Young Reb Yizchak Bloch walked briskly up the steps. In his
right hand he held a bowl of soup (a real treasure!), in his
other, he clutched a slice of bread. He felt happy at being
able to acquire an additional portion of food. His wife had
just given birth to a baby boy, and the additional portion
was truly welcomed . . . Both husband and wife felt doubly
happy. For many years they had prayed for a son, and Hashem
listened. Now, at last, in Ghetto Kovna, they were blessed
with a son.
Suddenly, just as he reached the upper floor, some loud
noises of hammering and sawing was heard, and Reb Yizchak
Bloch had to make haste to his apartment on the third floor.
He knocked lightly on the door, then turned the key and
opened it fast, entered his abode, and just as hurriedly,
closed it. Now the sounds were less annoying. He smiled
slightly, "How good is this loud noise! The baby cries but no
one on the street hears him. It is a wonderful place to hide
a newborn baby. No SS officer would suspect that there was a
baby here."
He walked over to his wife's bed, and placed the additional
soup and bread upon a stool. She smiled brightly, "Did you
invite the Rabbi to the bris tomorrow?"
"Yes! He will come here directly after prayers. I also was
able to find a minyon of men willing to risk their
life and join us. Each of them will come separately. It is
less conspicuous this way."
"What about the seudas mitzvah?" she asked.
"Each will bring his own portion of bread, and even some
soup; under the circumstances it is the best we can do . . ."
He sighed. For years, both husband and wife had been looking
forward so eagerly to the birth of a firstborn son. They had
hoped to celebrate this joyous event in grand fashion, but in
the ghetto, the German SS police had their way of eliminating
newborn children and the ensuing celebration of any kind.
Mrs. Bloch looked at her husband, "I hope all will be right .
. . " Both knew how great a risk this circumcision is. If, G-
d forbid, they were caught celebrating, the Germans wouldn't
hesitate to kill them all: father, mother and son . . . Reb
Yitzchak saw the worried expression on his wife's face and
tried to cheer her up, "You must be strong to celebrate our
simchah! Please eat, for our child's sake, and then
you will be able to enjoy the celebration."
Mrs. Bloch obediently washed her hands and started eating the
bread dipped in the now cool soup. While eating, she prayed
that she and her husband be fortunate enough to survive, and
to be able to celebrate many such joyous occasions,
hopefully, under better circumstances. Then the baby cried,
demanding his food.
She fed him, her heart overflowing with love and happiness.
How miraculous was this baby of hers! How wonderful it was to
hold him in her arms . . . The noise of the sawing and
hammering filtered through, and it sounded like joyful music
to her ears. Her eyes brimmed with tears of gladness and
joy.
*
Morning. The sun rose early. On the third floor in the
factory building, Mrs. Bloch kept praying that all would go
well. Into the little room entered the ten men and the Rabbi.
It was risky for all to come together, so that it took time
for them to gather. Each carried his own portion of bread and
soup. Everything was ready and the room was quiet with
expectation.
Suddenly a noise of a screeching car was heard. Someone dared
go to the window, and what he saw was frightening! Two German
SS soldiers emerged from the police car; they were entering
the building . . . Everyone in the room started searching
for a hiding place, confused and terrified. The Rabbi was
shaking, trying with all his might not to envision himself
shot to death for circumcising the baby. All members of the
minyon could similarly visualize themselves being shot
to death by those very officers . . .
Mrs. Bloch was the only one who didn't lose her head.
"Please, Rabbi, go ahead and circumcise my baby!" She said
firmly, "If my child is destined to die, I want him to die as
a Jew!"
Everyone in the room stood up straight and solemn, waiting to
hear the blessings. Fear was banished from their hearts as
they concentrated on the ceremony. As the baby was
circumcised, the 'music' of the sawing machines and the
hammering covered his cries. It sounded proper and fitting,
and no one tried to look for cover. They ate the meager food
they had brought, and blessed the parents with many such
future happy events, and the child — with a future in
"Torah, chuppah umaasim tovim."
The meal completed, bircas hamozon sung in a whisper
with the traditional additions, they all left the building,
one by one. No SS German soldier had appeared at the door.
Later, it became known that the SS soldiers had gone to
another part of the building . . .
