Page:Yiddish Tales.djvu/280

 276 FRISCHMANN

day before the day before yesterday a whole people, a great assembly.

And suddenly I grasp what it is the Eabbi asks of us. The Rabbi calls on us to eat, to-day! The Rabbi calls on Jews to eat on the Day of Atonement not to fast, because of the cholera because of the cholera because of the cholera. . . and I begin to cry loudly. And it is not only I the whole congregation stands weeping, and the Dayonim on the platform weep, and the great- est of all stands there sobbing like a child.

And he implores like a child, and his words are soft and gentle, and every now and then he weeps so that his voice cannot be heard.

"Eat, Jews, eat! To-day we must eat. This is a time to turn aside from the Law. We are to live through the commandments, and not die through them !"

But no one in the Shool has stirred from his place, and there he stands and begs of them, weeping, and declares that he takes the whole responsibility on him- self, that the people shall be innocent. But no one stirs. And presently he begins again in a changed voice he does not beg, he commands:

"I give you leave to eat I I I !"

And his words are like arrows shot from the bow.

But the people are deaf, and no one stirs.

Then he begins again with his former voice, and implores like a child:

"What would you have of me ? Why will you torment me till my strength fails ? Think you I have not strug- gled with myself from early this morning till now?"

And the Dayonim also plead with the people.