Friday, Sept. 13, 1963 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEW S — 24

The Preacher of Dnbua: Noteworthy Mashalim Recorded in Legend

By DR. H. RABINOWICZ
We read in Deuteronomy almost intoxicated with the
The king of the Maggidim, (Chapter XIII) "All this word sights of the big town, the
Rabbi Jacob B. Wolf Kranz which I command you, ye shall houses, the streets, the shops;
(1741-1804), was popularly observe to do: thou shalt not a new world was opening before
known as the Dubner Maggid. add thereto nor diminish from his very eyes. Suddenly he ob-
His contemporaries, Rabbi Jona- it." The Dubner comments: "We served a man beating a very
than Ebbershutz, Rabbi Eliezer can well understand the anxiety large drum. On inquiring, he
Fleckles and Rabbi Judah B. of the Lawgiver lest the people was told that a fire had broken
Bezalel, were outstanding preach- diminish from it and fail to out in the town. The peasant was
ers. Rabbi Krantz occupied posts observe one of the 613 com- greatly impressed. With all his
in Messeritz, Zolkiev, Wlodawa, mandments. What, however, is available resources he pur-
Kalisch and Zamosc. He has the purpose of stressing 'Thou chased a big drum, and returned
come down to posterity as the shalt not add?' Is there harm in happily to his native village. The
Maggid of Dubna—a town in being over meticulous in the ful- local villagers were athirst for
Volhynia where he spent 18 fitment of God's Law?" With a news. He was overwhelmed with
years. He was the most popular Mashal he illuminated the Bibli- questions and many earnestly
preacher of his generation. Even cal passage. A man once asked and persistently solicited for
Rabbi Elijah B. Solomon, the his neighbor for the loan of a his impressions of town life. The
Wilna Gaon (1720-1797) en- Pot. On the following day, the peasant, however, was not re-
b
joyed his company and delighted borrower
gratefully returned two sponsive. Nothing would induce
in his homilies. He made use pots. "Why are you giving me him to part with his newly ac-
of the Mashal—the parable, the tvvo pots? Surely I only gave quired knowledge. Eventually he
homely illustration to drive home you one." "The pot you gave said: "Wait till a fire breaks
his lesson and through them a me," was the rejoinder, "gave out. I have a new method for
niche in the hearts of his people. birth to another pot." Some putting out fires." His wish was
A few examples of his methods time later the same man bor- fulfilled sooner than he had
rowed a bowl, and again he re- dared to hope. A fire broke out
will suffice.
turned two with the explanation in the village. The inhabitants
that the bowl begot another one. of the village were about to
Eventually he asked for the loan rush for buckets and water. To
of a pair of expensive silver their amazement, they were ob-
candlesticks. Some time elapsed structed by the peasant. 'I have
i and the precious objects were a new way of putting out fires'
not returned. Anxiously the he exclaimed. He brought out
would like to take this I lender inquired for them. "My his drum and incessantly began
friend," he was solemnly told, to beat it. Naturally the entire
opportunity to
"I regret to inform you that village was burned down. The
wish our American I the candlesticks are dead." "My peasant then realized, alas too
customers and friends i candlesticks are dead. How can late, that the drum - was merely
A Happy New Year.
inanimate objects die?" Well, a method of arousing the peo-
you believed that the pots and ple, and that by itself it is pow-
■
Order your holiday baked goods i the bowls had given birth to erless and no avail. Similarly,"
pots and bowls; you can also continued the Preacher, "it is
from us and save money in i
believe that candlesticks are not enough to beat your breasts
!two ways:
'mortal. Similarly." concluded the on Yom Kippur and to recite
1-7c on every dollar!
Dubner Maggid, "If one adds Tor the transgressions' that we
to the Laws, there is the danger have transgressed . . . we have
2-25% cheaper in price!
•
that one might eventually de- to become truly penitent."
* * *
I tract from them."
Quality Unsurpassed
* * *
On another occasion, he used
Park Free and Avoid
On Rosh Hashonah and Yom another mashal. 'There was once
Waiting for Service
Kippur, the Dubner brought a timber merchant, a Jew, who
We are only a few blocks from I
home to his listeners the true was blessed, as was customary
Detroit Windsor Tunnel.
significance of the "Days of then, with a very large family
Awe." There was once a peasant He would buy his wood on credit
who lived in the country. He was from a wholesaler in Danzig and
simple.
unsophisticated, entirely every year before Rosh Hasha-
/ 560 Wyandotte E. Windsor
unwordly. Once he ventured to nab would go to his creditor to
Phone: 25421550
L ■
■
visit the city of Minsk. He felt pay him and to take a new stock
on credit. This was his custom
for many years. Then once a
calamity overtook him and his
entire stock was burned down.
The man was in a great di-
lemma. He was faced with the
prospect of starvation; he could
neither pay back his debts nor
find the courage to ask his cred-
itor for a new supply. The vision
of his starving children and de-
manding wife gave him courage.
He went to his creditor and
burst into tears. He told him
that he was not in a position
to repay him nor did he feel
justified in asking for new
credit. He was, however, pleas-
antly surprised when he was
told that his entire debt would
be remitted and that a new stock
would be given him. Overjoyed,
the man stopped at an inn and
told the people that, as a result
of his tears and supplications,
he had been generously re-
warded; his debts were can-
celled and he was actually given
a new supply of goods. When
one of the. people at the inn
heard this he rushed to the bene-
factor and he too cried very bit-
terly. He exclaimed his dire eco-
nomic plight but was, however,
given a very small donation. The
man brazenly remonstrated, "The
man who preceded me cried to

r ...._......................4,.................„

1MODERN BAKERY
i
IN WINDSOR
!

I

•••ND IMMO =NM

41411•“MOINM.NION.0

011=11.

tion?" So the Dubner said, "Our
fathers and forefathers were
regular customers of the Al-
mighty, and if, in the course of
the year, they committed sins
of either omission or commis-
sion, they were fully aware of
the credits and the dividends
that the Almighty owed them.
What about ourselves? Are we
God's customers? . . ."
These were some of the Mesha-
lim through which the Dubner
endeavored to bring back the
children of Israel to their father
in Heaven.

Sea-fresh
flavor

tender, moist meat

world's finest quality

PILLAR ROCK

fancy white

TUNA

Packed In pure vegetable oil to bring out
the finest flavor and tenderness.

"Rich
in
Poiyunsat-
urates"

i

MODERN BAKERY

11.0.

you, and you were so generous
and full of human pity. Why, I
pray you are you so sparing
with me?" "Well," said the
wholesaler, "How dare you com-
pare youself to him? He was
my reliable customer for many
years; he was regular in his pay-
ments; he was honest, decent
and hardworking; now that a
calamity has overtaken him I
naturally have to be generous
and kind. However, I hardly
know you, a complete stranger
to me: how can you expect me
to give more than a small dona-

Served at bar mitzvahs, brunches, barbecues,

01•1

oa crackers, canapes, cucumbers,

in salads, sandwiches, smorgasbords,

with boiled potatoes, chilled tomatoes,
or straight from the jar.

Democratic Spirit Must
Prevail in Synagogue

By SOLOMON SCHECHTER

...and celebrate the New Year with an old friend.
ROKEACH GEFILTE FISH...superb quality, delicate blend,
delicious "home flavor", kosher in all, a gefilte fish truly
worthy of such important occasions. Remember Rokeach com-
plete line of kosher foods...famous since 1870.

-

Never forget the Talmud Tor-
ah. It is a poor sort of authority
which derives its infallibility
from the helplessness of the ma-
jority. The authority that main-
tains itself by the ignorance of
the masses is not worth having.
One of the most important char-
acteristics of the synagogue was
its democratic constitution, plac-
ing everybody under the law
and making the knowledge of the
law accessible to all. Restore to
the synagogue its democratic
spirit.

VITA HERRING
IS CATCHING
ON FAST

