Chapter 2

Immediately after Yom Tov, my son, may his lamp shine, and I began applying ourselves anew to the service of Hashem: rising every night at midnight and reciting Chatzos [the midnight lament] with bitter contrition and a broken heart. In particular, an awakening had arisen here in Batei Machaseh to assemble every night at midnight and, after reciting Chatzos, to recite Psalms together with concentration and great fervor, pleading on behalf of Klal Yisrael and especially those afflicted and crushed in Poland, etc. Thus, almost every night, more than a minyan of members of our fellowship who lived in Batei Machaseh were present, as were other residents of Batei Machaseh (people from other places could not come in the middle of the night because of the emergency regulations - a curfew that remained in force from ten o'clock, European time, until five). We recited the prayers with great fervor, and my son also recited them with profound concentration and fervor. Afterward I studied our fixed lessons with him - Gemara, Likutay Moharan, and Likutay Halachos - and we spent several hours in this way. He would then sleep a little, to rest and refresh his mind, for he studied in yeshivah throughout the day. Afterward we arose to pray at dawn, with vasikin [the sunrise prayer]. We also went every day to the cold mikvah in Batei Machaseh, and after Shacharis we studied further lessons in the works of Rabbainu, of blessed memory.

After several days, the government entirely lifted the curfew. Immediately, several younger members of our fellowship began going to the Western Wall at midnight. At first, whoever heard of it - even members of our fellowship - regarded it as strange and peculiar. But afterward more people began going; some even came from Meah Shearim to spend the night in the city and go at midnight. Eventually, almost every night, more than a minyan of members of our fellowship stood at the Western Wall at midnight.

My son and I also began going. The arrangement was as follows: we went to the mikvah, and from there walked to Rechov HaYehudim [the Street of the Jews], where automobiles could travel. From there we walked directly to the Western Wall. Although the gates of Batei Machaseh are much closer to the Western Wall, they were locked at night and people would not agree to open them, because the public opposed this practice. We therefore had to make a very long detour. We would thus walk to the Western Wall, but when we arrived there, the British policemen stationed at the Western Wall obstructed us and told us that it was dangerous to come at night, that there was not a single policeman anywhere along the road, and especially that it was the Arabs' month of Ramadan, etc.

But we paid no attention to them and continued our service by reciting Chatzos, etc. They telephoned their officers and reported the matter, and they also telephoned the Jewish police station on Rechov HaYehudim. Several Jewish policemen came to the Western Wall and argued with us. We replied that under the law they had no right ever to prevent us from praying at the Wall, by day or by night. They answered - and translated for us the words of the English policemen - that this was true, but that it was dangerous, particularly because several more grim reports of killings and wounded people had then been heard, etc.

We replied that we were not afraid. They again warned us that they accepted no responsibility for us, and we answered that we accepted responsibility for ourselves. They were forced to desist. The Jewish policemen returned to their station, while we remained at the Western Wall engaged in our service. Afterward a British officer and other British policemen arriving to change shifts came; they too pressed us to leave, but we did not heed them.

In the meantime, however, several hours had passed. We finished our recitations, and I wished to go study our lessons with my son; many of the other members of our fellowship also wished to go rest a little. We therefore listened to them. The policemen escorted us as far as Rechov HaYehudim and then returned. Other members of our fellowship remained at the Western Wall for some further time, until they wished to cease and went on their way.

On the second night, too, the policemen disturbed and importuned us, but we did not listen. In sum, the matter has now quieted down, and every night many members of our fellowship go there without any word or interference from them; often there is a minyan or more.

Thus we approached the eleventh of Mar-Cheshvan, the anniversary of the passing of our Matriarch Rachel, may her merit protect us, amen. We prayed Maariv at the Western Wall. From that time we began to pray Maariv at the Western Wall, after the Maariv service there had been discontinued for several years; today, approximately two minyanim of men pray every night at the Western Wall. I prayed with concentration and fervor. We also arose at midnight and followed the order described above, and afterward I prayed the vasikin service at Batei Machaseh, as was my custom.

On this day it had always been customary for men, women, and children to go to Rachel's Tomb, and many people would also remain there throughout the night. For several years now, however, no Jew had set foot there (apart from one minyan with the Karliner Rebbe, which spent half an hour there in Elul), because of danger on the roads and the government's prohibition against traveling there.

We spoke with the shamash [sexton and custodian], asking him to prevail upon the government to grant permission and provide policemen for protection. Nothing availed: the government would neither provide policemen nor grant permission, etc. Nevertheless, we did not despair of yearning and longing to go. I told the younger members of our fellowship who were working on the matter that, should they travel, they should inform me as well. Yet I had nearly despaired of it.

Divine providence, however, arranged that the teacher of my second son told me that he found it astonishing that I did not place my son with the teacher above him. I said: "Did you not decide that the children should not be transferred at this time?" He replied: "Your son differs from all the other children. He alone is the outstanding student of the cheder, and it is a loss for him to study with children younger than himself." I immediately went to the Etz Chaim Yeshivah in the courtyard of Hurvas Rabbi Yehudah HaChasid to speak with the more advanced teacher. I at once succeeded in having him accepted into that class, for the teacher likewise said that he would take only him, because he was the outstanding student, etc. I also regarded it as a favorable sign that this happened specifically on the anniversary of our Matriarch Rachel's passing, and I rejoiced over it.

While I was in the courtyard of Hurvas Rabbi Yehudah HaChasid for this purpose, as stated above, I saw members of our fellowship there speaking with the synagogue's shamash, who also served as the custodian of Rachel's Tomb. He said that he wanted them to give him one pound to travel with them and open the door, on the prior condition that they first secure government permission and police protection. Otherwise, he would not travel even for several pounds.

We stood there for several hours, deliberating over what to do. There appeared to be no alternative except to travel by taxi and stand for half an hour or an hour outside the entrance to Rachel's Tomb. Under the circumstances, undertaking this was an act of immense self-sacrifice for us, for it entailed an actual danger to life. Moreover, emergency restrictions were then in force along the entire road, because a British officer had been killed in Bethlehem and the government had imposed emergency regulations throughout the route. We feared that perhaps no taxi would agree to take us; and even were one to do so, who knew whether we would not be detained on the road and punished, etc.? Nevertheless, we were prepared for everything.

Although my mind was as far removed from this as east is from west - for to me it was as though someone had said, "On condition that you ascend to the heavens," and the danger appeared to my eyes like seeing death itself - nevertheless I did not leave them, so that I might see how the matter would fall. Then the choice whether to proceed or not would remain in my hands.