The Binding of Isaac on the Eve of Passover
This is the story of the great Rabbi Yitzhak Shub (acronym for shochet u’bodek – ritual slaughterer and inspector), the shochet of the city of Turek, Poland, who gave his life for the laws of Passover and his pure soul ascended to the uppermost chambers of Heaven on the eve of Passover 5702 (1942).
The image of the miracles remained engraved in the hearts of all the heartbroken Jews of the ghetto, who were inspired by the words of faith and encouragement that flowed from the mouth of Rabbi Yitzchak, who was sentenced to death, on that Wednesday, the eve of Passover 5702, somewhere in the Valley of Tears, Schwaningen Camp, in the Posen district.
Rabbi Yitzchak, son-in-law of Rabbi Meir Shimon Widovsky of Kuzminka (Koźminek in Polish), was one of the group of forced labourers who were brought to this camp in early 5702 from the vicinity of Turek. He was a silk-clad avrech (adult yeshiva student), a true chassid, and a man of action, who, due to the fear of G-d that burned within him, was appointed to serve as a shochet despite his young age.
In that camp, an evil man whose behaviour resembled that of a bloodthirsty predatory animal served as the commandant, and when kosher food packages for Passover began to arrive at the camp for the prisoners, Commandant Schultz would confiscate the packages for himself.
The young Rabbi Yitzchak the shochet, seeing that he would not have kosher food products for Passover, risked his life, smuggled himself out of the camp, and managed to return in the evening with a few potatoes bundled in his clothes.
But unfortunately, he was caught upon entering by a Ukrainian guard, who handed him over to Commandant Schultz, and this wicked man decided to take revenge on Rabbi Yitzchak in a terrible way so that the other prisoners would take heed.
Schultz planned an operation and even chose a name for it: “Operation Korban Pesach” (the Passover sacrifice – yes, he even used the Hebrew phrase), and on the eve of Passover, after those who did his bidding had finished with the disinfection oven at the edge of the camp, the holy Rabbi Yitzchak was thrown into it alive and very quickly ascended in a storm to Heaven.
In memory of that incident, which Yehoshua Eibeshitz heard from a Jew present at the time, named Avigdor Grauman of Kuzminka – may G-d avenge his blood – he later wrote a poem called “Poem of the Death Camps.” The poem was first published in the newspaper Shearim (Nisan 27, 5729/1969), and then a second time, with additional background, in the Yizkor book for the Wieruszów community (p. 320). We present it to you here with a translation into English.
The binding of our forefather, Isaac, as is known, was
in the month of Tishrei, on Rosh Hashana
However, the binding of our hero, the holy Yitzchak
The young shochet from the holy community of Turek
Occurred specifically on Passover
In the infamous Schwaningen
***
At first, vaguely and fragmentarily, the words came
This was a time of hester panim (G-d hiding His face)
Until the escapee, Avigdor Grauman, came
And told the stories as they were
When Passover, the Holiday of Freedom, approached
Yitzchak looked and said:
“As in the days of your leaving […], I will show you marvels” (Micah 7:15)
On cold nights squirming on his bunk
Was it possible that he, Yitzchak ben (son of) Raizel
On this Passover, would be redeemed from the Torah commandment against eating chametz (leaven)?
No, this would not be for the Jews!
He already travelled the whole Talmud and sugyot (passages of Talmud)
In his head, like in an organized box
However in a case of pikuach nefesh (risk to one’s life)
“And live by them” (Leviticus 18:5) – it says in the commentaries
This is a law
But where is the “above” the letter of the law
Chassidism in its essence, is not there
But performing the mitzvot (commandments) – with simple faith
***
On a dark night, Yitzchak slowly slips across
The barbed wire, he rises silently like a cat
Towards the nearest village, he raises his feet
And whispers: Please may my path be successful
The prayer of a tzaddik (righteous man) makes an impression
As if they whispered Above: “let not the poor turn back in disgrace”(Psalms 74:21)
And truly in exchange for a warm wool vest
He received a basketful of potatoes
With an uplifted heart and light feet
He quickened his steps towards the camp
And like every Saturday night, from then and forever
He hummed to himself: “Ish Chassid” (A Chassidic Man)
***
A sudden hammer blow to the temple, a shock wave
A screaming-shout: “Keto tam”
Meaning, “who is there?”
This is the Ukrainain guard – Yeguram
The guard rejoiced with much enthusiasm
And he said: now for my duties, the place to demand due payment
In essence, against the simple Jew
-I have nothing
But, simply, the Jew who went without punishment
In essence, will come out of the business victorious
Schultz, appointed as the head of the guard
The matter looks to me, of course kosher and logical
***
Schultz, who also excelled among the executioners
As a horrible murderer, he gained a reputation
Jumped at the chance, and grinned:
“When Jewish blood flowed from the knife”
Schultz, the devil
Commanded, bring wood, light a fire!
Yitzchak all bound up, was brought to the oven
And then he said: One must prepare to sanctify His Name
The martyr continued to ponder:
What will be with the widow and the orphans?
Reprimanded himself: In the conquest of the world
You strive?
And where is the Jewish trust
In the One and Only in the world, the One
The Owner of the capital
In Whose mercy the whole world is placed
He sustained… until the horns of a ram
The Comforter of the widow and orphans
In short, Yitzchak: cast your cares
On G-d and He will sustain
***
And to his friends – at the last moment
He said: Why are you silent like tree stumps?
Today is the eve of Passover, Peh-sach (the mouth converses, a pun on Pesach, the Hebrew name of Passover)
A time to praise G-d and be happy
And in with his voice he began to hum:
“And this that stood for your forefathers and us,
That not only one stood up against us…”
And his friends repeated after him, sobbing and crying…
***
His clothing, the tongues of fire already licked
And the martyr, as if he didn’t feel it at all
His lips were moving: Even though I
Walk in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will not fear – for You are with me
When his entire body burnt like a torch
No sigh nor scream could be heard
Nor moan of pain
Only: G-d is One! Over and over again
***
The next day, when his ashes were brought for burial
They buried him next to Rabbi Avigdor, the genius rabbi
And those who did it, murmured from mouth to mouth:
Praised be our rabbi, who merited a neighbour like this
Rachmana, Idkar Lan (G-d, remember the covenant)
The Binding of Isaac
Of this martyr from the holy community of Turek
May it be Your will, Amen
