Memories of childhood. As if through a clouded veil, pictures appear before my eyes, erev shabbat in my grandfather's house, Reb Zalman the shochet of blessed memory. Now he sits down at the top of the table with a twist of tobacco between his fingers: the eyes half-closed--he chazarat chasidut (repeats teachings?). His gaze is directed inward and he draws forth his
p. 59
speech from the depths of his thought.. The chasidim around, some sitting, expectantly, thirstily swallow his words.
The pictures in my memory become clearer, if I think of later years, after the death of my grandfather, my mothers father obm. The tradition was passed to my father Reb Mendel-Leib the shochet obm., who also inherited the office of city shochet and mohel in Disna and the surroundings.
After the death of my grandfather we were called "Zalman the Shochet's grandchildren". This lasted up until my father had earned his place in the town in his own right. I must be grateful, that for that a great deal of help was provided by my grandfather's name and his house, where chasidim liked to get together, to forget worldly concerns and daily troubles, to immerse themselves in a bit of spirituality.
Now clear forms stand before my eyes: the strict Michal Beilin, the nearsighted Yehudah the scholar, Shmerl Zalman Yafeh and Chatriel Yafeh, Yisrael Greiniman the carpenter and Leibke Baruch's Falie the scholar, and Getsl the shamash. All listen with close attention to the holy discourse. The smaller the talmid-chacham-- the greater the effort, to better understand these elevated thoughts.
A complete liberation from materiality reigned during the period of the exposition, as is the chasidim's custom. I do not think that in reply to a chasidic l'chaim someone should complain about his private worries, or seek help. For that there are other occasions. Chattin, arguing about community problems--for that there is the shul, after davening. To ask for advice from my father and matters between "him and her" or between fools--one can talk about that sort of thin in private over a glass of tea.
Simchat torah, simchat beit hashoeva, holidays in Kislev and regular feasts in general, are celebrated with a little drink. And though there were spirits and foot from "a full hand" one never got the impression that people came to get drunk. A man may give his body what it requres, so that it will not disturb our breathing in the highest spheres, undo us with mundane concerns and join all 248 organs [traditional number: organs of the body] to the Lord of the Universe. The people of Israel is his chosen people and we, his chasidim, are the cornerstone, the main relatives by marriage, who bear the yoke of Torah and Mitzvahs. And the wonder is, that Jews forget themselves in unbridled enthusiam. A spark of that joy was seen in the land among the pioneers of the twenties and thirties.
Over a little glass of something, there was no difference between rich and poor, it seems to me, that everyone's clothing was cut from the same cloth. A hand place on a shoulder and out in the circle: "Baruch elohenu she-braranu l-cvodo" "Utaher libenu leavdech beemet..." Only by chance do our feet tread the material earth. The spirit is already very far above in the heavens. A man is composed of various elements, very disparate. The body, that is the symbol of the mundane and concrete and the breath -- that is a part of god. But there is a harmony between them, always they are together as matter and spirit, between doing good and doing evil, the demands of the body from one side, and of the spirit from the other. One can adore the highest with joy, because sadness is the food of Satan.
If only we could draw from these sources when seeking substance and elevated thoughts!
