Chapter 35

At this time it also happened that I entered the home of Rabbi Alter Ben Tzion together with his brother, Rabbi Avraham Moshe. His brother had asked me to visit him, for he had been ill for several months, and it is a mitzvah to visit him and speak with him.

During those days there was also the matter of the promise made to the Arabs that their demands would be granted, and so forth. The young men were then going out against the government—“may its glory be exalted”—and clashes and blows were exchanged between them. The English were consequently enraged, and I was afraid even to go to the Western Wall, lest they strike us, Heaven forbid, in their anger.

Then the Fast of Esther, observed in advance, fell on Thursday. I went to the holy sites—to Shimon HaTzadik and the Western Wall, and so forth. On Shabbos, Parashas Zachor, I still retained the spiritual awakening from Meron, and so forth. Sunday was Purim dePrazim [Purim in the unwalled cities]. During the day we went to the mikveh before the Megillah reading, while at night all of us were in our bais midrash reading the Megillah. The three of us—my son, the aforementioned Rabbi Nosson, and I—followed together in our small Megillah scroll. It was difficult, however, to hear because the young men were banging so much, and Rabbi Avraham, who read the Megillah, became angry on that account. In the morning we likewise prayed together, read the Megillah, and danced. Rabbi Avraham traveled to Meah Shearim, while we spent some time in rejoicing and in sending portions to one another in our bais midrash.

Afterward I went home and prepared myself. We fulfilled matanos laEvyonim [gifts to the poor] as well as mishloach manos [sending portions]. We delayed the Purim meal until my son, may his light shine, returned from his rebbe, to whom he had brought mishloach manos. He returned already merry from the wine he had drunk there with his companions. Meanwhile, my friend Rabbi Leib came and brought mishloach manos together with a bottle of wine, which I concealed for myself to drink. We sat down to eat the Purim meal and finished about an hour before dusk. I also drank that bottle of wine and additional wine that I had purchased.

Afterward we set out with the children for Meah Shearim, also to bring mishloach manos to my father-in-law, may his light shine. We were somewhat delayed while waiting for the bus; when we traveled, I was already somewhat merry with wine. We arrived at my father-in-law’s home, and he gave us a pashtida [baked dish] to eat and wine to drink.

I immediately left there and entered Rabbi Avraham’s home, where I drank a little wine. When I saw that they were eating there but that there was not much rejoicing, I left and went to the home of Rabbi Alter Ben Tzion (he had asked through his brother that people come to gladden him, since he was unable to walk because of his illness). I found his brother there, as well as the father of Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh, who was his neighbor. I contributed a little money, Rabbi Alter Ben Tzion made up the remainder, and they bought a large quantity of wine. I drank from a large cup (the sort used for tea), cup after cup, and became merry with wine. I spoke with him at length and spent a considerable time there. I recounted my journey to Uman, my imprisonment, my return to Eretz Yisrael, and the dangers I had undergone; the people were astonished.

Meanwhile Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh and Rabbi Yaakov Zev arrived. They remained a little while and then went to Rabbi Avraham’s home. I remained there by myself; it had long since become night, yet I was still recounting the aforementioned events. Afterward I too desired to go to Rabbi Avraham’s home, thinking that perhaps there would be rejoicing and dancing there. They were afraid, however, to let me go, for I was very drunk with wine. They asked Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh’s father to go with me and see that I did not fall because of my drunkenness.

I took leave of Rabbi Alter Ben Tzion with a handshake and in friendship, and went, merry with wine, until I reached Rabbi Avraham’s home. There they were rejoicing, and there were also several drunken men. We remained there for some time, until we prayed Maariv. Rabbi Yaakov Zev then bestirred himself and roused the men to hire a taxi for us to travel into the city. And so we did, and I reached home. The house was locked, for my wife and the children had remained to lodge outside the city, whereas I had thought that they had long since traveled into the city. We were compelled to open the entrance by various expedients, and so forth. In the morning she came home with the children and was somewhat angry that we had not gone to bring her as well. I was weary from the day of Purim; thus Purim, too, passed for us in peace.