The Rabbi and The Rebbetzin by Shlomo Wexler Read Free Book Online Page A

university-trained. Do you feel you have enough education to perform as
a rabbi?”
    “I
will have no trouble with the religious content. As far as style and eloquence
is concerned, I will seek the help of people at the yeshiva who have had pulpit
experience. The yeshiva has promised to release the chosen candidate from all
other studies before the holidays to permit him to prepare for this assignment.”
     After
another few questions, Levine turned to Mrs. Farber and asked her to continue.
She was a good-looking woman in her thirties and dressed in high style. Her
hair was covered with a hat, following instructions to that affect by Levine,
although she always covered her hair for religious services. She asked a few
general questions to start with and an unusual one.
    Looking
at Shalom, she asked, “You were told about this position sometime yesterday
afternoon?” When Shalom assented, she continued, “Would you care to tell me
what you did in the last twenty-four hours in preparation for this interview
and for the possibility that you would be chosen for this position?”
    Shalom
could not sense any significance in the question and answered truthfully. “I
consulted with the Mashgiach about the propriety of accepting the position.
After that, I reviewed all the holiday prayers in case I would be asked to
offer a few selections. I then prepared information about myself in order to
answer any other possible questions.”
    Mrs.
Farber seemed satisfied with the response and moved to a different area. “You
know that I was invited tonight to look after the interests of the women of the
congregation. Our women are highly educated in worldly subjects, some of them
are not versed in Jewish affairs and some can’t even follow the services. What
will you do to help these women to benefit from the services?”
    Shalom
had expected a question of this nature and had raised the point with the
Mashgiach. “I think the women will gain by the services. The sermons are
delivered in English. I have checked with the Mashgiach, and he said I am
allowed to announce pages and explain the significance of the prayers. This is
particularly true on the first day of the holiday, because the shofar is not
sounded on the Sabbath.”
    The
Gabbai explained that it was not permitted to converse between the first
sounding of the shofar and the second sounding somewhat later.
    “That
is true,” Shalom said, “but many authorities feel that if the conversation is
for the purpose of understanding the services, it is permissible.”
    Joe
Feinberg then took over the questioning. He was a man in his sixties and quite
familiar with the holiday services. His discussion with Pinkes was entirely of
a technical nature and dealt with the specific religious practice at the
congregation. “If you are selected, Shalom,” he said, “we will have to go over
the prayer book that we use here and make sure that we coordinate our
practices. I hope you are aware that we don’t check for Sabbath observance
before we call people to the Torah.”
    “So
I heard,” Shalom said. “Rabbi Feinstein has ruled that in certain cases we may
include non-Sabbath observers in parts of the services. I would request,
however, that on Yom Kippur you avoid calling blatant Sabbath violators to the Torah.”
    Al
Goldstein and Reverend Martin did not ask any questions. Instead they requested
Shalom to sing a few of the standard holiday prayers. Here, Shalom was
completely at ease. His rendition of “ L’Kel Orech Din ” (“The Lord who
sits in judgment”) was almost cantorial, and evoked a deep response from all
those present.
    After
the recitation, Abe Levine said that he had one final request. “Shalom, I know
that we didn’t ask you to prepare a formal sermon. If we had done so, you would
probably have made use of a sermon book or asked one of the senior rabbis to
help you. What we are looking for is someone who has his own thoughts on Jewish
subjects and can express them