If Not Higher Summary
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| If Not Higher Summary and Critical Analysis |
Literal Comprehension:
The story If Not Higher, is about the mystery of where the Rabbi of Nemirov goes and what he does during the Penitential Prayers. Everyone in the village seems to wonder where the Rabbi is during this time, but while the Jews of the village are content to assume the Rabbi is in heaven, the Litvak doesn’t believe it. The Litvak tries to pretend that he doesn’t care where the Rabbi of Nemirov goes during the Penitential Prayers or what he is doing, but he secretly wants to discover the secret.
The Litvak decides to spy on the Rabbi, hides under the Rabbi’s bed, and then follows him when he leaves, all the while believing that he, as a Litvak, is more clever than others and is the only one who could accomplish this goal since Litvaks would never get caught or become tired waiting as others would. The Litvak successfully follows the Rabbi and sees him pretend to be a peasant, chop wood and deliver it to a poor sick Jewish woman.
What the Litvak finds is that the Rabbi not only actually does the Penitential Prayers, he also helped out a fellow Jew and said the Prayers for the woman. After seeing this, the Litvak comes to believe in the Rabbi and the Rabbi’s work. Needs to include the all-important “if not higher”.
Rabbi of Nemirov used to disappear from every penitential prayer. People used to think that he had ascended to heaven. He was supposed to save them from Satan. But Litvak, one of the Jews, didn't believe this remark of the people and laughed at it. Once, he decided to find the fact about him. So entered the Rabbi's house secretly, watched him throughout the night.
When it was nearly the morning, Rabbi changed his dress as a farmer and set out to the forest with an axe and a rope. In the forest, lie collected the firewood and returned back. On his way to his house, he stopped at an old woman's hut. He lent the wood and helped her to kindle the fire. In the meantime, he recited all three portions of penitential prayers. Litvak followed him all the way and was so impressed by him that he became Rabbi's disciple at the end.
Interpretation
The moral of the story could be that one needs to fully understand something before making a judgment. In the story, the Litvak, and other Lithuanian Jews, rely on a commentary on the Bible, the Talmud rather than the Bible or the teachings of the Rabbi. Because Litvak only seems to rely on the Talmud, which is someone else’s view of the Bible, Litvak doesn’t trust the Rabbi or his practices. Similar to the discussion on the way television brainwashes viewers into believing things that may or not be true, the Talmud is also only commentary, not fact, and can lead people astray.
Once Litvak himself investigates what the Rabbi does, he comes to realize that the Rabbi is indeed working for the greater good of the Jews. 'If Not Higher' teaches us that true worship of God is the true service to mankind. It strongly rejects the way of praying to god by reciting the words of prayers but it advises us to help the poor and the needy people instead. The story proves the fact that god and its blessings are received not by means of words of prayers but by means of extending the hands of service.
Critical Evaluation
I think the underlying message in the story is a good one…learn the facts before judging. It also has a good ending, which would be especially positive for Jewish people since it supports what they believe in. I also think that the story keeps your attention since you want to know what the Rabbi of Nemirov is doing when he’s expected to be doing the Penitential Prayers and where he disappears to. It’s nice that the story has a positive ending with both someone in need being helped and also Litvak’s eyes being opened to the Rabbi’s mission.
I also think the story has a comic element to it, with Litvak’s ultimate confidence in himself since he is a Litvak, while he has much less confidence in those that aren’t Litvaks. The Litvak is portrayed as almost cocky in his confidence. Though the story from the moral and religious point of view seems quite impressive and memorable if it is looked at in the present context, it seems unbelievable, since, in this modern time, people have become too selfish and mean.
As a result, it is too difficult to impart its moral lesson to them. It doesn’t mean anything to them. Rabbi's ascending to heaven alive can't be accepted in this modern world. The existence of God and heaven is in fact out of question. People like Rabbi who have lived life for the sake of others can't be found in the world.
I do have some problems with the story. First, I wonder whether the writer was a Litvak? Why only to see themselves as part of that group, not as individuals? Also, some of the information is difficult to believe. After the Rabbi dresses as a peasant, he stops in the kitchen and takes an axe under the bed. Why would there be a bed in the kitchen? Regardless of where the bed is, why would an axe be under it when it would generally be stored elsewhere?
Also, the thought that no one else has a clue as to where the Rabbi disappears to is odd…the Rabbi leaves his home in the morning and we’re told that everyone else is up and about, how is it that only the Litvak was able to follow him or even see him walking through the village? Finally, while I like what I perceive to be the moral of the story, if people spent all of their time trying to validate everything they are told, read, or see, what would ever get accomplished? I think that it is important for people to question things, but there must also be trusted sources of information.
Assimilation
I think that I will use the message from this story to help remind myself that sometimes it’s important to dig deeper into things so that I fully understand them before making my own judgment. Always believing what is portrayed on TV, in the newspapers or even what family and friends believe can cause problems. We see it in everyday life where children grow up to have the same political views as their parents, assuming that since their parents voted one way, it was the right thing to do.
Without doing research, it is impossible to completely get an accurate understanding of the big picture and one could find oneself fighting for something they don’t actually believe in. As I go through the story, it reminds me of a man who is respectable in my society. He is fifty years old. He never goes to the church and temple and prays to god. But, in the village, he is well known for his kind and selfless help to the people. He donates his property every year little by little to homeless children and people.
