One Above and Seven Below

From the perspective of the Jewish calendar, that year was full of rarities:
It was a post-shmitta year (occurs one year out of seven). On such a year the chareidim

observe some very stringent policies regarding the consumption of domestic produce.
Here, battle lines are drawn over whether or not to observe the hetter mechira.1 This had
serious ramifications in regard to whom among my non-chareidi relatives and some old-
time family friends who lived in Eretz Israel would I consent to eat by and whom not.
This problem was exacerbated when my parents came to visit me and insisted that we
visit these friends and relatives. They did not understand the issues.
It was a Jewish leap year (occurs seven years out of 19). This made every other crazy

thing that was going on continue to go on for an additional month.

It was a three-day Purim (occurs only in Jerusalem approximately three times in 19 years,

when regular Purim falls on a Friday). Imagine, after such a long, arduous winter
semester, letting loose for three consecutive days (I only have recollections of two of
them).
Passover eve fell on Shabbat (occurs whenever there is a three-day Purim). Just another of

the long list of challenges to the chareidi perfectionist.

Birkat HaChama (occurs once every 28 years). This is a special blessing that is to be

recited when the sun returns to the original position in the firmament that it occupied
when it was first created on Wednesday the 4th of Nissan. This is not much of an event as
it entails reciting a blessing that is all of nine words. Yet, since it occurs so rarely, there is
a tremendous amount of hype that is generated as the date approaches. As this was shortly
after the Camp David peace accords, the border to Egypt was newly opened and I and a
few others planned to make a quick tourist pilgrimage to the land of de-Nile so that we
could see those big pointy things and experience a true exodus from Egypt by the
upcoming Passover. The only problem was that we could only designate the first week of
Nissan for the excursion and the nine-word Birkat HaChama was to be recited on
Wednesday and who did not want to utter this rare blessing at the Western Wall? As things
developed, our initial group of about seven began to dwindle. The first fellow dropped out
because he was a Kohen and then another for some other unrelated cause. Then a few
others backed out so as not to miss Birkat HaChama in Jerusalem. I was the lone holdout
because I had my heart set on the trip and I rationalized that it would be unique if we
could tell our grandchildren (and whoever is reading this book) that we recited the Birkat
HaChama in Cairo. On this I was completely outvoted, and so, I reluctantly remained in
Jerusalem and recited the blessing at the Kotel. As presumed, I never did get another
opportunity to go to Egypt.
It was an election year in Israel (OK, this is not based on the Jewish calendar but still a

rare calendar event. In those days elections occurred only once every four years). This
was a super high charged election featuring Menachem Begin for Likud vs. Rabin and
Peres for Labor. The backstabbing, skirmishes, dirty tricks, and actual violence were a
sight to behold. Israeli elections are winner take all. And it was close. The initial returns
gave Labor the advantage and Rabin was so excited and sure of victory that he smacked
Peres with a big kiss on camera. As the returns came in from the outlying areas, the
pendulum swung over to Begin. We followed all this on radio. I remember hearing Begin
coyly remark (in English), “Mr. Rabin will have to take back his kiss!”
It was an election year in the United States (also once in four years). Not nearly as exciting

as an Israeli election but it was very meaningful to me as it was the first election for
which I was eligible to vote. I didn’t want to miss it and I despised Jimmy Carter so I
voted absentee. It’s a good thing that I voted because it was my vote that made Reagan’s
victory a total landslide.

1
This is a controversial Halachic mechanism to circumvent the restrictions of Shmitta. Most chareidim
follow the opinion of the Chazon Ish that this hetter is not valid under normal circumstances.

© Yechezkel Hirshman 2007,2009

One Above and Seven Below

As if all of these pre-scheduled distractions weren’t enough, there were additional

exciting, unscheduled events to relieve the monotony:
My parents came in January for a ten day visit. I took off a bit to shlep around with them.

One of my roommates who had some personal problems suffered an honest-to-goodness

nervous breakdown in my presence.

Begin shocked the world by launching a surprise attack to destroy the Osirak nuclear

reactor in Iraq. The Americans were fuming that Begin did not inform them in advance.
Begin made a public statement in English (I heard this myself) whence he said: “I told
everybody who needed to know. My wife did not need to know. I did not tell her.”
The Israeli government hosted the “first and only” World Gathering for Jewish Holocaust

Survivors. This was a spectacular three day affair that occurred in June. I would not have
taken off from yeshiva for it if not for the fact that my father came from America
specially to attend. Once he was there, I couldn’t miss it and I accompanied him to all the
events. The preliminary events included a film presentation at Yad Vashem and a concert
at Binyanei HaUmah. Also on the schedule was a sound and light show commemorating
the fallen of the battle of Latrun, most of whom were Holocaust survivors. My father was
especially interested in this as, it seems, a number of these fallen had been his friends
from Munkacz or the concentration and DP camps. Unfortunately, tensions were
mounting on the Lebanese border and the IDF was unable to spare the personnel to
conduct the event and it was cancelled.
The climax of the convention was a gathering at the Western Wall which was to feature an
address by Menachem Begin. I wasn’t about to miss that for anything. I planned to arrive
straight from the Yeshiva and, because I was afraid that I would not be able to locate my
father in the crowd, made up that if we don’t find each other sooner, we would meet after
the event at the front left corner of the forward Kotel plaza next to the tunnel entrance.
The international media was there and Begin took the stage to speak in English. What a
speech he gave to the world! This is part of what he said:
Many people ask, “Where was G-d? Where was the divine providence when so many Jews
were sent to their deaths?” They ask these questions and they refuse to believe. But I say to
all of you: Believe, my friends, believe. For if not for the divine providence, we would all
have been killed!
I felt so proud. Here is the first Israeli prime minister ever to get up in front of
international cameras and tell the whole world to believe in G-d. No Israeli prime
minister had said that before and none has said that since. What a Kiddush Hashem! I
shuddered to think what would have been said if Rabin had won the election.
As the very last item on the program, the crowd joined to sing HaTikva. As an avowed
chareidi, I wasn’t interested in singing HaTikva so I migrated toward our agreed meeting
place. The forward Kotel plaza was almost totally deserted which was quite unusual.
After the singing ended, I expected a tremendous rush of people toward the Wall; after all,
there were many Orthodox present and all had yet to pray the evening service. I was
initially bewildered that the rush didn't happen and nobody came. I glanced around and
immediately saw what happened. The GSS men had cordoned off the access to the Wall
because Begin wanted to approach and say a few chapters of Psalms. Thus, the entire
crowd had to stand afar and wait for Menachem Begin to pay his homage. I was one of
less than about ten people who had managed to get into the forward plaza ahead of Begin
so I had the privilege of standing within arm’s reach of the prime minister as he was
reciting the Psalms.

© Yechezkel Hirshman 2007,2009