A STORY FROM ZEIDE: THE JEW VERSUS THE BEAR

Zeide did not say whether the bear never got up again or just lost consciousness, but now all the brawny shkotzim fled in every direction. Why? Because Yisroel Koshitzker went over to the large boulders. The shkotzim thought he was going to pay them back but good, but Yisroel merely grabbed the rocks and hurled them one by one in order to vent his agitated spirit. It was, after all, a large and angry bear…

ONE AGAINST A HUNDRED

As I described in previous chapters, my grandfather – R’ Mendel Dubrawski z”l, my father’s father – learned deep into the night with his usual niggun. This gave me unimaginable pleasure. The stories that he told in the evenings at the table enthralled young and old alike. He apparently was unaware of his power of speech, his command of the language and the beauty of his expression. I swallowed up his descriptions of Jewish heroes with delight.

I’d like to share at least one episode that Zeide told, about a Jewish hero in the area. He was called Yisroel Koshitzker. Zeide did not personally know him, but he had met an older man who, in his youth, had wrestled with Yisroel Koshitzker (Zeide did not remember his name).

This older man was no slouch himself. The proof? It happened one Motzaei Yom Kippur in the shul where this man davened. At the conclusion of the holy day, the Jews were in an elevated mood and a refined state of being, and they happily hurried home to break their fast.

As the crowd streamed out of the partially darkened hallway to the only exit of the shul, someone shouted, “Fire!” Of course pandemonium ensued and everyone began running to the one door. It was a tremendously dangerous situation in which people could have been trampled, G-d forbid. The shouting of the rav, telling people to calm down because there was no fire, was of no avail. It had been an irresponsible joke of a fool or the outburst of a mentally ill person. But people immediately realized that not a single person was leaving the shul. People screamed but it did not help. Nobody left the shul.

After some time, when they saw that it had been a false alarm, they began leaving the shul in an orderly manner. Why hadn’t a single Jew left earlier and how had the danger been averted? They finally found out that it was the smart idea of that man. He was no youngster at the time, but he was as tall and powerful as a rock. He quickly apprehended the great danger of hysterical people pushing towards one exit and went right over to the door. With one hand he held the lintel and with his powerful body he blocked the door and nobody could budge him. They pushed him from all sides but he would not move until things quieted down.

In the end, they praised him and were amazed by his heroism. It was this man, simple and straight, who smilingly said that he had once wrestled with Yisroel Koshitzker in his youth.

PRIVATE COLLECTION AGENCY

Yisroel Koshitzker was also simple and straight. He earned money thanks to his strength. He did not make a fortune though. In those days they knew nothing about prize fighting and selling tickets in advance. For the most part, he worked as a watchman who could take the place of several ordinary watchmen.

One time, a wealthy Jewish businessman poured out his heart to him. What was the problem? The local squire had borrowed a large sum of money from him and he did not want to repay the loan. Trying to take the squire to court was a waste of time. He jokingly asked Yisroel Koshitzker whether he could see to it that the squire paid him what he owed.

He was quite surprised when Yisroel Koshitzker said he was willing to do it. The merchant promised to give him a nice percentage of the money. Yisroel went to the squire and told him he had come to collect the money owed to that Jew.

The squire was shocked by his nerve. With a smirk, he ordered him to scram. “I will tell my servants to break your bones and throw you to the dogs!”

Yisroel calmly replied that he wasn’t afraid of his shkotzim. Yisroel’s cool demeanor made a strong impression on the squire and perhaps he was reminded of a famous Jewish hero. He said, “If you are so strong that you are unafraid of my powerful henchmen, perhaps you can handle a healthy, ravenous bear. If you can face off against my bear, you will immediately receive the money that is owed plus some extra.”

Once again, the squire was taken aback, perhaps even more than before, when Yisroel responded in the same measured tones that yes, he was willing. The squire was overjoyed. He would make a big show out of it and would invite friends and fellow squires. Let them come and see how the bear finished off the Zhid.

THE HINT THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD

The squire arranged the event. He designated a field not far from his castle and fenced it in with gates and boulders. He also secured a band of hefty paruvkas (powerful gentile workers) who would have the job of ushering in the starving, angry bear. He informed Yisroel Koshitzker when the battle between the bear and himself would take place. He assumed the bear would trample the Jew within two minutes.

Hordes of people gathered at the appointed time, farmers, guests, officials and squires. They sat with the honorable squire and his family on upholstered chairs.

The time had come, and the bear was brought in an iron cage and placed in the center of the fenced-in area. Yisroel Koshitzker was already standing there and waiting. They opened the cage and the bear emerged, shaking his head this way and that. Then he turned to Yisroel and held out his paw as though he wanted to play. Yisroel firmly struck the outstretched paw and the bear withdrew it. After some time, the bear tried again, more irately, to extend its paw to Yisroel. Yisroel once again gave him a mighty blow with his fist.

The bear withdrew its paw again and angrily rose up and threw himself at the man facing him. Yisroel jumped forward and butted the bear with a powerful head-butt. With great speed, he butted the bear’s head a second and third time, and the bear collapsed to the ground.

Zeide did not say whether the bear never got up again or just lost consciousness, but now all the brawny shkotzim fled in all directions. Why? Because Yisroel Koshitzker went over to the large boulders. The shkotzim thought he was going to pay them back but good, but Yisroel merely grabbed the rocks and hurled them one by one in order to vent his agitated spirit. It was, after all, a large and angry bear… The squire soon ran over with a bundle of bills.