Storyteller: From Elie Wiesel
I have just finished reading one of the most extraordinary books I’ve ever seen, Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom, by the incomparable Rabbi Dr. Ariel Burger. The book is replete not only with wisdom on everything from teaching to faith from the extraordinary Nobel Peace Laureate survivor himself, but also beautiful Hasidic stories he told in class. Here is my retelling of one of my favorites, which perfectly demonstrates the ethos that Wiesel brought to his decades of teaching at Boston University:
The young disciple Hanoch struggled day and night with a question for his master Simcha Bunim. The great man intimidated him in a thousand ways: his knowledge, his seriousness of purpose, even the way he walked. How could a poor young student deign to speak to such a pillar of Jewish life and thought? And yet, after a year in his service, Hanoch could wait no longer. He approached the rabbi.
With trepidation in his trembling voice, he said to the great man, “Excuse me, but I must ask you a question. You have taught me well what the Law is, what our tradition is—everything a person needs to be a good Jew. But there is one thing I still don’t understand.”
The master leaned closer and looked kindly at his student. “Tell me, Hanoch, how can I help you?”
“I don’t understand what I am doing here,” the young man said at last. “What am I supposed to do with this precious life that God gave me?”
Simcha Bunim shook his head and sighed. “You know, this is a problem I have grappled with as long as I can remember. Come, have supper with me.”
That is the end of the little story! Did they spend the evening meal struggling with this all-important question, or did the rabbi simply understand that this young man needed guidance and care, that he was suffering in a way that the master could relate to? In other words, that they had more in common than the teacher thought?
Whatever the answer, this story speaks deeply to me at this time of year. Not only are we hoping and preparing to live till next Rosh Hashanah, but we are also, many of us, beginning a new cycle of teaching and studying. What do we have in common with our teachers, with our students? The most important thing: Our humanity. Happy new year!
L’shanah tovah!
Caren Schnur Neile, Ph.D., teaches storytelling, memoir writing and literature at Florida Atlantic University and other institutions. Her latest book is A Jewish Journey, with Sam Ron. She appears weekly on public radio WLRN. Visit her at www.carenneile.com