The Hasidic Parable

Which Class Really Makes the Wheels Go Around?

Which Class Really Makes the Wheels Go Around? once heard, from my grandfather, a parable of a king who engaged in war. He had many foot soldiers and also horsemen. And in war the foot soldiers would stand bound one to another with iron rings so that they could not move from their places; unable to flee in any direction, they stood firm in the thick of battle. When the horsemen felt the real thick of the fighting, though they too were in war, they would flee with their horses and not risk their lives, unlike the foot soldiers who would sacrifice their lives in war for the glory of the king. And after the Lord helped their side to triumph in war, the horsemen would then come and seize the booty that their horses were able to carry away. But the foot soldiers took nothing at all except a little bread and water to revive their lives a day at a time, for the booty was too heavy for them to carry, and they were content simply that they emerged from the struggle alive. And since we all serve one king for the sake of his exalted glory, we have trust that when the war is over, if I will lack something, the horsemen will give me what I need. Far we serve one king, and it stands to reason that we deserve a portion of that booty even more than the 162 Which Class Really Makes the Wheels Go Around? once heard, from my grandfather, a parable of a l~ing who engaged in war. He had many foot soldiers and also horsemen. And in war the foot soldiers would stand bound one to another with iron rings so that they could not move from their places; unable to flee in any direction, they stood firm in the thicl~ of battle. When the horsemen felt the real thicl~ of the fighting, though they too were in war, they would flee with their horses and not risl~ their lives, unlil~e the foot soldiers who would sacrifice their lives in war for the glory of the l~ing. And after the Lord helped their side to triumph in war, the horsemen would then come and seize the booty that their horses were able to carry away. But the foot soldiers tool~ nothing at all except a little bread and water to revive their lives a day at a time, for the booty was too heavy for them to carry, and they were content simply that they emerged from the struggle alive. And since we all serve one l~ing for the sal~e of his exalted glory, we have trust that when the war is over, if I willlacl~ something, the horsemen will give me what I need. For we serve one l~ing, and it stands to reason that we deserve a portion of that booty even more than the 162 The Polemics of an Hour of History 163 horsemen do, for with God's help we brought about the king's victory at the risk of our lives, while they do not risk their lives. They refuse, however, to share their spoils with the foot soldiers, even so much as food for a single meal, claiming that they achieved the victory. (DegeJ mabane E/rayim) 1 Though the meaning of the above parable itself might be quite transparent, Rabbi Efrayim of Sedilikov nevertheless explains that the two types, the foot soldiers and the horsemen, represent respectively anshe tzurah (people of spirit and mind) and anshe ~omer (people of material bent and means).2 The former are materially disadvantaged and dependent upon the anshe ~omer, who do not respond to their needs even though in reality the anshe tzurah are the real soldiers in life. While one might assume that the horsemen occupy a higher level in the military hierarchy, the parable paradoxically alters and shatters that evaluation. Society's conventional evaluation of its various sectors can err as those given honor, prestige, and credit are not necessarily those actually responsible for real accomplishment. That accomplishment, in truth-as becomes clear to the reader-belongs to the anshe tzurah because they have an innate sense of commitment and it is contrary to their nature to retreat from the battle. Those who tend the pastures of worldly wealth are, in truth, dependent upon those devoted to the pursuits of mind and spirit. In the light of this parable, the...