2. Greater Responsibilities: Fears and Quests (Fragment)

A Mysterious Book

One of Leon’s non‑rabbinical teachers took a great fancy to him and became his friend. Time and time again he spoke to him of modern ideas — of a destiny more productive and beneficial than that of becoming an Orthodox rabbi; but for some reason he never made a definite suggestion. When this teacher left, the first thing Leon received from him in the mail was a book in Hebrew, in a very attractive binding. In the enclosed little note this teacher advised him to read the book in secrecy and to let no one know about it. No further explanation was given.

The title of the book was “Brit Ha‑Dasha” — the New Testament. It was new to Leon. Reading the first page, he was puzzled by the secrecy of which the sender spoke, wondering why such precautions were necessary. The statement “Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Jacob” was an old story, well known to him from childhood. Thinking his teacher friend was playing a joke on him in presenting him a religious book, as for a child, Leon went to his colleague B. and showed it to him.

Well‑read as B. was, to him also this book was a riddle, and he paid little attention to it. In those days the real name of Christ was never mentioned among Jews nor in rabbinical literature. The few pamphlets in circulation spoke of “Ishu,” using a more blasphemous expression in reference to a “Toli” (the hanged one). The New Testament was never in circulation among the Jews, therefore it was obvious why the name of the book and the beginning of the story did not mean much to them.

A New Discovery

Leon became more curious as to the book he received from his teacher friend, and the advice to keep it secret. When he opened it, turning the pages to have a glimpse here and there, his attention was arrested by a portion of Paul’s letter to the Romans, the fifth chapter. Strange words hit his eye, like a ton of bricks: “justification by faith,” “peace with God,” “access into Grace,” “joy,” “hope,” “glory.” Having made this discovery, he ran to his colleague B. The reading of the first eight chapters in Romans opened a world of controversy and inner conflict. How different it sounded than the talmudic teaching of the rabbis!

The content of this book, being so interesting and new, stimulated an earnest desire for further study. Suddenly Leon fully understood why it should be treated with great precaution, and he set aside a special late hour, once a week, for the study of it. From chapter seven he learned that the writer speaks to students of the Torah as it is known in the Hebrew wording.