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For being a Jew and wanting to live like one, Reb Asher Sossonkin, a devoted
Lubavitcher chasid, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in a Siberian labor
camp. There, he and other "political" prisoners lived, cut off from the outside
world, in the harshest conditions, together with prisoners who were fearsome
criminals.
One day, Reb Asher was approached by another prisoner, who asked him about
his observance of Shabbat, which had become somewhat of a legend in the camp.
This Jew, whose name was Nachman Rozman, was born into a traditional family, but
at an early age abandoned Judaism and became a staunch Communist. Now he decided
that he also wanted to observe Shabbat.
Reb Asher encouraged him, but with fear and trepidation, for disobedience to
camp regulations was punished severely - and observing Shabbat was clearly
prohibited. Rozman, however, would not be discouraged. He began to staunchly
observe the Shabbat using ruses which were sometimes successful, and often not.
Once, another Jew said to him, "You can't copy Sossonkin! Why, he doesn't
even eat non-kosher food, but you eat anything!"
When he heard this unfamiliar idea, Nachman came to Reb Asher to find out
what was this "kosher" food. Reb Asher explained to him that Jews eat only
animals which are designated in the Torah as "kosher", and then, only when they
are slaughtered in a prescribed manner. From then on, Nachman resolved to eat
only kosher, too. To think that this scenario was being played out in the grim
setting of a Communist labor camp, where a scrap of meat was a coveted delicacy,
is almost unbelievable, and yet it happened.
How did this totally assimilated Jew find the strength of character to
maintain his beliefs? He had served in the army and attained a high rank, but
nevertheless, he was sentenced to fifteen years at hard labor for the crime of
XXXX. Now, in the camp, he resolved to
return to Judaism. After a day of ceaseless labor, he would come to Reb Asher to
discuss Torah and to learn how to perform mitzvahs. He longed to learn how to
pray from a real prayer book, but alas there were none in the camp. Reb Asher
transcribed the Hebrew prayers phonetically into Russian for the man and his joy
was boundless. Thereafter, he recited the prayers with great happiness and
devotion every day.  | | " Reb Asher suggested that they find some discarded sardine cans?and try to construct some kind of menorah?." | | |
The friendship between the two men was a true blessing, giving each of them
someone with whom to share their pain and even find a bit of joy in observing
Torah together. When Chanukah approached, Reb Asher taught his friend the story
of the festival. Reb Asher suggested that they find some discarded sardine cans
in the kitchen, and try to construct some kind of menorah from them, but his
friend wouldn't hear of it. "How can we celebrate such a great festival using
old cans? I have a friend who is a tinsmith and for a few rubles, I'm sure he'll
make us a Chanukah menorah!" Reb Asher was uneasy lest their plan become known,
but seeing his friend's enthusiasm, he didn't have the heart to discourage him.
When Chanukah arrived, the shining tin menorah was completed. They set it up
in a small room adjacent to their barracks and lit it each night, reciting the
blessings in front of Jews and gentiles alike. All seemed to bask in its light
and take courage from the Chanukah story which Reb Asher would tell every night.
But, unfortunately, every group has a troublemaker, and the peace of the
Chanukah lights wasn't to last. On the fifth night, as they were about to light
the menorah, a man in a warden's uniform walked into the room to take roll. This
was a departure from the usual schedule, for ordinarily, after ten at night, the
prisoners were free to do as they wished. For some reason, on this night, they
had to line up and be counted. | | " The prisoners were shocked?." | | |
As the names were being called out, one of the prisoners whispered to Reb
Asher that he had been informed on, and the roll call was just a pretense to
arrest him. The rule against practicing religion in the camp was matched by an
equally severe prohibition against lighting a fire anywhere in the camp
buildings. All the buildings were constructed of wood, and it was feared that
they could easily go up in flames.
"While he's reading the roll, run in and throw the candles in the snow. Then
you can say you don't know anything about it," suggested the man to Reb Asher.
But Reb Asher could not bear to do that to the holy lights which he had worked
so hard to obtain and had lit with such sacrifice these five nights!
The roll call seemed to go on interminably. When the warden came to Reb
Asher's name, he paused, and stared at the lights in the menorah. Then he called
out, "P'yat? (Five?)"
"P'yat!" Reb Asher replied in a loud voice. The warden then continued calling
out the rest of the names as if nothing unusual had happened.
The prisoners were shocked. Not only had Reb Asher lit a prohibited fire, but
to compound the crime, it was a "religious" fire. No one could conceive how two
obviously Jewish men had lit a menorah for five nights of Chanukah, and now,
when they were discovered, nothing happened! This was truly a Chanukah miracle!
Reb Asher never understood what happened that night. Who was that warden? Why
had he mentioned the number of candles? Was he a fellow Jew who was drawn to the
sight of a menorah? Was he Elijah the Prophet? The Chanukah miracle remained a
mystery to the end of Reb Asher's life. May his memory be blessed.
[Adapted from Kfar Chabad Magazine, L'Chaim #498, and Sichat
HaShavuah]
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