Rav Zechariah Berkovitz, chazan in Lausanne,
Switzerland received semichoh from the rabbonim of
Hungary. Though he held the position of chazan he was
in fact the head of the community, which he saved from the
influence of the Reform movement that was thriving at the
time. He was known for his sharpness, which at different
times has been directed at antisemites, Reformers and even at
lapsed Jews. Here are some of his incisive remarks.
I once wrote to a Reform rabbi who conducted many
`conversions' without making too many investigations, "You
are waiting for the fulfillment of the posuk, `All the
goyim you have made will come and bow down to you'!
(Tehillim 86:9). Don't expect me to be an accomplice
to such doings."
*
An ignorant Jew draped himself in a tallis in the
beis haknesses, covering his head. Reb Zechariah went
over to him and said, "Covering your head with the
tallis is a sign that you're a scholar; if you're a
scholar you ought to know that an ignoramus doesn't cover his
head with the tallis . . ."
*
Speaking to his congregation: Whether we are religious or
conservative, liberal, reform or fanatics, we will always be
Jews in the gentiles' eyes. Why then, shouldn't we try and
seem Jewish to other Jews too?
*
Nine millionaires sometimes need a single collector to make
up their minyan . . .
*
A person has two eyes — one for seeing his own
shortcomings and the other for seeing the virtues of
others.
*
"A tzaddik knows how his animal feels" (Mishlei
12:10). I once sent a letter to the Swiss Society For
Preventing Animal Distress that they apparently didn't read
because it was published uncensored. I wrote to them that
only the cow itself is capable of answering the question of
which method of dying causes it least suffering. Those who
decide that slaughter is less painful if done with a bullet
or some other way, admit that they are cows . . .
*
A candidate for the job of chazan was trying to
display his vocal talents. When he finished he asked the
president which section of the prayers he had most enjoyed.
"The silent Amidah" was the answer.
*
The least committed Jew observes his parents'
yahrtzeit. If he believes that they hear his
Kaddish why doesn't he believe that they see how he
behaves?
*
One of the congregants peeked at his watch during the
tefillah. The rov went over to him and said, "What
will you do if the Ribbono shel olam also looks at His
watch and says, `Oh dear, it's already too late for you'?
"
*
One can translate the holy tongue but one can't translate the
holiness of the language!
*
After a lecture on Judaism that I gave to a gentile audience
a listener once asked me, "If you are so convinced that you
possess the truth why don't you send missionaries all over
the world like we do?" I replied, "Patek Philip doesn't have
any salesmen!" (Patek Philip is a prestigious Swiss watch
brand.)
*
The gentiles always accuse us of chasing money. A gentile
once asked me, "How do you Jews get hold of so much money?" I
shot back, "Because you hate it so much and throw it away,
and we come and pick it up . . ."
*
Tens of thousands of gentiles don't believe that J. ever
existed yet they're all convinced that the Jews killed him .
. .
*
A gentile once accused me, "You killed J." I replied, "Since
when does it bother you when a Jew is killed?! Six million
Jews were killed and it didn't stop you from eating and
making merry. Are you trying to tell me that the murder of a
single Jew disturbs you?!"
These notes are taken from Reshimos Leiv, published
in 5761.
