Flagellations:  Miniature

By Bunim-Idel Kril

Translated by Nathan Snyder

Far dir--may tayere, umfargeslekhe Malke.

Es flemen in zayer gantser groys likht, sterinove likhte, in Hasidim
shtibl, erev malkos shlogn.

Di holvne un sterinove likht flamen oyf, lekhtsen with mayer knaytn tsu di
ofene haykhn fun di Yom Kiper himlen, dem Melekh Elyon tsu dergreykhn.

Di blitslompn sheynen mit Yom Tov, blishtshn mit raynem kuper glants, oykh
zay shtraln tsu di himlen, trogn di zind fun Hasidim oyf tsu fargebn.

Ot kumt dos malos shlogn. Rimens, leder pasn, Yom Kipur tsiter, gemisht mit
reah fun gaze un vaks. Mentsh, ummentsh, un Yid--In tsenter.

Undzer hizayom iz shtrof un baloynung fun faytn nekhtn, dermonung fun
oysgeshtokhtene Yidn in dem haynt, dem groylik.

Dos likhtshayn deshitert dem umet-tunkl, fu di groylike, shtilshvaygndike
Kol Nidre malkos nakht. A korer opshaym reflektirt di durkhzikhtike
krishtol fentster; a tsvayte, a shekhenusdike Hasidish shtibl iz iluminirt
mit likht. Geyt men oykh in der tsvayter opkumen far di zind, vi es volt
nit genug zayn di shtrof fun malkos shlogn in ayn shtible nor. Geyn Hasidim
tsu di Yom Kipur tevilae far zayere Hasidish bitere zind, mishtayns gezogt.

Der bloyer holtskolir shulhan oyf der bimah iz mit a purpl sametenem
tishtukh ibergedekt; er shpiglt op fantastishe nitsotses fun di shtralndike
blitslampn. Do zaynen neshomes oykh in malkos nakht farbenkt.

Di kiyur (fant-fas) tsu maarav fun der binah, noent tsu der tir, iz oykh
mit a glantssheyn farzen. Un ot: der malkos benkl iz umet, zorgful far di
hasidishe zinder, di groyse, mit umgeduld er vart. Un di retsuah, der
rimen-pas ligt tsugegreyt. Tsinish, shpotish, gart er nokh shmits.

Di gantse iluminatsye heylikat, in ir gantsn prakht vart oyf di Yom Kipur
malkos. Der glants shpiglt zikh mit himlisher hislahavus in Hayim Elye dem
shms durshtik arbetzame hent.

Zayn "shot" in shtibl, vu der malkos benkl shteyt iz in maarav zayt fun der
bimah. A royte hadras-penimdiker bord un peos, Hasidish gekrayzlte peos, in
hisbodedus shteyt er, davnendik, un mit im, oykh zayn bord un peos--er
shturmet links un rekhts in der Kol Nidre malkos nakht.

Di shul--a hekhal far alte Yidn, vayse kitlen, oyf der bimah viklt zikh
funander far dor doros der heyliker parmet.

Yedes mol a nayer Bereshis. Der tsil--hazas ve-neemats! Vidergeubrt in der
aybiuker shpil. Mit kraft zikh mutikn, hazak! Un vider--a nayer Bereshis,
in aybikayt ekhot: Hazak!

Oyf dem bimah dil, oyf velkhen undzer fustrot nidert, lign shemos,
tsefalene bletlekh, vos vartn oyf a nobele kevure. Di shemos--in Yidish
trern gezaltsn--vidui ongezaltsn fun trern; shemos, nitsotsos, shpliter
holokim, tseshpoltene oysiyos, ot vet men in a kval fun zamd un erd di
gezetsn haylike fun der Torah varfn; un di tefilos in zay: Yom Kiput,
Malkos, Golus, Yid--afiul fun tifn tehom zayer ekho-- ruft.

Hayim Elyes meditatsyes shnirlen zikh vi a pekl shemos, faln zikh funander,
tsien zikh funander ... Ot iz R. Itse--er vart oyf zayne malkos. Hayim Elye
vet im shlogn--shlogn--Itsse iz dokh andersh, gants andersh vi ale andere:
er iz a lamdan, a talmid-hokham, a muflog un--ik tor es nit fun mayn moyl
aroysraeyden, a baal-gaavah! Grost zikh mit zayn groyskayt, mit zayn
lernen! Nit zindikn mit mayne reyd zol ikh--er hot a flek in zayn heylike
neshome... Ikh tor rekhilus  nit trakthnt afilu a peshita vegn im, R.
Itsen--kh'muz es im dermonen...

Un Hayim Ely shamosh, der malkos shloger, makht a trit vayter in zayne
mahsoves: Der hov fun zindikn ben adam iz teshuvah, un a shtrof--khotsh di
klenste--ken dokh oftmoil di greste zind garbegn... flatern di mahshoves
fun Haym Elye shamnosh, dem malkos shloger: di Hasidim zaynen zindik--un
der Rebbi, der tsadik, lebn lang zol er, iz reyn, vi a toyb--

Di oygn fest farmakht, fartsoygn tif di bremen , der royter bord shpits mit
di lipn shtark farisn, farnemt er sodosdike mahshoves: Ver? Vemen? Vos
fier? Vos shpeter

Far vos zol ikh gor malkos geben--has ve-sholem, not geshtorykhlt zol ikh
vern--es iz a zind! Al het...

For you my dear unforgettable Malkah

There are flames in the great light steroid lamps in the Hasidic prayer
room, the evening of receiving flagellations

The fat and steroid lights flame up, thirsting with their folds to the open
heights of the Day of Atonement heavens, to reach the High King

The flashing lamps shine with the Festival, flashing with a pure copper
shine. They also give rays to the heavens, bearing the sins of the Hasidim to be forgiven

Here comes the flagellations. Belts, leather belts, Day of Atonement
trembling, mixed with the smell of gas and wax 
Human, not human, and Jew -- in the center

Our vision is punishment and reward from the distant past, 
remembering slaughtered Jews today, the shuddering

The shine of light penetrates the gloomy dark, from the shuddering, quiet
crying night of confession and flagellation. A clear glare is reflected
through the see through glass windows. A second, a neighboring Hasidic
prayer room is illuminated with light. People also go in the second to get
rid of their sins, as if it were not enough to get the pain of flagellation
in only one prayer hall. The Hasidim go to the baptism on the Day of
Atonement far their, so to speak, bitter Hasidic sins.

The blue wood colored table on the platform is covered with a blue purple
velvet cover. It reflects the fantastic sparks of the shining flashing
lamps. The souls are also remembered in the night of flagellation

The water container for hand washing is to the west of the platform. 
Nearer to the door, it is also covered in a shining color. 
And here: the bench on which to be flagellated in the gloom, 
full of concern for the great Hasidic sinners waits impatiently. 
And the belt, the belt strap, lies prepared. 
Cynically, mockingly, it craves to strike blows.

The entire illuminated holiness, in its entire splendor waits on the Day of Atonement flagellations. 
The shine is reflected with heavenly desire in Hayim Elye the sexton's thirsting working hands.

His "city" is in the prayer room, where the flagellation bench stands in
the west side of the platform. 
A red splendid beard on his face and side
locks, braided Hasidic side locks. 
He stands alone praying and with him -- also his beard and side locks. 
He storms to the left and right in the
night of confession and flagellation.

The synagogue--a temple for old Jews, white robes, on the platform 
the holy parchment is unwrapped from side to side for the generations.

Each time a new beginning. The goal: Be strong and take strength! 
Rebirth is the eternal game. 
Have courage with strength, be strong! 
And again--a new Beginning, in eternity, there echoes: Be strong!

On the platform floor, on which our footstep comes down, 
there lie remnants of pages, fallen pages, which wait for a noble burial. 
The remnants of pages -- salted in Jewish tears -- confession salted from tears. 
The remnants of pages, split parts, torn letters.
Soon the holy laws of the Torah will be thrown in a source of sand and earth. 
And the prayers with them: Day of Atonement, flagellations, Exile, 
Jew -- even from the depth their echo calls.

Hayim Elye's meditation is laced as a package of remnants of pages. 
They fall apart from one another. They draw themselves apart.... 
Here is R. Itse -- he is waiting for his flagellations. 
Hayim Elye will hit him – hit – However, Itse is different from all others: he is learned, 
a scholar, of great depth and--I should not let it come out of my mouth, a proud person!
He makes a big deal of his greatness, of his study! 
I should not sin with my mouth. 
He has a fleck on his holy soul... I should not even think gossip. 
It is simply about him, R. Itsye--I must remind him...

And Hayyim Elye the sexton, who flagellates, takes a farther step in his
thoughts: the debt of the sinful man is repentance 
and a punishment--although the smallest--can certainly often get forgiveness for
the greatest sins... The thoughts of Hayim Elye, the sexton, flutter: 
The Hasidim are sinful--and the Rabbi, the Saint, may he live long, is pure asa dove.

The eyes shut, the eyebrows deeply overcast, the red pointed beard with
lips deeply bitten, he takes in secret thoughts 
Which one? Which ones? Who earlier? Who later?

For what should I even give flagellations--G-d forbid, I should not
stumble--It is a sin!  On the sin.