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The Holies and the Revenge
When the destructive waves of one of the many pogroms crashed over the city of Pawlitz, Jews from the entire region fled into the unknown. However, a few pious old men refused to be persuaded and stayed, discoursing with their innermost souls. "They want to crush us in order to taste their own power. Since the day of our birth, we have lived as in a constantly desecrated service of God. Now we are determined to serve our Lord by dedicating our lives to His name." The Rabbi of Koraczow, who had spent many years writing a book on how to come closer to God, decided to stay with the town elders. Finally, however, his gaze fell upon the book and he realised that he had to save it for the edification of coming generations. He fled to Mezhibuzh, where the Baal Shem had already heard the first terrible news. With a heart burdened by deep sorrow, he recited the Mincha prayer and then withdrew to his innermost sanctuary. He called upon Rabbi Akiva and all the martyrs who had suffered centuries of shame and prayed to them to wreak a combined revenge. However, the martyrs refused to return to the ways of earthly life to meet Evil with Evil. Demanding revenge is as humiliating as the evil action of the executioners themselves.
"...The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground!" (Genesis 10:4) |
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