224 LERNER
Vittiss's course of instruction began and ended with trying to imbue his pupils with a downright, genuine, Jewish-Chassidic enthusiasm.
The first day Ezrielk entered his Cheder, Eeb Yainkel lifted his long, thick lashes, and began, while he gazed fixedly at him, to shake his head, saying to himself: "No, no, he won't do like that. There is nothing wrong with the vessel, a goodly vessel, only the wine is still very sharp, and the ferment is too strong. He is too cocky, too lively for me. A wonder, too, for he's been in good hands (tell me, weren't you under both Moisheh- Yusis?), and it's a pity, when you come to think, that such a goodly vessel should be wasted. Yes, he wants treating in quite another way."
And Yainkel Vittiss set himself seriously to the task of shaping and working up Ezrielk.
Eeb Yainkel was not in the least concerned when he beat a pupil and the latter cried and screamed at the top of his voice. He knew what he was about, and was convinced that, when one beats and it hurts, even a Jewish child (which must needs get used to blows) may cry and scream, and the more the better ; it showed that his method of instruction was taking effect. And when he was thrashing Ezrielk, and the boy cried and yelled, Eeb Yainkel would tell him : "That's right, that's the way ! Cry, scream louder still ! That's the way to get a truly contrite Jewish heart ! You sing too merrily for me a true Jew should weep even while he sings."
When Ezrielk came to be twelve years old, his teacher declared that he might begin to recite the prayers in Shool before the congregation, as he now had within him that which beseems a good Chassidic Jew.
