_The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language (A Companion to _MENDELE_) ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 03.009 22 May 1999 Shvues Double Issue 1) Yiddish Matters: From the Editor (Leonard Prager) 2) "alemen glaykh" (Sholem-aleykhem) -- ershter teyl 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 22 May 1999 From: Leonard Prager Subject: Yiddish Matters -- Sholem-Aleykhem's "Alemen glaykh" This Shvues double issue of _The Mendele Review_ presents a Sholem-Aleykhem story that is not well known. Its seemingly arch-conservative political coloring will puzzle readers accustomed to think of Tevye's creator as the universal democrat and liberal. Yet it is probably a mistake to judge a story written almost a century ago in the light of more recent categories of right and left. Sholem-Aleykhem frames his story as "utopian" but his use of "di royte yidelekh" (first introduced into modern Yiddish fiction by Mendele in _Masoes Binyomin hashlishi_) encourages us to translate this as "messianic" -- there are numerous legends associating the Jews on the other side of the Sambatyon with the messianic age. Sholem-Aleykhem may be saying nothing more counter-revolutionary than that there is not going to be a messianic age until the characters and values of human beings change. The town fool, R' Meyer bal-moyekh, makes wise comments which reflect the author's own views. Man is more than a beast who lives only to satisfy his immediate physical needs; the cash nexus is an unacceptable basis for human existence. R' Meyer predicts that blood will be shed as a result of the universal cash distribution, and we soon learn that the butchers have indeed murdered fellow townsmen who broke into their shops for meat. Ideal solutions are premature at this stage of human development; for the time being the traditional socio-economic relations are to be preferred. It is not such a reactionary critique after all. The teller wakes up in a sick bed, having suffered a mental breakdown. The sojourn among the "royte yidelekh" was, of course, a dream. He wakes up in an unchanged world where "Plus ca change plus ce la meme chose". Rather than a rejection of socialist ideas on redistribution of wealth, the story satirizes naive notions of distributive justice. I suspect that Sholem-Aleykhem was trying to amuse -- which Sholem-Aleykhem can do despite or even with the help of tragic and grotesque ingredients (murder, mob fury, cruelty, madness) -- rather than to disabuse of any particular social or economic program; but his story supports the rabbinic tradition of suspicion of anyone who tries "to hasten the end" a la Shaptse Tsvi (Sabbatai Zevi) -- see Isaac Bashevis Singer's greatest work, _Satan in Goray_. Thanks to the "royte yidelekh" there is a Shvues connection to today's issue of the TMR. According to one legend, Rabbi Meyer Sh[a]ts [cantor of Mainz and of Worms, ca. 1000], to whom the Aramaic Akdomes [Akdomus] prayer read at the beginning of the Tora reading on Shvues is attributed, learned the art of the Akdomes [Akdomus] from the Ten Tribes beyond the Sambatyon. One story recorded in the Israel Folktale Archives in Haifa from Eastern European respondents tells of Rabbi Meyer crossing the Sambatyon on a weekday before the eyes of many; he came to Germany to save the Jews from a threatening decree and remained there. Another version tells of his leaving his German homeland and crossing the Sambatyon following his sacrifical service to his Ashkenazic brothers. Printed Yiddish versions of Rabbi Meyer's miraculous intercession exist from as early as the end of the 17th century. The title of a later Lemberik edition reads: _Mayse gvures adonay_ -- fun eyn groys nes vos yidn iz geshen vos zey zenen nitsl gevorn fun eyn shlekhtn galekh durkh r' meyer vos hot gemakht akdomes un durkh eyn royt yidl unter dem sambatyen [dos iz ibergezetst fun loshn koydesh un iz loyter emes: belvov]. The Akdomes poem was once a subject of keen halakhic debate, since it is a _din_ 'halakhic law' that the Tora reading not be interrupted. But the rabbis ruled here that _mineg_ 'custom' overrides _din_. Sephardic congregations did not adopt the custom of reading the Akdamut at Shvuot, but perhaps some do today recite this remarkable composition. THE TEXT Avraham Novershtern has reported that "Alemen glaykh" first appeared under the title "Nokh der khaluke" ('After the Distribution') in the weekly Warsaw _Folkstsaytung_ 43-46 (21 October - 11 November 1903), was reprinted in the 3-volume Warsaw jubilee edition of Sholem-Aleykhem's works in 1909 and in the 5-volume New York edition of 1912 (which was reprinted in Warsaw in 1914). The story also appeared in _Familyen biblyotek_ No. 74 (Warsaw 1912). It was not included in the quasi-canonical 28-volume New York edition, for which there must be a good reason. Did the Forverts socialists regard the story as unflattering to the proletariat? By kind permission of the editors, the story is here reproduced from Shalom Luria's line-numbered edition in _Khulyot_ 2 (1994), pp. 91-109. It has been carefully romanized according to the Yivo rules and conformed to the additional modifications of Refoyl Finkel's Yiddish Typewriter. Processed through the Yiddish Typewriter it yields a Yiddish-letter text. The spelling instructions (for certain words of Hebrew-Aramaic origin) to the Yiddish Typewriter are assembled at the head of each of the two installments (whose division is arbitrary and not Sholem-Aleykhem's). In the rare instances where the Yiddish Typewriter refused to do my bidding, I resorted to Latin-letter insertions (e.g. kol 'voice'); _kol_ of course, is a homonym. 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 20 May 1999 From: Lucas Bruyn and Leonard Prager Subject: "alemen glaykh" (Sholem-aleykhem) Sholem-aleykhem alemen glaykh (mayn utopye) [ershtn teyl] [z. 91] \spell Eli|k #lyk \spell Nekhemye nHmih \spell alef # \spell dalet d \spell gan gn \spell eydn edn \spell meshorsem mshrTim \spell bale beli \spell batem bWim \spell yamem ymim \spell alkn el Kn \spell shel shl \spell ato #Wh \spell bekhartonu bHrWnu \spell mikol mKl \spell hoamim hemim \spell sambatyen smbtyun \spell kasve-rabe KTB# rbh \spell koydesh kudsh \spell shvakh shBH \spell hoydayo hudih \spell khisorn Hsrun \spell prute pruth \spell yefeyfye yfhfyh \spell bikhdey bkhdi \spell khezhboynes HshbunuT \spell mesles meT leT \spell adrabe #drbh \spell eysek esk \spell yoyme yum# \spell depagre dpgr# \spell koyle kuli \spell shoyfres shufruT \spell hariges hriguT \spell kavyokhl KBykhul \spell khezhbm Hshbun \spell khaluke Hluk|h \spell meyad myd \spell leyad lyd \spell negidem ngidim \spell bezdn biT-din \spell mayle melh. \spell malokhem ml#khim \spell shalve shlvh \spell shoymer shumr \spell nekhoyshes nHushT \spell oshamnu #shmnu \spell penim|er pnimer \spell sosn QQun \spell eynhore ein hre \spell meye m#h \spell ipesh eipush \spell minastam mn hsWm \spell kedoyme Kdumh \spell nivl nBhl \spell venishtoymem u|nshWumm \spell nun alef ru"K nun #lf ru"K \spell bal bel \spell khakren Hkrn \spell akhroynem #Hrunim \spell nigen nigun \spell mies|er mi#user \spell broyges brugz alef. 1. az got hot aroysgetribn Odem mit Khave|n fun gan-eydn un zey hobn zikh ongehoybn frukhpern un mern un onfiln di erd, iz zeyere kinder un kinds-kinder gevorn eng di velt un hobn zikh nisht gekont aynteyln mitn gut|s, vos iz zey geblibn b|yerushe fun zeyere elter-elter zeydes, hobn zey zikh tsekrokhn iber der gantser erd, zikh opgesheydt eyner fun dem andern, farfremt gevorn, oysgetrakht zikh itlekher zayn loshn, farheylikt itlekher zayn gloybn, fargesn, az zey kumen ale fun eyn yikhes, un ongehoybn haltn milkhome eyns mitn andern, tsunemen eyns bay dos andere dos farmegn -- un s'iz gevorn a mishmash fun farsheydene mentshn, mit farsheydene leshoynes, mit farsheydene minhogem, mit farsheydene klasn, shtarke un shvakhe, oreme un raykhe, harn un knekht, meshorsem un bale-batem, fabrikantn un arbeter -- un azoy hot zikh es getsoygn a tsayt mit yorn un mentshn hobn gemeynt, az azoy badarf es zayn.(1) 2. nor vos vayter vayter iz di velt gevorn kliger un mentshn hobn ongehoybn mumlen oyf dem seyder-h|oylem, ongehoybn shrayen: far vos kumt eynem gor, dem andern gornit? der geshrey iz gevorn vos vayter greser un shtarker un s'iz derfun aroys nokh gresere makhloykes|n un geshleg. un ersht nokh dem, az mentshn hobn zikh gut ongemordevet, genug ongeredt, ongeshrien, oysgegosn feser mit tint, fargosn taykhn mit trern un yamem blut, hot men aroysgezen bashaymperlekh, az vayter ken es azoy nit zayn. men vet zikh azoy lang harg|enen, shlogn un esn eyns dos andere biz es vet nisht blaybn keyn eyntsiker mentsh oyf der erd un es vet kholile untergeyn, khorev vern di gantse velt. 3. alkn iz geblibn, men zol avekshraybn a papir, a gebet-briv tsum reboyne-shel-oylem, er zol zikh araynleygn tsvishn di mentshn un makhn a sholem oyf der velt. 4. vu zhe gefint men aza mentshn, vos zol zayn a khoshev bay got un zol kenen avekshraybn tsum reboyne-shel oylem a papir? geveyntlekh bay undz, bay [z. 92] di royte yidelekh(2); vorem vu iz do nokh aza folk, vos ken zogn ato-bekhartonu mikol hoamim, du host undz oysderveylt fun ale felker, vi mir royte yidelekh, vos oyf der zayt sambatyen... un es hot zikh gefunen bay undz eyner a mentsh mit a pen, a kasve-rabe, vos hot zikh untergenumen dos altsding forleygn far got, oyfshraybn dos altsding oyf papir, geveyntlekh oyf loshn koydesh, nor azoy es zol zayn eyn mol a papir! 5. ongehoybn hot zikh dos papir geveyntlekh mit a shvakh u|hoydayo, mit a loybenish in tog arayn: "du bist a groyser got, a shtarker got, a moyre|diker got," vi geveyntlekh ale tfiles heybn zikh on ... 6. nokh dem iz gegangen bay im a bashraybung fun der velt, vos far a tayere velt, vos far a sheyne, vos far a likhtike, vos far a kluge velt dos iz!... 7. sheyn, groysartik sheyn hot er bashribn di velt, un nokh dem hot er zikh genumen tsum same rekhtn inyen funem papir, funem gebet-briv. 8. un der rekhter inyen iz geven dos, vos mentshn zenen shoyn ale borekh-hashem genug klug un gebildet un voltn zikh gekont oplebn gliklekh mit zeyer zibetsik yor oyf der erd. 9. iz ober der khisorn, vos nit ale zenen bateylt, nisht mit erd, nisht mit broyt, nisht mit gelt. 10. eyener hot gor, der anderer -- gornit. 11. eyner farmogt berg mit gelt, milyardn, der anderer geyt oys nokh a prute, farshtelt zikh far a betler, tsit oys di hant un vart biz emetser vet zikh dermonen im araynvarfn an altn opgeribenem groshn. 12. eyner flit oyf gumelastikene redlekh, batsolt far an onbaysn ergets mit a yefeyfye a shansonetke azoy fil, vifl der anderer vintsht zikh es farmogn zayn eygns, khotsh halb, khotsh a tsent kheylek!... 13. eyner geyt arum pust-un-pas un vert shi|er nit meshuge, brent gelt oyf dem likht, un der anderer arbet bay 40 grad hits, geyt op mit shveys, leygt avek dos gantse gezunt biz er fardint koym oyf a bulke. 14. un bikhdey tsu nemen dem reboyne-shel-oylem mit statistike, mit khezhboynes, khapt er on eynem fun di greste kapitalistn, epes a gevisn rokfeler fun amerike, vos farmogt nisht mer vi fir milyard kapital un fardint nisht mer vi tsvey hundert milyon a yor, dos makht oys azoy groys vi zibn hundert toyznt rubl a tog, un zayn arbeter, vos horevet mitn blutikn shveys oyf im zekhtsn sho in mesles far onderhalbn karbn, darf oys|haltn dermit a vayb mit [z. 93] zeks hungerike, nakete un borvese kinder mit a kranke muter ergets in finstern, kaltn keler. 15. ven der doziker narisher rokfeler -- zogt der shrayber funem papir -- ven der doziker rokfeler khapt zikh oyf in a sheynem frimorgn un vil zikh koyfn oylem-habe un ruft tsunoyf a milyon oreme arbeter un zogt zey: "nat aykh, brider, lomir zikh tseteyln ale glaykh!" bakumt dokh yeder oreman oyf zayn kheylek nisht mer un nisht vintsiker vi fir toyznt karbn! 16. vey, vey, vifl rokfelers, vifl vanderbilds, vifl rotshilds es zenen faran oyf der velt -- lozt oys der shrayber -- un keynem iz nokh biz aher nit ayngefaln aza gedank! adrabe, tomer derhern zey, az oreme-layt krekhtsn, oreme-layt mumlen oyf zey, oreme-layt tseyln zeyer farmegn, vern zey ongetsundn un tsebeyzern zikh: "akish! nit ayer eysek! ir darft arbetn un zogn a dank vos men git aykh arbet!..." 17. un az se makht zikh bay dem rokfeler, bay dem vanderbild, bay dem rotshild a simkhe, a yoyme-depagre, varft er aroys a beyndl far di milyonen oreme-layt un shrayt oyf koyle-koyles un blozt in ale shoyfres: "ir zet? dos hob ikh geshenkt tsum tog fun mayn geborn..." 18. dos ken fardrisn un derfun nemen zikh ale makhloykes|n mit ale hariges tsvishn mentshn... 19. bekheyn iz vos? 20. "bekheyn betn mir dikh, almekhtiker got, der har fun ale hershaftn, inem nomen fun ale hunderter milyonen oreme, fintstere, dershlogene, oysgehorevete, kranke arbeter, du zolst zikh araynleygn in a sholem, zolst zikh matriekh zayn aleyn kavyokhl mit dayn koved makhn a rikhtikn khezhbm, aynkasirn dos gantse gelt fun der velt un makhn a khaluke tsvishn ale mentshn glaykh, vet oyfhern zeyer kine, sine, makhloykes|n, zidlerayen mit blut fargisn. un es vet vern shtil un ruik oyf dayn veltl, vi in posek shteyt geshribn ..." 21. geveyntlekh hot der shrayber nit gezhalevet keyn psukem fun di heylike sforem fun a mol un oykh fun di bikher fun di shpeterdike doyres mit ale khakhomem un groyse layt fun atsind, un dos papir hot ongehoybn geyn meyad leyad, un ale (akhuts di negidem, geveyntlekh) hobn dos papir opge|khasm|et un men hot dos papir avekgeshikt glaykh ahin aroyf tsum bezdn-shel-mayle. b. 22. un got hot tsugehert tsu undzer gebet un es hot zikh gelozt hern, az men hot aropgeshikt fun oybn modne nefoshes, azelkhe vos men hot [z. 94] zey biz aher nit gezen, epes halb mentshn, halb malokhem. dos heyst, esn esn zey vi mentshn, nor dos aroyszen mitn redn mitn banemen zikh iz fun malokhem. vuhin zey kumen arayn vert likhtik in ale vinklekh, sholem-u|shalve tsvishn mentshn. oys krig, oys sine, un vos zey zogn folgt men zey, un vos zey heysn vert geton. un heysn heysn zey, men zol tsunoyftrogn dos gantse gelt fun der velt oyf eyn ort, gold bazunder un zilber bazunder un mints bazunder, keyner zol nit lozn bay zikh keyn prute shel nekhoyshes. un merkvirdik! keyner hot nit gezogt keyn vort, nit ibergekert di tsung, un men hot genumen tsunoyftrogn dos farmegn, gold un zilber un kuper, perl un dimentn un brilyantn, un sha, shtil, on tuml, on verter. dray teg mit dray nekht hot gedoyert dos aynkasirn funem gelt. men hot ongeshotn azelkhe kupes mit gold, az s'iz geven a moyre tsu kukn. un merkvirdik! dos gold iz gelegn frank un fray, nisht eyn shoymer, nisht eyn bloyze shverd. shtil un ruik hot men getrogn dos gut|s -- gold bazunder, zilber bazunder, un mints bazunder -- un oyfn fertn tog in der fri hot zikh ongekhmaret der himl, badekt mit shvere shvartse volkns, un a pakhed iz gefaln oyf ale mentshn. a sakh zenen tsugefaln mitn ponem tsu der erd, zikh geshlogn "oshamnu"... un a sakh zenen geshtanen un gekukt: vos vet do zayn? un plutsling hot oysgebrokhn a shreklekher duner un a moyre|diker blits hot balaykht dem himl fun eyn ek bizn andern ek, un mir hobn ale derzen a moyre|dike tabele fun fayerdike tsifer oyfn himl: 15,000,000,000,000 : 1,500,000,000 = 10,000 23. un mir hobn farshtanen, az dos iz der emes|er khezhbm, az dos iz di emes|e khaluke, az dos makht tsen toyznt dolar oyf a mentshn. un es hot bald a bloz geton an ander vintl un hot getribn di khmares, un der himl hot zikh opgereynikt un iz gevorn loyter vi krishtol, un di zun hot aropgekukt un geshaynt vi gingold, un di luft iz gevorn frish, un di erd iz gevorn yontef|dik, un di mentshn zenen gevorn ale freylekh un munter, di penim|er hobn geshaynt, oreme-layt hobn zikh arumgenumen un gekusht, un itlekher iz zikh tsugegangen eyntsikvayz tsum gold, zikh opgetseylt punkt zayn kheylek nokhn tsol fun zayn hoysgezind: a gezindl fun fir parshoyn hot genumen fertsik toyznt karbn, a gezindl fun akht parshoyn hot genumen akhtsik toyznt karbn, eyn mentsh aleyn hot genumen nor tsen toyznt karbn. un merkvirdik! keyner hot nisht genumen nisht mer nisht vintsiker, un biz oyf der nakht hot der oylem tsugenumen dos gantse gelt un men iz zikh b|sholem u|b|shalve tsegangen aheym lebedik, freylekh, gezungen lider un geloybt got far [z. 95] zayn erlekhkayt un gerekhtikayt, far zayn groys gnod un barmhartsikayt, vos er hot zikh sof-kol-sof arumgekukt oyf di zindike mentshn un oysgeleyzt di velt fun groyse umglikn, vos hobn gekont zayn, nisht derlozt, az di erd zol kholile khorev vern iber aza narishkayt vi gelt ... a gantse nakht hot men gehulyet, klezmer hobn geshpilt in ale hayzer, flakers hobn gebrent in ale gasn. s'iz geven a sosn ve-simkhe, \english {'very merry' oyr layehudem}... gimel. 24. oyf morgn in der fri -- ikh bin nokh gelegn in bet -- her ikh mayn vaybs \english{'voice' kol}: 25. -- vu bistu ergets, moyd? trog arayn vaser, heyts in oyvn, moyd! 26. nor moyd haynt moyd morgn, nishto keyn moyd! vu iz ahingekumen di moyd? zi iz avekgegangen nekhtn oyf der nakht -- iz zi shoyn mer tsurik nisht gekumen. 27. -- a potefalnost fun a moyd! -- zogt mayn vayb un fayert mit sakones-nefoshes -- ot vestu zen, az ikh shaf zi op! ... un azoy vi zi redt, kumt on di moyd ongeton shabes|dik, mit a hitele un mit a zontikl un knakt nislekh. 28. a gut yontef dir -- zogt tsu ir mayn vayb -- vos bistu epes azoy oysgestrotslt, neshome mayne? 29. -- ikh bin gekumen aykh zogn - makht tsu ir di moyd -- gants oyfgeleygt vi a kale -- ir zolt zikh zukhn an ander mentshn. 30. -- azoy, vos iz di mayse? 31. -- di mayse ... mir zenen shoyn itster borekh-hashem bale-batem glaykh mit alemen. mir zenen keyn eynhore nayn parshoyn, hot zikh ongenumen oyf undzer kheylek nayntsik toyznt dolar. 32. -- zey zenen raykher fun undz -- zog ikh tsu mayn vayb shtilerheyt un mir shteyen un kukn eyns oyf dos andere on verter. 33. -- ikh hob moyre, mayn vayb, az hayntiks mol vestu muzn farkatshn, mekhile, di arbl un zikh matriekh zayn aleyn aynheytsn in oyvn. 34. a sheyne gedule! ale beyze viste khaloymes... 35. ... az mayn vayb heybt on batlen khaloymes gey ikh demolt avek fun der heym. azoy bin ikh mikh noyeg fun tomed on, un azoy hob ikh geton oykh itst. 36. aroysgekumen oyf der gas -- s'iz shtil, yontef|dik! in mark di kleytn zenen ale tsu, men zet nisht a nefesh. "der oylem shloft nokh -- trakht ikh mir -- rut zikh oys nokhn nekhtikn tog." ikh heyb oyf di oygn -- Nekhemye der hinkediker papirosnik loyft hendum-pendum, shpringt [z. 96] unter oyf eyn fisl, un ikh dermon zikh, az s'iz mir oysgegangen papirosn. 37. vuhin iz, Nekhemye? shtey a vayle! 38. -- ikh hob keyn tsayt nit! -- makht er -- ikh loyf aheym. 39. -- eyn rege! -- zog ikh -- ikh vil bashteln bay dir a toyznt papirosn! 40. -- vosere papirosn? -- makht er mir - vosere lokshn?(3) mayn tate hot avekgetrogn nor vos in bank arayn a putike, zogt ir mir gor papirosn. 41. "a sheygets kon! -- trakht ikh mir -- "keyn mol hot mit mir Nekhemye azoy nit geredt." 42. -- ikh badarf ober -- zog ikh -- papirosn! khotsh a meye papirosn! 43. -- meyle vos ir badarft - makht er tsu mir un antloyft mitn krumen fisl un mikh lozt er shteyn vi a nar in mitn mark. 44. "hayntiks mol vel ikh muzn koyfn fartike papirosn"(4) -- trakht ikh mir un loz mikh geyn vayter un derze khlavne dem shuster shteyn bay der tir fun zayn shtibl un es valgern zikh di bebekhes. 45. khlavne der shuster iz a yid mit an oysgeflikt berdl, mit a tsunoyfgetsoygener noz, vos fayft, un mit shvartse grobe finger. 46. -- vuhin iz, reb khlavne? 47. -- ikh kleyb mikh ariber in an ander dire -- zogt er tsu mir un di noz fayft -- genug shoyn tsu zitsn do in ipesh. lozn shoyn andere a bisl farzukhn di vantsn, ikh kon mikh shoyn haynt, mit got's hilf, farginen a shenere dire. 48. -- gut vos ikh hob aykh derzen, reb khlavne, ikh darf take hobn a por naye shtivl. ir vet zikh take matriekh zayn ot bald aropnemen a mos oyf a por shtivl. 49. -- shtivl? -- makht tsu mir khlavne mit a fayf -- lozn aykh shoyn andere neyen shtivl[.] mit zekhtsik toyznt karbn keyn eynhore vel ikh mir gefinen an ander parnose minastam. vi meynt ir? ha? 50. der gedank, az khlavne der shuster iz a yid fun zekhtsik toyznt karbn, gefelt mir zeyer, az ikh tselakh mikh un trakht mir, az ikh vel shoyn muzn koyfn zikh greyte shtivl in kleyt, un ikh loz mikh geyn vayter un bagegn alik dem shnayder mit a shabes|diker kapote un mit a shpogl nayem kashket oyfn kop, oysgetsoygn vi a strune, un di kasoke oygn zayne kukn oyf mir un shmeykhlen. 51. -- gut -- zog ikh -- vos ikh hob dikh derzen, Eli|k! 52. -- vos iz azoy der gut|skayt? -- makht er tsu mir mit a shmeykhl fun an azes-ponem. [z. 96] 53. ikh hob dir gevolt betn, zolst moykhl zayn araynkumen haynt tsu mir nokhn esn. 54. -- vos vel ikh bay aykh ton nokhn esn, a shteyger kedoyme-lemoshl -- makht er tsu mir alts mit yenem azes-ponem-shmeykhl. 55. vos heyst -- zog ikh -- vos vestu bay mir ton? ikh vil mir bashteln a nayem garniter, dos heyst tsvey naye garniters vil ikh mir lozn makhn: eynem fun triko, a bisl a varemen, un dem andern a gringn, fun velvet, oyf di heyse teg. 56. -- nu, vos zhe geher zikh dos on -- zogt er -- mit mir? 57. nivl-venishtoymem bin ikh gevorn fun aza entfer un hob keyn vort nisht gekont mer aroyslozn. er hot a ponem farshtanen, az ikh bin iberrasht. makht er tsu mir vi a rekhter azes-ponem: 58. -- vos zent ir azoy in grimtsorn? ikh bin shoyn haynt mit got|s hilf oys shnayder, a balebos glaykh mit aykh. ikh farmog haynt fuftsik toyznt karbonim, ir farshteyt tsi neyn? nun alef ru"K. 59. un er tut zikh a patsh mit der hant iber der zayt-keshene un a knak mitn finger. 60. -- a palge blaybt a palge -- zog ikh un loz mikh geyn in mark arayn tsvishn di kleytn. ver? vos? nishto a hunt! farshlogn tir un toyer. zeltn-zeltn zet men loyfn emetsn farbay shtark fartrasket. itlekher iz fartrogn mit zikh, hot nisht in zinen keynem, entfert afile nisht oyf keyn 'gut morgn'. plutsling tut mir emetser a zets in pleytse. ikh drey mikh oys tsurik -- reb Meyer bal-moyekh! 61. -- nu? -- makht er tsu mir vos hot ir ge|poyel|t? 62. -- danken got! -- zog ikh -- oys oreme-layt, oys negidem, haynt zenen, borekh-hashem, ale glaykh. 63. a gedule oyf der bobe! -- makht er tsu mir un kukt mir modne in di oygn arayn. 64. reb Meyer bal-moyekh iz a yid an alter mit a groyser groyer bord un mit a hoykhn shtern, un men halt im bay undz far a platshikn, dos heyst, a bisl nit ibergeshpitst. un derfar rufn mir im bay undz beloshn sagenoer 'bal-moyekh'. un dertsu halt er zikh take a gantse khakren, a filozof. er iz a mentsh aleyn, an almone, on kinder, un men shatst im far a groysn oysher, ariber shin alofem. atsind, nokh der khaluke, az s'hot zikh ongenumen oyf zayn khilek sakhakl tsen toyznt, kumt oys, az er hot keyn gut gesheft nit gemakht, un dos gefelt mir take zeyer un ikh bagegn im mit a shmeykhele. 65. -- a|yo -- makht er tsu mir un visht zikh dem shveys -- ir kvelt, ir [z. 97] zent, borekh-hashem, atsind ale negidem un s'iz aykh gut vi di velt? zog ikh aykh, hert ir, az ir zent ale oyf tsores! 66. -- oyf tsores? -- zog ikh -- vos iz di mayse? 67. -- di mayse iz, vos ir zent beheymes. ir heybt nit on tsu farshteyn, vos mit aykh tut zikh! 68. -- nor ir eyner -- zog ikh -- zent a khokhem; nit umzist ruft men aykh 'bal-moyekh'. 69. -- ir megt mikh -- zogt er -- rufn vi ir vilt aykh, nor ikh zog aykh, az ir zent beheymes! ferd! kelblekh! 70. dos hot mir shoyn rekht fardrosn -- a 'bal-moyekh' zol zikh avekshteln zidlen, onrufn a gantse velt mitn nomen beheymes un ferd un kelblekh! un ikh tselakh mikh glaykh im in ponem arayn un gey avek fun im. 71. -- freydt zikh, freydt zikh -- shrayt er mir nokh -- ir vet kharote hobn! es vet aykh oysfaln bokom! 72. "alter nar -- trakht ikh mir -- ikh veys vos aykh brent! se fardrist aykh, vos ikh bin haynt raykher fun aykh! ir zent nisht eyner, faran a sakh bay undz azelkhe negidem vi ir, vos hobn gemeynt, az nor zey kumt, az nor zey badarfn hobn gelt. an ek, oys negidem, oys oreme-layt, oys meyukhosem. 73. ikh ker mikh um un gey aheym. dalet. 74. -- vos vet zayn der takhles? -- zog ikh tsu mayn vayb nokh dem az mir hobn beyde nokh a mol ibergetseylt undzer mayontek zibetsik toyznt karbn, vayl mir zenen keyn eynhore zibn, un gut bahaltn in kastn -- heys khotsh shteln dem samovar, veln mir trinken tey, es khalesht mir dos harts. 75. -- napshiklad* vemen zol ikh heysn? -- makht tsu mir mayn vayb -- dem shames fun der shul? du host shoyn fargesn a ponem az di moyd hot undz avekgevorfn un vil shoyn mer nisht dinen, un di kekhin oykh? 76. -- di kekhin oykh? 77. -- vos den? ale hobn dokh genumen fun der khaluke! ale (zenen) glaykh meyukhosem! 78. -- veystu vos? -- zog ikh -- gis du on dem samovar un ikh vel im tseblozn. 79. -- napshiklad mit vos zol ikh im -- zogt zi - ongisn? mit akhroynem vaser, tsi mitn faryorikn shney? az fun nekhtn on kuk ikh nisht on dem vaser-firer in di oygn! 80. un azoy vi mir redn derze ikh durkhn fentster Nakhmen ber dem vaser-firer [z. 99] forn mit a fas funem taykh; loyf ikh aroys tsu im mekabl-ponem zayn un vil im opshteln. 81. -- reb Nakhmen ber! reb Nakhmen ber! zayt zhe moykhl, shtelt zikh op a vayle, git undz a por emer vaser! 82. -- vaser? in taykh iz faran genug! -- makht er tsu mir un kukt afile nisht tsu mir in vinkl arayn. 83. -- vos makht ir khoyzek, reb Nakhmen ber? men darf shteln dem samovar, nishto a tropfn vaser. 84. -- azoy? ot tsekrats ikh mir di pyates! -- makht er tsu mir gants breytlekh un mit a gelekhter -- az men vil vaser nemt men an emer azoy vi ikh (dem 'ikh' tsit er oys oyf an arshin un men iz zikh matriekh tsum taykh azoy vi ikh, un men farkatshet di poles azoy vi ikh!... 85. ikh ken Nakhmen ber dem vaser-firer shoyn etlekhe un tsvantsik yor, hob ikh im nokh keyn mol nit gehert redn mit aza ton un mit aza breytkayt un mit aza nigen vi itst. 86. -- herstu? -- zog ikh tsu mayn vayb -- s'iz a mies|er eysek! men badarf khotsh geyn krign a bulke. ikh vel a shprung ton tsum beker un du zay zikh matriekh in mark arayn nokh fleysh. 87. gekumen tsu shmulik dem beker, er zitst nit vayt fun undz, un ikh tref im baym tish mit zayn gants gezindl. men zitst, men trinkt tey un men shvitst. 88. -- a gut morgn, reb Shmuel! -- zog ikh tsu im. 89. -- a gut morgn, a gut yor. vos vet ir epes zogn gut|s? -- makht er tsu mir epes zeyer oyfgeleygt un bet mir afile nit zitsn. 90. -- ikh hob aykh gevolt betn -- zog ikh -- a por bulkes, oder koyletshlekh geflokhtene. 91. -- hot keyn faribl nit -- makht er tsu mir un visht zikh dem shveys mit a yontef|diker fatsheyle. -- bulkes hob ikh fun maynt vegn. 92. -- vos heyst fun ayert vegn? 93. -- ot dos heyst -- zogt er -- ir vilt bulkes? bakt. 94. -- ikh vel aykh gut batsoln -- pruv ikh mikh unterkoyfn mit gelt. 95. -- take -- makht er tsu mir mit a shmeykhele -- ir vet mir gut batsoln? efsher vel ikh aykh gut batsoln un bakt ir mir bulkes? 96. -- broyges -- zog ikh -- badarf men do nit zayn. dervayl zent ir dokh a beker, un bay a beker koyft men bulkes ... 97. -- s'iz alts geven a mol! makht er tsu mir mit a shmeykhele fun a shtot-balebos shabes nokhn esn un glet zikh di bord -- a mol bin ikh geven a beker un haynt bin ikh oys beker, adye! lozt dortn grisn ayer vayb [z. 100] 98. ikh zol nit moyre hobn far keyn petsh, volt ikh zikh opgerekhnt mitn dozikn beker, dem grobn yungatsh, er zol mir hobn tsu gedenkn! nor vi past dos far mir, a noged fun zibetsik toyznt karbn un a tatns kind dertsu zol zikh avekshteln oys|taynen mit a bal-melokhe a beker? un ikh tu a klap mit der tir un gey aheym. [hemshekh in band 3, numer 010] ______________________________________________________ End of _The Mendele Review_ 03.009 Leonard Prager, editor Subscribers to _Mendele_ (see below) automatically receive _The Mendele Review_. Send "to subscribe" or change-of-status messages to: listproc@lists.yale.edu a. For a temporary stop: set mendele mail postpone b. To resume delivery: set mendele mail ack c. To subscribe: sub mendele first_name last_name d. To unsubscribe kholile: unsub mendele ****Getting back issues**** _The Mendele Review_ archives can be reached at: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~mendele/tmrarc.htm