The Rabbi and The Rebbetzin (3 page)

“I
hope you’re right, but remember that Satan lurks everywhere,” the Mashgiach
said.

“Let’s
keep moving,” the dean urged. He then passed out blank slips of paper and asked
each faculty member to list his top three choices. The dean also filled out a
slip. As it turned out, the name Shalom Pinkes was at the head of each
instructor’s list. The dean had also listed him first.

 “I
am happy to see there is something we can all agree upon,” he said. “Shalom is
everyone’s favorite. He has an outstanding personality and is truly possessed
with religious fervor. He helps organize all our functions and leads the
singing and dancing. I also know that he has some experience in youth work.
Now, as to the lower choices, there were four names mentioned. Shmuel Stein got
one vote while David Levy, Aaron Adler and Chaim Ginsburg got two each. I know
that only adds up to seven votes but one of those present today named only two
candidates rather than three. I know that you are not taking the alternate
choices seriously because you all expect to see Shalom get the assignment. That
won’t do. We have to have another student ready in case Shalom is unwilling or
unable to go.

 “I
can save some time by taking the liberty of eliminating two of the four names.
The faculty members who chose David Levy may not be aware that he did not give
up his Sephardic worship when he came to the yeshiva. I gave him permission to
retain his Sephardic traditions and there is no way that he could lead an
Ashkenazi service. Chaim Ginsburg, in contrast to David, has switched from his
original Chasidic worship, but still, he was brought up in Chasidic yeshivos.
That means that his knowledge of English will not pass. Basically, the choice
of an alternative to Shalom Pinkes boils down to Aaron Adler and Shmuel Stein.
I will ask those who nominated these students to say something in their behalf.”

 Rabbi
Kurland indicated that he wished to speak. “Pinkes and Adler are the only ones
that I felt we can trust ― Pinkes because of his faith and Adler because
of his intellect. I had to put Pinkes first because I know that he has a
winning personality and that is what the job calls for. To be frank with you, I
have not had much personal contact with Adler. He is very withdrawn and
virtually never communicates with me in my role as Mashgiach. It is more than
simple shyness. It seems that he is very introspective and determined to solve
all of his problems by himself. I know that he could daven well because we have
a policy of requiring all students to conduct the prayers at least a few times
a year. Adler doesn’t daven with any fire or emotion, but he has a pleasant
voice. What made me select Adler is his scholarship. It goes beyond having an
analytical mind. He also prepares his work diligently. When I had him in my
class, he came up with sources that no other student had even seen. No one can
read his mind, but if in five years at the yeshiva he has never said anything
wrong, I am sure that he can be trusted with a congregation.”

The
dean spoke next. “What the Mashgiach said about Adler is the absolute truth. He
is like a sponge, absorbing every word. But I did not feel comfortable with the
thought of him representing the yeshiva, so I listed Stein ahead of him. Shmuel
at least is a known quantity. He is not in Adler’s class intellectually but he
is outgoing and friendly. He is also very devout. To get more input, however, I
would appreciate hearing the opinions of those who did not vote for either of
these students.”

“Go
with the intellectual,” Rabbi Bernstein said without hesitation.

“I
would stick with personality,” Rabbi Weiss opined. “No one in Dunberg can
evaluate a Talmudic scholar, but they can all appreciate a good communicator.”

“You
men are not making it easy for me,” the dean responded. “Although I selected
Stein as my first choice, I am willing to go along with Adler. He actually got
two faculty votes, as compared to one for Stein, but, what’s more important, is
the fact that he will prepare to the utmost for whatever he has to do. I might
add that regardless of who is selected for the job, the student will need a lot
of help. I will ask you, Rabbi Bernstein, to help the candidate with sermonic
material. Rabbi Weiss, our newly discovered cantor, can help with the singing.
I will pray that the Lord will also do his share. I wish to thank you all for
your help and this meeting is adjourned.”

The
dean asked Rabbi Weiss to stay on while the other rabbis returned to the study hall.
“I want you to remain for a few minutes while we speak to the students. They
may have some questions that only you can answer.” Rabbi Weiss called Mrs.
Fisher and asked her to summon Shalom Pinkes and Aaron Adler to the dean’s
office. Within a few minutes Aaron Adler arrived and was ushered into the
office. He had been in the study hall when notified by Mrs. Fisher’s messenger.
Shalom Pinkes was in the school dorm when he heard himself being paged on the dormitory
public address system. The residence hall was a newer building erected by Ohr
Moshe on land adjacent to the school. It took Pinkes a few extra minutes to get
dressed and come over to the main building.

 For
Shalom, the call was not unexpected. All of the students were aware that a full
faculty meeting had taken place. With only ten days left before Rosh Hashanah,
Shalom assumed that the meeting was called to deal with school arrangements for
the holidays. He was the unofficial student representative for such functions
and was in charge of organizing student committees to make all of the necessary
arrangements. He was surprised to see Aaron Adler in the office because Aaron
never involved himself in any extra-curricular activities.

 Adler
was very apprehensive. He frequently spoke to the dean in the study hall on
Talmudic matters, but this was the first time he had ever been directly
summoned to Rabbi Rosenberg’s office. He was closer to Rabbi Weiss, who took
care of all of his financial and residential affairs. Earlier in the morning,
he was sitting near the dean when Rabbi Weiss came into the study hall. From
the look of concern on the director’s face, it was obvious that some major
problem had arisen and he sensed that the faculty meeting was specially called
to deal with it. Adler was still in the study hall when called because the
lecture that day was very complex. It dealt with laws appearing in the first chapter
of the Talmudic tractate
Chulin
. The students had started the new volume
at the beginning of the semester and were still mired in the opening
discussions. Because everything was not fully clarified, Aaron had foregone the
afternoon recess and remained at his desk.

Rabbi
Rosenberg asked the boys to take seats at the conference table and he called on
Rabbi Weiss to describe the problem and summarize the results of the faculty
meeting. Both boys could hardly believe that the yeshiva was being compelled to
send one of its students to worship on the High Holidays in a type of synagogue
that was an anathema to them. “Before we ask you to make any decisions,” Rabbi
Rosenberg said to the students, “I would be willing to answer all questions
that you may have. Feel free to ask anything you wish, because this is a very
unusual matter and a new experience for you.”

Shalom
was the first to speak. “Before I get to the many practical aspects of this
matter, I wonder if I may raise a number of theoretical questions?”

“Ask
whatever comes to mind,” the dean said.

“Would
the student who davens in Dunberg satisfy his personal prayer requirements?”

“If
he follows the laws of prayer carefully, he will certainly fulfill his
requirements. God forbid that I should nullify prayers that were offered in
large Orthodox synagogues for more than five centuries under the aegis of
saintly rabbis. What we try to do in the yeshiva is encourage our students to
worship among learned and observant people, where an atmosphere of holiness
pervades. Such an environment is more conducive to inspired prayer. I know that
there are limits. If the synagogue in question has deviated too far from established
practice, the validity of the prayers may be jeopardized. Otherwise the prayers
remain valid. “

“What
is the situation in the Dunberg congregation?”

“To
the best of our knowledge, Beth Israel conforms to most of the requirements.
The cantors are Sabbath observant, the prayer book is Orthodox, and the prayers
are not abridged. If there is any problem, it is in the area of separation of
men from the women.”

“You
mean they have mixed-seating?” Shalom asked in alarm.

“Of
course not, the women sit in the back behind a partition that is 39 inches
high. Attached to the top of the partition is a cloth curtain that adds another
twelve inches. But 51 inches is no longer considered sufficient by current rabbinic
law. Rabbi Feinstein, of blessed memory, insisted on a minimum height of 65
inches to meet the requirements of physical and visual separation between the
sexes. Given the inadequate height of the partition in Dunberg, the student
should not face the women’s section when he recites the Shema prayer.

“You
may be interested in knowing how this situation came about. Abe Levine wanted
his father to worship with him in the synagogue on the holidays. The father
would not do so unless the synagogue had a Bema in the middle and a proper mechitza.
Unfortunately, the father did not seek rabbinical guidance on the question of
the height of the curtain. His requirements were based on the height of the
partitions that existed in pre-war Orthodox congregations.”

Shalom
Pinkes asked another theoretical question. “Did Rabbi Kurland agree that it was
all right for a student to go?” Shalom was very close to the Mashgiach and
faithfully followed his teachings.

The
dean made no attempt to hide his umbrage, but he delegated the answer to Rabbi
Weiss. “Shalom, you have to understand that this is a yeshiva, and not a group
of little fiefdoms. There is only one policy for the school and that is made by
the Rosh Yeshiva in consultation with the faculty. You want to follow the
advice of the Mashgiach, be my guest. Be aware, though, that he is not
representing the yeshiva when he is advising you on this matter.”

 Shalom
sensed that he had touched a raw nerve and asked no more questions. The dean
next turned to Aaron to see if the latter was going to ask anything. Aaron was
still a little tense but Shalom had broken the ice and made things easier for
him.

“The
first question is obvious. Why were two students summoned here when only one is
required? Were we selected on an equal basis?”

Rabbi
Weiss quickly glanced at the dean for any hint as how to answer. There was no
advance planning for such a delicate question. Lacking any indication from
Rabbi Rosenberg, the director opted for the truth. “If you consent to help your
yeshiva in this matter, you will be asked to attend an interview where both of
you will be presented on an equal footing. I don’t know that it matters in
which order you were selected by the faculty.”

Aaron
would not countenance this evasion. “When a sacrificial animal is randomly
chosen it cannot be exchanged or replaced. That is not quite the case when the
choice is deliberate rather than random.”

“If
you insist on knowing the details,” the dean said, “I will reveal them. Each
member of the faculty was asked to make three selections in order of
preference. Shalom was the top vote-getter and you were next. Bear in mind that
our objective in presenting two students is not just to flatter the
congregation by offering them a choice of candidates. We must have more than
one student ready in case one of the selectees is unable or unwilling to go.”

“I
certainly will not let the fact that I was only the second choice of the
faculty influence my decision,” Aaron said defensively. “Being second to Shalom
Pinkes is quite an honor in itself. Let me please ask one more question. Will
the chosen student receive compensation for his work and, if so, is he allowed
to accept the money.”

Rabbi
Rosenberg did not answer at once. Adler had raised one of the more
controversial issues in Jewish law and the dean needed a moment to gather his
thoughts. “We do not have the time to go into all the literature and responsa
on this question, but I’ll give a quick summary that I hope you will accept on
faith. The subject has two aspects. The first deals with accepting funds for
work done on the Sabbath or holidays when we are commanded to rest. The second
deals with whether it is permissible to receive payment for work of a religious
nature. Much of what will be done in Dunberg is in the category of mitzvos
which we are commanded to do as Jews ― such as teaching Torah and
reciting prayers. The earliest founders of our faith did not feel it proper to
accept payment for such actions. Hillel put it very strongly when he taught, ‘Do
not make the Torah a tool with which to dig.’”

In
raising the question, Aaron had an inkling of the seriousness of the issue, but
he had never delved into it as the question was removed from reality until now.
He waited anxiously for the dean to continue.

The congregational
committee interviews the candidates.

“The
Code of Law resolved the issue of earning money on the Sabbath for work which
does not violate Sabbath prohibitions. Take the case of a babysitter. If she
were paid exactly for the hours she put in on the Sabbath, she might not be
allowed to accept her fee. If, however, she were hired for a long period of
time such as a month or a year, the part of her services which was performed on
the Sabbath would be included in her total obligations and not be sufficiently
distinctive to be prohibited. Ilan Solomon, who served the congregation up to this
year, did in fact work on annual contract for all rabbinic services here at Beth
Israel.

 “The
general question of accepting fees for religious work was resolved only six or
seven centuries ago. Permission was granted on the grounds that, while a
religious practitioner should not work for money, he is not required to lose
money while serving God. The time he spends on the sacred work could be equally
applied to gainful employment and, as such, it is what is commonly called an ‘opportunity
cost.’ Our Sages worked out a contract formula where the rabbi is paid – not
for religious services, but for lost time. I trust that whoever is selected
will look into these matters before he negotiates with the congregation.”

Shalom
was surprised by the last remark. “You mean the yeshiva will not make the
financial arrangement for us?”

“I
am afraid not, Shalom,” Rabbi Weiss answered. “If you are wise enough to lead a
congregation, you should be mature enough to negotiate for yourself.”

Aaron
was too sharp to accept the statement at face value. “I am afraid we are not
looking at a policy intended to teach us self-reliance, but rather as an
exercise in skirting responsibility for this venture. The irony is that such
actions are totally unnecessary. It is clear under Jewish law that even if we
acted as the direct representatives of the yeshiva, we would be held personally
liable for our mistakes. A messenger cannot claim in his defense that he was
sent to do an improper act.”

The
Rosh Yeshiva could not hide a broad smile. “I am happy to see that you learned
something at the yeshiva. We know that in so far as Jewish law is concerned,
the yeshiva is not responsible for what you may do in Dunberg. Unfortunately,
lay people are not versed in Halacha. If we act as your agents in this venture,
your behavior will be more of a reflection on the yeshiva than otherwise.”

“How
much time do we have before we advise you of our decision?” Shalom wanted to
know.

“You
can take all the time you need,” Rabbi Weiss answered wryly, “as long as it
doesn’t exceed an hour and a half. At 5 PM I have to call the president of the
congregation.”

The
students left the office to ponder the matter. Shalom went to the study hall to
confer with the Mashgiach, Rabbi Kurland. Aaron left the building to go to a
nearby playground. There he sat on a bench and reflected on a course of action.
He was able to concentrate better on serious matters away from the loud voices
in the study hall. To him, the issue was clear cut. He was absolutely certain
that Shalom would be the chosen one. The boy had far more experience in all
aspects of the assignment and had a sparkling personality. The faculty had
justifiably selected him as their first choice. If he himself had been first,
or had been the only candidate, the situation would be different. To refuse
under those conditions would be understandable, even if it would antagonize his
teachers and hurt his yeshiva. Noble as those causes were, he was not obligated
to sell his soul for either of them. A refusal under the present conditions
would hurt his standing at the yeshiva for no purpose at all, or at least no
practical purpose. He now realized why some rabbis chose to avoid decisions on
purely theoretical questions. Such positions have no relevance to real life and
only succeed in angering those who do not agree with the opinions. Rabbi
Feinstein himself had written in his book that he does not answer any questions
until they are officially put before him for resolution.

On
the other hand, there was an ethical question. Is one allowed to commit himself
to an action that cannot come to pass? Is one allowed to say, ‘If I had a
million dollars, I would give it to charity,’ even though he only has a few
dollars in his pocket? Wasn’t there an element of deception in this, an attempt
to pander for recognition? Am I, Aaron Adler, allowed to pose as one who would
sacrifice to help my rabbi and school, secure in the knowledge that I never
will be called upon to do so?

Aaron
was tempted for a moment to seek advice, but he quickly gave up the idea. The rabbis
could advise him to go or not to go to Dunberg. On that question he already
knew where each rabbi stood. On his variation of the theme, he did not feel
that they would sense the subtlety of the issue. They would simply say to him
it is either right to go or wrong. If it is wrong, you must refuse even if
there is no chance that you will be selected. Even though Aaron could cite
cases where laws were changed because of extenuating circumstances, he knew
that his rabbis would take the position here that the law was absolute. They
would never agree to say that there was one law for him and another law for
Shalom Pinkes.

When
Aaron realized that he could not reach a conclusion, he explored a different
track. He considered responding that he would not volunteer to go but would
agree if he were ordered to do so. He dismissed the option almost at once. The
yeshiva would never order anyone to do such a thing. Furthermore, it was he
himself who had pointed out to the dean that one cannot excuse his improper
actions by saying that he was instructed to do so by others. He then considered
demanding a statement that the very existence of the yeshiva was in danger if
someone did not go to Dunberg. That way he could justify his actions on the
grounds that the matter was analogous to a life and death situation where
Jewish law is suspended. He quickly realized that such a statement would never
be forthcoming from either the dean or the director. It was then that he
concluded that he had no recourse other than to explore the primary issue. He
had to arrive at a decision as to whether it was proper for him to conduct
services in Dunberg or not. Time was running out on any attempts to avoid
facing the issue squarely.

Systematically,
Aaron formulated the major question. Should a Jew disassociate himself from other
Jews because they have departed from proper religious practice? Should he
refuse to worship in the presence of transgressors? Rabbi Kurland obviously
thought that a Jew is responsible for his own soul first. He is not called upon
to give up his eternal life to help save other souls. His own rabbi back home
thought otherwise. While thinking along these lines, Aaron suddenly remembered
the words of a prayer preceding the
Kol Nidre
. It was a statement by the
rabbinic court of the congregation that permission was being granted to worship
amidst transgressors. That statement arose from historical times where among
the worshippers were those who had undergone forced conversions to Christianity
in order to save their lives. They lived as Christians, but, once a year on Yom
Kippur night, they reaffirmed their Judaism.

Of
course, no one was compelling the Jews of Dunberg to violate the Sabbath or eat
non-kosher food. They sinned for convenience. Also to be considered was the
fact that, in Spain, the worship conformed to all religious requirements except
for the presence of apostates. In Dunberg, the very quality of the worship
itself was compromised.

Aaron
Adler made his final rationalization at 4:30. His decided that going to Dunberg
on an emergency basis could be justified. As far as religious violations were
concerned, he might be able to influence members of the congregation to mend their
ways. His presence would certainly serve to prevent further deterioration of
the religious standards. On that note, he returned to the study hall.

Shalom
Pinkes conferred with the Mashgiach for a full hour. At one point in the
conversation, the Mashgiach related to Shalom why he had left the big yeshiva
on the East Coast. It seems that he had advised one student not to pursue
secular education at a local college. The boy’s parents were up in arms and
complained to the Rosh Yeshiva. The dean called him in and told him in no
uncertain terms that the policy of the school was to allow a limited amount of college
studies after school hours. To do otherwise, would cost the yeshiva half of its
enrollment and endanger its existence. Rabbi Kurland would not agree to suppress
his religious convictions, and he and the yeshiva came to a parting of the
ways. “I am telling you this, Shalom, because I want you to understand
something about martyrdom. I have no right to sit here and advise you to martyr
yourself for a cause. I can tell you what I feel is right or wrong and I have
made it clear that I do not believe the yeshiva should send anyone to Dunberg.
If you refuse to abide by the request of the Rosh Yeshiva, however, you will
forfeit your standing and future opportunities at the school. I felt that
martyrdom was called for in my case and I was willing to pay the price. It is
not for me to tell you to suffer the high cost of such an action. You have to
decide for yourself.”

The
conversation ended on that note, and Shalom went back to his study table to
think. While he was there, Aaron walked in. Shalom approached him and asked him
if it would be all right to discuss their common problem. Aaron consented and
reviewed the thought processes that led him to agree to the assignment.

Shalom
said, “I can’t accept all of your conclusions, but it is obvious there is
something to be said for them. If going were evil beyond question, I would not
to hesitate to take a stand, no matter how costly the consequences. One who
martyrs himself for a doubtful cause is an idiot.”

At
that point, the two students went downstairs to advise Rabbi Weiss of their
willingness to spend the holidays in Dunberg, PA.

When
they left the office, Rabbi Weiss picked up the phone and called Abe Levine. “Abe,”
he said, “I am glad to tell you that our yeshiva stands ready to help you. The
faculty met and gave permission to two of our best students to accept a
position in Dunberg.”

“That’s
great,” Levine said, but added in a puzzled voice, “I thought I only asked for
one.”

“You
will only get one,” the director replied. “But tell me, when you have to fill
an important position in your company, do you only interview one candidate?”

“Of
course not, it’s just that I thought the yeshiva would screen the men and make
the final selection for me. It’s like with temporary help. The agency does the
screening, and we find out if the person is any good only after the fact.”

“Your
holiday rabbi may only be temporary,” Rabbi Weiss replied, “but he will play a
very important role in the spiritual life of your community. He should be
carefully selected by all parties concerned. The yeshiva feels that the men it
is allowing to apply are both qualified, but we are giving you the opportunity
to meet the men and select the one that is best for you.”

“I
can’t see that I may decline such an offer. Of course, it does mean that we
will share the burden of any mistake with the school. Don’t forget that we are
only laymen.”

“You
may be laymen, but you have a better appreciation of what the congregation
prefers in the way of a spiritual leader.
You personally
also have a lot of experience judging people. I’m sure that you will choose the
right man.”

 “OK.
I will invite Reverend Martin and three other members to join me in the
interview. Time is so short that I would like to settle the matter by tomorrow
night. Do we have to go to the yeshiva, or can you bring the men to Dunberg?”

 Rabbi
Weiss was astute enough to know that synagogue search committees would not be
appreciated at the yeshiva and he already had sufficient problems with Rabbi
Kurland. “Don’t trouble yourself and the committee. I will bring the men out to
see you tomorrow night at 8:15 PM.”

 “That’s
fine. By the way, after we select the rabbi, do we negotiate his fee with the
yeshiva?”

Rabbi
Weiss phrased the answer carefully. “The yeshiva is not a personnel agency and
will not retain any part of the salary. The men are mature enough to negotiate
by themselves and we very much prefer that they gain experience in this area.”

“I
guess we can live with that,” Levine answered. “See you tomorrow night.” 

The
car drove rapidly down the broad highway hugging the shore of the Allegheny
River. Rabbi and Mrs. Weiss were in the front seat and the two candidates were
in back. Rachel Weiss had left her five children in the care of a baby sitter
and insisted on going along. Given her husband’s intensive schedule and her own
domestic responsibilities, a drive to the suburbs was a rare luxury. Dunberg
wasn’t all that far away, about twenty miles south of Pittsburgh, but she
looked forward to seeing rich suburban homes and the people who lived in them.

The
two boys were immersed in their own thoughts and hardly noticed the scenery
along the route. The first few miles were comprised by the riverfront industrial
development. After that, the American countryside began to unfold in all its summer
beauty. The remaining signs of the steel mills that gave birth to the area were
few and far between. There was still sufficient daylight to see large housing
developments and even some vestigial farmland. The highway skirted the downtown
areas of the cities but big shopping centers were clearly in view.