A Story of a Rabbi

Chapter 1

After a long bought with cancer Ezekiel’s father took his last breath peacefully in his sleep at home. It was difficult but it was a gift nevertheless because he had suffered so much and didn’t have much energy at the end. Raisa and little Aliya brought him breakfast in bed every day. Mordechi loved his little grand daughter and even in his last days would tell her that someday the whole family would leave Russia for Israel. He wanted to die in Israel feeling that he would be truly free when he touched the place that was given to his people by God. Aliya would sit next to his bed while he prayed from the Torah. One day when Mordechi was feeling up to getting out of bed he sat down in the chair and put Aliya on his lap. Aliya one day you will grow up and have children of your own. Promise me that you will make sure that they keep the mitzvah of God.

Aliya was too young to understand the importance of what her grand father was saying so like most children she just nodded in agreement to make him happy. Mordechi wanted Aliya to have a much better life than he had. It was some kind of taboo to be a Jew. He wanted that she could live a life free from the stigma and actually be proud to be a Jew.

On the day that he died Raisa came in to wake him up as usual to see what he wanted for breakfast. At first he didn’t answer her but she could see that he was awake. Abba are you okay? What do you want for breakfast?

Mordechi only looked at Raisa and said Raisa where is Ezekiel?

He is just getting up. Today he starts teaching classes at the school. He is very excited about this. I’m sure he will come in and speak with you before leaving. Maybe you can come to the table and have breakfast this morning. The doctor said that it is good when you can get up and walk as much as possible.

Raisa tell my son that I need him to come in and speak with me now. I need to tell him something very important.

Okay Mordechi. Raisa wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about but he never sounded like this before so she called out to Ezekiel to come into the room as soon as possible and went on straightening up the room. Ezekiel came through the door still straightening up his clothing. Abba what is going on are you okay, do you need to see the doctor or something?

No son. I know that you are getting ready for school but I need to speak with you about this now. I don’t have much time. I’m sure they won’t be upset that you spent a few moments with a dying man.

Father please don’t talk like that. You have lots and lots of time left. Remember we are going to Jerusalem. We talk about it all the time. Don’t talk like this.

Ezekiel I need to tell you something very important before you leave today. Sit down it will only take a minute and you can go. Ezekiel sat on the chair by his bedside. Ezekiel the time has come that I should leave you. I’m sorry that we didn’t get a chance to get to Israel together. But it is important to me that you take the family and leave here as soon as possible. This place has changed and is no longer a place of refuge for our people. They tease my grand daughter in school. What will be next Ezekiel? You must get her to safety. I had a dream many years ago but I never told anyone about it. I want to say before God today that I am sorry that I did not heed the warning that I was given a long time ago.

What warning father, what are you talk about?

Listen to me son. I had a dream and there was a great angel who told me that the Jewish people would be persecuted again. He said that I should speak with the Jewish people all over the world to return to Israel for this would be the only place where we could be safe but I did not do it. Please Ezekiel do this for me. Do not make the same mistake that I made in not doing what I was asked to do. Remember that before the war we had a chance to get out of Poland but we did not heed the warning. Because of it many people died. If we do not heed this warning many more will die. The Jewish people including your uncle think that they are safe in America and other places where they live but in essence they are sitting ducks just waiting for the next time they are taken advantage of. Please Ezekiel promise me that you will take the family and leave here as soon as possible or something terrible is going to happen.

Calm down father before we have to take you to the hospital. I will talk with you about this when I get home. But I promise that we will go to Israel. Right now you are sick and we cannot leave you behind. I will not leave you behind. He kissed his father and asked that Raisa not leave him alone. He didn’t know what had gotten his father so upset but he just didn’t have time to sit with him this morning. Raisa was standing next to the bed while her husband and his father talked but she said nothing.

Raisa I’m not feeling up to walking today. I had a dream last night. I saw my beautiful wife and she was standing on a cloud and asking me to come with her. I felt that if I had walked out onto that cloud that I would have past onto heaven Raisa.

Oh father. That is beautiful. But we are not ready for you to leave us yet. We still have not made it to Jerusalem. We must all go together. So don’t talk about such things.

Raisa please indulge an old man. Call Rebbe Isak and tell him that I want to speak with him. I don’t think that I will make it much longer. It is time for me to give vidui. I want to go to Jerusalem but I won’t be able to make it. But do not give up on the dream of our family. My brother Stephen will lead the family now. I have a letter that I have written to him. When I die make sure that he gets it. I have told him to take my little Aliya to Jerusalem she gets so excited when we talk about the homeland. She told me the other day that the children tease her at school about being Jewish. I have suffered because of this and don’t want her to suffer for the rest of her life because she is Jewish. Promise me Raisa?

Okay abba. I will call Isak and have him come over as soon as possible.

Raisa left the room and headed straight for the bedroom to tell Ezekiel that his father is wanting to speak with the rebbe. They were both in denial that Mordechi would live a lot longer and someday the family would all go to Israel together. He was old and he was tired.

Ezekiel didn’t know what to do. His father wanted to speak with the rebbe and he had to go to work. He didn’t want to miss this opportunity to be with his father during such an important time in his life. Reciting vidui was to be done by all Jewish people before they died. It was an opportunity to make confession before God.

Rebbe Isak loved Mordechi. He had been a holocaust survivor as well. When Raisa called he said that he would be there right away. He could get someone to take over his class for a few minutes. He knew how Mordechi had suffered with the cancer and considered it an honor to be with such a beautiful soul at the time of his confession before God.

Mordechi had actually gotten out of bed and tried to wash himself in preparation for the rebbes’ visit. He didn’t want to be laying down when the rebbe arrived. Isak knocked on the door and Mordechi called out weakly for him to enter. Isak saw a very frail person sitting on a chair by the window. Mordechi could barely hold his head up and he coughed with every word that he spoke. He was definitely not the person that he once knew. It reminded him of the days when they were in the work camps and the people were just so skinny because they didn’t have enough to eat.

My son I came as soon as I could. How are you doing?

I’ve felt better. But I have been doing a lot of thinking Isak. I’m tired and my body doesn’t want to stay much longer. I thought it was time for me to make confession. I had a dream the other night and I saw my beautiful bride. I just know that its time for me to go.

Well that is a serious thing. I am here for you. Let me put on my tallit.

Mordechi took out his tallit and put it over his head. Unto you O Lord my God and God of my ancestors, I acknowledge that my life and recovery depend upon you. May it be your will to heal me. Yet, if you have decreed that I shall die of this affliction, may my death atone for all sins and transgressions which I have committed before you. Shelter me in the shadow of your wings; grant me a share in the world to come. Protector of orphans and guardian of widows, protect my beloved family, with whose soul my own soul is bound. Into your hand I commit my soul. You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad, Hear O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. The Lord is God. The Lord is God. Thank you Isak.

You are a good friend Mordechi. I know that you are tired but maybe you will recover and still take your family to Israel. This will make your son very happy. You know he talks about going to Israel all the time.

I know. Little Aliya is just like her father. She eats, sleeps and drinks Israel. Isak I have something else to confess to you. Please do not tell this to my son until after I have gone. In this envelope here is a letter to my brother. Please give this to him. Also in the bank I have been saving up for many years for the chance to go to Israel. Since I will not make it I want Ezekiel to use this money to move the family after I have gone.

Isak could see that Mordechi was feeling very tired so he prepared to go. He took the information and told no one about it. He wanted to keep his promise to his friend. Raisa came in after Isak had left and helped Mordechi get back into bed.

After his classes Ezekiel rushed home to see his father and see how he was doing. He knocked on the door just in case he was sleeping. Abba are you awake? When he did not get an answer he pushed the door open gently so as not to startle him. There was a strange feeling in the room. Mordechi looked as though he was sleeping but when Ezekiel touched his fathers arm he didn’t see him breathing. Immediately he felt panic set in and he started to shake him and call his name but there was no response. He called Raisa into the room and asked that she call the paramedics that he believed his father had died.

The paramedics didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Ezekiel sat next to his father holding his hand for quite a while before anyone arrived. As the tears fell from his face Ezekiel prayed for his father as he waited, "Elohaynu veilohay avoteinu v’imoteinu, Our God and God of all who have gone before us, author of life and death, we turn to you at this time of great grief. We turn to you in trust and pray that Mordechi be granted perfect rest in your sheltering presence.

Much was left unfinished in his life, yet we know also the good that he tried to do. May those acts of goodness continue to give meaning to our lives and may the errors in his life be forgiven.

O God, protector of the bereaved and the helpless, watch over this family. Provide us comfort from the pain we feel at this time. Into your hand is the spirit committed; redeem it, O God of mercy and truth.

Adonai melech, Adonai malach, Adonai imloch l’olam va’ed God reigns; God has reigned: God will reign for ever and ever. Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. Baruch shem k’vod malchuto l’olam va’ed. Blessed be God’s name whose glorious dominion is forever and ever. Adonai natan v’Adonai lakach. Y’hiyi shem Adonai m’vorah. God gave and God has taken away; blessed be the name of God. Baruch dayan ha’emet. Blessed be the Judge of Truth." It seemed like an eternity as Ezekiel prayed over his father. His life flashed before his eyes. What to do now? It was all too much to take in.

Raisa didn’t quite know what to do. She could hear Ezekiel praying over his father and she knew that he had gone. What would she tell Aliya? He was her whole world. She would not understand that her grand father was no longer with her. Ezekiel was grieving and she didn’t know what to do. She called the paramedics and told them that they were not needed and instead called Rebbe Isak to have the funeral home come to pick up the body. It was customary that the funeral take place within twenty-four hours whenever possible. Special arrangements would have to be made. But Stephen his brother lived in the United States and so they would have to wait until he arrived to have the funeral.

Ezekiel had a very close relationship with his father and felt it unbearable to believe that his father, mentor and rebbe would no longer be there for him when he needed advice. His mother had died many years before. Life for his family was not always easy but he and Ezekiel shared precious but painful memories of how they survived those difficult times. His father and mother were by no means rich but they lived comfortably. Ezekiel was their only son.

Mordechi could barely fight back the tears as he remembered the beginnings of the occupation of German soldiers in Poland. Mordechi was just a young man still in school, he was about 13 years of age at the time. One day as he left for school there was nothing out of the ordinary on the streets, people were going to work, school and to shops to sell their goods. Mordechi remembered reaching school and as he reached his destination he ascended up the stairs to his classroom. He remembered reaching out to open the door when he was greeted by the angry face of his professor. He thought that maybe something was wrong but he had no idea what that something was. The teacher opened the door just as his hand hit the knob and yelled, You dirty, stinkin Jew and spit in his face. Go away you stinkin Jew you do not belong here he shouted at Mordechi as though he had done something terrible. This was the first time that Mordechi remembered that sick feeling in his stomach that his teacher didn’t like him because he was a Jew and no other reason.

Fighting back the tears Mordechi stumbled down the stairs because the tears made it hard for him to see. He didn’t want his mother who was still at home to see him crying so he made a detour to see a friend of his who had a shop not far from where his school was located. Mordechi had so much on his mind he had not noticed all the people running in the direction of the synagogue. He wiped his eyes and stopped crying long enough to see the smoke and hear the screams of the people who were walking quickly to see what was happening. He figured since he wasn’t going to school that he would see what was happening. As he got closer to the scene he noticed that the synagogue was on fire. Who could have done such a thing? The synagogue had such memories for all the Jews in the community. It was just a year ago that Mordechi had his bar-mitva. He had become a man and looked forward to one day owning his own business so that he could take care of his father and mother when they got old. They were good parents and he wanted that they should not have to work for the rest of their lives.

What could they do? The crowd just stood their looking in awe at the sight of so many years of memories going up in smoke. From day to day more and more of this happened it became the norm for their community. Life for the Jews had changed forever. Mordechi could hear his father and mother talking when he went to bed about how the Jews could no longer own their own businesses. They had been stripped of the right to have bank accounts and could only have a certain amount of money at home at one time. Life became more and more difficult. His father and mother had exhausted all of their resources and since most of their neighbors were in the same boat they could not help one another. He remembered the day when they ate their last potato. He went to bed hungry after that.

The Jews were made to wear white arm bands with the Star of David on them. They were branded so that all the people would know that they were Jews. Mordechi knew several of the Polish shop keepers in the area. There was a very nice man who felt sorry for him and would let him come in and work in his shop so that he and his family could have something to eat. It wasn’t much but at least they would not starve. It was a blessing from heaven. They were surviving.

Mordechi told his son that he prayed the day would never come when he and his children would have to go through what he and his parents went through. No one should ever have to suffer like they did. His father received word that all of the Jews would be moved from their homes to a ghetto that wasn’t big enough for the rats let alone all of the many families that lived in Krakau. It’s amazing how just when you realize that you don’t have much the Germans took that away and you had even less. They didn’t even have much time to pack. Mordechi’s family didn’t have much but what they had they had worked hard for. It was their memories, their life and they were proud to be Jewish. His mother and father packed up what they could. The Germans came through the place like a flood. They went from door to door making sure that all the families were vacating their homes. Some people had thought ahead of time and had found places to hide. Mordechi’s friend Shmuel’s mother had already planned on giving her son to some Polish people who were a part of the underground railroad. When things calmed down they would get papers for him and sneak him across the border. They were not worried about themselves so much but they wanted their son to live.

Some families hid in the floorings in their apartments and some of them hid right in plane sight under leaves under the trees. If the people didn’t move fast enough the Germans started to shoot people for no reason at all. They were brutal soldiers who didn’t seem to have a heart or a soul. People were killed because they were old. Many of the Hasidic Jews were targeted for no reason. Mordechi saw a group of them placed against a wall. They knocked off their hats, cut off their curls and shot them all in the head. Mordechi could not forget the brutality that happened during the German occupation. He kept wondering why this was happening and if he would ever be free again.

Life was unbearable in the ghetto. Instead of one family to an apartment there were three or four families to one apartment. There was no privacy and certainly not enough food to go around. The rations were never enough to sustain them until the next time.

Just when it seemed as if life were just about as bad as it could get they received word that they were going to move everyone from the ghetto to work camps. The people had enough by this time. They were being treated worse than cattle on a ranch. At least the cattle were free to walk and roam as they pleased. They were fed and taken care of but his people were literally starving to death. Mordechi wished that he could somehow get out of there and go to his friend. He knew that he could hide him out maybe until the war was over. He was a good man and hated what was happening but he was helpless. But Mordechi was afraid that he would be shot and never see his parents ever again. He just could not leave them so he stayed. Many had left the ghetto never to be seen or heard of again. They could only wish for the best.

The work camps were from the pits of hell. Mordechi would pray and pray sometimes that God would kill him so that he would not have to endure any more pain and suffering. He was young and strong but after days without food and much sleep he was starting to look much older than his years. People were being killed every day at the work camps.

Each minute seemed like an eternity. They were starting to hear terrible stories about other camps like Auschwitz. The Jewish people were being put on trains and sent to what was called death camps. They heard that the people would be stripped naked and sent into these baths where they thought they would be taking a shower and they would be all gased to death. They heard that the bodies were piling up so much that they were being thrown into ditches like trash. They were not even allowed the dignity of a descent burial like human beings. All of these people were somebody. They all had names, families. It was horrible to even think of such a thing. Many would not believe but Mordechi knew somehow that this person had told the truth. It made him sick.

At night when he slept he could see the faces of the many people that were massacred while in the ghetto. There was no mercy for his people and it wasn’t getting any better. He would say his prayers at night and plead with God that he would stop the killing and they would be saved. He knew that God was watching the atrocities against his people and that someday things would change. One night Mordechi had a dream and it was like he was looking down upon the work camp and next to him was an angel of the Most High God. He said to the angel why is this happening and when will it end?

The angel told him Remember the story of your people when they lived in Egypt?

Mordechi said yes I remember the story.

The angel said the Nazi’s are just like the Pharaoh. They are greedy and care not about other people. They do not fear God but the day will come when God will release his people from this bondage. He will repay for every life that has been lost and he will make the way for his chosen people to return back to the land that he promised Father Abraham thousands of years ago.

Mordechi felt a sense of relief. How long angel of God will this take place, my people are suffering and many won’t hold out much longer?

Do not worry about time just know that God will deliver you and you will tell your sons and your daughters that God is still their God and that he delivered you just like he delivered his people in the Bible days.

Nothing had changed but Mordechi held onto the words of the angel that God was still with his chosen people and that he would deliver them and that he would live. Mordechi and many others were given the task of hauling away the many bodies that were killed every day. There was not one day that Mordechi could remember that someone was not killed for one reason or another. As he stood looking over the pile of dead bodies, they looked like skeletons, not much meat on the people because they were literally starving to death he literally blacked out. It was like he was there but he wasn’t there. The same angel that he saw in his dreams was standing next to him. He said Mordechi can these bones live?

Mordechi said only you know angel.

The angel of the Lord said to Mordechi, prophecy to the bones and say unto them people of God you will live again.

Mordechi thought that he must have lost his mind. How could those that have died live again? But he was too afraid this was the angel of God. He surely knew something that Mordechi did not know. Sickened at the sight of the mountain of bodies that lay in the ditch Mordechi found his lips moving and speaking from his heart said People of God, Father Abraham was told by God that he would bring forth from his loins a people that would be as vast as the stars in heaven. He said that we would be afflicted but that he would judge that nation and they would come out with great substance. God has done all that he said that he would do and more for our people. This affliction that we are enduring now is the same affliction but God has promised that his people would be a royal nation and that the land that he gave to Abraham would be for our people forever. As the word of the Lord spoken through my mouth we will live and I said we will live according to the covenant that God has made with us.

Mordechi stood motionless at the great heap only to be startled by one of the other young men. Mordechi you had better stop daydreaming before someone sees you.

It was then that he turned