The San Francisco call., 1904-06-19
CHAPTER XVIII.
/ AN BETRAYED.

i A NJ BEL RA = -.
As Shmunke spent about eighteen
hours daily in the yeshiva, l pursued
my new studies in our room without
fear of detection. Shmunke's fanati-
cism reached the point where religion
and barbarism meet. He would Onot
look into a mirror because he regarded
such an act effeminate, and he would
not pass between two women on the
ground of immortality. He not only
bore the yoke of orthodoxy but he
even hated with the Jealous hatred of
a savage any one who did not bear it.
However, 1 little suspected that he was
spying upon me.
One cold. rainy spring morning. sew
eral months after 1 began my new
studies, l was brooding over big folio
of Talmud, though my thoughts were
for from the subject before me, when
the mashgiach's assistant came up TO
me and whispered in my ear that L
should forthwith appear before Rabbi
Brill. / followed him out of the yes
hiva into the rabbits study, my brain
filled with wild fears of evil. Rabbi
Brill sat in his large armchair. his face
clouded with sadness. His young wife
stood haughtily in the doorway be-
tween the library and the adjoining
room. Behind the rabbits chair stood
the mashgiach and his scouts. The
looks of all of them pinned me as 1
stepped over the threshold; the bigotry
of Torquemada was stamped on each
face except that of the rosh-h'shiva.
One of the scouts held a bundle of
books under his arm. At the sight of
these a chill went through me. 1 knew
my fate.
You are Israel Teploffker, and you
have your lodgings with Menke the
tailor, hey?" inquired the mashgiach
in his kissing, whistle-like voice
made no answer.
Are these books yours?" he de-
manded, pointing at the bundle under
the scouts arm.
l still made no reply. There was
such a whirl Of emotions within me
that 1 could not have spoken had 1
wanted to. Rabbi Brill held his sad,
piercing eyes fixed on me and sighed
softly.
$50 you confess. Teploffker," Kissed
the Mashgiach again, that these 'Ep-
icurean books are your property and
that you have read them?"
Ny hatred Of orthodoxy suddenly
famed up. / was on the point of an
swering the Mashgiach by bursting in
to a fierce denunciation of Judaism,
but Rabbi Brill ordered them all out
of the room by a wave of his hand. /
was following, knowing we'll my SEN
tence, when the rabbits voice, hoarse
as if checked with tears, checked me.
Listen, my child. i accepted you
in this institution when no other
place was open to you. l allowed you
a stipend almost beyond my power. L
did this all for you with the under
standing that Won shonld study the
Talmud. But you have devoted your
time to other things-to Haskolo; you
are Worshiping strange gods. Modern
culture is like poison-a cure to one,
death to another. To Judaism it is
death"
He rose from his seat, and laying
his hand gently on my SHOULDER he con-
tinued: "Ah, the young generation!
Our young men do not realize the pre-
ciousness of the Talmud. II is now,
as il has been in centuries past, our
stronghold and a pillar Of light that
has guided US through all darkness.
But for ii what would become of our
Jewish brains, dulled by gentle cru
city and persecution? And what would
our morals be but for It's mighty in
fiuence? What became of the Kar-
rates after they abandoned the Tai
mud? Talmud is like salt, which must
be preserved, If not for its own sake,
for the preservation of the Jew. Its
beautiful legends, its instructive pre-
cepts, its ethical fables, its brilliant
sayings, and the vigorous genius that
permeates every line of it-ahl the
Talmud. and the Talmud only, has
made the Jew indestructible, everlast-
ing!"
The rabbits voice had become mourn
full, and tears were trickling down his
face. THE gaudy appearance of Eu-
ropean civilization is dazzling the eyes
of the young. The same was true
when Greece was In its glory; then the
Jews wished to shine as Hellenes, not
as Jews. The same happened a short
while ago In Germany; the same is
going on now in our own land. Ah!"-
he sighed deeply, and stream of
tears gushed forth over his already
wet cheeks-'it is either to remain a
Jew in the old sense or give UP Juda-
ism entirely. The inherent faculty of
criticism in our race In a scientific age
Will not tolerate Judaism or any other
religion. The gentle can be cultured
and still remain true to his faith, but
the Jew is too critical for that. 1t is
either belief and dogma or science and
infideIism. What has become of most
Of the followers of Mendelssohn, who
planned SO wisely and sincerely? The
great rabbi and philosopher would re-
turn to his grave had he risen to be-
hold the result of his arduous labor.
Only Moses Mendelssohn could be
learned in philosophy and be a Jew.
Woei Woei" and the rabbits tears
- xsssesesS