“He’ll be back. Sylvester, the leader of the group. He won’t stop trying to get you. Please, we need to leave.”

“But… My Pinchas… Didn’t you see how well he defended us?”

“Yes, but Sylvester will figure out a way to deal with him the next time around. You’ll see, it’s just too risky.”

Shabsi no longer argued. He went quietly inside the house and began to pack. As Shimshon helped him, a sack of letters fell off a shelf and opened up on the floor. Shimshon kneeled and began to put them back. All the letters were written by his namesake….

Shabsi, I received your letter. I must tell you: I don’t understand why you continue bringing up incidents of the past. How long must you live like this, burning with guilt, continuing in your path of isolation and bitter regret? Do you want to die a single man, alone, without a family, just a recluse hiding from the world? Is that what Hashem wants from you?

I’ve told you so many times, whatever happened between us, whatever happened to those boys, it was decreed from Above. You never meant to hurt anyone, you only were trying to help, though we both know that you always had difficulty controlling your impulsive actions.

With great wisdom, there always comes extra potential to wreak greater havoc, chas v’shalom. The wiser one is, the more destructive their negative actions. With knowledge comes greater expectation from Above to act in accordance with that heightened understanding and perception. So I still feel strongly the sting of regret and pain over the actions of the past, our rash decisions that led t… See, here I am also being pulled into the past. No. No! I say again you — both of us — need to let go and move on.

Return to me, old friend. I can help you move on, to build a new, better life for yourself. Stop sending me letters bringing up things neither one of us can control. And don’t accuse me of being in denial, Shabsi… I know full well the tragic consequences of our decisions back when we decided… I will restrain myself once more from delving into the details, for one must look forward, not backward, in their service of Hashem. Hashem accepts the teshuvah of all people, and even desires the greatest rasha to repent and change their ways.

If you really feel guilty and want to make amends, I challenge you to do the right thing, return to me, and leave your life of seclusion and perhaps most importantly, do what you know you must with Pinchas, the golem that we never….

Someone is knocking, I must go. Do not bother writing back, my friend, unless you are willing to heed my advice.

Your friend who still cares for you,

Shimshon

Shabsi stumbled over to Shimshon and snatched the letter from his hands.

“How much did you read?”

“J-just a bit… What happened, Reb Shabsi? What happened that broke up the life you once had, separated you from society? It sounded like a tragedy took place.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore, does it? The past is the past. What use is there in bringing it back up again when nothing can be changed?”

“If the past belongs in the past, then why are you still living here, apart from the rest of the Jewish people? You still seem to be hiding something, hiding… yourself.”

Shabsi peered closely at Shimshon.

“Remarkable. Truly. It’s like I’m back with my friend Shimshon, so much do you sound like him, think like him.”

Shimshon blushed.

“Well, I’m not even close to his level of genius or scholarship.”

“No, I have no doubt about that.”

Shimshon wasn’t sure how to respond.

“I’m not trying to insult you, dear boy. No one was on the level of Shimshon. He was an absolute genius, capable of—”

“Capable of creating a golem. And so were you, a genius. And the two of you made some sort of disastrous mistake, it seems. What was it, Reb Shabsi? Please, tell me.”

Somewhere in the distance they could hear movement in the forest. The golem opened the door and peered inside the home. He gestured to Shabsi.

“No more time for talking. Something is moving in our direction, Shimshon, and we need to run.”

With only a few sacks slung across their shoulders, Shabsi and Shimshon left the house. With tears in his eyes, Shabsi looked back at his home for the last time.

“Reb Shabsi… it’s time.”

“Yes, yes, I know, I know. Perhaps it will be good for me to leave this place. Who knows what the future holds?”

“Yes, im yirtzeh Hashem, good things, Reb Shabsi, you’ll see.”

The golem knelt down and held out his giant hand.

“W-what’s going on?”

Shabsi chuckled as he stepped into the golem’s outstretched hand.

“You didn’t think we were going to walk, did you?”

 to be continued…

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Jr., Issue 966)