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At .anta’S
favorite ▼
„ HOTELS
N THE hi ART of the city
*• **■ ■
HENRY GRADY
1000 Rooms
of Comfort
,, Private Bath, Circulating Ice
ic Fan, Radio and Mirror Doors
to the usual accommodations,
njoy the food in our Dining
L offee Shops (open 24 hours),
reasonable, too. IIBoth Hotels
v. Department Stores and Fi-
tnct.
•^Affiliated Hotel
\m IMPERIAL
Peachtree at Ivy
1 SO Rooms and Bath
l or Information or Reservation
Address THE MANAGEMENT
FOR—
BEAUTY
COMFORT
SERVICE
Specify
DISTINCTIVE
AWNINGS
Vanuf actured by
ANTA TENT AND
MNG COMPANY
nd Office: East Point, Ga,
°nes: Fairfax 1483-1484
iginal Etchings
‘derti European artists
UNFRAMED
>ne Wain. 7678, or write
^thern Israelite, Atlanta.
The Southern Israelite
THE YESHIBA AND HEBRON
(Continued From Page 4)
blue, is compared to the Kissei Haka-
bod, the Heavenly I hrone. Entranced,
there creeps involuntarily into my mind
an imaginary vision of the Heavenly
Hosts, as the King of Kings, arrayed
in robes of majesty, sits in dread lone
splendor, with diadem bedecked, en
circles by His Host of Cherubim and
Seraphim, shimmering and radiant, ex-
ultingly acclaiming the sovereignty of
the Lord.
“Coming to the Yeshiba?” 1 am
rudely aroused out of my reverie by
the voice of my fellow student, a grad
uate of the City College of New York,
who, unable to resist the call of the
Yeshiba, echoing far and away over
the Atlantic, set sail for Palestine’s
shores and threw in his lot with this
happy crowd. Smilingly 1 accept his
proffered arm, and we make our way
to the Yeshiba. There the scene is
one of unusual activity, as the youths
are engaged in their daily task, the
exposition of some complicated text.
His yarmulke, or skull cap, perched on
the hack of his head, his eyes trans
fixed to the open getnara on the form
before him, giving vent to his feelings
by singing aloud some lively refrain
exclusive to the Yeshiba, the Bachoor
presents a most striking tableau.
In a far corner sits the Mathmid,
whose name is mentioned with awe.
Possessed of untiring energy, he has
spent the past ten years in persistent
study, wasting not a moment in idle
thought or speech. The second Vilna
Gaon, some call this youth, to whom
the entire Babylonian Talmud is an
open hook.
In the opposite corner, two voluble
youths are apparently engaged in con
flict, as heatedly, flushed of face, each
endeavors to impress upon the other
his respective version as being the cor
rect solution to that vague and baf
fling text, disproving his colleague’s
sophism. A small crowd is gathering,'
eager to witness this battle of wits,
the clashing of master minds. Thus our
youthful warriors train, till time calls
them to more responsible deeds.
The Rosh Yeshiba, the world-famous
Talmudical authority, Rabbi Moshe
Mordecai Epstein, and one of the
greatest Gaonim of the age, delivers
his Talmudical discourses twice weekly.
For about an hour or so he weaves
his way through a regular maze of the
most intricate passages of the various
tractates, proving his extensive knowl
edge in both Palestinian and Babylo
nian Talmud, taxing the concentration
powers of his hearers, whose minds
are strained to their utmost tension.
No obscure allusions or intricacies of
construction seem to baffle him. and
he displays a remarkable dexterity in
conjuring with the Tosaphists, dispos
ing of the numerous questions of the
various commentaries in a manner that
has set him down unanimously as a
genius of the age.
In addition to the Rosh Yeshiba. who
deals principally with the intellectua
side of the student, Reb Leib, the Baal
Moosar. a man of powerful personality
and wide experience, both practical and
theoretical, attends to the moral needs
of his flock, and these two mighty
shepherds are responsible for the men-
tal and spiritual development of the
boys. . . .
At given periods, chiefly on the eves
of New Year. Day of Atonement, and
New Moon, the whole Yeshiba repairs
to the Patriarchal Tomb and ascends
the permitted seven or eight of the
numerous steps that lead to the inner
vaults. Only strict adherers of the
Moslem creed are allowed to proceed
farther, the late King Edward VII,
then Prince of W ales, in 1862, being
the first non-Moslem allowed by spe
cial permit to enter and inspect the
interior of this awesome edifice. There,
under the guidance of the local gen-
darrnerie, who are present to avert any
possible interference on the part of the
perfidious Arabs, certain appropriate
selections ot the Psalms are repeated
ui a beautiful mellifluous chant, the
echo striking a sympathetic chord in
one s heart. The spectacle is indeed
awe-inspiring, as, with bowed heads, in
reverential homage, we stand before
those huge walls, behind which all is
enshrouded in hallowed mystery.
Among the most interetsing features
in the curriculum of the Yeshiba are
the moral discourses held weekly by
ket) Leib, Saturday evenings, in the
gloaming. This time is held sacred by
the hoys, being reserved for medita
tion, and the scene is most impressive,
as in the growing darkness the faint
outlines of the youths can lie dimly
seen pacing to and fro within the
'i eshiba. A heavy expressive silence
reigns everywhere, and the rhythmical
heating of the \ eshiba clock upon the
wall is seemingly in harmony with the
heating of those youthful heart s, so
intensely Jewish. Ah! What deep
thoughts harbor in that master mind;
what indescribable feelings run through
the fibre of his body, as in the gather
ing dusk the taciturn youth spans the
floor of the Yeshiba in deep philo
sophical meditation, pondering over the
fulfillment of his life mission and the
miracles of the universe. Peace of mind
and serenity of soul, robed in spotless
purity, influenced greatly by the sooth
ing atmosphere of the Yeshiba, are
manifest. As I sit in my corner, a
sensation of nearness to the Creator,
of the Divine Presence, enters my soul
and envelopes me in its folds. How rare
is such a scene in this era of enlighten
ment.
Even outside of the Yeshiba silence
reigns supreme, and save for the occa
sional shrill hooting of the owl, wierdty
piercing the stillness of the night, ail
is wrapped and veiled in a mystery of
silence. In the midst of all this, the
Baal Moosar, with measured tread,
makes his way to the center of the
Yeshiba, where lie is immediately.sur
rounded by the boys. Leaning upon a
form, he proceeds with his discourse,
working powerfully on the feelings of
the youth, moulding his character as
the potter mouldrth his plastic clay,
and the youth is drawn involuntarily
into a higher sphere, heavenwards, feel
ing not the very earth he treads, his
craze transfixed on the dim, stationary
figure of the speaker, whose firm calm
ness and magnetic influence arc domi
nant.
After the discourse the building is
brilliantly illuminated by numerous gas
lamps, and a great commotion arises,
as the lecture is being told and retold
by the older members to the younger,
who have perchance lost a thread of
Hie discourse, and could not, conse
quently. follow the trend of that deep,
moral lecture. Suddenly, a sharp clap
is heard as one of the hoys, enwrapped
in Talith. announces the commence
ment of the evening service by simply
heating with his open hand on the
nearest form. The commotion ceases
instantly, each one retires to his al
lotted seat, and the service is repeated
in great solemnity. At the termination
of the service the Ilabdalah is repeated
by the principal, acting vicariously for
the whole Yeshiba. The Ilabdalah over,
the boys, refreshed by the events of
the past moments, begin the week
anew, and a chorus of melody is heard
as the magical strains of the “Tanu
Rabanan” and “Amar Abaye” swell
through the night, echoing over the
distant hills, and Hebron listens atten
tively and proudly to that soul-inspir
ing music, the sweet voice of Jacob,
that emanates from within the myste
rious walls of the Yeshiba.
Tallest Hotel
in the World
46 Stories
High
The New MorrUon
when completed,
will contain 3400
CUeA|o , fl
MO It It I SON
HOTEL
Corner Madison and Clark Sts.
Closest in the city to offices,
theatres, stores and
railroad stations
1944 Rooms $2.S0 up
All outside with bath, running ice water,
bed-head lamp and Servidor. A house
keeper on each floor. All guests
enjoy garage privileges. c
The Breakers
On The Ocean Tront
ATLANTIC CITY, N. J.
Modern in construction, luxurious in
appointments and convenient
to all piers and
amusements.
American ok Eurotf.an I’i.an
GARAGE ATTACHED
In Philadelphia Choose
HOTEL
MAJESTIC
BROAD ST. AND GIRARD AVE.
PHILADELPHIA
Only hotel in Philadelphia with
a subway entrance from main
lobby
400 LARGE ROOMS
Single room, runiwig water
For two S3.S#
Singe room, private bath 13M
For two SSS#-U*i
Wire at Our Expense for
Reservations!
JNO. C. GOSSLER
Mgr.-Dir.