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Page 4 The Southern Israelite The Yeshibei and Hebron By RABBI LAZARUS AXELROD Rabbi Lazarus Axchod. Rabbi Lazarus Axelrod, the writer of this article for The Southern Israelite was born at Liverpool, Lngland, and gradu ated from the rabbinical college of Hebron in August of last year. He left Palestine tiuo weehs before the Arab riots, and arrived in New York' on August 24tli, the day of the Hebron mas sacre. Rabbi I.azarus 11070 re sides in Atlanta,—Editor. “Mow far to the Yeshiha?”! inquired on my arrival at Hebron of a small Sephardic Jewish lad, typical of his race, olive coniplexioned, with that carefree demeanor so peculiar to the Orientals, whom I met lounging idly about during the sultry mid-day heat. “l,o Rachok” (not far), came the reply in Hebrew, followed hv an artless smile, displaying thereby a perfect set of veritable ivory castles, and lie pointed with his dark slender hand to a build ing in the distance. A few minutes brought me to the object of my quest, for which purpose I had made the jour ney by car from Jerusalem, a distance of twenty odd miles, speeding through the fresh countryside over hill and dale, passing several historical points includ ing Rachel’s tomb at Bethlehem and King Solomon’s pools. My first impression of the Yeshiha, which institution 1 subsequently en tered and of which 1 became enrolled officially as a member, was of a mod est one-story stone building of simple architecture lying in a deep vale, just off the high road, hidden from view by the rich foliage of the peach and apricot which almost completely sur round the Yeshiha. A modest sign placed high up on the facade of an adjacent two-story building which serves as a library and bank for the institution, indicated that the Yeshibath Kneseth Israel, formerly of Slabodka, Lithuania, had established itself in these quarters. Four years had elapsed since that memorable afternoon, years that linger in my memory as constituting the hap piest and sweetest moments of my ex istence, a period in which I have liter ally lived and moved in a different sphere and have associated with a class tiiat has no equal, where each indi vidual forms a world of his own, en tertaining noble and lofty ambitions to attain the pinnacle of spiritual perfec tion, the acme of his ideal. Probably outside of Hebron, little is known of the inner life of the Yeshiha, which, about four years ago, was transferred by degrees from Lithu ania to the Holy Land. It is made up of approximately 170 youths, well versed in Talmudical lore, carefully se lected from the fruitful fields of East ern Europe, youths, that adequately to describe their respective merits would necessitate writing a separate book for each of them. With more than an indifferent eye must Jewry look to this remote spot for its future Ilillels and Akibahs, who will ultimately lead the chosen race to a realization of its lifelong dreams. High up on the hills of Judea, at an altitude of nearly .1,()()() feet above sea level, an important feature in these tropical climes, within close proximity to the Ma’arath Hamachpela, the tomb of the patriarchs, in the most ancient of cities, possessing an unrivaled cli mate, and where all is bathed in glori ous sunshine, no more ideal spot, both physical and spiritual, could have been chosen for this seat of learning, the greatest Talmudical center in the world. In this modest building, the Talmud and its multifold ramifications are ex pounded to their fullest, and verily has this tree of life, the Etz Chaim, trans planted into holy soil, grown and flour ished rapidly in the past few years, and developed from a mere sapling to a stately verdant cedar of Lebanon, whose fragrance, suffused with the honeycomb sweetness of the Torah, will penetrate to the far corners of the earth, the herald of hope and happi ness, quickening and reviving the lowly spirited and depressed of heart. Simple as the building is externally, yet more simple is the interior. About a 150 detached forms with as many chairs are arranged in regular forma tion. The Holy Ark with its covering consisting of a simple colored velvet Parocheth. embroidered in the center with the initials of its donor, and a modest bookcase containing the vari ous tomes for reference, complete the furniture of the Yeshiha. Yet. though the building and its contents do not exactly represent an art gallery, the lack of artificial beauty is amply re paid by the breath-taking panorama to lie seen through the open windows. An uninterrupted view of the pictur esque “Emek”, the valley of Hebron, with its fields and vineyards resplen dent in their new spring dress of yel low and green, the ripening corn and sesame; the pomegranate in bloom, dis playing its exquisite scarlet cup-shaped blossom; an occasional Arab peasant tilling his fields, driving his primitive plowshare through the fertile soil with the aid of his eternal pair of oxen, leaving neat furrows in his wake; the quaint shepherd hoy mustering his wandering flocks, to the tune of his flute-like reed, the enchanting strains of that Eastern music floating through the pure air and in the distance, as though to crown this fair miniature paradise; the hills of Judae looming up majestically. The scenic beauty has indeed a most beneficial effect on the student as he pores over the pregnant page. We realize the importance of the maxim. “Avira TVarah D’yisroel Maehkim,” the atmosphere of Eretz Yisroel is enlightening. Alert, quick-witted, of cheerful dis position, debonair, and immaculately dressed, the Hebron Yeshiha Rachoor makes a most pleasing impression on all. Yet, though superficially his ap pearance tells of a carefree college student, he is complete master of him self, having studied for years, diligently and thoughtfully the art of conquering his inner self and controlling his train of thoughts. Curbing and suppressing the evil inclinations that harbor in the soul and mind, as the unseen worm that seeks to ruin the stately tree by bor ing through to the core, and working powerfully on his natural good im pulses, he consequently produces a bet ter human machine that responds read ily to its master’s commands. He util izes his intellectual capacity to its best advantage, and, possessing a natural eagerness and untiring interest for study, he labors with unflagging zeal, thinking nothing of putting in twelve hours or so a day of persistent study in deep concentration. Ever seeking to satiate his thirsty soul that longs and yearns for that priceless spiritual treasure which appears so near, and yet is so unattainable, delving deeply into this fathomless sea of the Talmud in his endless quest for th.. pearls, wondrous beyond < In summer, the Hebron study in white, as array, suit and panama hat slighth emerges from his boarding ment and sallies forth en r<. Yeshiha, his huge Gemara Mi. under his arm. Sauntering n through Main Street with self-possession, his carriag, i ar froir being supercilious, lie is the ,.Eject of praise of all who behold 1 write, a group of them pass bv my open window, indulging in a short walk by way of recreation in the . the evening, idlly swinging tlu-ir can, His Pm. Rabbi Jacob Meir, the Chut Rabbi of Palestine. at an imaginary target, and my h ear! swells with pride to think that I am part and parcel of them, a boy amongst the boys. Gazing wistfully after their retrea ing figures I am drawn magneticaii out of my room into the open, an review with unconcealed pride my vironment. The Yeshiha. just over the right, behind which the t.nvernu. monument of the Maarath pela is silhouetted against the >k>. in the far distance, dimly disced i 11 the twilight, Abraham's Eshe tree, where, legend has it, the i a ', pitched his tent and prepare for his three angelic guest', on the greensward beneath tree. Enraptured by the s' gaze turns mechanically sky Heaven’s shining canopy, that pause of infinite celestial recall the saying of the sage.' memory, that the firmament unto the telesia, the sapp! which, in turn, on account (Continued on Page 1 (