Religious Education As Expressed In The Hasidic Stories Of Martin Buber

Once the Hasidim were seated together in all brotherliness, when Rabbi Israel joined them, his pipe in his hand. Because he was so friendly, they asked him: “Tell us, dear rabbi, how should we serve God?” He was surprised at the question and replied: “How should I know!” But then he went right on talking and told them this story: There were two friends, and both were accused before the king of a crime. Since he loved them he wanted to showthem mercy. He could not acquit them because even the king’s word cannot prevail over a law. So he gave them this verdict: A rope was to be stretched across a deep chasm and the two accused were to walk it, one after the other; whoever reached the other side was to be granted his life. It was done as the king ordered, and the first of the friends got safely across. The other, still standing in the same spot, cried to him: “Tell me, my friend, how did you manage to cross that terrible chasm?” The first called back: “I don’t know anything but this: whenever I felt myself toppling over to one side, I leaned to the other”¹⁹.