THE GOD OF VENGEANCE
Rebbi, I am a sinner. She (Pointing to his wife.) is a sinner. We have no right to a Holy Scroll. . . Inside that room. (Pointing to the door at the right.) For her sake, Rebbi. . . (Goes into Rifkele's room and returns, leading her by the hand. She holds a velvet cover of a Scroll, upon which she is embroidering a David's shield in gold thread.) Rebbi, she (Pointing to Rifkele.) may go about a Holy Scroll. She is as pure as the Lord's Law itself. It is for her that I ordered it. (Indicating her embroidery.) See, Rebbi, she 's embroidering a cover for the Scroll. She may, Rebbi, for her hands are pure. I, Rebbi, (Striking himself over the heart.) I promise not to touch your Holy Law. She (Pointing to his wife.) will not touch your Holy Scroll. She (Resting his hand upon Rifkele' s head.) will carry it. It will be placed in her room. (To Rifkele.) And when you are married and leave my roof, take the Scroll of the Law with you to your husband's home. . .
Reb Ali, to Yekel.
In other words, when you marry off your daughter, you'll give her the Holy Scroll as her dowry. Isn't that it?
Yekel
Reb Ali, when my daughter is married, I'll give her as a dowry a pile of money, and I'll say to her: "Go out of your father's house and forget. . . forget your father. . . forget your
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