From this is it fairly clear to me that it was the intellectual envy of male Talmudic scholars in the centuries to come that cast a shadow over the rabbi’s wife who dared to mock them. For Bruriah was said to have learned three hundred halachot, or laws, from three hundred teachers in a single day, and she is there in the Babylonian Talmud with her sharp-witted or vitriolic utterances and interpretations. In short, Bruriah was one of the stars of the Talmud. When her husband would gladly have murdered his noisy neighbours for disturbing his meditation, it was Bruriah who explained to him that the psalms said not that sinners must cease from the land, but sin. According to the Midrash Proverbs, even her most famous act was tragic: when her husband was away at a religious festival, both of their sons died unexpectedly of an illness. When her husband returned, she didn’t tell him what had happened, but said instead, ‘Some time ago a deposit was left with me for safe-keeping, and now the owner has come to claim it. Must I return it?’ To which her husband responded: ‘Can there be any question about the return of property to its owner?’ Bruriah replied, ‘I did not want to return it without letting you know of it.’ And, taking him by the hand, she led him into a room in which the bodies of their two sons were lying on a bed. When she drew back the cover, Rabbi Meir broke out in tears, to which Bruriah said, ‘Didn’t you say that the deposit must be given back to the owner?’
* * *
We’re pitching pennies in the courtyard of our block of flats, under the chestnut tree, and night is falling fast. To us the game is also called Schnur, which in German means ‘string’ or ‘line’. We throw ten-, twenty- and fifty-fillér coins so that they land on a line drawn in the dust, though sometimes we throw them up against a wall. According to the rules, whoever throws the coin that lands closest to the line gets to pick up all the money and toss it in the air, keeping all the coins that land heads-up. Every player wants to throw last, and so, once we’ve divvied up the winnings according to various rules, someone calls out:
‘I’m last!’
‘Next t’last!’
‘Next t’next t’last!’
‘Next t’next t’next t’last!’
‘Next t’next t’next t’next t’last!’
‘Next t’next t’next t’next t’next t’last!’
At that moment a female figure leans out of a dark window on the second floor and says only this, in a melodious voice:
‘But this should really be the last next t’next t’last.’
Looking up at her, I see, by the light that shines from behind her, her shimmering smile.
Endnotes
I. Mrs Pápai
The Birthday
1 I report that on 3 December 1982 I met at the Angelika Patisserie with SC CN MRS PÁPAI. Also participating at the meeting were Police Lt. Col. János Szakadáti and Comrade Police Lt. Col. Miklós Beider.
We arrived at the meeting ten minutes late. MRS PÁPAI was waiting for us on Batthyány Square. After introducing myself I heartily congratulated her on the occasion of her 60th birthday, and then I accompanied our good wishes with our gift, a folk-embroidered tablecloth, which she liked very much, and a bouquet of flowers.
2 DECISION
I have hereby rendered dossier no. 2959, B-1, M-1, under code-name MRS PÁPAI and the handling of the agent thereof named (place of birth, birthdate, mother’s name) for further review of employment as a network individual to Comrade József DÓRA (precise authorizing agency: III/I-3), and received said assets from Comrade Rudolf Rónai.
Budapest, on this . . . day of October 1982.
Rudolf Rónai
renderer
József Dóra
receiver
3 The meeting cost 386 forints.
4 RECOMMENDATION
Budapest, 1 December 1982
Secret colleague MRS PÁPAI celebrates her 60th birthday on 3 December 1982.
Since 1976 she has been in an operative relationship with the III/I Directorate, and during this time has in multiple instances provided valuable information about the Israeli agent and operative situation, as well as the endeavours of the Zionist movement. She brought us original materials concerning the 29th World Zionist Congress, and we plan to send her with operative purpose to the 30th World Zionist Congress.
In light of her work to date, on the occasion of her 60th birthday I recommend conferring on MRS PÁPAI a gift in the value of 1,000 forints.
Dr József Dóra, Police Lt.
5 We continued the conversation with the matter of the trip to Jerusalem.
MRS PÁPAI said her relatives are urging her to visit and have said they will cover her expenses while there. But one problem arose: they would like her to stay at least two months.
Comrade Szakadáti asked MRS PÁPAI to try shortening the duration of her stay, because we would need relatively fresh materials. He recommended that she call her relatives by telephone and re-confirm their willingness to host her. To cover the expense of the call I gave MRS PÁPAI 500 forints in return for a receipt.
6 SUMMARY REPORT
Budapest, 1 November 1982
The SC CN MRS PÁPAI was recruited in 1975 by colleagues of the former Department III/I-4. In fact she had inherited the position from her husband, who had been in contact with the service since the 1950s but who presently has serious depression and has become unsuitable for carrying out his duty.
MRS PÁPAI was recruited on the basis of convictions and patriotism. Her political foundations are firm and she is a professed believer in our social system.
7 Interesting that even with strict police checks the police did not oppose me bringing down my own bags myself after most people wait in line for the customs inspection for long time, but wait in vain for their bags to arrive. The dock workers, after bringing just small portion of bags, at 9 o’clock flopped down on the bags in the ship’s stomach and began breakfasting. No one could get them to hurry loading out and to eat only after. I left the big hall on the quay and easily asked to return to the ship, and then brought my suitcases down myself. Others waited hours for the customs inspection to finish. The inspection was strict with some American young people who before did volunteer work at a Kibbutz and now returned for same purpose. Probably the police were looking for heroin, because the American young people were very thoroughly inspected, inside-out, yes, they needed to turn over everything they had. The customs inspection for me was quite supercifial, both entering and leaving the country. They did not even open my suitcases. Customs form is customary.
8 We concluded the meeting at 16:10, agreeing to meet next at 15:00 on the 6th in the snack bar near the front desk of Kútvölgyi Hospital.
The Attempt
1 MRS PÁPAI called our attention also to her sons, who would likewise wish to travel in the near future to Israel to visit relatives. (We are processing their case also.)
2 SC CN MRS PÁPAI, whom we have fruitfully employed for a long time, mentioned at our last meeting that both her sons have submitted passport applications to the Interior Ministry’s competent office. According to MRS PÁPAI, the foremost goal of her sons’ trip is to take part in their grandfather Avi-Shaul’s birthday celebration. Avi-Shaul is a noted Israeli writer and peace activist, and vice-president of the [Israeli] League for Human [and Civil] Rights.
[. . .]
The sons of SC CN MRS PÁPAI: Péter Forgách (DOB: 1950. IX. 10), a research fellow at the Institute for Public Education. András Forgách (DOB: 1953. VII. 18), dramaturge, at present still a member of the National Theatre in Kecskemét. He studied the history of philosophy at Loránd Eötvös University and is preparing to be a film director. He is a member of the Federation of Communist Youth. He professes himself to be a communist but cannot accept the responsibilities that accompany party membership. He is a highly talented individual who knows how to keep quiet but at the same time travels the world with open eyes.
Based on our knowledge it seems expedient that prior to his departure to Israel, citing his passport application as an excus
e, we engage him in a conversation in the offices of the Passport Department.
In the course of the conversation we would call his attention to the pitfalls he might expect in the course of his travels, by pointing out the sorts of difficulties the lack of diplomatic relations could mean for him.
We would have him clarify the main purpose of his trip – besides the visit to his relatives – and with what notions and expectations he is travelling to Israel.
If in the course of the conversation it is our impression that he is inclined to co-operate with us, we would look him up after his return.
The conversation will be undertaken by Police Lt. Col. Comrade Miklós Beider with the participation of Police Capt. Comrade György Ocskó.
3 With her local knowledge of Israel and wide circle of social contacts there, MRS PÁPAI helped our work with most useful tip-off research activity, besides still being the only Hebrew-language translator we can count on. Since her official classification as a secret colleague is only a formality, we would not inform her of this in particular.
4 MRS PÁPAI is a resolute, ‘headstrong’ individual who works single-mindedly and diligently. Her age (60), her secondary education, her scatterbrained nature due to family tragedy, and her insufficient degree of training, do not allow us to maximize her potential.
5 Throughout our conversation it was evident that the experiences MRS PÁPAI has acquired concerning the Israeli situation have deeply upset her, and her passion very nearly prevents her from a clear-headed and objective assessment of political issues. At every step she emphasizes the indefensibility of Israeli policies.
6 Jews, if they feel themselves to be Jewish (for there probably is such a feeling, true or false, but there is).
7 MRS PÁPAI is a reliable, conscientious, and above-board partner. Already she has pulled her weight of information-gathering work. But her activity is influenced by her husband’s condition, by its reverberations. Even aside from this, her family situation is exceptionally complicated and disordered. (She has three adult children – two sons and a daughter.) Her life is not easy to begin with, and with the exception of the latter, each of her children burdens it all the more with serious problems. During a family visit to the USA in the past year, her daughter – who, by the way, had been under surveillance by internal intelligence – got married and remained abroad. Intelligence deems it expedient to prevent her entry [to Hungary]. The daughter’s departure and especially the blocking of her visits home have caused MRS PÁPAI serious conflicts.
8 On the basis of an approved recommendation, on 1978. VI. 23 I had a conversation in the competent office of the Passport Department with András Forgách.
In the course of the conversation I politely called his attention to the anticipated pitfalls of his Israeli trip, to the difficulties the lack of diplomatic relations might pose him. I told him that at their own request we are permitting a few young people whose personal and political bearing we hold in high esteem to visit Israel, but we are devoting attention to their travels, for we are concerned that on account of the lack of diplomatic relations they may be subject to provocation or other, unanticipated, difficulties. During the conversation I mentioned one or two specific incidents, too, involving Hungarian citizens in Israel. The fact that he was aware of a good number of these risks strengthened his confidence in me.
After this I asked him with what notions and expectations he would be travelling to Israel.
András Forgách said he is travelling there at the invitation of his grandfather, Avi-Shaul, the noted Israeli writer and public figure, to help organize his literary estate, in light of Avi-Shaul’s advanced age.
After this we had a short but in-depth conversation about Israel, about the situation that has developed there today. Wishing him a good trip, I then said farewell, adding that I’d be happy to see him after his return, too, for the experiences and impressions he comes home with would interest me. But I emphasized that he should see me only of his own accord, if he feels he could thus do us a useful service and if that doesn’t give cause for self-conflict. I asked him to keep our conversation confidential, that he not even tell his older brother, who was present on this occasion, and with whom I would speak separately on this subject, except that I would not ask him to report after his return.
I told András Forgách that I asked him to report after his return only because, as a reasonably good judge of people, I feel he is someone I can turn to if the goal is noble.
András Forgách thanked me for my confidence in him and promised that after his return he will by all means present himself at the Passport Department, where I left my telephone number. After this conversation András Forgách’s mother contacted me. She said that after the meeting András contacted her and spoke in the most positive terms of the conversation in the Passport Department and said he firmly intends to prepare a report on his Israeli trip and what he experienced there.
András Forgách, who is a research fellow at the Institute for Public Education, is a dramaturge, studied the history of philosophy at university, and is preparing to be a film-maker. He is a colourful, winsome personality. He possesses above-average erudition and has a strong command of English.
When András Forgách presents himself after his trip I will endeavour to exploit that for the purpose of deepening our relationship, because in my assessment he could become a valuable contact for us.
Miklós Beider, Police Lt. Col.
Under the Buda Castle
1 DATA SHEET
on the case-filed individual
(to be filled out by an operative employee)
1. First and last name: . . . MRS MARCELL FORGÁCH
2. Former name (maiden name): . . . BRURIA AVI-SHAUL
3. Birthplace, year, month, day: . . . Jerusalem, 1922 December 3
4. Mother’s name: . . . Yedidya Lea
5. Education: . . . college of health care
6. Social class origin: . . . intelligentsia
7. Citizenship: . . . Hungarian
8. Nationality: . . . Palestinian
9. Occupation: . . . housewife
10. Employer (according to the actual situation): . . .
11. Monthly wage (according to the actual situation): . . .
12. Address (according to the actual situation): . . . Budapest, District III, 22 Kerék Street
13. Code name (indicate if changed): . . . MRS PÁPAI
14. Basis of recruitment: . . . patriotism
15. Date of recruitment: . . . March 1975
16. Recruitment officer: . . . József Stökl, Police Capt.
17. Classification (indicate if changed): . . .
18. Line of employment (indicate if changed): . . . Zionist organizations, as well as Hebrew-English translator
2 It was no longer bearable in the flat. I can hear the radio out in the courtyard, on the street, because the broadcaster’s voice blares through the open windows of several flats at the same time.
I take the two older children, Péter and Vera, with me down to the courtyard, and we sit out in front of the building’s entrance. From the concierge’s basement flat we can hear a speech by Imre Nagy: ‘. . . the vital interests of the People’s Democracy demand that Soviet forces be called in . . .’. A young man wearing dusty shoes and wrinkled clothes walks over to us. He too is listening to the radio.
‘From Pest?’ I ask.
‘Yes,’ he replies.
‘What’s the situation? Are the counter-revolutionaries still resisting?’
‘On Kálvin Square the counter . . . revolutionaries . . . are still fighting,’ he says, continuing hastily, ‘There’s blood on the streets.’
Four or five young people who are well dressed notwithstanding their wrinkled clothes, cockades on their chests, now come over and shout away:
‘That’s not how it is! Half the university students are still out there fighting on the streets!’
‘They have to put down their arms, until then the fighting won’t s
top.’
‘Who are you? Who takes orders from you?’
‘Imre Nagy said that, you heard it yourselves.’
‘Imre Nagy can go to hell.’
‘Yesterday you were demanding that he be prime minister.’
‘He’s not a Hungarian prime minister any more, because he called on the Russians for help. As for you – see that lamppost over there? Well, we’ll hang you up there soon enough.’
I hold Péter and Vera’s hands tighter as one of the youths adds, ‘What are you doing out here with kids, anyway?’
It’s relatively quiet in our Buda neighbourhood, Krisztinatown. The walls alone speak, smeared with that vile chauvinist graffiti. The voice of anti-communism, a vulgar voice reminiscent of the days of the Arrow Cross, has spoken. The first piece of graffiti could only have been written by someone who was a fascist himself in the fascist days. But lots of them seem to have been written by the unsteady hands of children. Pre-adolescents have taken up the slogans of the fascists and are passing them assiduously on. The building’s thirteen- and fourteen-year-old children gather at the entrance to excitedly discuss the events. One of them was in the city centre on the 23rd. He speaks enthusiastically about how he saw the fighting, and how he and others got into a confectionery warehouse and feasted on the sweets there. It’s obvious that he thinks of himself as a hero and that the others in this building listen to him in awe and with envy.
3
27th of July, 1948, Budapest
Dearest Bruri!
Yesterday I got the following proposals:
1. to replace Dezső in the V kerület [5th district of Budapest] he left for good
2. to go to Party school for 4 weeks in order to be prepared for the job of a three months school leader.
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