .

what he * s telling me . name,

11 is time .

Soon .

I'm making a way for him.

That1 s

That1 s God * s

It scares away the world of

Didn11 you see them go?

demons.

Listen 9 I hear him

Shhh.

Listen .

said in the beginning.

I

"Surely

And Lilith,

that most hor­

rible demon altuays comes to torment me when I 1 m near the forest at night.

The demons!

from coming.

They1 re the ones who keep the Msssiah

They put obstacles in his path.

But I must stop.

Who are you?" "I'm Solomon the son of Rabbi Joshua. He 1s ... n

father?

"Wait：” Jossel said with eyes burning,

host! Aha,

I

must drive them off with stones.

you see I

There,

Do you know my

stuck the ugly fellow.

"Satan and his

Here 9

Go away!

take that!

Lsave me!

take that!H After several minutes,

of mud by the side of the road.

Jossel collapsed,

"Here,

into a puddle

let me help you,

-197-

Solomon said as he watched this pitiful figure wallow in the

dirt.

Giving him a hand y

HTell me,”

”工

he said,

"do you always act this way?"

do what I

I 1ve slept on

Solomon wiped the mud off his face.

thorns.

can .

I * ve fasted,

I • ve rolled in snow,

This is my duty to God as a Chasid,

111 s my duty , H Jossel said

I f only the Messiah would come .

with determination.

nYou * 11 spend your life like this then...?H 3efore Solomon could finish his question f Jossel rose

once again. wings,

the

"Her巳 they come!

sound of their cries.n

waving his knife in the air,

against the

Listen•

Do you hear their

Jumping up and down and

Jossel began anew his incantations

evil spirits.

My God," Solomon said to himself as he turned to flee from this madman,

"if only the Piessiah would come so that he

could rest in peace!n

Chapter XXV As time passed, Solomon1s financial position began to

deteriorate.

Like his grandfather and his father before him,

Solomon had no ability when it came to economic affairs, and he found himself continually in financial straits.

When he

announced to his wife that he had no choice but to leave her

mother1s home for a neighboring village where he could earn money by teaching the children of a Jewish farmer, she was so

infuriated that she would not speak to him.

"Why did I marry

this horrible fell。囚？" she asked herself.

"He never pays any

attention to me or to the family!

Now he1 s about to abandon -

me.

Leaving his home in silence, Solomon considered what

he had one.

"Here I am leaving my mother-in-law whom I hate,

my wife who despises me, and my son David whom they111 surely

But what can I do?

teach to hate me. must take this job.

I have no money.

I

Well, at least I'll be free of the con­

stant nagging I face at home•H

Overcome by a feeling of loneliness 9 Solomon thought of his existence as a t almudic

scholar and rabbi.

know why I'm trapped in this role. a waste of time;

Talmudic study is basically

it' s pure science that I love.

I be able to continue the reading I've begun?

responsibilities now•

"I don't

But houj vjill I have so many

Why doesn1t anyone understand me?

一 199Certainly Papa would be horrified to know houj I f eel.

only Talmud, Kabbalah too is meaningless.

Not

There1s really

only one Jewish sourpe I can tolerate — The Guide of the Perp 1巳xed• "The Jewish community!

How right Moses was in his

contempt for the rabbis and the elders.

corrupt to the very core.

The vjhole system is

The educational system is barbaric •

Superstition and intolerance are everywhere.

Even this new

groups of Jevjs, the Chasidim, are utterly mad.

Where can I

turn?

There seems no hope anywhere•n All at once, Solomon saw an old woman drive by on a

cart in the opposite direction.

mother!n he thought.

She looks just like my grand­

Remembering the nights that he had spent

away from her while he worked on his astronomical sphere, he smiled to himself.

the cold.

her.

"How funny she was when she complained of

I guess I was a little selfisht though.

And my mother, too.

were together.M

I do miss

How secure everything was when we

Suddenly a cold wind began to blow f distracting

Solomon from his thoughts as he bundled up in his heavy over­ coat •

When Solomon saw the home where he was to be employed as a family tutor, he was shocked.

The one-room hovel in

ujhich the household lived was full of smoke black as coal. There ujas no chimney in the dwellingf only a small hole in the roof which was hardly ever opened.

The windows were made

of narrow strips of pine laid crosswise over one another and

-200covered with paper.

Dirty washing and other filthy pieces of

clothing were hung on poles throughout ths hut so that the smoke might kill the vermin.

In addition, sausages were hung

up to dry, and the fat constantly trickled down on the heads

of people below.

In the corner f tubs of sour cabbage and red

beets stood alongside vats of water.

In this part of the

room 9 the farmer * s wife kneaded bread, cooked and baked, and milked the couj.

In the center of the room9 everyone sat on

the bare ground vjith their heads bent over so as not to be suffocated by the smoke.

"Nmlcorno, ujelcome 9 Rabbi Solomon 911 the farmer said as he opened the door for the young rabbi •

The farmer was a man

of about fifty whose entire face was overgrown with hair as

black as the smoke ujhich filled the room9 and vjhose enormous paunch ujas covered by dirt-encrusted rags. home;

I hope you will like it.

"Well, this is my

And these are my children,,f

he said as he pointed to a group of half-naked boys and girls

huddled by the stove. Shuddering ujith disgust 9 Solomon set down his bag next to the wall.

"Oh no,11 he thought to himself.

have imagined anything worse："

"I couldn 11

Though the entire family uuas

nearly illiterate and exceedingly poor, the farmer1s brother,

who had recently died, left a small amount of money to hire a tutor for the children.

Unfortunatelyf Solomon could find

no other work and was forced to settle for the few coins he

was given as a salary.

From time to time9 Solomon left this

-201horrible existence in order to bring the few thalers he earned

as a salary to his family in Nesvij.

But when he entered his

mother-in-lavu^ house, he stepped into the same kind of tor­ menting environment that he had always known.

His wife berated

him for the small amount of money he brought home, and his mother-in-law yelled at him for dirtying her home with his

filthy clothes•

"Why don't you take better care of yourself?n

she would scream•

nHow can you walk around looking like that?

What do you think the neighbors will say?" Degraded by the entire situation 9 finding nothing but

humiliation at home and squalor in the farmer * s hut, Solomon

was miserable •

nGod 9 how I hate this!11 he thought to himself.

Echoing the words of Jeremiah, he wished that he had never been

born •

"Cursed be the day when I was born," he whispered to

himself » nlet not the day when my mother bore me be blessed.M In addition to this personal suffering, the Russian soldiers

contributed to the misery of the farmer1s entire household. One evening a Russian soldier came to the hut drunk. entering he demanded to be fed.

Upon

nWhat *ve you got to eat? he

roared.

••Here, here Yury," the farmer1s wife said•

"This is

some grain and butter." Pushing the dish away, the soldier shouted, “more butter!

I want butter!11 Fearing that there might be violence if she did not

obey, the farmer1s wife conceded to his demand.

-202Grabbing the dish out of her hands 9 Yury poured all the butter in the cersal bowl.

"Whiskey： Now!M he yelled•

Terrif ied 9 the farmer1 s wife brought him a whole bottle.

Taking it by the base 9 he shattered the top off in­

stead of opening it and poured the entire contents into the

same bowl.

M Give me more stuff. ■

Tobacco 9 salt and pepper.

Bring them all here,H he commanded.

Finally he mixed all

these ingredients together, and then picking up the concoction >

he demanded that the farmer drink some of it.

lout?

Eat,

Isaac!" he screamed!

MWhere is the

"We'll both eat it："

After

he had devoured several spoonfuls, he began to strike the farmer in the mouth and then pulled his beard*

"Open up f Jew 9

and finish this broth,H he commanded as he pulled Isaac * s mouth open and poured some of the mixture down his throat •

F inally, the soldier fell to the floor in a drunken stupor f and the bowl shattered, spilling its contents over his large

frame.

Faced with debasement wherever he looked9 Solomon began drinking.

At first he approached with a sense of fear

and curious interest the home-made whiskey which the Farmer

kept near the vats of water.

There had always been wine for

the Sabbath in Solomon1 s home, and he had tasted liquor on

such occasions as circumcisions and weddings9 but the thought

of drinking in order to escape the misery of his surrounding

had never occurred to him• he grimaced.

When he first tasted the whiskey >

"It's the most awful thing 11ve ever tasted v M

-203-

he said• "Come now 9 Rabbi Solomon 9 n the farmer said when he saw the pale scholar1s pained expression•

nGo ahead9 drink•

11 * s God 1 s sup reme gift to those who suffer.11

Soon Solomon felt warmer and his head began to spin. When he tried to walk to the corner of the room, he nearly

toppled to the floor.

"This is what it must be like to be

drunk," he thought to himself.

As the world spun around him 9

Solomon felt relaxed for the first time in nearly a year.

All

at once the poverty of the farmer1s dwelling9 the humiliation he felt in his own home 9 the overwhelming pain of loneliness all seemed to fade auiay.

In front of the green bottle, Solomon

was happy, and he cried tears of joy in his stupor.

In the beginning, Solomon drank only in his deepest

depression;

it was a luxury he rarely afforded himself.

But

as time passed 9 he could not resist the temptation to forget about his personal situation 9 and escape into the world of his

Fantasy.

"Yes, the Jews must be aware of the limitations of

their life here 9 ,f he would say to himself when he had drunk a considerable amount•

knowledge of God.

"Superstition everywhere9 and no true

If only I could help them.

develop a system to elucidate everything. mission.

And I must know for myself.

Yes9 1111

That will be my

Truth shall be my guide 9

the beacon in the dark night of ignorance!M Convinced of the validity of this idealistic goal9

Solomon wanted to tell the farmer of his quest•

"Listen," he

-2C4-

said in a drunken t one, "I've something to tell you 9 Reb I have a plan.

Isaac.

Jews.

11 will change the lives of all the

You see 9 our people live in the shadow of a theology

and philosophy which are absolutely without any validity.

Now,

what I would like to do is to show..：'

Before Solomon could finish his thought, the farmer

interrupted.

"Back to your drinking.

discuss anything important•

You 1fe in no state to

And anyway f I don11 understand

what you 1 re talking about.n Deeply hurt f Solomon retreated to the table where he had been drinking.

reasoned.

"Such a man as this I could save,11 he

MI want so much to communicate with him!

he1d give me a chance•

There1s so much to do.

IF only

Ue could be

so much more content if me could only reform the existing

Jewish society •,f Looking at the bottle of whiskey, Solomon smiled to

himself.

"Your taste is so sweet, so comforting 9 how much

like my friend Moses.

in nearly a year・”

I haven * t seen him

Studying the flowing curves of the bottle 9

he thought of his wife. love •

I wonder how he is •

"It's been so long since we've made

I can't stand to be around her with her mother always

interfering.

Yet, I long for her, to caress her, to know her.

Ah, well, my gentle bottle, you • 11 have to serve as a sub­ stitute.

all.

And maybe you1 re not such a bad substitute after

I never hear you argue with me.

You just stand there

offering me your comfort whenever I want it.

-205-

After more than a year had passed in the Farmer's house, Solomon became oblivious to the progress of his stu­ dents .

1111 • s hopeless, anyway. M he told himself .

,fThey 1 re

incredibly stupid 9 and they won11 prepare the lessons.

All

they want to do is to go out and play with the goyim.M

The

only thing which sustained him in the wretched conditions of

the farmer * s hovel was the whiskey that he drank every day.

Although he often forgot about the lessons f and stopped taking care of himself, he nonetheless felt happier than he had been in years.

Sitting alone in a corner of the room f Solomon

would laugh to himself as he fantasized how he ujas going to improve the spiritual condition of his fellow Jeujs•

Chapter XXVI Despite his encounter with Jossel of Klezk, Solomon

Nevjs

considered Chasidism as a possible source of comfort•

of the development of Chasidic sects as well as miraculous stories about the founder of the movement and his disciples

were on sveryone1s tongue.

One afternoon while walking back

to the farmer * s home from a visit to Nesvij, Solomon encountered a Chasid who rekindled his former interest in this distinctive

Jewish group.

As he was walking .by the river, Solomon sauj a

man yelling at his donkey. eaten enough grass.

waste.H

"You foul beast,H he said, "you'u 巳

Let's move on •

I don11 have time to

The donkey , however , was oblivious to his master1s

command, and continued pulling the tueeks up, his head lowered

to ths ground.

"You filthy animal! H his o tun er shouted.

"You've

had enough already：" When Solomon saw this sight, he was amused, and he walked over to the man to see if he could help.

"Is there any­

thing I can do to haip Reb Yid?" he asked.

"No, no," the man replied•

won11 listen to reason •

"This stupid animal just

He's determined to hav e his own way.

Just like my own wife.” Hearing such a comparison f Solomon laughed.

know exactly ujhat you mean!n Solomon said•

vjhere are you going?"

"Yes, I

"But tell me 9

— 20 7—

"I 'am on my way to Su!<oviborg. nYes,n Solomon answered.

Do you know the place?”

grandfather once owned

but that was a long time ago.

a farm there,

Tell me, why are

you going to that tiny village?11 "Well,” he responded, Rebbe,

discuss

"I'm a follower of the Sukoviborg

and there is a small group of us gathering there to ujhat

to do about the attacks we1 ve been receiving from

the rabbis in these parts."

"I'm interested in all this f H Solomon responded, I must tail you,

Reb Yid,

"but

that my experience with the Chasidim

has not bsen very good." "Oh really,n the Chasid said defensively.

"Uhy?

What do you mean?" "Do you know Reb Jossel of Klezk?" Solomon asked.

no wonder!

Look f you imagine every one of us is

He * s crazy.

like Jossel?

Please don 11 make any judgments on

the basis of that character.

Do you know that he * s at present

being treated by the physician of Prince Radzivil.” "Nell,

tell me about the Chasidim then.M

just new to the group f 11 the Chasid replied. really don11 know that much,

a Chasid can join.

I

but anyone who wants to become

As some of my friends say, any person who

feels a desire for perfection or wishes to remove any obstacles in the vjay of gaining this highest state can apply and auto­ matically become a member.

It's not necessary that he confess

his moral weaknesses or mention anything about his earlier

-208life, because nothing is unknown to the superiors of the group. They can see into the human heart and discern everything that

is concealed in its secret recesses.H HTe 11 me about some of your doctrines, M Solomon said. ,,Well,

let me say first that all the teachings of the

Chasidim are divine.

Indeed, when any of the teachers of our

sect speak they don't prepare anything beforehand f since the

words they speak come directly from God and aren1t creations of the individual teacher.n

Fascinated, Solomon said, an example of such teachings.

"I would appreciate hearing

Could you give me one?

Clapping his hand on his brow as if he vjere waiting for inspiration from the Holy Spirit, he turned to Solomon and

said,

"You know the phrase from Psalms:

'Sing unto the Lord

a new song, and his praise in the congregation of the pious

ones. 1

The 1 pious ones• -- the ' Chasidim1 -- and so our rebbes

explain the verse in this way:

'The attributes of God as the

most perfect being must surpass by far the attributes of every

finite being.

Consequently, His praise must likewise surpass

the praise of any finite being.

Till the present time the

praise of God consisted in ascribing to Him supernatural oper­ ations , such as the discovery of what is concealed the fore­

seeing of the future > and what God wills to happen.

Now, how­

ever ,the pious ones, the Chasidim 9 are able to perform such supernatural events, and we must f ind some new praise which

is proper to God alone.11

-209Impressed by this mode of explaining Scripture 9

Solomon asked the Chasid if he would be able to meet individuals

capable of performing supernatural actions. M0f course 9 M the Chasid ansmered 9 "I'll be only too

happy to secure an invitation for you at the home of the famous Mohlina Rebbe > Rabbi Baruch.M Several weeks latert Salomon received a letter that he was invited to have dinner at the home of Rabbi Baruch on

the following Sabbath.

"Perhaps this will be a solution to

the miserable life I • ve been leading 9 M he thought •

MIndeed 9

almost anything mould be better than this existence.M On Er — u Shobbost Solomon set out for the Chasid1 s home

in Mohlina•

Arriving in the town, he went immediately to see

Rabbi Baruch9 but at the door of the large hsme where this

Chasid lived he was told that he mould have te uiait until dinner t© spsak with the leader of the local Chasidim.

"I'm sorry 9 M

the servant said, "Rabbi Baruch is detained at the moment.

Please come back for the Sabbath dinner. opportunity to speak with him.

Then you111 have ample

Though there *11 be several

people at dinner, he111 have several things to say to you directly.

You should look upon the meal as a type of special

intervieuj.

You'll understand what I mean when you * re here • M

"What kind of enigmatic greeting is this?" Solomon wondered.

"What will he say to me?

mean by a special interview?M

And what does the servant

Filled with these questions9

Solomon uiandered through town until the time arrived for the

-210evening service.

As soon as prayers uere over, he hurried to

the Rabbi * s home from the synagogue.

When Solomon arrived,

he noticed that there ujere a large number of distinguished

guests who had come from all over the province.

mately a half an hour, satin.

After approxi­

the Rabbi appeared, clothed in white

He gave each newcomer an individual greeting, and

then the entire company of men sat down to eat in silsnee.

"How strange! 11 Solomon thought to himself.

"No one talks.

I wonder uhy we hsvg to keep so silent."

As soon as the meal was over, Rabbi Baruch held his

hand f er some time upon his brow in deep concentration f snd then he pointed to each person at the table and called him by

name and mentioned the name of his residence.

was singled o u t,

As each person

he was told to recite a uerse from Scripture.

When the Rebbe had gone all the way around the table f he wove

together these various versss into a unified discourse in which each verse had some reference to the spiritual life of

ths person tuho reci tsd it. Proverbs,

Solomon had chosen a verse from

,f Incline your ear unto wisdom, and apply your hsart

to understanding,” and when Baruch came to this verse in his talk,

he said,

"Therg are times vjhen a man must listen to the

sound of his own heart.

He must pursue knowledge even in the

face of seeming insurmountable obstacles.

The fruit of his

labor will then be wisdom and understanding, and he alone will

know that he has discovered the truth.

him, and he vjill be his own guide.M

His heart will lead

-211VJiien Solomon heard these words, he ujss astonished.

HHow can this Chasid knouj about me?" he asked himself.

nHe

has spoken what I 1ve always felt but never really put into Each man at the table shared the same amazement as

words.H

Rabbi Saruch referred to each person individually.

finished,

When he

the entire group was so awed that no one could speak.

When Solomon left fu o h l i n a , he was determined to become

Never before had he seen such a phenomenon.

a Chasid.

Riding

back on the carriage, Solomon was so full of enthusiasm that he could not rsfrain from discussing the events of the dinner with a passenger uho was riding opposite him.

"Excuse me

Reb Yid,” he said as they began their journey, "but I must

tell sorncono about the miraculous event I tuitnessed this evening.

Do you mind? Smiling,

I

just can 11 restrain myself.11

the elderly passenger said,

name is Rabbi Jose.

"OF course.

fuy

I • m on my way to visit an ailing sister

in Nesuij.” "Oh," Solomon said f that1s where I live.

Perhaps I

know who she is.n

"Her name is Yenta.

She's the wife of the chief rabbi."

"Oh yes,H Solomon sai d. know her husband.

know my father.

"Yes,

"I've never met her f but I

I 1m Rabbi Solomon ben Joshua.

Perhaps you

He was once the chief rabbi of Nohlina."

yes,11 Rabbi Jose said.

I've heard of you as well.

"I've heard of him, and

When you were only eleven or so,

I was told that you were the most promising talmudic scholar

-212in this entire district.

I see you * re a rabbi now; you must

have pursued the Talmud diligently then. you experienced this evening.

But tell me what

I 1m anxious to hear.”

As the coach bounced along the dirt road 9 Solomon told his f ellovj passenger about the rebbe1 s discourse.

When

he finished speaking, Rabbi Jose leaned forward and said,

"Rabbi Solomon,

I don't mean to disillusion you, but you've

been the victim of a fraud. Rabbi Baruch,

How do you think this man, this

got his information?

Do you really believe

that his speech iuas divinely inspired?

No, Rabbi Solomon.

have watched this same process many times. once.

I

I, toof ujas duped

I f you analyze the contents of the discourse itself,

you111 see that the principles are basically false.

They1ve

told you nothing new, I 1 m sure, and some of their doctrines are just ridiculous.

But most significantly, the way this

Rabbi was able to know information about each person at the meal was by means of correspondence and spies•

During the

time that you luaited for an invitation, a considerable amoun t of investigation took place so that Rabbi Baruch would be

informed when you arrived.

Look, there * s a very important

principle to keep in mind when evaluating such an event.

God can perform miracles, not man.

Only

It's for this reason tue1 re

warned in Scripture not to believe a prophet if he relies on miracles to prove the validity of his prophecy.

11 m sorry

that I have to dispell your illusion, Rabbi Solomon.n When Solomon heard these words, he was terribly upset.

-213Yet he was not completely convinced by Rabbi Jose * s argument,

and he wanted to see for himself if such deceit truly existed

Thus 9 during the next week, he again

among the Chasidim•

traveled to biohlina to be with the Chasidim for morning During the ShEoneh Esreh, one of the Chasidim

services.

arrived late.

HUlhere have you been 9 Moshe?" the man sitting

next to Solomon asked. HWe II, my wife just had a girl, and I couldnf t leave.M

n A girl, maz — l t ov,M the group of men shouted •

nCon-

oratulations , H Solomon joined in.

Disturbed by the commotion y Rabbi Baruch came out of

his study and asked what was the cause of the noise. "「ioshe's wife

answered,

just had a baby girl," one of the men

"and we've been congratulating* him.11

”A girl!11 Rabbi Baruch shouted with indignation.

"He

ought to be whipped!H

"But, Rebbe,11 Pfioshe protested, "it's God's will; I had nothing. . .11

Before he finished9 however9 the Chasid seized him and threw him to the floor. him unmercifully.

He then took off his belt and beat

All except the victim were hilarious over

the entire affair, and when Rabbi Baruch had finished, he shouted 9

"Noui brethren, serve the Lord with gladness.H

As Solomon watched this travesty, he sickened. cruel!n he thought.

"I guess Rabbi Jose must have been right.

There1s nothing for me here.M

ended,

"How

As soon as the morning service

he left the group with the resolution to abandon it forever.

Chapter XXV11

"Look, Reb fflendele,,f Solomon said, HI must get to Konigsberg.

Please help ma."

"Calm down and tell me again Rabbi, why you1 re so

determined to make this voyage.11 Catching his breathf Solomon began once more, ”田y finances are completely depleted,H he said 9 Mand I no longer

have a job teaching children the Bible and Talmud."

”Gh you were a melamed, then?11 the scholar asked. "No,

"I was employed

Reb Mendele,11 Solomon ansiuered.

in the home of a farmer as a tutor for his children.n MYou decided to leave there and travel for Konigsberg?n

"Not exactly,n Solomon said.

HI hated what I was doing,

and in my misery I began to drink a lot. know ujhat happens.

And then f well f you

I was so unhappy that I just couldn11 stop,

and I began to be negligent about the lessons.

I was employed

there for nearly three years, but I just couldn1t remain any

longer, and Reb Isaac 9 the farmer, saw that I was terribly distraught and could no longer handle my duties. mutual agreement that I left.

11 was by

But now 11 ve resolved to go to

Prussia. "Well, Solomon f tell me what you plan to do there.

You just can't travel to such a far-away place without having some idea what you111 do when the ship lands.11

-215-

11 Yes , proposal.

** And I have a definite

I know, H Solomon said.

I want to study medicine, and in this way I vjill

Y ou know there's no Jm/ish

be able to help the Jews here.

physician in the enti.re region. H H Yes,

I

know, Solomon,

but I never had any idea that

you were interested in medicine.H "N巳 11,” Solomon continued , interest,

r,that isn 11 really my main

but I 1 ve always had some interest in being a doctor

ever since I

read two German books on physiology,

And there1 s

a great need for informed physicians here to take the place of the ignorant quacks who occasionally kill people with their

cures.M "Yes,

I agree.

But tell me what is your main interest

if it1s not medicine.n n Reb Fiend 巳工 e," Solomon siad,

"I'va always been most

interested in theology and philosophy.

This is my real love.

And I know that I 1 d be exposed to the main currents of intel­

lectual thought in Germany at the same time that I studied medicine.

You see y

this uuay I would prepare myself for a

humane profession and at the same time study what I love most.H

"Rabbi Solomon, are you sure this is what you want?"

Reb Mendele asked.

11 Yes ,11 Solomon answered , question in my mind.

"I'm convinced.

There 1 s no

Please consider how important this is

to me." "Y巳s,

I understand, Rabbi.

Your motives are quits

-216noble.

1*11 speak to some of my friends who are going to

make this trip in a short while.

The^ re merchants, and they fl

have goods they want to sell in Konigsberg.

I guess you know

all about this , though , don ' t you?**

"Yes," Solomon answered t 11 it1 s common knowledge •

I

knew that these men were your friends y and it was because of this that I spoke to you directly.

I knew you would under­

stand , and I hoped you1d influence them to take me along.H

** I see •

You 111 hear from me soon .

Don 11 worry ；

everything will work out fine, I 1m sure•

When Solomon received word that he would be traveling on the merchant ship, hs was overjoyed • to himself 9

M At last," he thought

"工'll be free to leave this terrible existence.n

Quickly f Solomon wrote a note to his wife explaining the reason for his departure•

Then he packed his clothes and

took the carriage to the port.

The vessel owned by the mer­

chants was being loaded at the dock, and as Solomon walked up to the ship, he saw sailors shouting to one another and lifting up crates of goods.

"Now：

cable,n one man would shout.

"Keep it moving.

that stuff1 s fragile.

Just take hold of this

Ulatch out,

Don11 you know how to read?

Look at

the, writing on the box!M The sight of this activity, the clean, exhilarating smell of the sea, the anticipation of the voyage, all this

stirred within the young rabbi, and he was overcome with

excitement.

Walking up to one of the dock-hands t he asked,

-217-

"I'm supposed

to go on this vessel,

HHe * s over there .

You can talk to him,”

Hhom should I

see?n

The steward with the red shirt.

the sailor replied,

"Thank you," Solomon said as he turned away in the

direction of where the steujard was standing.

clothed figure with a long beard approach him,

saw this black

he smiled to himself.

"This must be the Jew Reb fuende19

He certainly does look like a rabbi," he thought.

mentioned.

"Sir,” Solomon said f

"I'm the friend of Reb 侪endelm

who is to travel on your ship.

Joshua.

hope

I

"Yes, "No, room.

y es,

won,t be any inconvenience to you•n I've been expecting you," the steward said.

uJhy don11 you set your bag down here?

of i t for you. like

asked as he ground.n

area ；

I

My name is Rabbi Solomon ben

you won't be any inconvenience at all.

Would you

When the steward

We

We1 ve plenty of

I 111 take care

should be embarking later this afternoon.

something to drink while you wait?" the steujard

took a bottle of brandy from a box lying on the

This is a case of some of the finest liquor in this

the merchants always give us plenty when we transport

their goods.”

H Yes ,

that ujould be very nice,H Solomon said.

a mug out of the box, tell me"

he asked,

Taking

the steward poured Solomon a drink.

"have you ever had such good ujine,

Rabbi?"

Savouring the taste, Solomon shook his head. he said,

"Nouj,

"it's ths best I ever had.n

nI 1 ve heard from Reb Fuendele that you're interested

-218in pursuing medicins.

Is that right?"

"Yes," Solomon said,

but I

want

"I would like to be a doctor,

to study other scientific subjects in Germany as

well. n

% "Good,"

your voyage, I

the steward said.

and I

can do for y ou,

I hope you enjoy

"Well,

wish you every success.

I f there1 s anything

You know Reb (G e n d e l e is a

please ask me.

good friend of mine,

and I'm only too happy to do something

For a f riand of his.

Now,

to my work.

if you * 11 excuse me,

I must get back

Otherwise we'll never be able to leave today."

When ths ship cleared the port, Solomon felt a deep sense of anxiety and guilt. when I

I wonder what will happen to me

arrive in Germany,M he wondered.

"I hate to leave by

son without a father.

But I 1m sure that he111 survive in

Madame Rissia * s home .

3ut there's one thing for sure,n Solomon

thought as he smiled to himself,

survive

‘工 would never be able to

there•" Slowly the town of Nesvij faded into the distance.

houses ujhich were so familiar to him blurred together,

The

and soon

the entire village became merely a small dot on the horizon. And as Solomon

left the coast of Poland f

he had the f eeling

that he ujould never return again.

And in leaving Poland t

left behind him his Rabbinic past.

The world of the Talmud,

of the shts11,

of Jews steeped in tradition;

would soon enough fade into oblivion.

all this,

he

too,

BOOK TWO

Chapter I "Oh,

that1s very good,H the medical student said.

"You want to study to be a doctor!

Just how do you propose

to be able to understand the German texts. they 1 d

ujri11en

Or did you think

in Yiddish?*1

At this remark f several fellow students roared with

laughter.

"No, only the books for Jewish doctors are written

in Yiddish f particularly those doctors who were born in Poland,11 another student said laughing. "Come now, how do you truly expect to study here?

You

aren't exactly dressed in the garments of the medical pro­

fession ,H still another of the students said 9 looking at

Solomon's tattered clothes. "Let me just say," the first student said with emphasis "you might be able to get a job just speaking•

I *ve never be­

fore heard such an interesting mixture of Hebrew t Yiddish f Polish,

German and Russian•n HLook, Saul," the second student said, n1e t1s give this

Polack scholar an opportunity to read•

Here f take this copy

of Herr fflendelssohn1s Phaedo, and give us the pleasure of

hearing how you read German.11 •• A splendid idea!11 Saul said with enthusiasm.

H0h, God,” Solomon thought to himself. ever come here?

il ■■ aMMimm

"Why did I

The doctor doesn11 have time to speak with

-220me so he turns me over to his students who find pleasure in

tormenting me.

text.

What can I do?

I might as well just read the

I won't be any worse off then I am now.

That's for

sure•" When Solomon began reading y the students again burst into loud laughter.

11 Have you ever heard such an accent?M

Saul asked his colleagues.

"It's just incredible!

Hey, I

have an idea, why don11 you translate the text from German into Hebrew and then give us an explanation of the subject

in Hebrew 9 too.

How doss that sound?M

HAll right 9 M Solomon said trembling.

When Solomon finished with his translation and com­ mentary, the students were aghast•

"Have you ever heard such

Hebrew?11 one of the students said dumbfounded•

"Not only did he translate the text flawlessly9 that1 s the best exposition I have ever hear of Mendelssohn1 s ideas.

Did you every study this before?" Saul asked•

"No,” Solomon said, n11 ve never read Mendelssohn•11

"Tmll me your name again, I'm Jacob •

This is Noah.

This is Saul9 and that1s Ezra over there,M Jacob said，pointing

at his friends•

"Where did you ever learn to read Hebrevj like

that?" "My name is Solomon ben Joshua.

I *m a rabbi, and I

learned Hebrew like every child in Poland in the kheyder.M

"GodJ1 Noah said, "your Hebrew is just beautiful; I've never heard anything like it.11

-221-

"So , you 1 re a rabbi," Saul said•

"UJhy didn 11 you tell

us that in the beginning?**

HYou didn 11 ask," Solomon responded• "Look, I 'm sorry.

Ule really were terrible.

Please

forgive us for our lack of hospitality.11 11 You really do want to be a doctor, Rabbi Solomon?** Ezra asked.

H Yes, of course 911 Solomon said.

with that purpose in mind•

MI made this trip

The reason I came to the house

of Dr. Cohen is that I mas told he was the most prominent if

Jewish physician in Konigsberg.M "Solomon, vue can be of help to you I think,11 Saul said f

"but first f we1 ve got to get you some clothes.

If

you111 excuse ms for saying so 9 the jacket and pants you1 re wearing look like they1ve been through several wars.

We1 ve

got some old clothes that ar白 in pretty good condition around here 9 don't we Noah?"

"Sure," Noah said, "you can have my woolen coat if

you want,

Rabbi.

I never wear it any more•H

HThere 1 s no problem about this ,11 Saul continued. addition, you111 need a place to stay in Konigsberg. want, you can sleep on the floor here •

HIn

If you

It fs plenty hard, but

you won11 mind, vjill you?11

0veriuhelmed by the sudden turn of events9 Solomon was speechless •

^Ulell. • .of course, thank you...11 he stammered.

"No川，look f Rabbi Solomon,n Saul said , "this is really

-222not the right place for you to start medical studies.

should go to Berlin.

You

First you should take the ship to

Stettin and then to Frankfurt-on-the-Oder. easy to travel to Berlin.

Then it111 be

Do you know anyone there?*1

"Oh yes, Herr Hyman who once lived in my village.M

nGood.

Don 11 worry 9 we 111 help you arrange everything.

Eut only on one condition,11 Saul said smiling. "UJhaLs that?" Solomon asked, fearful that he would

be unable to fulfill the condition. , you111 just have to teach us how to translate

Herr fhendelssohn,n Saul anstuered as he put his arm around the young scholar. J hen Solomon pulled out from the dock in Konigsberg y

he uiaved to his netu friends.

us know ujhat happens. n

"Good luck," they shouted.

"Let

"Just speak Hebrew,M Noah said, and

the entire group broke into laughter. Although Solomon was told in Konigsberg that the trip

to Stettin

vjould

take at most fourteen days, the voyage lasted

nearly five vjecks on account of contrary winds.

During the

entire time, Solomon uas seasick, and had only toast, herring 9

and a flask of ujhiskey to sustain him.

The only other passenger

on board was an old woman who sang hymns all day long•

Unfor-

tunately, Solomon could not understand the German of the crew, and they could make no sense out of his conglomeration of

Yiddish, Polish, and Russian.

Without liquor to comfort him

in his misery, Solomon nearly went out of his mind.

In order

-223to keep his sanity, Solomon began writing a commentary on the

Guide to the Porplexmcl which he had stolsn from the rabbi of

Nesvi j but had -never had courage to return. .each morning,

As dawn broke

he took out his book and wrote on the hard

stuffed baos tuhich served as a mattress.

VJ hen Solomon finally reached Stettin, exhausted and he mas told that he had to travel to Frankfurt on

famished,

Carrying his bag on his shoulder, Solomon started out

foot.

in the hot summer sun.

But after only a mile, he collapsed

under the shads of a lime tree and began to weep.

hungry!

I 1 m so tired!

"工'm so

I don' t have any money and I scarcely

What am I to do?

know the language people are speaking!

After

crying himself to sleep, Solomon awoke as the sun began to set. Feeling someiuhat better,

he started out once again, and before

nightfall he reached an inn• Solomon thought to himself.

MAt last, a place to stay," Only when he entered the inn did

he remember that it was the ninth of Av, a fast day commemo­ rating the destruction of the T emple. but I

"I know I should fast,

just don11 think 1*11 be able to survive unless I have

something in my stomach, H Solomon said to himself.

11 Anyway ,

I guess it1 s justified even under the law since a person who

is sick is not bound to fast.

felt so bad. to eat?

I

And I don't think 11 ve ever

But how in the world am I going to get something

don * t have any money.

pawn either.H

I haven't got anything to

After a few moments reflection, Solomon remembered

that he had an iron spoon in his pocket.

"Waybe I can trade

-224-

this for some ale,11 he thought. he said,

nP lease help me.

I'm in the most unfortunate cir­

I 'm traveling to Berlin in order to study to be

cumstances .

a doctor.

When he saw the innkeeper,

But I have no money.

for over a month,

I *ve been traveling by ship

and I 1 ve had almost nothing to eat.

Could

you spare some ale or beer and a small slice of bread?*1

Looking at the worn-out figure before her, the inn­ keeper could not help feeling sympathy, but at the same time, she was not in the habit of giving free food to strangers. "I'm sorry,H she said,

"but this is no place for charity.M

nP lease ,11 Solomon said,

have is this iron spoon.

"I'm starving.

Look, all I

Would you give me something for it?H

he said showing the innkeeper the old piece of metal. "Really,

I have no use for a spoon,M the innkeeper

said. "You don't understand -- I think 11m going to die. Please help me.

You don't want a dead man on your hands, do

you?” "For God's sake," the innkeeper said, H1111 take your spoon.

Here,

drink this beer and you can have this crust of

bread."

iAlolfing the food down ravenously f Solomon asked, "Is there anywhere I could sleep tonight?

I don't have any monay f

but. . . M

"You can sleep in the barn.

dred yards down from the inn•

It1s located about a hun­

-225Overjoyed, Solomon picked up his pack and walked to the barn.

When he entered, he thought of the injunction con­

cerning the night of the ninth of Av s

MA man should deprive

himself of some comfort when he goes to sleep on Tisha B1 Av.M

"Well,” Solomon thought to himself, "even though I haven't fasted, I 1 ve at least kept one of the commandments.

Yes, the

ancient rabbis of blessed memory would be proud of me if they

could see this barn!" I n the morning, Solomon felt refreshed and he began

his journey anew.

After walking several miles f he came to a

synagogue tuhere Jews were chanting biblical lamentations over the destruction of Jerusalem.

When Solomon saw these men

sitting on the floor swaying back and forth in mournful prayer, he could not help but fantasize that they were mourning for him.

Joining them in reciting the book of Lamentations,

Solomon thought of the anguish of his own past f the difficulty

of his present existence, and the ominous specter of the future

as he read the sacred words:

"For these things I weep.

Rly

eye runs with water, because the comforter that should relieve

my soul is far from me.

Behold O Lord, I am in distress.

teeth are broken with gravel stones.

My

I am covered with ashes.

After the prayers and singing, Solomon felt much better

and he resolved afterwards to seek out help from fellow Jews. "We all know what suffering is," he thought to himself t "and

surely after such a day of lament, my Jewish brethren twill take pity on me."

When Solomon found the Jewish schoolmaster of

-226the city,

he explained to him that he was making a voyage to

Berlin to study medicine. master exclaimed,

Upon hearing this,

the school-

nTo Berlin to study secular sciences：

do you abandon the Talmud, mein kind?

Ulhy

Wouldn1t you rather

study God's lauj and become a rabbi? "Sir,” Solomon responded,

"I am a rabbi.M

"Vcu ar巳？” the schoolmaster asked with astonishment. "Well why didn11 you tell' me?

You ujere ordained in your home

“

town in Poland?** "Yes," Solomon answersd.

"|Yiy father is a rabbi, and

I studied the Talmud with him as well as several other rabbis

in our district.

Iwenez,

Have you ever heard of the late rabbi of

Rebbi David ben AvShalom, peace be on him?" **You studied with him?

Of course I have heard of him.

He was a great scholar and a fine teacher.n

"工

studied with him a short time before he died.

thick I w a s actually his last pupil.

I

After I studied with

him, my father who also was a chief rabbi was my teacher. I ivas eleven ,

I was ordained. . . H

"At the age of eleven?*1 the schoolmaster interrupted. "Well,

yes,

I guess that is quite young f M Solomon said.

11 At any rate, you must be extremely tired from your trip and very hungry from the fast.

IJould you like to dine

with a friend of mine this evening?

I'm sure he ujould be only

too happy to have you with him.n

"Yes,

yes,” Solomon said with zeal,

"that would please

— 227ne very much. Also,

** Good.

let me give you a letter of introduction

to the schoolmaster in the next tomn you111 travel through.

I'm sure that you111 be interested in meeting him •

Now,

look 9

why don11 you stay at my home this evening and set out on your journey tomorrow?

This way you * 11 have a place to stay after

you return from the dinner at my friend1s home where my wife

and I are also going.

Since tomorrow is the Sabbath, you111

bs able to celebrate it with the schoolmaster.

How does that

sound?”

Overjoyed,

Solomon quickly accepted.

The next day Solomon rose early in the morning and set

out for the neighboring village where he was well received by the local Jewish schoolmaster and paid the highest respect

during the evening service in the synagogue.

After the service

ended,

one of the richest Jews of the town approached him and

said,

"Rabbi Solomon, you would pay my family a great honor

if you joined us for the Sabbath meal."

With eagerness Solomon accepted and walked with the Jeuj to his horns tuhich was close to the synagogue.

on your way to Berlin? "Yes,

the Jew asked.

Herr Ruben,11 Solomon said,

medicine there.

"So, you1 re

"I want to study

Originally I had intended to study in Konigs­

berg ,but some medical students I met there told me I•d be

wiser to begin my studies in Berlin.11 "Tell me,

Rabbi,

how is it that you became interested

-228-

in being a doctor?

Was this a childhood ambition?"

"No,” Solomon said,

"actually I just recently decided

to go to Germany, to study medicine.

To tell you the truth,

I've always been interested in philosophy and theology.

But

I realized that if I were to study in Germany, I would have

to follow some practical course of studies.

I hope while I *m

there to pursue philosophical and theological interests as

well.**

"Ah, I see.

Have you done much reading in philosophy?

I am quite interested in metaphysics myself.M "Bell," Solomon said, MI am most interested in the

Have you ever read the Guide of the Perplexed?n

Rambam.

"Yes, of course,11 Herr Ruben answered,

"But I find

it hard to believe that as a rabbi in Poland you were able to obtain such a book.

I thought only Jews in Western Europe

were allowed to possess and read such a work•11

MI vjas fortunate to come across a copy," Solomon said

with embarrassment. the Guide«

MActually I 1 ve written a commentary to

On the ship, I had plenty of time to write and...M

"Here we are, Rabbi; this is my home 9 M Herr Ruben said. "I'm sorry to interrupt this discussion9 but I know that my

wife will be angry with me if we keep her waiting.

You know

how women are about food they1 ve been preparing all day for

Shabbos.11 VJhen Solomon entered the house, he was overwhelmed by the splendor of the furnishings•

Never before had he seen

-229-

such a gracious home:

carpets in every room, paintings hung

throughout the house, and furniture delicately carved out of handsome stained wood.

"What a difference from the Farmer's

hovel!11 Solomon thought to himself. "Leah,” Herr Ruben said to his wife, 11 this is our guest, the distinguished Talmudist, Rabbi Solomon•M

"Lm pleased to meet you," Herr Ruben1 s wife said.

"I very happy you could join us•

My husband told me before

he left for services that he hope that you would be with us

this evening•11

11 And this is my daughter, Dinah," Herr Ruben said as he put his arm around a lovely girl of about twelve who tuas

wearing a beautiful flowing dress•

table.

"Come, let1s sit at the

Here Rabbi Solomon y why don't you sit between Dinah

and myself."

After chanting the blessings over the wine and bread,

Harr Ruben told his ujife and daughter about Solomon1 s plans

for the future. "Well," Leah said, "you must have found Ruben, my hus­

band ,an attentive audience.

in philosophy•

He has always had a great interest

He1 s always trying to explain what he has read

to me, but I must confess that it1s all over my head.

I really

don•t understand a thing•H

"Don，t believe a word of it, Rabbi” Herr Ruben said f 11 my wife is only being modest.

She just doesn11 want me to

think that she knows more about it than I do, vjhich is probably

-230-

the case.

But I am interested in what you said as we were

coming inside.

You have written a commentary on the Guide?

That1s quite fascinating.

Tell me, 11 m most interested in

your opinion about one problem in the Guide that has always troubled me.

You know the Rambam disagrees with Aristotle

concerning the creation of the world.

The argument is in the

second part somewhere around chapter 15.

At any rate, what

do you think of the Rambam1s criticism if I may be so bold as

to ssk you without giving you an opportunity to look at the

passage bafore you ansujer?" "Oh, it's really quite all right, n Solomon said, 111 1 v e

been troubled by the same section as tuell.

When I was a child,

I first road this section quite superficially.

My basic

reaction then was that it was impossibla to aigua the case for

or against creation at all.

I had the feeling then that the

human mind was limited in its scope > and for this reason 9 it could not determine whether the world was created out of nothing

or not.

Then 9 as I began to read the Rambam on a deeper level,

I realized that fundamentally he held the same point of vievj•

Throughout his discussion > Maimonides emphasizes the f act that Aristotle is not entitled conclude from the nature of the world

as it is in actual existence anything as to the nature of the origin of the vjorld as a whole. • •11 As Solomon was speaking, he noticed suddenly that Dinah

ujas making faces at her father.

At first he did not know how

to interpret this, but glancing down at the dirty suit of rags

-231-

that he was tuearing, he became aware that it mas the odor of his clothos and body ujhich was ths cause of her discomfort. The nights spent in stables on bare straw and on board ship

had taken their toll9 and now caught in an appallingly

embarrassing position 9 Solomon did not know ujhat to do. Deciding that an early exit would be least painful, he thanked

the family for their hospitality immediately after the meal was over, and resumed his journey to Berlin•

Chapter II Uhec Solomon saw the Rosenthaler Tor, the gate which

marked the entrance to Berlin, H At last! u he t houoht.

he was filled with excitement.

"The end of my journey has come."

What Solomon did not know was that Jewish beggars were not For this reason the Jewish community

allowed in the city.

had built a poor house in which all Jews who desired to enter the Prussian capital were questioned by Jewish elders con­ cerning their desire to settle there.

The inquiry led either

to their being taken into the city or sent forward on their journey.

Wh巳n Solomon was conducted into this house, he was

amazed and f Tightened.

The re were people everywhe re .

Old

women with children clothed in rags sat on the stairs ； Chasidic

men,

their earlocks shaking with passion in the heat of a

discussion,

gesticulated wildly and pulled each other1s lapels；

other Jews prayed loudly while a group of vagabonds told lewd

stories .

“God, what a madhouse ! H Solomon thought.

Lonely

and afraid, Solomon looked around desperately for someone with ujhom he might discuss his personal peril.

observed a man who, "Excuse me,

At last, he

to judge by his dress, was a rabbi.

sir,11 Solomon said,

"Yes," the man replied,

"but are you a rabbi?"

Hmy name is Hirschel ben Ari,

and I am the rabbi of a small congregation near here.H 'fiy name is Solomon ben Joshua, and I am a rabbi also.

-233You don't know how relieved I am to find someone to talk to here.

don't know a soul.H

I

"Where are you From?” Rabbi Hirschel asked• H Originally I 1 m from Poland, from a small village near

I've come to Berlin in order to study medi­

the town of Pi i r.

cine ,but I

see that this isn11 a simple task.n

no f

"No,

from Poland?

i t1 s not, n the rabbi answered.

Quite a long trip to make.

"You are

Did you come by

That1 s the route that many people take.n

ship to Konigsberc?

but the trip was absolutely terrible.

"Yes,

I orig­

inally planned to stay in Konigsberg f but at the suggestion

of several msdical students, Konigsberg,

I came here.

Jews were very kind to me.

On my way from

But it looks as though

my luck has changed.M

"Ch,

said.

nI

that1s not necessarily true,M Rabbi Hirschel

have some influence here, and I think I might be

able to help you." "Rmally?” Solomon asked.

"You can11 guess how much

I'd appreciate it.M

"But tell me, do you have interests other than medi­

cin e ?M

As a rabbi,

study.

Is there any subject in which you are particularly

you must have done a great deal of talmudic

interested?*1

"Well”

to speak quite frankly,11 Solomon said,

is not my main area of interest.

For philosophy and theology.

"Talmud

I 1ve always had a great love

Actually, I recently wrote a

-234commentary on the Guide? of the Perplexad • if you•d be

I

have i t ujith me

interested in looking at it.H

n0f course,

of course," the rabbi said.

"Here," Solomon said as he took the manuscript out of his soiled pack.

"The handwriting is somewhat illegible since

I wrote most of

it on a ship which continually rocked back and

It was just terrible,

forth.

don't think I 1ve ever been so

sick•..” 11 Hmnimm,H

Rabbi Hirschel muttered as he looked over

Solomon 1s commentary. esting ,

indeed.

I

can see that y o ur r e deeply influenced by

the Ranbam•s thought,

11 ,

I

"This is very interesting, very inter­

Isn1t that so?"

yss , ° Solomon said.

first read the Guide as a child,

would take

Joshua,

I

his name for my own.

"As a matter of fact, when I decided that one day I

Though 11nl really Solomon ben

prefer the name Solomon Waimon.

Someday,

I hope to

call myself only by that nan<?.n

nI mind if I

see.

Let me ask you,

Rabbi Solomon.

rsad over your manuscript?

Would you

I'm very curious to knouj

what you have to say." "Certainly," Solomon said. be disappointed.

"Although I hope you won't

I'm not sure really how good it is.

I mould

be interested in your critical evaluation.11

Since Solomon assumed that Prussia was an enlightened country with no prejudice against unconventional thought,

he

was unable to foresee that the rabbi with whom he spoke was

-235an orthodox zealot who immediately concluded that this radical Polish rabbi should not be admitted into Berlin.

That after­

noon ,he vjent to town and informed the Jewish elders about

Solomon * s heretical mode of thinking.

nGentlemen,n he said,

HI mat a young rabbi from Poland this morning who intends to publish a nevj edition of the Gui de of the P 日 rp lexmci with his oujn commentary.

Though he claims that he's come here with

the desire to study medicine, it1 s self-evident from speaking

with him that he ujishes to spread unorthodox thinking among

our people.

He told me that his main interest is philosophy,

not the Tslrnud.

Now, tell me, my distinguished colleagues,

isn't this a danger sign?

I think you1 ve no choice in the

best interests of the Berlin Jewish community but to ask him to continue his journey elsewhere.11

Convinced by Rabbi Hirschel1s argument, the elders refused Solomon1s request to study medicine in Berlin.

cannot give you permission to enter our city

"We

they said.

"There are too many medical students already f and we have

also heard that you have an interest in the philosophy of

Maimonides.

This tue cannot tolerate •11

When Solomon heard these words, he was shocked. scoundrel!n he thought.

"He deceived me •

"The

The informer.

rabbinic friend who was so sympathetic to my commentary.

what can I do?

My

Novj

Where can I go?n

Solomon sadly walked out of the poorhouse into the streets outside the Rosenthaler Tor gate.

Sitting down in the

-236road, he began to cry•

It was a cool evening in August9 and

those who took a stroll outside of the city looked contemp­

tuously at the ragged Jew with a long dirty beard who was

sobbing at their fest.

Several people stopped to see if they

could be of help» but they were unable to understand Solomon1 s

strange jargon•

Though the soldiers on guard merely surveyed

him with a professional callousness» as time passed9 they noticed that he no longer moved*

one guard said to the other.

of the poorhouse•M

MHe1s either dead or sick,"

"We better tell the overseer

When the overseer came outside9 he saw

that Solomon had a fever and had collapsed9 and he ordered two of his workers to carry him insids.

"We'll leave him on

this cot overnight 911 he said, "and then if he feels better in

the morning 9 he 111 have to leave•H

To Solomon• s chagrin9 when he woke the next morning his fever had disappeared9 and he was forced to isave• will I go?" he asked himself• end?1'

"Where

"Will my life as a nomad ever

Chapter III

Looking around the inn which was not far from Berlin 9 Solomon Found an empty table.

Taking out the thaler that the

elders in Berlin had given him when he was sent on his way, he ordered some als.

All at once9 he felt someone(s hand on

his back, and when he turned around9 he saw the face of a whiskered Jew in torn rags•

"Do you mind if I join you Reb Yid?M the Jew asked. Startled, Solomon didn1t know what to say.

"Well," the Jow said, Mit looks as though you*re on

a long trip •w

When the innkeeper brought a glass of ale for

Solomon 9 the Jew ordered one for himself as well.

mind, do you? join you«

"You don11

I really have no moneyt and I would like to

I can see that you would like some Jewish company.

Am I right?”

；

•'Yes, I guess so." Solomon said reluctantly*

MSo how's business where you come From?" th® Jew asked• "Business?

What business?11 Solomon said with a puz­

zled expression• MThe schnorrinq business.

You know, begging.

You* re

a professional beggar, aren•t you?" "A beggar!M Solomon exclaimed.

Looking at himself he

realized that it mould not be difficult to make such a mistake•

"No. actually 9 M he said 9 "I'm a rabbi •

I came to Germany from

-238-

Poland in order to study science•H

"A rabbi!M the Jeui exclaimed. don• t look like a rabbi• such rags on a rabbi •

"Well, you certainly

You know, it's a shame to waste

They * d be perfect for schnosrina."

Solomon flushed.

"Look. I didn11 ask you to sit here

and insult me. M

"Rabbi, I'm sorry," the Jeui said, "I wasn't trying

to be funny, really.

You're dressed in perfect

I mean it•

form to go out begging.11 '•Unfortunately911 Solomon said sadly, "I fear I will

probably have to beg.

I have no money or friends to help mm."

"What's so bad about begging?** the stranger asked.

"I consider it completely demeaning9H Solomon res­ ponded.

"Even in the most miserable circumstances 9 I • ve never

done such a thing•M "Noui just a minute," the Jeui responded.

"You have

this opinion because you don't know the first thing about

schnorrinc.

Begging is an art.

I *d say that it is even one

of the greatest of all arts.M

HUlhat! H Solomon exclaimed. ••See, you just don • t know a thing about it•

You have

the same prejudice as everyone who1 s never tried his hand at

it." "How can you say it• s an art?*1 Solomon asked with dis­ belief.

"All you have to do is stand on the road and hold out

your hand or a hat."

-239-

•*That just goes to show houi little you understand about begging9 Rabbi.

If you were a beggar9 you•d starve to

Because I know the trade> I manage to earn a good

death. living."

••You really think I • d have trouble?** Solomon asked uneasily*

"Well. Frankly, yes.

week.

But look.

Yes9 alone you wouldn11 last a

You know the Torah and Talmud.

team•

You1 re a scholar। right?

I have a plan•

Together we could be a great

I could use your learning*

People would be much more

inclined to give us something if they thought we were scholarly 9

religious men.

And in small villages we could produce an

impression of widespread misery9 of the destruction of our

tomn by fire 9 by persecution or some such calamity. the expression 9

martyrs• •

You know

'Ons beggar might be a liar； two together are

Ule f d be quite successful9 I think."

MAnd what would I have to gain by such a partnership?

Beyond the things you mention?1* Solomon asked. MWell> you don•t know the roads.

good places to beg in this area*

when you • ve been refused*

You don•t know the

You don*t know what to say

And most importantly 9 you don * t

know a thing about the ways oF the morld•

That I'm sure oF，

particularly if you are a rabbi•M "Yes, I think there*s a lot of sense in what you say, and I think you*re probably right that we should go together, but what do you mean that I don't know a thing about the world?

-240I want you to know..."

"Good. I *m glad you accept my offer,M the Jew said. ••Incidentally 9 my name is Nathan.

Now I • 11 explain to you

what I mean about the ways of the world. Rabbi•M MCall me Solomon.

11• s not necessary to use my title

if wefre to be fellow beggars. "Solomon," Nathan began again9 "I'm sure you have very

sublime notions of man •

* He

• He was created in God9 s image •9

is by nature good9 v and so on and so forth.

Am I right?"

"Well, yes9 approximately. • • N "See, I knew it•

Your mind has been destroyed by what

you• ve learned to such an extent that you*re unable to see people as they really are or the world as it really is.

I'm

sure that you consider the notions of our faith as true•

Well9

if you• ll excuse me for saying such a thing to a learned man

like yourself 9 you•ll need to study human nature more care­

fully •

Then you • ll be free of all the garbage that has pol­

luted the books of our religion.

You know, I fm so grateful

to my parents that they never forced me to have a traditional

Jewish education•

If I had, I would never have become such

a successful beggar.

But let me get back to the main point•

In order to perform well on the road9 you must dispense with certain illusions.

First of all, and this is really the

cardinal rule, one cannot believe in a just God.M MWhat•s this you say?" Solomon said with dismay•

thought we were going to discuss schnorrinq• not theology.

"I

-2411*11 have you knoui that I • vq studied very sophisticated theo­ logical treatises 9 and.••M

"Hold it," Nathan interrupted.

"Who is the teacher

here 9 you or me?M ••About begging you are, but when it comes to theology. • •M

"Solomon, look.

I • ve had a lot of experience on the

road, and I knoui what I *m talking about. to finish.

Just give me a chance

If you go out believing that you'll receive a just

punishment from God in the world to come for all your evil

actions 9 then you111 not earn even a single coin.M MI don • t see houi the two things have anything to do with one another!M Solomon protested* "I know, I know.

.,

That• s just the point*

You see9 in

this trade one can•t be bothered about telling the truth or being honest or treating one1 s fellow man with a sense of con­

cern •

It just won• t work.

I know.

Such actions are only for

those who can afford to act in such a manner.

But we can't..

And if the fear of'Heaven is upon us, then we'll be so in­

hibited that all we'll be able to do is to stand by the road with our hats out as you said before.M

"I donft quite understand." Solomon said. "Of course you don't," Nathan said.

MHoui could you?

But let me give you several examples so that what I*m saying will become clearer*

However, before I do9 houi about another

drink?" MWe can afford two more glasses of whiskey.w

Signaling

-242to the innkeeper9 Solomon asked for two new glasses•

MGo on9

Nathan -- your examples?1* Solomon said.

"Well, the best technique is to play on the sympathy of passersby•

I remember once I kidnapped a little girl, tore

her clothes 9 smeared mud on her face 9 and then beat her.

And

then with this sobbing ragged child in my arms9 I stood by the

entrance to Berlin.

It was one of the best days I ever had.

You can imagine the expression of the people who passed when they saw the spectacle of a bedraggled father with is sobbing

child：M

"You kidnapped a little girl?" Solomon said with Houi could you do such a thing?

horror.

"See," Nathan said. you1 d be shocked.

morality*

MWhat did I tell you?

That• s just the point.

I knew

A beggar knows no

I • vb dressed as a blind man; I • ve threatened to rape

women if they wouldn't stand next to me with their children

so that me could pose as a family; 11 ve beaten old women who

stopped to give me some coins； 11 ve even nearly killed a couple

oF women9 no, actually it was one women and a young boy, be­ cause I thought I might be able to rob them of a good deal of money e,f

"God, you• re a liar, a cheat9 a thieft a rapist MNot only that, Solomon9 but at times I *vq been a paid

accomplice to the most grotesque sexual acts you could possibly imagine.

them.11

No, I take that back, you probably could not imagine

-243MBut how could you?** "I know. how could I as a Jew have done such things?

You *ve studied the Talmud 9 the Torah, and all the other holy writings.

don • t<

And you have a righteous attitude to life.

But I

And it• s good for you to hear me• particularly if

we1 re to be partners.

Are you still interested?"

"Yes, yes, tell me 9 though I'm sure I won * t agree with

a thing you say•M "Well, according to our faith, man is a holy creature>

and he must be treated with a sense of sanctity.

Wouldn't you

agree?w MYes,M Solomon answered , "I think that *s fairly accu­ rate •"

MAnd you would sayf too, that man must strive to

imitate the qualities of God.

and loving.

He should be just and merciful

That is, according to the basic beliefs of our

religion?1* "Yes, although I * d modify this notion somewhat •

But

according to Judaism 9 everything you • ve said is true. '* "Well." Nathan continuedf "I have ths entirely opposite

point of view.

I think that man is everything but holy.

He1 s

no different from the beasts of the field• and most often much

worse •

You see, it *s always been my belief ever since child­

hood that man is as bloodthirsty as the lion•

The only real

difference betmeen man and the animals is that man is more shrewd•

Despite what the rabbis and scholars may say, it*s

-244my opinion that man flow,

一一

every man -- loves to watch blood

loves to hear bones crack.

It•s man's nature to be a

lover of the chase 9 of the capture 9 and of the kill•

But

man is more subtle than any other animal •

He knows how to

kill with words as well as with actions •

There * s this basic

drive within each of us -- within even you. Rabbi -- to flay

open naked flesh and revel in the cries of pain•M "God forbid 9 M Solomon said 9 "you must be joking.

I • ve

never in my life had such a desire•M

MYes, well9

I suspected that would be your response •

But I tell you quite truthfully 9 death9 for watching suffering9

ask you•

You're the scholar.

burns within me•

And let me

Why do you think that history

is nothing but a series of wars? to kill,

I know that this lust for

Isn11 it because man loves

loves to watch fires burn 9 loves to destroy?

And

don• t you think that the reason uihy we Jews are so persecuted

is only because man is a persecutor?M "I must admit." Solomon said,

"I've never thought

about it quite that way."

"And as regards man imitating the actions of God 9 think this idea is very amusing•

I

Look at our Fellow Jews•

They praise God for his justice and for his mercy while they find neither justice nor mercy in their own lives•

Indeed9

it would seem that God is a cruel monster who has created a

horrible machine that has no order. unable to see that life is chaos.

Only the blind would be Surely you must admit that

-245thgre's no such thing as justice or mercy!

Indeed9 if there

was, I * d have been struck dead by lightning long ago," he laughed•

"But let me continue•

You are shocked to learn that

11 ve broken so many of the divine commandments.

But I want

to discuss the validity of these commandments that you cherish Our faith demands that we observe three types of

so highly. commands•

First• .. M

"Wait." Solomon interrupted, "I can see that you * re not an ignorant man•

Just the way you express yourself reveals

to me that you• ve had a good education.

If you've had no

traditional educationt then what did you study and where?** "It's of no concern 9 H Nathan said evasively.

"No, no9 l u/ant to know," Solomon insisted. MUlell t M Nathan said, Mmy grandfather mas a famous banker in Heidelberg before he lost his fortune.

My father

was killed by non-Jews when I was a child, but it's a long

story •

At any rate 9 my grandfather had one of the finest

libraries in the entire area,

my mother managed to salvage

some of the books he had9 and although she wasn• t able to send me to Jewish schools9 she made me read. teacher when I didn• t have to work.

Really» she was my

But this is of no

importance•" “No, no9 you•re wrong," Solomon said.

"I'm fascinated.M

"Look, Solomon9 I have to teach you what to do when

we get on the road, and so let's waste no more time •

111 s

-246important that you have some idea of what the life of a beggar is like.

Now, I was explaining my philosophyt which I think

will be of great help•

Where was I?

Oh yes t there are three

types of commands in the Jewish Faith. wrong*

Correct me if I *m

First, there are obligations to oneself.

Second,

there are obligations to one1s Fellow man9 and third9 there.

are obligations to God.

With regard to the first categoryt

anyone mho doesn * t recognize that man acts only out of selfintersst is a fool•

Even the man who appears to be helping

his fellow man is only acting out of a desire to gain some final reward for his righteousness or to have a feeling of self-righteousness •

、

The second category is based largely on

Hillel * s statement that one shouldn11 do to others uihat is

harmful to oneself.

But this is clearly absurd,

men are as

unlike one another in character as in physical dimensions. To seek to subject them to universal laws of brotherhood is

ridiculous•

And as regards obligations to a Supreme Being9

we should recognize that if an individual is foolish enough to base his actions on some false conception of an all­

demanding God9 then he should suffer the consequences of his

stupidity•

What I'm trying to show, Solomon9 is that the

commandments of our religion have no real validity9 and there­ fore it•s not necessary to follow them•M

••But houi can you justify such acts as theft 9 murder,

or rape?M Solomon asked. ••You see t Solomon 9 you have never had a clear idea

-247about these things•

Let me ask you a question with regard

to stealing9 for example.

Have you ever

heard of the rich

stealing from the poor?**

••Well, no." M0f course not.

111 s always the poor who steal from

the rich, and shouldn• t it be this way?

Is the law just when

it demands that the man who has nothing must respect the rights of the man who has everything?

Of course not.

What do the

poor acquire in return for such respect9 for not stealing from

the rich?

Absolutely nothing.

And you seet this applies to

us as poor beggars.11 "I see what you•re driving at 9 M Solomon said, Mbut I

don • t think it • s quite so simple.

MYou were deeply disturbed to hear that I almost com­

mitted two murders •

But let me ask you Solomon t do you really

think that man is more precious than a fly?

Certainly, it1 s

no more difficult for nature to produce a man than to produce

a fly.

What • s to be the standard of comparison?

I am sure.

you• d feel no guilt about killing a fly if he bothered you.

So why do you feel such guilt about killing a man?

Further-

more 9 since all men eventually die, the murderer becomes an agent of nature, no different in fact than a disease• with regard to sexual acts9 it*s much the same•

And

If nature

had intended man to have certain sexual restraints, uiouldn11 he have been born with them? against the laws of nature?1*

But since he wasn't, why go

-248"Your theories are incredible!M Solomon said.

MI just

can11 believe my ears!M

"Mell. Solomon9 I'm sure that you*VB never read such notions in the Talmud.

But they are in the book of life that

Do you see now why it*s such an

every beggar knows by heart•

art?

It isn11 enough to stand and beg.

nature•

One must know human

One must know how to be deceitful*

And one must know

how to be ruthless when it's necessary9 and feel no guilt

afterwards.

In the beginning it * s difficult 9 but you learn.

Even a rabbi can learn such things. think so 9 it • ll be good for you•

enough•

And though you may not

But come 9 we • ve talked long

11 * s time to put some of this knowledge into action.M

That night as Solomon fell asleep next to his com­ panion 9 he could not help but review the discussion they had

had in the inn•

"My God»11 he thought9 "I don11 think I've

ever met such a scoundrel • the back someday!

I just hope he won *t stab me in

At any rate f there *s no doubt that he does

present a forceful argument•M

Chapter IV "Solomon, you•re the worst beggar 11 ve ever seen!

ip

you want to survive t I think you111 have to give up this pro.

Did you see houi you just lost several

fession and work. coins?"

MI don•t knom what you 1 re talking about9 M Solomon answered indignantly.

"Solomon, we'vs been on the road for three days, and

you haven•t gotten a thing to speak of." "So uihat did I just do that was wrong?

What do you

mean I lost several coins?" "Look, Solomon9M Nathan said, "that old man didn•t

give you a thing. MRight.

Right?" So what?"

"When he walked by you, you should have cursed at him." "For what reason?11 Solomon asked. "You've got to scars them.

hearts.

Put some fear into their

If they•re afraid af you, they might think you111

attack them. from behind.

and clench my Fist.

Here 9 see 9 look how I grit my teeth

It *s quite an effective gesture 9 don't

you think?"

••You * re unbelievable 9 Nathan. M "Tak日 my word for it9 Solomon9 you• ve got to put a

little drama into the whole thing•

Now, let me hear you curse•M

-250"You've got to be joking, Nathan•11 ••No, seriously, me better practice this whole thing.

Now, I want to hear a good curse*

Pretend that I *m an old

lady who has passed you up on the street.

What do you say?"

"Look. Nathan• I think this is ridiculous.M MSolomon • my dear rabbi, do you want to beg with me

or not?

If you do 9 you * 11 have to learn how to do this cor­

rectly •

Now, what do you say?"

MI • d say 9

• Damn you.* M

'•Solomon9 what is this?

Put some feeling into it.

That little old lady wouldn't even be able to hear you.M

MAll right9 all right.

MNow, that• s the spirit*

Damn you!M But give it more flavor.

Say it as though you were a dying man." "Well, I don• t really know uihat to say•

How about

• God damn you•? MThat• s not bad.

But watch.

1111 give you a practical

example•

See that man with a cane walking his dog across the

street?

You see 9 he * s walking over this way.

I think he *s

about to come into the store we9re standing in front of•

watch what I do...

Now

Sir, sir9 could you spare a copper penny

for a poor man?1' MSorry9 I haven't got any change.

Please9 you*re in

my way."

MYou Goddamn son of a bitch；：：

The devil take your soul："

You rich tight bastard!

-251-

Talking back to his friend, Nathan said with a sense of triumph, MDid you see his expression?

God, he• s scared to death.

face?

Did you look at his

Do you think he111 walk

out of that store without giving me some change?

chance •

That * s how to do it, Solomon*

I want you to know ；

that I developed my style over years of practice.

learn quite quickly.

thing to drink. store;

Look, I *m tired.

Not a

But you'll'

Let's go get some-，：

I don• t want to wait for him to leave the

he might be there for a long time•

tavern near here*

I knoui a good cheap

What do you say?"

After both men had ordered whiskey, and found an empty table by the uiindoui of the inn9 Solomon said, "Nathan.

I have a question to ask you. Right?

Tell me.

You're the expert on begging*

Why do people give us money?

Of course

they do this out of sympathy9 but I can11 believe that*s the

sole motivation,1* "Aha： Solomon9 I think you1 re beginning to learn some­

thing.

I was waiting for you to ask this question.

Remembert

I told you when uie first met that people's actions are motivated

by selfish interests9 and it*s no different with regard to charity•

You see, look at us.

We both look miserable•

have no money9 no homes9 no jobs.

place to stay. agree?

We

Half the time we'ua no

Uie make a pretty bad impression9 wouldn't you

Now, if a person who is better off than us passes by,

it• s quite natural for him to compare his lot with ours.

example 9 he might say to himself > men«

For

'Those are two miserable

How fortunate I am that I don11 have to live like them!*

-252-

111 s that simple • not as bad off.

When he looks at us, he rejoices that he *s And there you have it•

Thus9 he gives us

money as a symbol of his gratefulness or to perform a righteous

act so that God will reward him with a continuation of his present aituation•" "That's a brilliant explanation9M Solomon said with

amazement• "Thank you, my rabbinical friend.

And you should

remember that me are doing a service to our Fellows by being beggars 9 for in this way me remind them of their good fortune. And they thank God for His kindness. God's work,"

See, we9re really doing

Nathan said with a smile.

MI • v8 been doing a lot of thinking about what you said when we decided to become partners at the inn," Solomon said.

changing the subject.

MI just can•t agree with you about the

nature of man as you describe it•

Let me ask you9 what do

you think is the main difference between man and the animal

world?"

,

HUlell 9 I said then that man was more shrewd.M

,

"Yes, I remember,M Solomon continued9 "but what exactly do you mean by 'shrewd'?"

"That man is more calculating,M Nathan answered. '•But what is it that makes him calculating?*1 Solomon

asked. MHe thinks,M Nathan answered.

'•And what enables him to think?1*

-253MWellf obviously his mind.

Look9 Solomon9 I may be

a rabbi 9 but I *m not a complete idiot!11

MI know, I know.

But we must be precise if we 're

truly to understand man*s nature* thinks 9 • you said.

Let me continue•

"Wan

What does he think about t would you say 9

Nathan?11 MHe thinks about what goes on in his daily life, I guess•"

MGood9 but what do you mean by 1 daily life•?

Give

me some examples•H

"Well, he thinks about what goes on during the day.

He might think about his family if he had one or about his housB or about the people he's with.

In your case9 Solomon9

you might think about all the coins you haven't received.11 •'Very good.

Let1 s take your last example about me.

What is a coin?1* "What kind of a stupid question is this9 Solomon?

You don't know what a coin is?

Oh yes, I guess with your

ability as a beggar, you just might not know what a coin is.M ••No, I *m serious.

Describe a coin to me.M

"It's round and heavy and is made out of metal.

is

there anything else you1 d like me to say?" "No. that • s adequatef Nathan*

stance in other words.

trying to point out.

You said it has sub­

It*s a material thing.

That*s all I'm

When we think, we often think about

material things9 about objects.

But what else do we think

-254-

about?

What else is there beyond objects?"

•• I often think about sex," Nathan said.

"Be serious.

Really9 uihat other things are there?"

"Well, obviously9 my friend the rabbi9 we think about ideas.11 "Look, Solomon9 why didn• t you just say this in the

beginning?

Why do you have to ask all these damn questions?**

"Be patient 9 my friend. Now, let me ask you•

You will soon see the reason.

From where doss this thinking derive its

principles of operation?

In other words, we do think.

But

where do the laws of its functioning come from?" "I think I understand your question9 Solomon9 but I

have no idea uihat the answer could possibly be."

"Well, let me put it this way.

We said before that

thinking concentrates on two types of objects: stances in our daily life9 and ideas.

material sub­

Obviously, the first

object is a lower form of thought while the second type of

objects9 ideas9 are a higher form of thought.

Wouldn't you

agree that thinking about ideas is a higher form?** "Yes, I suppose so." Nathan answered*

"The Rambam himself said that manfs mind operates out­

side of time when it contemplates such ideas, when it is thinking about universal laws.

His argument is a complicated

one, but the only point that is important for us to remember

is that in this second category9 the mind is not dependent upon objects in the material world for its operation•M

-255-

M11 • s a little vague 9 Solomon 9 but I*m trying to follow the argument 9 M Nathan said•

We've said that man1s mind operates on this

"Good.

highest level in accordance with certain universal laws,

which are necessary for its operation. laws come from?

And mhere could such

This is the question I asked before 9 Nathan.M

MI • ve no idea.M "Well, contrary to what you've been saying before9 they come from God.

But they don * t come from Him in the way

that you might think.

In my opiniont God is absolute per­

fection 9 infinite reason.

Man participates in this infinite

reason 9 and this is how the mind is able to operate.

God's

existence is necessary for man to be able to think.

Let me

put it in another way.

I • ve said before that man lives in

the world of material things9 sensible matter. lives in a higher spiritual world of ideas.

But he also

And the necessary

condition of our being able to conceive of rational universal

laws is the existence of an Ultimate Higher Understanding9 which is God.

Otherwise 9 there1 d be no possibility of man1 s

being able to conceive of these rational laws*

I know that

this is a little complex 9 but do you see what I "Solomon, you're right 9 it is complicated.

driving at?"

But you

are saying that in order for man to think abstract ideas which have universal validity• there must be a God•M "Yes.

You see 9 I have a different conception of God

than most rabbis.

Most people of our faith uiould just say

-256that God exists 9 and that He • s very much like a father figure. But the Rambam points out that one can11 attribute existence to God in the same sense we attribute it to other things 9 be

cause God does not exist in the same way that objects, for

example 9 exist.

You see 9 since God is infinite reason t He 1 s

an idea9 a boundary concept that we approach but never reach.

Thus, we can11 claim to know that God exists in the same way as other things exist •

We can * t conceive of such a boundary

idea9 an infinite concept in our. own limited9 finite under­

standing. M MObviously, you want to contradict my statement that God does not exist •

Right 9 Solomon?*1 Nathan asked.

MAs you can see 9 Nathan 9 the type of God I fm describing

is a different type of God than the one you were talking about• According to my theory9 I would say that an atheist is only

a story teller.

He doesn11 talk about reality•

IF you talk

about such an anthropomorphic conception of God, where God

is thought of essentially as a man, a sort of superman9 then

it1 s possible to be an atheist 9 to say that this type of God does not exist•

But what I consider the true concept of God

cannot be rejected as impossible* » Indeed9 it1 s proved by the existence of our higher faculty of thinking uihich transcends

the material world." ••But you started this discussion by saying that you were going to talk about the nature of man.

I don11 see how

any of these ideas about God relate to man," Nathan interjected.

rm

-257-

"That, my friendf is because you don11 see the rela­ tionship between God and man•

Ifve tried to show you that

God is Infinite Reason9 and the proof that I used to demon­ strate that this God must exist was based upon man's reasoning

process.

Don • t you see therefore that man is linked to God?M "I don•t really see what you mean9 Solomon9M Nathan

said.

"Look at it this way.

Since our highest form of

thinking is real, then the condition for its existence9 namely

Infinite Reason, is also real.

And man1s faculty of reasoning

is the very same as Infinite Reason, but to a limited degree• So • don • t you see that man is like God in terms of his rea­ soning process•

And now, I am sure9 that you can see what (

man1 s goal uuould be."

,

MI haven11 any idea what you1 re talking about.

What

is this goal?1* "I'm sorry you don't see what I * ve been driving at 9

Nathan.

According to the Rambamt man is created in God's

image because he is possessed of an intellect•

Wan*s goal .is

to imitate God, to strive to reach the highest level of in­

tellectual power.

As is evident> true human perfection is

the possession of such intellectual virtues.

Of course man

can never complete this task9 the ultimate goal will always be beyond his reach•

111 s impossible for man ever to attain

the highest stage of intellectual perfection because this

level is reserved for God alone.

Nonetheless 9 this ultimate

-258goal eternally stands before man.

And * indeed 9 the dignity

oF man9 his superiority to mere animals 9 is as we”e shown

based on his faculty of thought•

The Rambam1 s view was that

man becomes a prophet by perfecting such intellectual facultiest and whether one agrees with him or not 9 there1 s no doubt that

it is the highest perfection.

But I have one more idea that

I'm sure will shock you9 Nathan.M

••Believe me 9 Solomon^ after this winding philosophical argument 9 I•m prepared for anything.M

"Well, Nathan • I believe in immortality.M

"Oh, no! a world to come•

Don• t tell me you honestly think that therefs

I suppose you think that man receives his

spiritual reward there for the righteous acts he performed

during his earthly life!M

"Nq, Nathan, I don11 have any such traditional point

I think that man achieves immortality by means of

of view.

the intellectual apprehension and development 11 ve already

spoken of.

The Rambam spoke about the 1 acquired intellect9•

an idea inherited from Aristotle.

It is the acquired intellect

which separates from the body and unites with God; in this way

man achieves immortality.11 ^Solomon9 how do you ever think yourself into such

notions?

I just can11 believe after everything I•ve told you

about begging that you could come to such conclusions.

Do

you honestly believe that the common man ever actually thinks

about. • •11

-259"There*s one more element in my theory," Solomon interrupted.

"Would you like me to continue?"

"I suppose I have a choice?11

"You see9 I haven11 said a uuord about morality.

This

was your main subject when you were telling me your theories about begging•M

"Look, Solomon9 theyfre not merely theories； they are ths recognized truth.

Beggars are not philosophers； they are

ordinary, practical men.

"Well, at any rate, we said before that man thinks about two kinds of objectst material things and ideas.

By,

material things, we were referring to the world of sense

which is governed by natural law.

In this lower sphere9 man

makes decisions on the basis of such law. what he perceives through his senses•

He is governed by

In other words, his

actions are reflexes to the external stimuli that surround

him•

Is this clear?** "Yes, I think so9 Solomon.M

MWell, there's a higher sphere as well, and this is the realm of ideas.

Unlike the actions of the louier sphere

which are rooted in material nature9 actions in this sphere are generated by reason alone•

tellectual perfection•

And reason is a part of in­

The ethical lam resides in reason；

reason is its very foundation.

Though man is grounded in

nature9 he is able to rise above it through his higher faculty.11 ••So what does reason hypothesize as this ethical law?"

-260Nathan asked.

'*1 know that you won * t agree with me 9 but the ethical law can be stated somewhat as follows, • A person should act

in such a way that his act could be applied universally. • In other words, me should act in such a way that the act it­ self could be found desirable by every other person.

This

view is similar to Hillel•s statement9 'What is hateful to you9 do not do to your fellowmen. •

As you can see9 I have a

totally different attitude to morality than you do.

For met

such acts as murder, rape t and theft could not be applied universally •

They could never be acceptable to all men.M

••Solomon»M Nathan said. "you'll never become a good

beggar if you folloui this line of reasoning.

Never in my life

have I confronted a successful beggar who had such an idea.w MBut how can you argue against what 11 ve said?1* Solomon said•

11 It all makes such good sense.11

11 It may make good sense to rabbisf but not to beggars.M "I don11 see houi you can refuse to accept the logic

of...1*

MSolomon 9 we1ve talked enough,M Nathan said picking up his glass and draining it•

"Philosophy earns us no money9

and in this world9 one can•t live by mere words despite what

your theories may state•M

As both men left the inn• Solomon could not help thinking with nostalgia about the conversations he had had with his friend (Yloses not so many years ago•

Solomon thought.

"I wonder where he is now.M

"How I miss him>w

Chapter V

HUlell 9 Solomon 9 today you1 re going to step off your metaphysical pedestal and descend into the world of sensation 9 M Nathan said as he knocked on the door of a large wooden frame

house •

MI can assure you that you will have little opportunity

to perfect your intellectual faculties.

But you may learn a

few things about those lams of nature that you view so con­

descendingly. " All at once a woman with fiery red hair stepped onto the porch.

"Nathan：" she exclaimed.

God, you look terrible•

M11fs been so long.

How long has it been since you1 ve

had a good meal 9 much less a good woman?

Come inside.M

"Olga, this is a friend of mine," Nathan said.

MSolomon9

this is Olga." "I •••【•••I'm pleased to meet you," Solomon stammered.

"Olga, you won• t believe this9 but Solomon is a religious leader, a rabbi."

"No, you must be kidding：" Olga shrieked with laughter•

"Nathan, you always have some new surprise for us. rabbi.

Come in9

Come in9 both of you." Ulhen Solomon entered the vestibule9 he noticed that

there were several women sitting in the living room•

are we9 Nathan?" he whispered to his friend.

'•Solomon, my dear rabbi, you*ll soon see."

MWhere

-262-

"Well, Nathan 9 tell me what's been happening to you during the months you•ve been gone?" Olga asked as she escorted

both men into the kitchen•

she said.

MWe can have some privacy here,"

"I want to have a chance to talk while the girls

get things ready.

And from the looks of both of you• I have

an idea that you must be starved.

Am I light?"

"You're so righttM Nathan said.

MWhat have you got

to eat?M

MHow about some chicken? and there * s plenty left over.

That1 s what uue had for lunch

What do you say?M

"Wonderful," Nathan said vuith enthusiasm* Putting two plates in front of them9 Olga resumed her conversation•

"So, where have you been। Nathan?" she asked.

"It's been a bad summer all the way around, Olga,M he said.

"For some reason 9 people haven * t been very generous.

I had thought that joining up with Solomon here would help9 but nothing has gone right.

Ue1 ve both been wandering around

Berlin9 and I think w8*ll head for Poland next.

about you?

But what

How1 s business?11

MActually9 not bad.

Despite all the rain we1 ve been

having > it seems as though men have been coming from every­ where .

I • d feared we just wouldn't be busy at all, but it•s

quite amazing•

Nothing seems to stop our customers•

tell me9 mhere did you ever come across a rabbi?

Hey 9

I just can11

believe that he1s here. ••Well, Olga, it*s a long story, but we met at an inn,

-263-

and ever since we1vb been partners•M "You see,° Solomon interjected, "I originally came to

Prussia from Poland in order to be a doctor, but because of

certain religious reasons9 I wasn't allowed to enter Berlin• I was forced to join Nathan on the road.M HUlell 9 rabbi, you couln11 have found a better man.

I

think Nathan is probably the smartest man I *ve ever known.

And believe men I • ve known plenty•

Behind all those dirty

clothes is a fine mind." "Olga, though I hate to compliment the rabbi since he1s

such a lousy beggar9

intellect.

I must admit that he has a very sharp

Actually 9 to tell the truth, I'm not sure what

he 1s talking about half the time• M "Well, who is it for you tonight। Nathan?" Olga asked.

Caressing her cheek9 Nathan said9 "I thought only about you since 11 ve been gone f but nevertheless I think 11 d like Gert a.

"Uta：

And uihat about Uta for Solomon?"

Oh yes 9 I think he1 d enjoy her very much.M

All at once9 two girls dressed in their undergarments entered the kitchen.

"Everything's ready, Olga.

We decided

your friends would like the rooms on the second floor at the

end of the hall." "Good, good.

is Herr Solomon•

Now, Herr Solomon this is Uta.

Uta, this

We911 let you find out more about him for

yourself.M "Listen, Olga• Nathan said，111 hope you realize that

-264-

we1 re a little short on money9 and..."

"Nathan, you•re an old lover. is always on the house.

For you, everything

Now, why don't both of you go up­

stairs and enjoy yourselves•

Uta, show Herr Solomon to his

room •" Foilowing behind the scantily clad figure of Uta9

Solomon could not help staring at her curving hips.

As he

passed by the window on the stairway, he looked outside and noticed a red lantern hanging over the entrance.

thought to himself9 "I'm right.

"Aha," he

Nathan has brought me to a

brothel.M

,fHere you are, Herr Solomon9M Uta said opening the door of a large bedroom•

Not knowing quite what to say,

Solomon stood by the entrance speechless•

Looking at the

dazzled expression of this black bearded figure in his torn clothes 9 Uta laughed to herself •

'Tome t mein Herr, clean

yourself up and then you can come to bed.

Here1 s the tub•

I • 11 be waiting for you9 so hurry.M

As in a trance9 Solomon undressed and stepped into the water•

"This feels so good," he thought to himself•

don11 think 11 ve bathed in over two months•M

"I

Delighted by the

warmth of the water, Solomon forgot about the woman who was

waiting for him•

••Herr Solomon!11 Uta shoutedf "what are you doing in

there?11

"Oh, my God," he thought to himselff "how did I ever

-265get myself into this situation•

11 ve never gone to a pros­

I don•t think that there1s anything Jewish law pro­

titute •

hibits as decisively outside of acts of violence.M

"Herr Solomon9 where are you?" Uta yelled* Stepping out of the tub and wrapping himself with a towel. Solomon entered the bedroom resolved to tell Uta to

leave•

MI *m a married man," he mused.

thing?

Begging is bad enough, but this is ridiculous.

"How can I do such a

If I

ever go through with it9 I just won't have any self respect

left.** Sitting on the bed with the covers across her thighs. Uta gestured for Solomon to join her.

When he saui her large

exposed breasts and Form, Solomon tripped over the bedpost

and fell across the bedspread.

"Oh, mein Herr, you• re so clumsy!M Uta said with laughter.

"Look, Uta or whatever your name is9 I didn11 really know where my friend was leading me9 and I have no intention. • •

All of a sudden Solomon felt Uta's hands fondling his

penis.

"Look," he shoutedf "I have no desire. • •11

MIt doesn11 feel to me as though you have no desire 9 M Uta said, smiling.

"And look uihat I *ve discovered — a Jew：'*

"How can you

Solomon asked amazed.

MYou don11 know?" ••Well, maybe you can tell by my beard?11

"No, silly,M Uta said roaring with laughter.

"You're

-266-

circumcised:" M0h, mell9 yes I am•

Of course•

I never really

thought about that.M

"And you 1 re very large t too!M

"Now, look9

I'm a rabbi as well as a Jew9 and I want

you to know that...M Pressing her lips to his, Uta drew Solomon to her body*

"Oh, God," Solomon thought to himselfv "I'm drowning in flesh.M As he felt her breasts soft underneath himt Uta nibbled on his

ear and whisperedf "Take me Herr Rabbiner Solomon9 all of me9 my breasts 9 thighs 9 all of my flesh.

I want you* take me f

make love to me."

Unable to withstand the temptation that lay before him9 he let Uta guide him into her, Never have I had anyone so large•

"Oh, I can11 stand it.

Are all rabbis like this?"

she moaned. Feeling her soft calves encircle him9 Solomon was

filled with passion• sensation •

Never before had he known such a warm

Even his mother * s caresses had never been as tender.

He was able to restrain himself no longer.

The prostitute

sighed with pleasure underneath him, and he thought to him­

self ,MThe material world isn1t so bad after all.

Never be­

fore have I experienced anything to compare so well with metaphysics

Chapter VI

After traveling several months bare-foot and almost naked without eating regular meals9 Solomon resolved to bring his partnership with Nathan to a close.

With the onset of

winter, Solomon1 s health began to deteriorate 9 and one morning

he said to his comrade 9 "Nathan, I think 11 ve had it• at this hovel!

Look

How long are we going to have to sponge off

such poor people as this tailor?*1

HWhat are you talking about 9 Solomon?1*

"No, I mean it.

11 ve had enough of this life. °

"But we • re ready to move into Poland9 M his friend protested.

"Things are bound to be better there.M

"That's just the point • science.

I came to Germany to study

The last place I want to go is back home •M HSolomon9 how in the world do you expect to survive

without my guidance?

You111 freeze to death!M

MI don • t know, Nathan9 but I just can11 face more of this suffering.H Picking up the soiledt ragged pack in which he kept

his books 9 Solomon made a two-day journey from the tailor1s house to the nearest town with a Jewish population•

Though

he had to sleep out in the cold9 he nonetheless had enough

bread and cheese to sustain him during his trip•

When he

arrived at Posen, he inquired where the Jewish school was

-268When he entered he found a number of scholars9 some

located*

of whom were reading while others were talking loudly in the

corner of the room.

When these men noticed Solomon9 they

approached him and asked where he cama from and what he wanted•

When he answered their questions in broken German9

they began to laugh.

Nonetheless, Solomon was not dismayed,

because he recollected that some years before a chief rabbi from his neighborhood had been appointed to the same position

in Posen 9 and he had taken a good friend of Solomon * s with

him as secretary,

MTe 11 me," he said, Mdo you knoui if Jacob

ben Abraham lives in this city?" "You knew him?** one of the men asked.

"We were childhood friendsfM Solomon answered. "He was here, but when the chief rabbi left for Ham­ burg 9 he went with him.11

11 You mean Rabbi Emanuel?11 he asked. ° You knew him 9 too?" another of the scholars asked.

But why did he

•'Yes, he was a friend of my father. go to Hamburg.M

“Well," the first Jew said9 Mhe was given the position

of chief rabbi there9 but perhaps you know his son• remained behind with the new chief rabbi• years old9

He

He is only twelve

but he might be able to help you."

"Good," Solomon said.

"Can you tell me where he lives?"

After wandering through the narrow streets of Posen9

Solomon finally found the right address9 but since he was

-269nearly naked9 he was afraid to approach the house.

After

maiting for several minutes 9 he saw an old man walk up ths steps to the chief rabbi•s home9 and stopping him, Solomon

pleaded for him to ask the young boy to come outside*

"I

would greatly appreciate your help; it is a matter of life and death!M

Seeing Solomon * s miserable state 9 the old man

agreed9 and immediately the son of the former chief rabbi

rushed outside.

him at once•

When the youth saw Solomon9 he recognized

"Rabbi Solomon9M he said with unbelief 9 "what

are you doing here?

What happened?

You look horrible•

Are

you all right?'*

MYesf l *m fine," Solomon said9 "but it*s not the right

moment for me to explain everything, story •

it*s a longf complicated

But can you help me 9 Amos?1*

"Yes, of course9 of course•

about you.

Let me go tell my teacher

I'll be right back."

Rushing into the house 9 Amos ran into the chief rabbi1 s study without knocking.

"Amos» how many times have I told you to knock before you enter?11 the chief rabbi said.

MI *m sorry9 rabbi," the young boy said, Mbut this is terribly important.

There1s a distinguished rabbi from my

hometown who has just arrived here. almost naked and starving*

He is standing outside

I have no idea what happened to

him9 but it appears that he*s suffered some tragic misfortune.M •• You say he's a rabbi, Amos?"

-270"Yes, yes9 and a very pious man."

"Well, we * 11 have to see if we can help him in some

way•

Go fetch him and bring him to me 9 my son•n

When Solomon was shown into the study, the rabbi asked him about his wanderings in Germany and what he hoped to do

in Berlin•

After a long conversation about several subjects

in the Talmud9 the chief rabbi said, MWhile you're here in Posen 9 why don't you celebrate the holidays with us?

There *s

no reason you should hurry away•M

MI would like very much to do that," Solomon said* "but I really have no money to support myself here•M

••There1 s no problem about this9 Rabbi Solomon911 the chief rabbi responded9 M1111 take care of all the necessary

arrangements.

Now lookv I have only a few coins with met

but I want you to take them...M

"But I can't, really," Solomon interrupted. "Look, no arguments.

It is a pleasure for me•

More­

over 9 I would like you to be my guest for dinner every Sabbath

while you are here in the city.

Amos9 Rabbi Solomon must be

very tired from his long journey9 so I want you to go to the house of my good friend Herr Ben Zion and tell him about our

visitor.

I *m sure that he will be very happy to have Rabbi

Solomon as his guest•,f

After only a short while, Amos returned and led Solomon to his new dwelling.

"W日11." Solomon thought to himself, "I

finally have a place to stay•

I'm sure it will only be a

-271small room in some poor Jew's home9 but at least I'll have a Homever9 when Solomon saw the house where

roof over my head•M

he was to lodge 9 he was astonished.

"I canf t believe it," he

thought 9 Hthis is as beautiful a home as Herr Mendels *s!M When Solomon entered 9 he was taken to the study which had been converted into a room for him.

Looking at the books on the

shelves he discovered a first edition of the Talmud, several rare copies of obscure Midrashim 9 and an entire collection of

the works of Jewish philosophers.

MWhat a scholar the owner

of this mansion must be," Solomon thought•

After looking around the house 9 Solomon went to Herr Ben Zion's wife and thrusting several copper coins into her

hand, asked if he might be able to have something to eat• "No, no9 M she laughed9 Myou• ve been given such a high recomen-

dation from the chief rabbi that we could never accept any money.

Really9 it1 s our pleasure to have you.

I knew you

would be hungry 9 and I • ve prepared some roast duck.

Come,

everything is ready."

Sitting at the table Solomon recited the benediction over the food and then began to eat with relish.

MI can see that you haven * t had a good meal in a long time,M Frau Ben Zion said as she watched the bearded figure before her devour the food.

••You can*t know how correct you are,,f Solomon said. "This is the best food I *ve had in nearly half a year."

"I'm glad.

Now, Rabbi Solomon9 we want you to be our

■ 272guest for as long as you stay in Posen.

with us as well.

We want you to dine

Is that all right?1*

Delighted beyond words, Solomon could only nod his agreement•

"Wonderful, now, when you * ve finished eating 9 I'm

sure that you'll want to rest from your journey.

You * 11 find

a clean bed waiting for you in the study.M When Solomon collapsed into bed9 it seemed as though

he had never felt such a degree of happiness.

His limbs9

which for nearly half a year had been wearied and almost broken 9 now began to recover their former strength in the softness of the bed. The next morning9 Solomon rose late9 and before he had finished dressing9 he received a note that th© chief rabbi wanted to see him•

Ulhen he made his appearance9 the chief

rabbi asked9 "Nu, how did you sleep9 my distinguished friend?"

"Honestly," Solomon said with enthusiasmt "I haven11 slept like that in nearly half a year.M

"And how do you like your lodgings?

M Adequate?

Are thy adequate?11

Why they * re just unbelievable.

Do you

Roast duck：

In my

know what I had for dinner last night?

whole life» I don•t think I•ve ever tasted anything so good.M "OF course9 of course.

Don*t you know that you're a

prominent visitor in our town?

Now, rabbi, you need some new

clothes•

I • ve sent for the head of the Jeuiish school here who

will take you to the finest tailor in Posen so that you can

— 273— have a suit that befits your position.

Is this acceptable to

you?M Overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude9 Solomon was

just don * t knoui what to say."

speechless •

••There • s no need to say anything,

it is you who honor

us •" After a Few days, Solomon went to the chief rabbi in his new clothes.

MWell, Rabbi Solomon9 I must say you look

quits handsome!H MRabbi Menachem911 Solomon said, "I just don't know how to thank you for everything you have done for me.M

MPlease t there * s no need to say a thing.

done is not worth mentioning.

What 11 ve

Now, tell me, is there any­

thing that you mould like me to do for you?"

"No, really9 you have been so generous.

one thing that I would like to do. stayed at the home of a poor tailor•

But there is

Before I came hersf I I left a book behind

there9 and I uuould like to make a short journey in order to

It really is not such a valuable book, but it is a

get it.

volume of the Talmud that once balonged to my grandfather.11

••Certainly•

carriage•

But let me arrange passage for you by

I don't want you to spoil these new garments by a

long voyage on foot.,f News of Solomonfs success traveled before him9 and

when he arrived at the home of the tailor9 a group of people were gathered at the doorstep awaiting him•

"Well, look at

-274this9 the rabbi is coming by carriage,M the tailor exclaimed.

"What happened?

I just don*t understand it 9 M a

"Only a meek ago, this vagabond rabbi was

neighbor said.

half-naked and starving to death,M

can only be one answer," Nathan concluded. MSolomon must havs taken my advice•

Though he was the worst

beggar imaginable 9 he must have used the philosophical prin­ ciples that I taught him.” lAlhen Solomon descended from the carriage9 the tailorf his wife9 and Nathan all looked at one another in disbelief.

"|Yly God 9 Nathan gasped 9 "what a transformation!,f

"Rabbi it *s so good to see you," the tailor*s wife

said. •• I just don11 believe my eyes!M Nathan exclaimed* •"Where in the world did you get such clothes?11

"Please come inside9 Rabbi Solomon9M the tailor said as he opened the door to his wooden hut.

Putting his arm around his former travelling companion9

Nathan said> "Solomon, you don11 know how happy I am to see you again •

During the past few days I have felt so bad•

I

want to apologize for all the horrible things I said to

you

during the months w❷ were together.

Will

Please forgive me.

you, my friend?" M0f course9M Solomon said. MThank you, Solomon•

this guilt has been for me.

You have no idea what a burden

Now, let ms ask you, since I can

-275see you have run into good fortune9 do you think you would have a little cash to spare an old friend?" After Solomon found the book he had come for and had tea with his friends9 he set out on the journey back to Posen•

Though of course he saw through Nathan•s cunningt he could not

refuse him a few coins 9 and he gave the tailor several thalers for the maintenance of his home and family. During the few days that Solomon was gone, his fame

spread throughout the Jewish community in Posen, and scholars

from the entire area waited for his return so that they could come to discuss Jewish law with this distinguished itinerant

rabbi • The period of time that Solomon spent in Posen mere

among the most comfortable in his entire life.

The young

scholars there even passed a resolution at their meeting in the House of Study that Solomon receive a salary for lectures

to be delivered on Maimonides * Guide.

The parents of these

young men 9 however, anxious lest their children be led astray 9 unanimously rejected the proposal.

"My dear friends9M one of

the most respected Jews said to a group of men assembled at the synagogue to discuss the matter9 "I hope that you111 see my point•

There1s no one here, I am sure> who would question

the piety and religiosity of Rabbi Solomon9 but we have a responsibility to our children as Jewish parents•

Our sons

don• t have sufficient judgment when it comes to matters of speculative thought•

There is no doubt in my mind that they

-276may drift away from the right way, the way that we all cherish

so dearly•

All of you would no doubt consider the Rambam a

great Jewish scholar, yet his uiork on theology is so open to misinterpretation that our sons would probably be prey to

distortions of the truth.

Their misconceptions would lead

them from the Talmud 9 and indeed even from this house of

worship.,f After Solomon spent four weeks as his guest, Herr Ben

Zion approached him and saidf "Rabbi Solomon9 let me make a

proposal to you•

If you are inclined to solitary study9 you

may remain here as long as you like.

If, however9 you do not

want to withdraw into complete retirement9 but wish to be of service to the world with your talents9 there's a wealthy man

here who has an only son and would like to have you as his

tutor.

Actually9 the man in my brother-in-law, so if you are

reluctant to accept the position for his sakef please do it

for mine. Happy that he would be able to repay the kind hosp­ itality he had received, Solomon quickly accepted the offer

and remained employed as a tutor for two years.

In the home

of Herr Daniel he was paid the highest honor and even considered

a prophet because he predicted the death of his student1 s

future bride on the basis of his medical knowledge.

Yet 9 an

incident occurred during the second year of his employment

which deeply affected his admiration for the Jewish community of Posen and began to undermine his personal satisfaction with

-277his mode of life.

One Sabbath9 when the cook in a Jewish

house was preparing fish for the evening meal9 it seemed to

him that the fish uttered a sound. a panic.

This threw everyone into

The chief rabbi in the city was asked what should

be done with ths dead fish that had tried to speak9 and under the superstitious idea that the carp was possessed with a

spirit, the rabbi enjoined that it should be wrapped in a

white linen and buried mith a religious ceremony* In the house where Solomon lived, this awe-inspiring