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(South of 14 Mile Road) Professional Measure and In-Home Design Consulting At No Obligation Prisoner Continued from preceding page to have his phone number changed only once in four years, believes differently. "He could always have the number changed again or disconnected. I suspect he likes getting calls from reporters because it reminds him of who he was and who he is." Kadishai, who has known Begin for 44 years and served under him in and out of power, works out of a small_ cubicle in the Office of the Prime Minister in central Jerusalem. It is filled with memorabilia — a photograph of Begin playing chess with Zbigniew Brzezinski at Camp David in 1978, an intricate paper-cut design of Washing- ton from Ronald Reagan, assorted plaques from Amer- ican Jewish organizations. Friends say Kadishai knows Begin better perhaps than Begin's own family. But even he can only speculate about the big question: Why? "He never gave me an ex- planation. He feels like it, that is all," says Kadishai. "He's comfortable. He has got no obligations, no com- mitments. He doesn't want to involve himself, he doesn't want to interfere. He doesn't want to be a factor in the goings on. "He saw early on that the only way to prevent being in the middle all the time was by not seeing anyone. This was behind the isolation in the beginning, and then he saw it was comfortable and doesn't harm anyone so he continued it. There were Cabinet ministers who asked to see him again and again. They finally got tired. "They come to see him now He doesn't say no. But he won't be dragged in. If they make complaints, ask for his help, he listens politely and changes the subject." The resemblance between Benjamin Begin and his father is striking. Now 44, the son has his father's face, his spectacles, his dry wit and legalistic mind. But friends warn that the resemblance cannot be stretched too far. When Benny speaks out against Ariel Sharon, he is ex- pressing his own views, not necessarily those of Menachem Begin. Friends say Benny, as he is commonly known here, blames Sharon for what hap- pened to his father and that Benny and his political allies intend to do everything possi- ble to prevent Sharon from ever becoming prime min- ister. In August, after Sharon went public with his own ver- sion of the history of the Lebanon war and Menachem Begin kept his silence, Benny spoke out in a newspaper col- umn challenging Sharon's ac- count as a "totally unfounded reinterpretation." The younger Begin says his reasons for opposing Sharon have nothing to do with his father. "It was my assess- ment that if Mr. Sharon ob- tains a high-ranking position as a launching pad for leader- ship, it would be detrimental to Hera and to its prospects of winning elections," he says. If Menachem Begin agrees, he does not say so. He has seen Sharon only once since his retirement. But he called to congratulate the former defense minister when Sharon won a moral victory — although not a judgment — in his libel suit against Time magazine in 1985, and he called Israeli radio to deny a published claim that he could not stand to hear Sharon's name. Benny makes denials as well. He does not hate Sharon, he says; there is no vendetta. "Maybe psycholog- ically there's something hid- den in the back of my mind," he says, "but I don't think so." When it comes to speaking about his father, Benny says he has a firm policy: no com- ment. "If I answer in any way even a trivial question, I violate his privacy. I'm trying to be consistent. I think I owe it to him." The phone rings five times before Menachem Begin picks it up. The voice is husky, polite but terse. Asked about his health, the voice replies, "If you talk to Mr. Kadishai you know every- thing. But I feel fine, thank you." Would he be willing to see a reporter? "If it will be possi- ble, I will let you know through Mr. Kadishai." "Mr. Begin, one more ques- tion. Why after all this time . . . " The voice seems to know what question is corn- ing and has no intention of listening to it, let alone responding. "Mr. Kadishai will contact you. Thank you very much. Shalom." Kadishai doesn't call back. Asked about the request two days later, he chuckles. Begin, he says, was saying no polite- ly. As he does to everyone. The silence would remain unbroken. "In the beginning it was peculiar," says Kadishai, still puzzling over what has hap- pened to his friend and men- tor. "It was bizarre. But over time I came to the conclusion this is the only way to keep him aloof and not involved. This is the only way to fulfill his wish. It's unnatural. I think it would be very good for him to come out more. But it is his wish." ❑ Copyright © 1987 by the Washington Post. Reprinted with permission.