“When the Rabbi had ended, we all stood up and received his blessing.  We then went on to the grave of Rabbi Shiman, which was in a beautiful, cool, and shady spot.  There we found numbers of people.  Some groups were having a lively time singing and clapping their hands, while the men were dancing; but none of the women or girls danced, as it would be thought immodest of them, but they helped by singing and clapping their hands.  Then other folks came to pray at the saint’s grave for the health of some of their children that were ailing.  Others dropped letters or pieces of paper into the Rabbi’s tomb with special requests written on them.  Some put money into the charity-boxes hanging at different parts around the tomb.  There was also no end of beggars there.  One nice-looking man went about with a red handkerchief tied up by the four corners, asking people to put in as much as they could spare to uphold the yeshibas and the hospital or the home for the aged, and other institutions.  But as most of the people there around the Rabbi’s grave lived on charity, I could not see what they could spare.

“I happened to mention this to Father and said how I disliked seeing people living on Chalukha (alms sent them from Europe), and I could not understand why they were not ashamed to take it, for they did not look like ordinary beggars, but quite the reverse—­independent, studious, and refined-looking, as I found out later when I spoke to them.  They seemed indeed to think they were conferring a favour by accepting alms.  Father said to a certain degree they were wrong, but from another point of view it is difficult for a man to progress in business and at the same time devote many hours to the study of the Torah.  Our ancient Rabbis realized this, and said that those who had not the leisure or the inclination to devote much time to the study of the Torah should make it their duty to give of their means towards the up-keep of those who did.  If they did this God would bless them.  So it is now a recognized duty for every Jew in Europe who has any respect for the Torah and other religious learning or teaching to send his ‘bit’ towards the yearly support of the scholars here.

“The latter, who do nothing but study the Torah, think that it is through their efforts in this direction that Israel is saved.  They do not consider the money given for their support a charity, but believe they hold a similar position in Palestine to that of professors and students who hold scholarships in the various universities in Great Britain and Europe.  The Jews in certain countries send more money for the support of their fellow-countrymen who are teachers and scholars than the Jews of some of the Eastern European countries, and that is why some appear to be better off than many of their fellow-teachers and scholars.

“This chat with Father helped me to understand other things as well which had puzzled me before.  About this I will write more in another letter.