When the month of Elul comes Esther the ( Zogerin) sayer appears on stage. It has been a whole year since she was last seen. A quiet, humble woman with shriveled face and a scarf of her head winter and summer.Her face and dress have the same color-sand color. Whenever you meet her lips whisper a prayer. She never has time, always busy. She either bakes bread for sale or has to take care of her ill husband, the Shames (custodian) of the old synagogue who is also an engraver of tombstones, or she runs to the synagogue for Minkha or "Kdusha"; this is not an unimportant thing! Every "Kdusha" (third benediction of the Amidah prayer) is priceless.
But who is like her at the beginning of the month of Elul- she is the heroin of that day. Every minute is equal to gold. Women stand and wait for her as if she was the most important personality. She is the teller at the cemetery or the entire town, and not just Zabludow; she is also known to strangers who come to their ancestors graves. Who doesn't know that her words can move a stone from the grave. None is like her when she throws her supplications; not even the men. There were jokers who wanted to bet- they will laugh while she "talks to the dead". But no one can prove that they could do the same, and they were so moved by her prayer that they poured rivers of tears.
When a woman is having difficult child bearing, or when a man is ill, they immediately run to Esther Chaya " the advocate" so she will run to the holy place. No need spending too many words with Esther Chaya. She already knows what to do…no doubt, she is trustworthy…she picks all the necessary requisites, candles and a cloth with knots to measure the graves and, thank god, the ill and the woman are doing well.
During the solemn days (from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur) things are different. A new flow of words come out of her, words none can describe.
Already at the beginning of the holiday, beginning of solemn days, you will see this picture: A camp of women headed by Esther Chaya the advocate, and a prayer book in her hand, going to the holy place. The way to the cemetery isn't far from town. When esther chaya gets there- she feels right at home; she is surrounded by friends, "good morning god!" She begins a sad hymn- "your servant Esther Chaya is here"…she approaches a grave, takes a look at the person that for him she should sound the supplications and a cascade of words comes out of her mouth.
She begins by calling the name of the dead, knock three times on the grave and talks as if he was living: "good morning to you Riva Mindel, daughter of Yaacov Tzvi; your daughter Sarah Rivkah came to you. She wants to pour her bitter heart to you. Look, Riva Mindel, what happened to your daughter. If you only came out of your grave and saw how your daughter is doing, you'd probably go back in. Ask, Riva Mindeleh, ask god for a good year to your daughter, ask for a kosher year, that your daughter will know not troubles. Try hard for her. Why are you quiet? Why aren't you trying before the almighty? Five years have passed since she got married and she is still barren; wish that no daughter of Israel will know such suffering. Don't keep quiet, Riva Mindel, break through the heavens, beg the almighty for her sake and for all the people of Israel who is in big trouble, and may your deeds entitle you to enter heaven, and let us say -amen."
Or this version: "how can you rest when your daughter needs health and livlyhood. Please try hard for her; you are closer to the almighty than us the sinners. Be a good advocate for her and for the entire people of Israel and let us say- amen". And she goes on and on. People are standing around herand they all shed tears. All of them bless her.When Esther Chaya ends her supplications she stands up, takes the coins they give her and a big smile on her face as if she was saying: "I know the work. What do you think?"
Lately Esther Chaya is busy throughout the year. An American who comes from afar to see his parents who are in the true world goes to Esther Chaya, or she receives requests from America to pray for people, and she does her work in a perfect manner. If she prays for an American, her words taste differently. She reveals her real talent. Then the wide sea that separates Zabludow from America does not exist for her…they become one town, and then later in a letter she sends her client greetings from his near and dear ones. And she receives a fair pay for this.
And so goes one year and comes a new one, and she continues in the old and familiar version we know and love so much.
Back to Table of Contents Web: 2003 Tilford Bartman
