Mr. Shpeiter stopped dancing. A light was blinking on the crock pot.
“Hold on a moment Baruch,” said Mr. Shpeiter. “Oh, I thought it was good… give me a minute! It seems the Kugelator and the Zanfratz are working… but the Tzimtzumopulator seems to be sending signals all over the place.” Mr. Shpeiter leaned over the pot. “Guess we can’t speak now,” thought Baruch. Baruch looked around. He had pocketed the note he found – with the letter “Lamed” on it – when he landed in the basement. There were many interesting things in the basement he’d never realized. Some snow globes, an ant farm, a box of matches… Oh, no. He started to spin again! Faster and faster… the basement fading…until he landed.
“Beis Din of Amsterdam” said the sign on the building in front of him. “Hmmm…” he thought and walked inside.
“Valentin Potocki,” said the Rav in front of the room, “it seems, everything is in order. You are ready to go the mikvah and fully become a Yid.” The man before the Beis Din couldn’t contain his joy! “Valentin Potocki,” thought Baruch, “The Ger Tzedek of Vilna?!” Valentin walked down the hallway after the Rav. Baruch could hear him davening under his breath. “Hashem thank you. You have taken me from the wealthy world of the Polish nobility and shown me the emes. How could such cruel people be so proud of their “religion?” You have led me to many of this generation’s greatest tzadikim, including the heiligeh Vilna Gaon. You have opened my heart and my mind to your holy Torah. I am now ready to leave that world of sheker behind, and become a Yid. Hashem, thank you. Thank You!” Valentin was ushered into a side room. A half hour later he emerged. “Thank You Hashem, I am now Avraham Ben Avraham. A Yid!”
Baruch assumed he would be spun back to the future by now, but instead, his surroundings started to move super quickly, almost as if they were in “fast forward.”
He then heard screaming from outside. He was in a Beis Medrash, and there was a man with long peyos learning in the corner. There was a mob of angry goyim marching through the streets looking for something, or someone…
“Valentin! Valentin! Where are you? We’ll find you, you know, and you’ll be sorry!” yelled the crowd. “An embarrassment to the Potocki name, and to all of Poland! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Converting?! You TRAITOR!!!” Baruch was scared. They were looking for Avraham Ben Avraham! Baruch turned around slowly, and looked at the man in front of the Beis Medrash… he looked familiar… Smash! The doors to the Beis Medrash flew open and the mob flowed in. They looked around and found the Yid learning. They rushed in his direction. “Are you Valentin?” they thundered. “No,” said the man not even looking up. “My name is Avraham Ben Avraham.” A roar rose up from the crowd. They grabbed him and marched him out of the shul. “We’re bringing you to the Countess, your mother.” Avraham ben Avraham looked calm, and Baruch thought his face was shining.
That strange fast-forwarding thing started again. The world started to spin in front of him… and Baruch found himself in a dungeon. Across the room was Avraham Ben Avraham. This was getting stranger, scarier, and honestly, cooler by the moment!
To be continued…
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 36.