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Should
a Public Fast Be Appointed?
Question:
Hamburg, Sunday of the [Torah] Portion "And let them make
me a Sanctuary" [Terumah], 5703 [1943].
To:
The distinguished Rabbi in Berlin
I
wish to tell you, Sir, what happened to us last week. During
the winter we assemble to pray in one of the rooms in the
Community House and in this room there stands a cupboard in
which there are two large Scrolls of the Law. We therefore
brought a third, a smaller one, from the Synagogue, to
exchange it. And when we looked at the small Scroll we saw
that it had several imperfections, there were letters that had
faded, erasures and corrections, and therefore we decided not
to read from it in congregation. And when we took out another
Scroll it happened, may the Merciful Lord Preserve us, that
the small Scroll fell to the ground.
And
now, according to the common custom we must declare a fast for
all the people who were in the room and who saw what took
place; and this matter touches upon another matter, which is
this: the people who always or sometimes are concerned with
the ritual cleansing and burying of the dead must try their
souls [fast] on the eve of the New Moon before the month of Nisan,
and in my humble view this is a great trial, especially so
because some of these people are not in sufficient health. I
thought to myself that perhaps the two fasts should be
observed together on the eve of the New Moon referred to
above.
I
beg forgiveness that this time, too, I trouble you with my
question. But what shall I do? For my people look to me, and I
knew myself that I was not fit to instruct them, and
particularly as long as the voice of the Torah is heard
in our land, praise be to the Almighty, from the mouth of his
honor, who is distinguished in the Torah.
Set
down by Jacob Hacohen Katzenstein.
Reply:
With Gods help, Berlin, Wednesday in the week of the Portion
of Terumah 5703.
We
must not impose upon the people, on the contrary, because of
and owing to the troubles and persecutions that are breaking
our spirit this is not the time to torture ourselves. For this
reason it is to be preferred to be sparing with scourging and
torture....
With
respect
Your
faithful servant
Michael
Chaim Gescheit
Building
a Mikveh [ritual bath]
With
Gods help, Hamburg, on the eve of the holy Sabbath [Thursday
night], of the Portion "And I will show them the
way" [Yitro], 5703.
To
the Rabbi, our Teacher and Mentor, Rabbi Michael Chaim Dr.
Gescheit, in Berlin.
Herewith
I send a copy of a memorial scroll which I composed in honor
of the Almighty and in praise of the people who labored and
troubled on the building of the new mikveh, which has
now been completed with the aid of Heaven, and this scroll has
been hidden among the stones of the wall of the mikveh
in order to fulfill the commandment "Let the stones cry
out from the wall...."
To
his Honor, the great scholar and outstanding rabbinical
authority, Rabbi Jacob Katzenstein in Hamburg.
I
received your esteemed letter of Thursday in the week of the
Portion Yitro, together with the copy of the memorial
document and I am indebted to your honored Excellence for much
gratitude, for despite the sad contents I read your beautiful
verses with great pleasure. We must assuredly mourn the
shrinking of the Hamburg community, but it nevertheless
remains a great city in Israel and, despite the very difficult
conditions, its leaders carry out their duties as it is
commanded. Through this service they will hasten the day when
sons will return to the Land, and when you will inscribe on a
stone plaque on the wall what you have now hidden between the
stones of the wall, in order to tell future generations of the
devotion of the spirit and courage of your heart at a time of
trial and oppression.
It
has also been an example for us, for what happened to you
happened to us. The building in Raben Street, which housed our
mikveh, has been sold, and we may perhaps be able to
use its purification water for the present week...and may the
Almighty open up for us soon wells of purification and the
wells of salvation... Amen.
Your
faithful servant,
Michael
Chaim Gescheit
"Sheelot
u-Teshuvoth ben Hamburg le Berlin" ("Responsa
between Hamburg and Berlin"), Beth Jacob, Yarhon
le-Inyene Hinuh, Sifrut u-Mahshava ("Monthly for
Education, Literature and Philosophy"), No. 22 (1961), p.
23.
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