The Rabbi Who Tricked Stalin

by Mordechai Landsberg

Ten years after the revolution in Russia, the internal fight in the communist Party arrived to its climax. Stalin’s men were rulling the secret police (called already: G.P.U. –and before that: Cheka. The spoken name was: “Gepau”) They were tracing persons known previously as Trotsky’s Followers. Now this prominent leader’s men were suspected to undemine Stalin’s grip of the Soviet regime, and his Gepau buddies acted to arrest or even kill their enemies.

  Small arms shots were heard in a suburb of Moscow. It was evening time, and Leon Trotsky, the best orator after Lenin, a man having dark face, burning dark eyes, sparse black beard, cap shaded hat - and a dark brown old long coat, was hiding behind some bushes.

  Two of Trotsky’s ardent followers, Red Mogid was one of them, handed him a brown coat instead of the grey one in which he had been dressed. Then Mogid pulld out scisssors from his pocket, quickly cut Trotsky’s beard’s length, and the other man pulled a bottle out of his handbag. It contained soapy water. The man took a small shaving brush and foamed the leader’s cheeks, then shaved his face. Trotsky’s hands nervously shuddered as he received some faked small papers –a passport and British Pounds -from Red Mogid.

  The three went out, looking around nervously. They walked toward a suburbian train station. Trotsky, followed by his two guards, climbed the stairs of the old train cabin. He took a seat inside, without talking. His followers climbed after him. Wistles of the old locomotive were heard, and the train was moving.

  At a small staion, which was near an entry to a river’s bridge - Trotsky departed from his friends. The bridge had cables on both sides, leading to the board of a small vessel. A Bolshevik flag of the scythe and hammer was waving in the air, and the ship whistled thrice.

  When a Russian Moustached Captain indicated Trotsky to embark, and began to check his faked papers, Red Mogid departed from Lev Trotsky. He quickly shook hands with him, and waved his hand to him as the ship was moving. He was running a while, then stopped, staying with other people, who were waiting for a returning ship to take them back.

  The other man of Trotsky had boarded the boat with his leader.

  Mogid left them with a pounding heart. As he was standing in the remote boats’ station, his eyes were rolling askew many times.

  He was afraid that somebody had paid attention to his shape, or saw his suspected movement from the boat back, after having shortly departed from his leader. Such a ‘viewer’ would certainly report to the police: At those times - slander and denunciation had become the common behavior of the Soviet citizens, by the incentive of the Party, the Gepau and the super leader Stalin.

  In the following evening Elya was interrupted by Natalya’s entry to the flat. She approached him slowly, then was standing beside him. Looking at her, he discerned her pale face. She said ‘hello - dear’. She had a sudden winking of the eyes, while dropping herself slowly on the wide iron sofa. At nights - that sofa was used as a bed, together with a lower bed under it, that would be raised by a mechanism with spirals.

  “I’ve paid a visit to Doctor Yelena.” she said, and saw he had still been busy with his papers.

  “And she… was she sure?” he asked, and saw her worried look.

  “She’s said… it’s two months old. I’ve you: my orderly menstruation hasn’t come.”

  She touched her belly unintentionally, still feeling her fingers tremble.

  “So, what are we going to do?...” asked Elya in irritation, and put his document into the desk drawer in a striking-angry move.

  “I’m not going to abort it.” said Natalya in a dry voice, that was like drumming in Elya’s ears.

  “It’s O’key… with me, but…”

  “ I am decisive – to bring a baby!” she repeated her idea.

  “We are both still young. I think of you, darling! You work for the people… As myself.”

  “I shall bear your child! Ce Tu!” she screamed, and he remembered she had been used to utter French words while talking in anger.

  Natalya looked aside, and rose from the sofa. It seems to her, that she heard steps from outside. She walked to the corridor, and turned to front door, half opened it. She heard Elya from behind, asking: Who’s there?

  She looked outside to the dark corridor, and heard somebody running away, then the steps stopped. She closed the door and soon returned to Elya.

  “Perhaps... It was somebody,” he said, “trying to listen to our talk.”

  “Eh, maybe it was a neighbor only, going out,” she said, then added:.

  “I’m sorry to tell yopu, Elya. As Social Worker- I’ve heard of so many death cases, in abortions… But it’s not only this reason - that would prevent me thinking about such a solution.”

  “I understa... “ said Elya, and was interrupted by two knocks at the door – and then came two others. He jumped from his seat, and strengthened the kerosene light lamp in the room, that he took out of the wall’s screw. He rushed to the corridor and lit another lamp hanging on its wall. He was speaking loudly:

  “One moment, please.” He rushed barefooted to the entry door, but had not opened it.

  “Who is it?” he asked.

  “Your uncle, Elya. Please, open” said a voice.

  Elya opened the door and embraced the comer, Red Mogid. He seemed to him shorter and meagre than he had seen him before, long ago. While both were kissing each other by the cheeks, and Elya discerned that he had shaved his red beard. Mogid’s head was red haired in the temples - but bold in the front, and his belly was less protuding than in the past. He was wearing an old leather brown coat. His black pants had not been pressed for a long time.

  “Uncle Mogid,” Elya whispered, “How?. . .” He and heard his heavy breath.

  “I was hiding during the day.” said Mogid, “Please,Help me...”

  Elya indicated him to enter the room, where Natalya had been, and at

  that moment was rising and facing Mogid.

  “Uncle, this is my fiance, Natalya.” said Elya, and the two were shaking hands. Elya went to the kitchen.

  The scared Mogid stepped after him, and continued to speak hoarsely.

  “I’m on the run, Elya… I am in a danger, that no one can imagine.”

  “What is the matter?” Elya pretended not to know why he had arrived.

  “You know about my long acquaintance with Trotsky. Now Stalin’s and Gepau’s Hooliguns- are after me!”

  “What about Trotsky himself?”

  “He… has disappeared.” said Mogid, afraid to talk too much.

  “Oh, marvellous,” said Natalya, who stepprd behind, and Elya stared at her reproachfully.

  “Keep your mouth. Please- darling,” he said. . .

  “Dear uncle,” turned Elya to Mogid, ”I don’t know how to…please understand, I have to think about myself, and about my beloved girlfriend. I cannot hide you here!”

  Mogid was extremely nervous. He put his hands on the table, still standing. Natalya discerned his weakness and brought him a stool to sit on. He was leaning his arms on it in fatigue, but then rose again.

  “I haven’t slept for two nights.” he gasped, “You are my last hope, Elya. You shouldn’t throw me out! Me, Your uncle…who had made you a young Bolshevik Journalist, who helped you to become known in the Bloshevik party here. Oh, devil of me!”

  “Let me think for a minute,” Elya told him. He remembered well, how as twenty years old man - he and Mogid, dressed in Red Army light khakee uniforms and wearing capshaded hats with a red star on the front, had visited the battlefield. Soviet infantry men, holding short guns, moved in front of them. Artillery soldiers with wheeled canons- had been shelling the enemy in a distance of two kilometers. The vague vision of that era had remained in Elya’s memory, together with the explosions’ sound. Then he saw a group of Generals standing thereby. Among them was Trotsky, the high commander. Red Mogid and Elya approached the group. They shook hands with the Generals, and Trotshy embraced Red Mogid. .
.

  “I have an idea. . .Wait, uncle.” Elya said.

  He whispered something to Natalya. She nodded for approval.

  “You’ll hide not far,” She told Mogid, “I will arrange that.”

  It was ten o’clock at night. Natalya went with Mogid to Rabbi Aaron’s hut. She guessed that he would be still awake, sunk in his books. Perhaps the boy would be awakened, but for Mogid it would be a question of life or death; and also for Elya. . .

  Natalya knocked three times at Rabbi Aaron’s door. Frightened Aaron inquired from inside- who it was. She told him her name, and he recognized her voice and knew that there had been some problem. Rabbi Aaron opened the door and saw Natalya and a man standing behind her. They were in the dim corridor, and she said:

  “I have brought a guest with me. A Jew, maybe you know him. He should hide”.

  Rabbi Aaron withdrew, and stood near the kitchen door.

  “Who is he?” He whispered, “It’s an unusual hour. Natalya, Why couldn’t you tell me before?”

  “The man is my acquaintance,” she said, approaching Aaron. She indicated shabby Mogid to shut the door behind him and follow her.

  “May I know more exactly - who is this man?” asked Rabbi Aaron.

  “Elya’s uncle, your late wife’s uncle: Red Mogid.”

  “Oh, I’ve known him once. Come in, be my guest!” Rabbi Aaron told Mogid, who entered the kitchen.

  “Oh, you were once a Red Army Officer, Mogid,” said Rabbi Aaron, “But now – aren’t you in the rulers’ side of politics?” he reckoned sarcastically. Mogid nodded, and Natalya handed him a stool.

  “Are you now persecuted by Stalin’s men?” continued Rabbi Aron to question him. Mogid nodded.

  “He needs to hide,.” Natalya said, “Let him have a shelter for tonight, at least. I and Elya think, that you should help him in that.”

  “Do I lack troubles?”

  “We cannot put Elya in danger. If he is found to have anything with Trotskist Mogid - Stalin’s men will surely kill him.”

  “And if they find him here? ... Is my head cheaper than Elya’s?”

  “Gepau wouldn’t search here. Nobody will suspect you. Please, I have made with this man a long way here, afraid also for myself. You know, everywhere are hidden detectives and slanderes… Rabbi, we had helped you a lot with the child....”

  Rabbi Aaron was sitting with them both in the kitchen. Then he opened its the rear door, which was leading into the small internal backyard of his house. He showed them a small cabin of woods. He rushed to his bedroom, found there an old thick blanket, and gave it to Mogid.

  “First night you can lie there!” he told Mogid, pointing outside.

  The three of them got out of the hut. They peeped inside the small wooden cabin, and saw there some woods and branches, that were used for the bricks fireplace in winter. Rabbi Aaron put the blanket on them, and left Mogid for himself. He returned with Natalya to his house. Being again in the kitchen, Natalya said:

  “Thanks, Rabbi. You shouldn’t hesitate to rescue a Jew. Though you think him to be a red sinner!.. Pleae, let him hide more than one night.”

  He saw that she would like to chat, and hinted her to sit again at the table in his kitchen, like she had been used to do in her visits. He took his ‘regular position’ opposite to her..

  “You put me in a hard situation,“ said Rabbi Aaron, “Because of this man- I will have terrifying nights and days.”

  “We are all terrified nowadays,” she said with a brief pant, “Politics, poverty...I myself don’t feel as secure and calmed as before…”

  Her face has become grave looking. He gazed at her, in a way she was not used to. He pretended to be naïve.

  “Nobody would tell a bad thing about you, Natalya,” he said.

  “Had you known…! Your wondering look at me makes me weep - and laugh: You should pray for me…”

  Natalya’s wet eyes revealed to him how she was feelings.

  “I see you aren’t joking,” he said ,”Tell me - and I’ll pray.”

  She rose from her stool in excitement.

  “Can I tell my trouble?… Yes. I must. I will tell you, dear man…”

  She bent toward him and suddenly held his hands in hers. She wondered that he had not opposed it. But also rose from his seat. She whimped for a short while, and released her hands, to wipe her face with a kerchief, that she pulled out of her bag.

  “Something has happened between you and Elya?”

  “You should know him…though … a little bit less than myself.”

  “I know that Elya would do a lot for his selfishness,” said Rabbi Aaron, “I know him as an atheist. That’s enough for me - to characterize him.”

  “I’ve suffered very much, too...from his egotism. And now . . .”

  “I guess: you want an official marriage, and he wants freedom.”

  “Not only that. I am pregnant to him...”

  “Have you told him?” asked Rabbi Aaron.

  “Rabbi, he suggested me to get rid of the baby.” she broke out.

  “Murderer!” cried the Rabbi.

  “Though afterward,” she said, “he has tried to hide his wish, and agreed to…”

  Suddenly Rabbi Aaron became aware, that he had been too much “involved”. He said quickly, while his face changed to be austere and his eyes left her look:

  “Well, it’s not my business. And not my duty… You do what is good for you; and if you think I can be of help - please ask.”

  “Your help is in listenenig to me. And I know: my secrets will remain in this room…”

  “Yes,” said Rabbi Aaron, “Who knows why God has allowed evil and heresy to flourish nowadays...But we…should rely on him. As for myself - I still hope: The Lord will show me the way out of here!”

  The nightingale began to sing in his cage, that was inside the bedroom. The boy waked up, and he was chirping something with the bird. Rabbi Aaron heard that and took the Kerosene lamp, indicating Natalya to follow him, She walked with him into the room and kissed Raphael in his forehead. She soon got back to the kitchen and heard Aaron ordering the boy to sleep again. He showed Raphael that he was feeding the bird - scattering some pieces of bread in its small coop.

  When Aaron went out of the room, Natalya told him stiffly:

  “You are an angel, Rabbi. And Raf’l too. But let’s not delude ourselves: We all shall remain in Russia for long.”

  “I know that my prayers have not helped - till now; but…I hope.”

  Gun shots were heard from outside. Both ran to the rear door and Rabbi opened it, looking outside at the darkness. They saw dim light illuminating neighboring houses. Another shot was heard, followed by a scream of somebody wounded.

  “It was quite far,” said Rabbi Aaron to Natalya, “You can stay here, if you don’t feel secure to go out now.”

  “I’ll wait half an hour. If it becomes quiet- I’ll go back to Elya.”

  The shooting stopped. Natalya waved her hand to the Rabbi, and walked to the front door.

  She began walking in the dim streets, trying to catch shadows, and stepped forward quite slowly and cautiously, to weaken the noise of her boots’ tread on the road.

  Elya was waiting for her, and opened the door immediately after she had knocked. She told him that Mogid had been already safe.

  “From now on,” said Elya in a hard tone, “please don’t mention that subject. Better so!”

  “These are your thanks for my persuading Rabbi to hide your uncle?…”

  “As God believer, “ answered Elya cynically, “Aaron should have rescued the Jewish Red Mogid . So, what’s the point?…”

  “The point is, “ she said and was seated wearily in the kitchen, ”that Rabbi Aaron is really a wonderful personality.”

  “Wonderful?” he asked, “You hardly know his fanaticism, his fantasy, and ignorance.”

  Elya lit
a cigarrete, smoking nervously, while she was speaking..

  “I had some talks with him - along the years that we have known...”

  “You had also talked tonight… regarding me?” he asked. She tried to wave with her hand in the air, to drive away the smoke.

  “Yes, tonight I’ve spoken about you, and me too: I told him, that I had become pregnant!”

  “The hell ! You mingle him in that?” he shouted, “We have agreed: You will consider – an abortion!” Natalya rose from her chair, and spoke excitedly, pointing at her belly:

  “I shall not hurt my baby, and…!”

  He raised himself also, and pointed with his finger on her.

  “You put an end to it!” he said abruptly, “I don’t want a refusal.”

  “You can’t. . .force me!” she cried. “You- bad character! why did I fall in love with you?!” she broke into a sob.

  “Aren’t you ashamed,” Elya was speaking in a lower tone, “to talk intimate matters with a filthy Rabbi? He has odd and old opinions, from the middle-ages!”

  “Because he thinks- like me, that I should not. . . kill my baby?”

  “I had been a fool to let you go there: Your Trotskist-stubborn-streak. . .it fits Rabbi Aaron’s extremism! You can fall in love with each other.”

  “How dare you – to talk like this?” she said, and retreated a step.

  Elya jumped and grabbed her by her elbow. He tried to force her to stand close to him, and was looking straight in her eyes.

  “Tell me the truth: are you in love with this Rabbi - or what?”

  She knew he had intended to irritate her; that was a result of his frustration from her being obstinate and decisive.

  She rushed to the door, closing it with a bang. He hurried after her, opened it, and shouted : “Please, Natalya,” - and she stopped.

  Then she returned three steps backwards, and he saw her severe face in the dim light coming from the street yellow electric lamp.

  She re-entered the front door. While they were in the corridor, she said quietly, in a tired tone:

  “Leave me alone, Elya. I have to be with myself. Let me have the spare mattress…I’ll lay it in the corridor to sleep.”

 

  Rabbi Aaron did not sleep well. Early in the morning he went to see the low ‘wood’s store’. He heard Mogid’s loud snoring. He saw him turning his obese body to left and right, and smiled to himself: ‘Mogid was a big speaker during Revolution time. He remained with the wrong man Trotsky, who had not rounded himself with a strong bandits’ group, like Stalin had done. . .I should find for him a place in which he’ll be more secure. In this wet place, he may well get pneumonia or catch some other ilness…Also - Gepau’s hounds may find him. They smell around, day and night. Where can I send him?’

  He heard a sudden noise of a cricker. Then there was a chirp of an unknown bird. Aaron was frightened. ‘I am afraid that even Elya may hand Mogid to Gepau. He is the greatest betrayer. Nobody can secure himself in these awful days. A son would sell his mother. . . Natalya has promised me to fetch some food for him, but I’m afraid that she’ll be afraid to do that...If Gepau catch me- I’ll claim that the Trorskists had come and threatened me. It’s a bad argument, I know.’ .

  Rabbi Aaron was back at home and saw that the boy was still sleeping.

  Then he returned impatiently to Mogid’s place. He waked up the man. Mogid asked for a razor and soap, to shave his three days beard, after he had done that while trying to smuggle his leader out of Moscow.

  Rabbi Aaron told him that he himself does not shave and should not hold a razor; that is stated in Torah. “Let’s wait for Blooma, my neighbor,” he told Mogid, “she can buy it, if you want. . . By the way, she can boil chicken meat and soup for you, too.”

  Aaron recalled, that in the first days after his wife’s death, Blooma had prepared for him tasty food. He had been sure then, that she was thinking that bringing him good food – would tempt him to marry her in the future. Of course, he had not surrendered to her.

  ‘But now, Blooma…’ Rabbi Aaron reflected, ‘Oh, what a great idea has passed through my silly mind!’

  Rabbi Aaron tapped the Red Mogid on his shoulder, and said:

  “Don’t worry. I have some idea how to shelter you better than here, in this tiny place.”

  He returned home and found the boy awake, calling for him loudly. He drove Raphael by his wagon to the kitchen, and boiled for him hot milk mixed with rice, and was sitting near him and feeding him that porridge. The boy was sipping and swallowing from his bowl, as he had been used to do last year. Aaron Hittin had performed that hard effort – of feeding his child, without claims. He was only meditating, from time to time, what will come about Raf’l when he grows.

  Soon Blooma arrived in the hut - to stay with the kid.

  “Blooma, perhaps I’ve found a bridgroom for you,” told her the Rabbi. Her balled face became pink, and she said bluntly:

  “I know it’s not you, Rabbi. You’ve once told me. So, who’s he?”

  “A Jew,” he said. “But surely- Rabbi Haneles, who is the Regime’s agent, should not be involved in that match.”

  “So, you will pray and say the blessing in my wedding?” she asked in a smile. Rabbi Aaron nodded, saying:

  “What I’m telling you, Blooma, is only between us. The Gepau is after that man. Can you accept my offer – of course if you find him fit?” she nodded with a smile.

  He whispered in her ear: ”His name is Mogid.”

  “I must see him.” she said, “I’ve heard that name once. But. . .if you say he is a fugitive, how would I know where he is?”

  “He will be with you and dwell with you, don’t worry. You’ll make a great Mitzva(deed of merit) by that. God would like it, I’m sure.”

  CHAPTER 12