Yeshiva University - Masmid Yearbook (New York, NY)

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i Board of Editors I m m H tiLi :o Mantel, Editor in (Jiief % ' 0. ii W . , . M H Assjiiate H.riiturs jS H Abraham S. Guterman Joseph Kaminetsky ' % M Louis Engelberg j| W p % Hyman Muss, Business Manager % B. Gordon - I. Goldberg, l pists z -♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦•♦♦•♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦•♦♦♦ ; 1 ? ' IP 3v ' ' j 1. lir %sr Seated left to right Abraham S. Guterman, Hugo Mar tel, Hyman Muss Standing: I. Goldberg, Joseph Kaminetsky, Louis Engelberg, B. Gordon

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14 M ASM I D and the constant buzzing of insects, weighted his heart with fear of the next day. The fear grew into dread, as real as that of a person to be hanged on the morrow. He began to walk faster, and all the boys walked faster too. Then he began to run, and all the boys ran with him, for the ominous stillness of the night had gripped the hearts of the young boys. When Schmulikel reached home, a good supper was awaiting him, but he could not eat, for he imagined the Rebe ' s harsh look directed at him. He wanted to tell his mother of the dreadful thing he had done, but could not. With gloomy forebodings Schmulikel went to bed. In his sleep he dreamt of the Rebe . . . that he was the Rebe ' s favorite, winning triumph after triumph . . . that he, himself, was Rebe . . . good and kind to Shmerle and Berel and to Susanna . . . Susan- na was demure and pretty ... a queen of the grass and trees . . . She was leaning over his chair, fondly whispering in his ear . . . But suddenly Yankel appeared on the scene, dis- guised as the Rebe . . . And his look was very harsh and stern. In the morning, on his way to Cheder, Schmulikel was still under the influence of the ghastly dreams that he had had at night. When he thought of the Rebe his heart would palpitate like a freshly slaughtered chicken. He would not go to the hateful Cheder . . . he woulJ run away to distant lands where no people lived . . . and he would roam about in these sunny climes, plucking rose-cheeked ap- ples from the trees . . . and one bright day he would turn around . . . and lo! Susanna would be behind him ... red and smiling . . . My dear Susanna how do you come here? I could not live without you, and I fol- lowed you into these lands of Eden. Please don ' t drive me away. Your life is my life and your country is my country . . . Then they would come across a wild tribe of ancient time and he would be their king and Susanna would be their queen . . . And one day they would return in pomp and triumph, and the Rebe would bow before them . . . But he, Schmulikel. would descend from his stately carriage, raise the Rebe, and say; It is all right ... I forgive you . . . Absorbed in these bright fancies, Schmulik- el reached the Cheder. The mere sight of the house, the dilapidated roof thatched with straw, were sufficient to dispel the flimsy webs of his imagination. He breathed deeply, mumbled a few words of prayer, and entered the gates of Hell! The same table . . . the same benches . . . the faces of the students were tense as if about to witness an execution. Come here Schmulik! commanded the Rebe. Schmulikel came over to the Rebe ' s chair like a lamb ready for slaughter. Where were you yesterday? Where was I yesterday? The glorious fight of the last day, the triumph that he had, and the fact that he was commander-in- chief of two armies, made him ashamed of his weakness. Boldly looking up at the Rebe. he answered that yesterday was Lag B ' Omer. a holiday, a field day. The Rebe ' s anger was aroused. The pupils knew it. Schmulikel knew it, but he was not afraid any more. Boy, he ' ll get it , whispered Chatzkel to Chaim-Yankel who was sitting near him. And how, Kemo Shekossuv! answered Chaim-Yankel. Without much ado or ceremony, the Rebe invited Schmulikel to stretch himself out on the table. Schmulikel, inspired by the mar- tyr ' s zeal, was taking the punishment very lightly. The inexplicable fear which had pos- session of him before entirely left him. Sud- denly he heard light steps coming from the garden. He felt a jerk at his heart. The door opened, and Schmulikel ' s worst fears were realized. He groaned. A big lump arose in his throat and he felt like choking. He had not minded the beating, but now he could not bear it any longer, for Susanna was there witnessing his shame. He dared not turn his face to look at her. He was sure that she too sympathized with him. Yes . . . Susanna . . . he could imagine her sorrowful face full of sympathy and pity. He did not feel the heavy strap descending on his back: he for- got the Rebe and the schooLmates: his mind was on Susanna ... He once had met her alone ... in the garden behind the house . . . the creepers were languishing . . .Susanna was sitting under the shadow of an apple tree . . . A red rose was adorning lier curly black locks . . . and he, Schmulikel. was there . . . A gallant prince paying court to the Queen of Spring. ( Continued on Page 35 )

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16 M ASMID EDITORIAL EDUCATION, as has been stated time and again, is a preparation for life. Some men in public office have lately, upon the basis of this adage, advocated a radi- cal change in our present educational system. Literature, philosophy, and abstract sciences are to be banned from the colleges. The deck must be cleared for courses that shall train the students for a practical life. How to earn a livelihood, how to adapt oneself to society, to various financial, political and social con- ditions — these are the proper objects of a practical education. It is hardly necessary for students who have been brought up under the idealistic at- mosphere of religion to express a dissenting opinion. Practical life is a fraction only of the whole of life, which is essentially spiri- tual. A curriculum such as these extreme materialists propose would scarcely satisfy the real needs of culturally-minded young men. History, philosophy, poetry and even theoret- ical science, satisfy our thirst to know our past development and present environment; they also shape a finer man with a broad and healthy outlook upon life. STILL, is there nothing we can learn from this newest doctrine, even though we are out of accord with it as a whole? Is there nothing in the proposal that may be adopted even b y its opponents? The suggestion was undoubtedly born out of the conditions of our age. The need for reform may be exaggerated and the plan of reform be deformed, but there is no denial of the fact that there is a kernel of truth in the matter. What is the nature of the suggestion men- tioned? Its main features are that it disre- gards the spiritual side of man and stresses the materialistic side. Let us, then, after hav- ing discredited the first part of its attitude, re- tain from the second part whatever is not exaggerated, overestimated and magnified. We do not and cannot shut our eyes to practical realities; we cannot afford to ignore facts that stare us in the face. The fact is that the students of the Yeshiva are the prospective leaders of the great Jewish masses in America. Leadenship has always been the most difficult task one could under- take in the social and spiritual realms; it is doubly so in our own age when things are being re-evaluated and the rabbi ' s field of activity is constantly widening. The preparation for the spiritual aspect of the rabbi ' s prerequisite, is generally acknowl- edged satisfactory. Leadership, however, is quite another matter. This quality cannot be injected by either faculty or books; it must be developed and trained. The conscientious Yeshiva student must himself search out the opportunity and the occasion to assert his in- fluence among his peers, the Jewish youth. He should develop a genuine interest in hu- manitarian problems and in questions that face the Jewish world. He is advised to ob- serve the reaction of the people to issues with which they are confronted. He is to acquire first hand information about the spiritual and social phases of our society; he must study their weaknesses and their remedies. He must, in brief, train himself to be a leader of men. of the Jewish masses. It is not complete absorption in social life that we preach. The great majority of our time must still be devoted to the pursuit of our cultural studies. Yet no student who wishes to be well adapted to his call in life can afford to leave himself without a sound conception of what his vocation will demand of him. Clarification and crystallization of the subject can only be beneficial to him. There are enough organizations that would welcome the presence of Yeshiva students among them. Young Israel and the Mizrachi Hatzair are examples of organizations that are anxious to have as leading members stu- dents of the Yeshiva. These and other or- ganizations have shown their eagerness to be inspired by the intensive Jewish spirit that our students carry with them. Many a pro- minent rabbi has started his communal lead- ership in these organizations while still at- tending the Yeshiva; there are those of us now who are heart and soul devoted to Young Israel or some other movement of the Jewish youth. Our complaint is that there are not enough of us following this excellent example. It is by combining spiritual maturity with worldly sagacity that wc can hope to leave our mark.