More then two years had elapsed since Rabbi Aaron’s second wedding. At those days nothing was changed in his daily life. However, from time to time a thought bothered his mind: Why has not his second wife brought him a child yet. He was hopeful that a healthy son or daughter would be born by Natalya, but that had not happened. Of course he did not mention anything to her, but she had understood that he was expecting that to happen. She catiously told him her suspicion, that the lack of any treatment just after her abortioin – was the reason for her being barren.
One day Natalya told Aaron that she would like to visit in a public clinique for feminine problems. In the medical stuff of that clinique were some women, who had studied with his first wife. He told her that “God is the best of curers, but he transfers his power to his delegates, the men of medicine. So, you can go and be checked. Why not?”
Rabbi Aaron was reflecting about what he had read in the Bible about the Mothers of the Israeli nation: All had been barren, till God atoned their sins, and they became birth giving.
‘Who knows,’ he reflected, ‘maybe God thinks that I am a Righteous man like our great forefathers. And afterward he wouild help Natalya to bring me children. However, the general trouble of the Jews here - makes it difficult to expect something good for the new baby. No one can prophesize, but the future is dim. Threfore Ntalya may be temporarily barren. When we all will get out of here- she will be fertile. . .I’ll tell that idea to her. No. . . Better not to think and not to talk too much. I’m not a prophet…On the other hand - how can I illusion myself? Everyday I see a negative development. Recently the regime has opened the blocked synagogue: People saw the rude ironmongers playing Chess inside. Someone told me, that they also watch communist propaganda and prophane films there. Thank God, we had rescued our sacred scrolls and some Talmud books. But last Yom Kippur - hardly a Minian- ten men- had come to pray with me at home, and to hear the Torah that I had read loudly. The Jewish congregation has become sparse. Old men cannot move, and Jewish youngsters either hate our God – or are reluctant to arrive at my hut. Some are afraid, that they would lose their job- if caught by Gepau spies. Antonov’s hounds are everywhere. No one can rely even on his best friend. I have seen that in my own eyes. . .The best solution is to pray to God, very fervently. I read now- one by one - Psalm chapters. I do that every day, in addition to my daily prayers. . .the Poet King David, who had written them, was high spirited and full of wisdom. While asking something from the Almighty - you have to know how to plea, what words to choose...the best is to use the old Hebrew words of our holy books. So, I will read daily - one Psalm chapter, even two…
He began to read Psalms every day in the Gallery. After more than two weeks he had already arrived to Chapter 18, which he liked, and murmured it twice: “I love thee O’Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer… in which I take refuge.”
Then he just turned the pages, just to recall what would be the next chapters. He had remembered many by heart, but he did not know where exactly they had . His eyes suddenly met the headlines of a chapter. It was a few chapters after the eighteenth. What he had read made him rise on his feet and stand erect. He uttered like a whimper, and the painter turned his head to him from his studio, asking: ‘Don’t you feel well, Rabbi?”
“No,” he answered, “I’ve just recollected of our gloomy life here. was …But It doesn’t matter. Physically I’m well.”
Blooma arrived with harnessed Raphael, and soon left the boy with Rabbi Aaron. The Rabbi was re-seated at his Cash-desk, (no Cash Register was at those days) looking around. In that day he had become more suspicious toward people around than in any other day. He wanted to be sure, that nobody would listen to him except his son, Raphael. . . He looked at the big Psalms book, and began to read one of the chapters, whispering as to himself.
His son Raf’l, was seated beside him on his special stool, that has a high arched-back-support and hands supports. The boy became aware of his father’s weak voice, so he looked at the Rabbi’s face.
“Papa, why would not you raise your reading voice?” he wondered, “I try to listen, but I can’t understand.”
“I’d like to tell you something very secret,” whispered the Rabbi, and paused. The boy asked what it was.
“I love you and I love Natalya, who I've taken as a wife. We are a family. But… I am afraid to say, that. . . I may leave you and her one day. There is a rumor… that means: people say, that the police, as well as Gepau, want very much to hurt me, because I took part in the demonstrations. We will all be punished . . I don’t know yet how they will do that. They can take me to jail, they can fire me or Natalya from our jobs, and our livws maybe more difficult. Gepau have an unending force. So, something might happen, as they hate me strongly. God allows them to do that, and we hope that He will change his mind. “
“They won’t. . . kill you?” asked the boy.
“Hopefully not. They will just try to break us, and make us suffer. Therefore- you should be stronger than ever, my son. Don’t cry, you’re a grown up.”
“Papa., I know you fear, but God will save you. I am sure.”
“Just before you have arrived here,“ said Rabbi Aaron, “I have read in this book, Psalms. It’s something that I want you also to listen to. Maybe it’s a hint for me from God. I have re- read it ten times. It has suddenly came to me like a lightening breaksout of a cloud. Well... let’s learn Psalms today.”
Rabbi Aaron opened the book of Psalms, and turned a page close to the boy’s eyes. He pointed on the words there by his finger.
“What chapter in Psalms is that?” asked Raphael.
“Thirty Four!” Rabbi Aaron was reading, emphasizing each word, “And David . . .feigned madness. . .and he dropped his saliva on his beard- before the king of the Philistines. So, that king … dro-ve him a-way from his land!”
“Young David pretended to be crazy?” asked the boy.
“Yes. And can I – personally - learn something from that?”
“Father! You can also pretend like that…”
“ShShSh!” ordered him his father, putting his finger on his lips. “Don’t speak so loudly, boy.”
“Papa,” said Raphael, ”You want to tell me, that you can also disguise as mad, and they will drive you out of this land ?! But no! You have me and you have Natalya ! You should not abandon us, papa. We are three, all together. No!”
“What have I just told you, my son? I've learnt this chapter by heart just now. It’s a sign from God! I shall fulfill it!”
“Papa, I am afraid without you. . . Well, I can walk to Blooma every day. Natalya alone will take me in the evening. O’key, I agree.”
“What I was telling you just now,” Rabbi Aaron raised his tone, “you should keep in mind- and in secret! Even from Natalya. . . For the time being. Well, repeat what I have said.”
“That I should keep in secret what you’ve told me just now. . .”
“Even from Natalya.”
The boy nodded.
Sudden shouts and knocks were heard from the gallery’s entry.
Six persons stormed in. They were three Policemen and two Gepauniks - led by Vronsky, and the woman Davidovna from the Pomdat. All penetrated through the front door, and rushed towards Rabbi and Raphael and surrounded them.
Rabbi Aaron snatched the holy book from the desk and pushed it into his drawer. The painter Mendelevitch peeped from his ‘studio’ and shrank away. His head disappered as he saw the visitors.
The woman Social Worker came near the Cash desk, standing there with the three Policemen.
“ Is this the boy?” asked the Police officer, pointing on Raphael
“Yes. We should take him away now,“ said the woman, “I have been responsible for him more than three years. I have witnessed against his father, this vile Rabbi - who teaches him their religious books. . . instead of bringing him under our education system. The time has come to change that
. D’you hear me, Jewish Rabbi?”.
Rabbi was embracing the child, while the social worker was waving a paper close to his eyes.
“Rabbi, you have to look in this Courts’ decision, and sign it.”
Rabbi Aaron did not move.
“Social Workers’ manager Galina,” said the officer to Davidovna, “Please read that to this Rabbi. These are the strict new instructions for educatiom in our country!” Rabbi Aaron did not move, “and I will witness that he had heard every word. . .This is a short statement regarding children in our State. Hear what she reads, Rabbi!”
Social worker Davidovna read monotonously:
“No parents will be allowed to educate a child at home, even if he is crippled or disabled, physically or mentally. Our Communist system takes care of everyone”.
“This Rabbi,” pointed Vronsky on Aaron, “constantly and permanently preaches and teaches only Jewish religion to his son. We should stop it - now!”
“Over my dead body!” shouted Rabbi Aaron hoarsly, “You won’t dare to snatch my cripple son! You don’t know how to take care of him. Oh, God …”
“You will just dream - to steal again into our Leader’s Office,” said Vronsky quietly, ”or send him letters. And you won’t bother Gepau any more. You Pashkudniak! Dirty Creature.” He slapped the Rabbi’s cheek on his beard. The child began to cry.
Vronsky indicated his men to hold the Rabbi, as he tried to rush again toward his abducted kid. Mendelivtch peeped toward the tumult in dread, but did not say a word.
The Policemen had seen that the boy had been connected to his chair, so their officer pulled a bayonet out of his scabbared, and cut the leather strips of the harness. Raphael continued to sob: “papa, papa,” and the civil dressed Gepauniks still avoided Rabbi from physically contradicting to his son’s abduction. The woman Davidovna embraced Raphael around his chest and pulled him out of his stool, while he kicked her a little with his legs. Soon the policemen helped her to rush out with him. When they reached their waiting car, they put Raphael inside – on the seat behind the driver. The policemans was sitting close to him and touching the kid’s narrow shoulders. The boy was crying all the time. Davidovna was seated near the policeman – and the car was driving toward a distant Invalid’s children Institute.
Inside the small Gallery - the Gepauniks hit Rabbi Aaron with metal ‘Lead Fists’, and he was lying on the floor, blood emerging out of his nostrils. Black stains were seen around his swollen eyes, and Tall Aliosha came to see if he had been badly hurt. He stayed near him for a moment, and soon grabbed him by his elbows, and raised him up. Vronsky came nearby, and Aliosha set the Rabbi on a chair near the cash desk..
“Rabbi Aaron Hittin,” shouted Vronsky to him, “you have just learned your lesson. Now - don’t be a fool. We have taken your kid for his well being. He willl grow up to be a beneficial person to our society, I assure you.”
Mendelevich came out of the gallery too, and took the Rabbi to a tub inside his 'studio corner', washed his face, wrapped his bleeding nose and gave him to drink some water. Rabbi Aaron was still panting and murmuring: “God, what should I do now? God, what should I do?”
“Don’t you think it’s better go home, Aaron?” asked the painter. The Rabbi nodded.
Someone of the Gepau gang had already called a wagoner. Aliosha and another Gepau helped the Rabbi to approach a wagon, which was waiting at the sidewalk. He was brought to his hut, and did not remember which of the Gepau men had escorted him. At home he had still felt dizzy, lying on his bed, becoming seated again, praying and moaning.
When Natalya arrived later on, she had already known about the sad event. She heard from the Rabbi that his nose had been broken, and gave him some pill against the pains. She begged him to relax, and calm himself.
Nervous Rabbi Aaron shouted back at her. It had been a first quarrel since their wedding.
“You really don’t care, that my son was snatched,” he insulted her, “This boy had been a yoke on your back. As well as on my own, but I had been used to it. For you he means nothing.”
Hearing the Rabbi blaming her, Natalya sobbed for a minute. Then she decided to remain with him without talking any more. She only read loudly a chapter from Psalm, in Russian. The Rabbi fell asleep very early in the evening.
CHAPTER 35