The Sentinel, v.126 no. 08, 1942

              May 21, 1942 THE SENTINEL
A Young Folks' Page. Conducted by Judith Ish-Kishor
(Copyright, 1942, by Judith Ish-Kishor)
THIS SHEVUOTH IN PALESTINE
Have you heard that five thousand
Jewish school children in Palestine will
spend their vacation growing food to
help the Allied Nations? Their teach-ers
work along with them. This will
really be a splendid offering, all their
own, for the Hag Ha-Bikkurim, or
"Feast of the First Fruits," as Shevu-oth
is called.
We, in this country, decorate the
Temple or Synagogue with flowers and
green garlands, for it is only early_
summer here. But there they already
have a harvest; and from ancient days
it has been the custom to bring the best
of the first-ripe fruit and grain as an
offering to the Temple. The days were
counted until six or seven weeks went
by after Passover, and then Shevuoth,
or the Feast of Weeks was celebrated.
People made pilgrimages from every
part of the country and came up to
Jerusalem to spend a happy time there
and to feast before the Lord.
If you are being confirmed this year,
then you also know that Shevuoth has
another meaning. It is "The Season of
the Giving of the Law"-or the anni-versary
of the Great Day at Mount
Sinai. Boys and girls of confirmation
age, both here and in Palestine, dedi-cate
themselves to the service of their
people and their country. This year,
I'm sure, this vow has become very
real to them. It's no longer a matter
of a fine wish and a noble ideal. Now
you really have a heroic fight and a
great adventure of your own ahead of
you! You can be a part of the great
war of Free Peoples against the cruel,
treacherous fascists. Whatever you
can do to help, is good. That's what the
Palestine school children feel.
We must all do our share. Then the
boys and girls of the future America
will read about these times, and about
you,ojust as youhread in storybooks and
history about children who came over
on the "Mayflower," or who took some
little part in George Washington's fight
for Independence!
Doesn't that thought give you a
thrill ?-It does me!
FOR LOVE OF TORAH
(A Dialogue based on a Talmudic Tale)
By Jesse E. Sampter
.Scene I
sseaed onthe groud studyin
fro sa bi odi Hebe book. Pap-pssads
lTtl bhinhim, to
one side. Tey bthave beards
and wear long light flowing robes
and caps.)
Pappus:
Rabbi Akiba, dear, dear friend,
Will not your courage ever end
And prudence take its place awhile?
Were I not weeping, I could smile
To see you love the Torah so
That Roman laws you do not know.
RIDDLE
Find meethe name of a great soldier.
Number Puzzle.
BOX
It's here, in the nine letters of this
I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
** * * * * * * *
Letters 9, 8, 6 and 7 make the name of a woman whose story we remember,
at Shevuoth.
Letters I, 2, I, I and 2, are what children call their mother.
Letters 4, 5 and I spell a limb.
Letters 3, 4 and 5 give us the name of a vehicle._
Letters 5, 4 and 6 - a very unpleasant animal.
Nowwrite me as soon as younhave the answer. Address your letter to The
Sabbath Angel, c/o The Sentinel, 511 South Sangamon Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Donald Kornblith brought LAND to FREE, in seven moves, as we had to in
the puzzle of April 23. He did it this way: LAND-SAND-SEND-SEED-FEED-FEET-
FRET-FREE. Good work, no? - Donald lives at 4830 West Adams Street,
Chicago, Ill.
Akiba:
I know the Roman laws, indeed-
Therefore I study with such speed.
They say, "Who studies Torah, dies."
Pappus:
Rabbi Akiba, is it wise
For Torah's sake that you should die,
And leave us others-such as I-All
your students here, indeed,
Without a teacher in their need?
Not so do I. In Roman grace
I will retain an honored place,
Not less a Jew because I try
To live a Jew, and not to die.
Akiba:
Pappus, my friend, as you think good,
So do. As for my hardihood,*
It is but common sense, that's all.
A little story I recall
Of little fishes in a stream.
To them said Mr. Fox: "You seem
Contented there, but bigger fish
Will make of you a toothsome dish.
Therefore, I beg you friends, arise!
Live with me, on dry land. Be wise!" The fish replied: "Your kind advice
We cannot take. The land is nice,
And dangers here on every hand-
But fishes cannot live on land."
(Rising)
So, Pappus, Jews without their Law
Are no more Jews. You know I saw
Bar Cochba's rise and fall; I know
The height of hope, the depth of woe,
And this I know beyond all doubt:
Torah, we cannot live without.
Our liberty, our tongue, our land-
The Torah bears themin her hand.
The Torah says : "Hold fast to me,
And once again you shall be free."
The Torah is the holy rod
That works the miracles of God.
Therefore, dear Pappus, though I die,
The Torah lives-and what am I?
As for your safety-pray beware-
The land is safe-but Fox is there.
(Curtain)
Scene II
(Rabbi Akiba walking to and fro
in his cell, awaiting execution. He
has chains on his hands and feet
and his clothes are tattered.)
Akiba (with face uplifted):
I thank Thee, Lord, that now I will
Have power Thy Torah to fulfill.
Never before could I aright
Love Thee with heart and soul and
might.
But now by death that mighty love
With this poor body I will prove!
(Enter Pappus, disheveled and in
chains)
Akiba:
Pappus! A prisoner! No! But why?
Pappus:
Akiba, I am doomed to die. (Weeps)
Akiba:
It grieves me much. What was the
cause?
Pappus:
I broke some trivial Roman laws,
Unknowingly, no matter how-
I envy you, Akiba, now!
Akiba:
You envy me? But what have I?
I'll give you all, before I die!
Pappus:
Then give : for death, a noble cause!*
Your loyalty to Jewish laws,
Your fearlessness, your faith divine !
Akiba:
These are the Torah's, and not mine.
Pappus:
Akiba, how I envy you!
Akiba:
I am your friend, what can I do?
Pappus :
Nothing! Still of myself I think!
Give me the Torah! Let me sink
Into the living stream, where dwell
The Jews who live and die so well!
The Fox has caught me on dry land,
And now, too late, I understand!
Akiba:
Never too late. You still must die.
For some few hours still, you and I
Can sit down here together, friend,
And speak of Torah to the end.
(They seat themselves and open
the book.)
Curtain.
.ci arunu -"uurage to 1, t oni
AN ACCEPTABLE OFFERING
It was the eve of Shevuoth in Jeru-salem.
A long procession of worship-pers
was streaming up the Temple Hill
and in at the gates of the white court-yard.
Every grown-up man carried a
basket of grain or of early fruits. Some
led white lambs, or black, glossy-haired
goats or a beautiful ox with its horns
gilt and wreathed with flowers. Even
the servants of the wealthy families
had each his own offering.
So thought a sad-eyed weak old man
who lagged at the sides of the joyful
companies, letting everybody pass him.
From every town and village in the
land of Israel pilgrims had come with
their first fruits. He alone seemed to
be empty-handed. "If I had but a meas-ure
of oil," he mourned to himself, "or
a single honeycomb!"
So in his embarrassment he drifted
to the end of the procession . . . At
last he tottered into the courtyard. He
walked with difficulty, for he had that
morning arisen from a sick-bed. But he
could not bear to remain away from
the Temple on this important holiday.
Never yet, in his whole life, had he
missed the celebration on a festival.
And now, more than ever, feeling so
old and sick, he needed the comfort of
the holy courtyards, with the white-robed
priests and the beautiful music
and the certainty of the presence of
God!
As he drew near the altar, he heard
the Levites singing:
"The sacrifices of the Lord are a
broken spirit; a broken and a contrite
heart, 0 Lord, Thou wilt not despise!"
At last he stood before the Priest.
"Hast thou not an offering?" the Priest
said.
"No, my father. For last night a
poor widow and her children came to
me. I had nothing to give her for food
but the two pigeons which were ready
for my sacrifice." "'Then bring me an ephah (three
pecks and three pints) of fine flour.
That will be enough."
"Even that I cannot do. For this day
my sickness and my poverty have left.
me with only enough to feed my orphan
grandchildren."
"Tenci why hast thou come to me?"
"Because I heard them singing 'The
sacrifices of the Lord are a contrite
spirit.' Wilt thou not accept it, if I
say"-He knelt and bowed his forehead
to the ground--"Lord, be merciful to
Then the priest lifted the old man
from the ground, and said: "Thou art
indeed blessed, my son! Thine offering
is better than mounds of wheat and
flowing rivers of oil. Well, hast thou
understood God's law. Go in peace, and
may the Lord prosper thee!"
And the Priest laid his hands on the
old man's head and blessed him, so that
ad a"n" gero -courateepis it)he went out hopeful and light of heart.
a dangerous course because it is right.)hewnouhpeladlitofer.
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