The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-15
YANKELE FINDS CHALIHZAH
FOR THE BENEFIT or 4 DIS
gRESSED WIDOW WOMAN.
The Whole Law OT the Levsrite Marriage IL
BETTER han a Part Thereof when n
GhIldIess Reiict u Unwilling to Marry
Her nprcpossesslns Brotherin.Iaw.

Her nprcp0ssesslns Brotherin-Ilaw.
Mosche Levy having die ohildless. his
widow was abashed. There was no son
L. say the Kaddish for the departed Mosohe.
His praises were sung by his devoted widow.
who remembered lone Of his faults. The
levy contingent. however, were froom
enough TO have ~refrained from saying
lie mortuis nil nisi bonum." even IL they
had Latin. II isn't proper for pious Jews.
Nlosche Levy. TO tell the truth. was not
q bad looking man. He was not quite as
handsome as his widow. Gittel. delighted
O. speak Of him az having been, but COM
pared to his brother Jacob he was a dis
tinguished looking person. Jacob was
shor; and our shouldered. He walked
with n bending OF the knees. His long
heard spread fanlike over his not overclean
coat and was more like the stufing Of a
mattress than was beautiful. He did not
o. all find favor in the eyes of the widow
Gittcl. She did not like him while Mosche
was living. and still lees now.
The Levys were semi-orthodox Jews.
That il TO say they remembered some
thing Of the ritualistic laws OF the race and
religion without having all in mind. That
is how IL happened to come to the mind Of
on Of the family Of having heard somewhere
q the institution OF Levarite marriage. D.,
So il was that Mrs. Simcha Levy. mother
ir-law Of the widow. called upon the be-
roaved young woman one day with he
manner of one filed with information.
"Gittel." said Mrs. Simcha Levy, puff
ingly-the stairs were steep and Mrs.
Simcha was r~otund-"some day you will
get married again. isn't il SOY"
"Oh. mother, how can you speak OF u
a thing and Mosche Dion Hasholom only
such a short time dead?" said Mrs. Gittel.
beginning TO weep. II shouldn't think that
YOU would do it
AS a mother, il is my duty, replied Mrs.
Himcha calmly.
What do you meanP" demanded the
willow, leaving on the use Of the handker-
chief for n moment
II have another SON. Mrs. Simcha de-
Clarcd. "Mosche, olov hasholom, Is dead
Jacob still IL alive. He lie a fine. dutiful boy.
He would make a good husband"
But I don't like Jacob at all. He is
short and ugly
You shouldn't speak that way OF the
brother Of your husband, olov hasholom.
That ! have two sons Ia sign enough that l
an a better mother in Israel than you."
retor;ed Mrs. Simcha. Besides, | arm sure
that Jacob takes after me-"
Il wouldn't marry Jacob il he we're the
last mon on EARTH" said Mrs. Gittel, -and
It. isn't right to the memory OF Mosche,
olov hasholom, you should speak Of it,"
III Jacob we're the Inst man on earth he
could pick and choose, :" replied Mrs. Simcha,
$50 don't talk nonsense. l will tell you
something that you do not know. You
must marry Jacob
Il must? I don't understand Why IL
it must?"
IF you we're a pious woman you would
know. l will tell you. 1t In written that
when a widow il left childless the brother
in-law of that widow narries her in order
that the name may he perpetuated in Israel,
II they have children the first son il named
for the departed. Thereby the glory Of the
name does not depart out Of the house of
Israel. II is therefore that you have no
choice. You must marry Jacob" eS-
planned Mrs. Simcha, prideful at her knowl-
edge of the law.
who told you that? II I don't like
Jacob, what them" stammered the poor
Mrs. Gittel. overwhelmed by the weight OF
knowledge thus let loose upon her; ,..
Mrs. Simcha, lying smoothly. When l
was a girl we were brought up tsadik.
What know I know. Besides 1t will keep
the property in the family"
That il a silly law! 1t is wicked! l
wont do 1t, I hate Jacob and he doesn't
like me. 1t would be a crime to have us
marry. There mightn't he any children,
anyway" said Mrs. Gittel hotly.
Hush! You shed blood abusing the
law. Have you no shame? Impudent and
froward, Is it not bad enough that you
have no children after two years married
without abusing the law2 As to the matter
Of children, l do not know whose fault
been children declared Mrs. Simcha.
running the gamut from proper pride TO
improper pride. 1t is settled, then; you
must marry Jacob"
She departed, leaving Mrs. Gittel in a
storm Of tears. through which the deceased
Mo.che appeared to her a greater loss
than ever. She did not want Jacob. IL
is the penalty OF the semi-orthodox that
they know only enough OF the law to rear
it and to obey blindIy when It IL quoted
superstition Of the occasional shoolsoer.
Since the death OF Mosche, and having nc
children TO occupy her, she was all the
more driven TO the synagogue. She had q
sort Of pride in arising to say the haddisn
in the balcony where none but women sat
She enjoyed all the luxury OF grief
Her whole feeling revolted against Jacob.
She didn't want to marry MIN OF AL meh'
And she was sure he didn't like her.
The trouble between Mrs. Simcha and Mrs
Gittel continued for days and days; Mrs,
Simchalhad not acquainted jacob with her
plans' She first had in mind to bring about
the chance for the match and then announce
her decision to Jacob.
Gittel Lew was a cousin OF Mrs. Shaje
Schleifan, the mother OF Yankele. In an
extremity one day Mrs. Gittel went to see
Mrs. Schleifan to acquaint her with ner
troubles. Mrs. Gittel walked totteringly
INTO the Schleifan household. there 20 find
Nankele. rejoicing In a half day on from
the store. talking TO his mother.
MI. YOU grieve too much" said Mrs.
Schleifan, when the widow had walked
haltingly in and sat down. -You do your
self an Injustice
Mrs. Gittei burst into weeping and sat
sobbing for a long time. Mrs. Schleifan
rocked herself back and forth, sympatheti.
cally, half humming to herself, al val. al
val, 1.-THE while. Yankele drew his face into
a c ontortion designed also 10 indicate his
deep feeling in the matter OF the death OF
M1anha 4 aNu