Zissi Skarzhinskaya
Inspired by current events.
The following episode is recounted in the book “The Father of the Children of Israel.”
When Israel recaptured the Cave of Machpelah after the Six-Day War, soldiers went inside for the first time and settled down to rest. Carpets had been laid on the cave's stone floor. The tired, dusty soldiers, some of whom were wounded, settled down to rest and doze. Among the commanders present were Uzi Narkiss and Yitzhak Rabin; rabbis were also there, including Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.
Suddenly, the cave's sheikh, whose name was Jebri, emerged from a side door and began shouting:
— Get out of the cave! You do not respect it! When we Muslims come here, we wash our hands five times, remove our shoes, and behave respectfully. You come in here dirty and walk across the carpets in dusty boots! You have no respect for this holy place! Get out of this cave!
Everyone was taken aback and did not know what to say.
Then Rabbi Eliyahu rose and replied in fluent Arabic, which he spoke perfectly:
— Ya sheikh! (a form of address, something like “Hey, sheikh”) Listen! You know that if a servant comes before the king in dirty clothes and serves him food on a dirty tray and in dirty dishes, his sentence is known—death! But suppose the king's son arrives after wandering for many years, during which the king did not know where he was. He walks in his dirty clothes straight into the meeting room of the royal cabinet, or straight into the chambers of his royal mother. Would his father, the king, really throw him out because of his untidy, inappropriate appearance?! Would his mother, the queen, really send him away because of his dirty shoes?! They would hold him close to their hearts and shed tears of joy!
Abraham is our father, Sarah is our mother! We behave here as we would at home. You are the sons of Fatma (the maidservant), the sons of Hagar; you behave here as servants, while we behave as sons who have returned home.
Sheikh Jebri retreated to his little room, angry and ashamed. The officers rounded on Rabbi Eliyahu: “What have you done? Why did you anger him?” Rabbi Eliyahu replied: “We must tell them the truth! That is the only thing they understand!”
After some time, the sheikh emerged from his room, bowed, and apologized to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.