Nice Story

Shabbos Table Story

Shared by Rabbi Levi Wolf,

The story is of a young boy in the Hungarian city of Szeged, home to a large Jewish community that followed the paths of wisdom and Torah. 

The boy received religious education but following the Nazi invasion in 1944 was uprooted from his family and his studies and thrown to the fire with the other residents of the city. 

He managed to survive, and upon returning to his hometown, rebelled against G-d’s divine ruling of the world and turned against his original beliefs. 

He migrated to Israel, studied philosophy and became a professor—first in Australia and later on back in the Holy Land. Throughout these years, he was vocal about his anti-religion and particularly anti-Jewish opinion. 

Since he was well versed in Jewish texts, he relied on selected Jewish sources to demonstrate that Judaism is a faulty faith, with no truth to it. He even wrote a book, published in Hebrew and English, arguing that Judaism is a ‘theocracy’—the rule of religious elites, opposed to moral values, to the ideas of social equality and to the spirit of free people.

In old age, the professor became ill with cancer. I visited him at his home, with a few other friends. At one moment he pulled me aside, close to his library and told me, that several years earlier he had written the Rabbi of Lubavitch a severe letter, in sharp tongue, expressing harsh arguments towards G-d and his believers. 

He told me that, to his surprise, he received a reply from the Rabbi, written in his own handwriting! 

He took a certain book from a shelf, from which he pulled a piece of handwritten paper, signed by Menachem Mendel Schneerson. 

With great excitement, he asked me to read the letter. I do not recall the exact words, but the structure and contents I clearly remember: first the rabbi thanked the writer for his letter, addressing him in the plural form. 

Then, the Rabbi asked his permission to inquire after his origin: does your surname not indicate that you are of some Lithuanian origin, of this and that family? Or does it rather imply that you are among the Vizhnitz followers from Hungary? Then he finished with some congratulations and signed his name. 

The professor looked at me with hands slightly trembling. I remember his question very well and quote it from memory: “Do you get what he did to me? Do you see how he reproached me"? 

With these subtle questions, the Rabbi reminded him that he comes from a royal background and a glorious past, and although he has difficult questions etc., he shouldn't allow himself to turn his back on his roots and the people he comes from. 

After he read the letter to me he carefully put the letter back inside the book. I think I may have been the only person to whom he has ever shown the letter, and I do not know where that letter is today. 

The professor passed away several months later. 

I do not believe it is a coincidence that I received this story just before this Shabbat, Parashat תולדות. It truly speaks to the essence of the very first verse in our Parasha where we find words that seem somewhat repetitive:

    ואלה תולדת יצחק בן אברהם  (and these are the descendants of Isaac the son of Abreham) and than the verse continues אברהם הוליד את יצחק (Abreham gave birth to Isaac).

I have a strong sense that these two statements, speak to us about very different issues.  

One speaks to the Jewish genealogist, the one interested in knowing what Abreham's family tree looked like, Abreham the verse tells us, is the one who had a child named Yitzchak.

However, the words  יצחק בן אברהם engages the Jewish parent. Many parents have had experience with a child struggling with questions, often existential, highlighting doubts concerning beliefs and values pertaining to their Jewish family and heritage. 

So how should a parent respond to his or her questioning child?

I think the Rebbe’s letter in the above story demonstrates that arguing with a person who is genuinely struggling by listing the ‘right’ answers, might win us the debate, but will not win us back what is most precious - their Soul! 

The Rebbe gently reminded the professor who he really is.You are a prince! You are יצחק the son of the great אברהם! 

And with reminding our children of their glories past, hopefully we can empower them with the opportunity to treasure their Yiddishkeit, even at times when there may be an internal dialogue that is conflicted and exhausting!

Within these moments, they will be mindful of their rich ancestry and the palpable and direct link to their loving father in heaven who has and will continue to look after each of us, now and always! 

With warm regards and blessings, 

Levi