2. Greater Responsibilities: Fears and Quests (Fragment)

New Friendship

Among the rabbinical students in W. was a young man named Samuel, of respectable parents, who was a little older than Leon, and an exceptionally gifted student. He was well‑read, very intelligent, and more progressive than was generally known. Leon found in him a colleague after his own heart and, this with full approval of his father. Both also found pleasure in playing the violin together; but it was in their mutual studies that Leon discovered that Samuel was of the same mind as his colleague B., who spent much time studying other things… This bound them closer to one another.

Once, in talking about books, Leon related, in part, his last experience with a “unique book.” To this Samuel remarked that he too owned one “very rare book.” This aroused Leon’s curiosity, and he begged his friend to show it to him. Samuel did not easily yield to this request, but finally it was arranged to bring the book to their next walk in the forest. Holding it under his coat, Samuel exposed it and allowed Leon a glimpse. This was sufficient. He recognized it at once as being the “Brit Ha‑Dasha.” The expression on Leon’s face revealed that he knew the book, and both friends wished to share the secret as to how they came into contact with it. First Leon told his whole story, which made a deep impression on Samuel, but the fact that this book was once more put before him, caused Leon’s heart to tremble with fear. Something was happening quite out of his control…

More exciting was the story which Samuel had to tell about his “Brit Ha‑Dasha”: “A friend of mine,” he said, “while traveling by train, had met a Jewish gentleman, who during conversation revealed himself a believer in Him, whom we call the ‘Toli,’ as being the Messiah of Israel. In the course of their conversation he brought such convincing arguments and unfailing evidences from the Prophets, that being sincere, very religious and well‑read in rabbinical theology, my friend became really interested in the subject and in the study of the book, so this stranger gave it to him. He began comparing it with the Bible, the Messianic promises and history, and became persuaded that this man presented to him the truth.

“My friend shared with me his new convictions, saying that we, as Jews, made an ominous mistake in rejecting Him who was the promised Messiah, by name Yeshuah, whom the zealous leaders of our people delivered up because of envy, into the bands of the Gentiles, and this was how He became the ‘Toli.’”

Suddenly tears came to Samuel’s eyes. He paused, and with enhanced emotion told what happened to his friend: “His father, noticing a change in his son, made life miserable for him, trying to destroy the book which my friend defended. The book was torn and lost its cover. My friend ran away and no one knew were he went. After several months he sent me a letter from a city in England and a little parcel containing this book. In the letter he wrote among other things: ‘I treasure this book as my ‘eye‑opener’: It helped me to find our Savior, and I send it to you.’”

For some reason, Samuel urged Leon not to mention this book to him again. He treasured it as a relic from his friend and kept it secret. Although he was quite familiar with its contents, it did not affect him as one would suppose.

Leon was eager to read the book, since the little he had read before in the Letter to the Romans, had provoked him to try to find one, but all was in vain. There was no way for Leon to procure a copy of the book in those days when the work of Jewish Missions, particularly in the Russian Empire, was in its infancy.