Chaim Grade's Story "my Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner"

Chaim Grade's story "My Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner" is a story about two Jewish men whose paths illuminate the ideological perspectives of two of the greater Jewish movements throughout a critical moment in world history. Within Chaim and Hersh's conversations, a separation in Jewish identity can be seen. This seperation creates a distance and a sense of desperation between the two men, but beneath their aggression is an overwhelming atmosphere of responsibility and love. The men argue, but neither one is right. Both are right. This complex relationship reflects the conflicts that modern Jews face in how they treat each other and whether or not they could see themselves as one people.

Their first meeting is in Bialystock, in 1937, seven years after Chaim left the yeshiva. This scene serves to introduce the conflicting ideologies of the two. In this meeting, the men express their critical views of the other. There is little love here, as the two are still striding forward, unbothered, on their paths. Both men make an argument and disregard the words of the other. And, as Chaim clearly states, both seem to feel vindicated or somehow more justified in their own decisions by this initial argument. "I returned to Vilna with a burden removed from my conscience. In the disputation with the Mussarist I myself began to understand why I left them."

In their second meeting, two years later, we see for the first time how these men show how they care about each other. Chaim was physically excited to see Hersh, in a social sort of way. "I was so glad to see him that I left my place in the line, pushed through the crowd, and came up to him." Hersh on the other hand is not excited. He is cautious and confrontational. But in this, we can see his sense of responsibility for Chaim. "You are wrong, Chaim. I do bear responsibility for you." Hersh is a Mussarist. And he went to school with Chaim. They were classmates and friends. Hersh is saying that everyone has a responsibility over everyone, but he is also feels that he has a personal responsibility over Chaim, in terms of Chaim's secularism. He must see Chaim's secularism as a great defeat and loss. It is no wonder why he gets so upset and angry in his arguing.

Their third and final meeting happens nine years later, in 1948, on a Paris metro. This time, when they meet, Chaim at first doesn't recognize Hersh. They have both been changed by the Holocaust. Chaim is taken back by Hersh's kind demeanor, when Hersh asks how he is. "Now he asked the question quietly and simply. It came from his heart and it showed concern, as for an old friend." There is calmness and warmth to Hersh's nature that wasn't before. And Chaim notes how this reflects on his ideological changes as well. "Hersh Rasseyner spoke in a warm voice. He did not once take his hand of my shoulder. I felt a great love for him and saw that he had become more pious than ever."

Soon they begin arguing again. The Holocaust has changed them both, and made them both more strident in their opposing views; for Hersh, greater piety; for Chaim, deeper questions. In the course of that discussion the friends ask one another what change the Holocaust has made in their way of thinking, and they answer in turn. Yet the author presents the post-Holocaust reflections as continuous with their pre-war quarrel. The Holocaust casts a stark, clarifying light on their differences and raises the stakes of their debate, but the debate remains a confrontation between Jewish tradition, as interpreted by the mussar movement, and modernity, as it has been embraced by secularizing Jews.

At the end of their first meeting, Chaim sees himself as having 'won'