קיט

On Wednesday mentioned above — Parshas Bechukosai — after some more hours — about four hours after midday — a great stormy wind arose. And at every moment it grew stronger. And there was a great noise on the ship — for there was much work and great toil for the sailors who at every moment were compelled to do different work. The wind went and stormed and did not go in our direction — circling in every direction as the way of great storms — so they were compelled at every moment to spread the sails in a different direction, and sometimes remove several sails. But from the greatness of the strong stormy wind — all their wisdom was swallowed. And the ship tilted and rocked to every side greatly — going very diagonally — one moment tilting to this side almost to the sea literally — one moment to that side. And then we had great fear — for there was a concern of danger. And fear fell on Rabbi Yehuda Eliezer more — and he sat below in our small narrow cabin — for he said he could not endure the fear when he saw with his eyes the tumult of the waves in such a noise and the ship's rocking. And I was above some hours. And afterward I too went below to pray to Hashem Blessed be He that He help us in His mercy. For throughout all the road we had traveled on the Black Sea to Istanbul — at no time had we had such a wind and such a danger — not a trace of it. And also on this sea for six days — no such danger. Only on Monday there had been some strong wind — but it had not lingered much. And the wind went and strengthened greatly. And also several other ships were going alongside us. And we saw all of them — rising to the heavens and descending to the depths. And so it was with our ship. And the great stormy wind continued a very long time. And toward evening — they were compelled to lower the anchor and remove the sails. And they stopped the ship at the time of the afternoon prayer. And we gave thanks and acknowledgment to Hashem Blessed be He that they had stopped the ship — that now the danger was not so great. And the sea went and stormed like a seething pot — in stormy wind and great noise — also all night. And from the ship's great casting and tossing and difficult rocking — we began to become weak. Until at the time of the Maariv prayer I became very weak. And I vomited twice at the beginning of the night. And also when the ship stood — even so we had no rest — for it was rocking with very difficult tossing. And so it was all night. And we did not eat in the evening except a little. And I had vomiting as mentioned.