THE SERMON
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nonsense! It is uprooting and destruction, it's the opposite of what
has been, it's the end. . .. It has almost nothing to do with the
people, a thoroughly non-popular movement, much more apart
from the people than the Bund, more than assimilationism, more
even than Communism. The fact is, it turns away from the people,
is opposed to it, goes against its will and spirit, undermines it, subverts
it, and turns off in a different direction, to a certain distant goal;
Zionism, with a small group at its head, is the nucleus of a different
people. . . . Please note that: not new or restored, but
different.
And if anyone doesn't agree, well, I'm very sorry, but either he's
mistaken or he's deluding himself. What? Perhaps it isn't so? I
believe that this land of Israel already is no longer Jewish. Even
now, let alone in the future. Time will tell, as they say. That's lts
hidden core, that's the power it will yet unfold. Yes! At any rate, it's
a different Judaism, if you choose to fool yourselves and keep that
name, but certainly not the same as survived for two thousand years,
not at
all
the same. That is ... well, nothing. You understand? And
nothing will help, neither grandfathers and grandmothers nor an–
tiquities, nor even Hebrew literature which has grown like a crust
on the past, and clings to the old small towns of our Exile. All
wasted!
Kaput!
I'll take the liberty of mentioning one detail, not
directly related, but it has some bearing, a tangential bearing . . .
a fine expression, you know," his lips twisted in a smiling grimace.
"So round and smooth: tangential. ... Well, then, it's well known
that we're all ashamed to speak Yiddish, as though it were some sort
of disgrace. I intentionally said 'ashamed.' Not that we dislike, or
fear, or refuse, but we're ashamed. But Hebrew, and none other
than Sephardic Hebrew, strange and foreign as it is, we speak boldly,
with a kind of pride or vanity, even though it isn't as easy and na–
tural as Yiddish, and even though it hasn't the vitality, the sharp
edge, and healthy vigor of our folk language. What's the meaning
of this? What's the reason for it? For no reason at all, just to take
on such an immense burden? But it's quite simple: This community
is not continuing anything, it is different, something entirely specific,
almost not Jewish, practically not Jewish at all. ... In the same
way, we are ashamed to be called by the ordinary, customary
Jewish names, but we are proud to name ourselves, say, Artzieli or
Avnieli. Haimovitch, you will agree, that's a Jewish name, entirely
