Page 20 - Pierce County Lawyer Novemer December 2024

TZI-TZITH
(A Story About Hannukah)
by Joseph Allen Smith
Copyright November 10, 1972
Light, justice, peace, truth, benevolence, brotherly love,
harmony, FREEDOM.
“That’s mine,” the boy said, gripping the long stem of the
candlestick.
“You’ll not light it tonight,” the man stated, throwing the wax-
encrusted piece of metal into a sack. “I’ll take that, too, Tzi-
Tzith,” he added, grabbing at the candles. Tzi-Tzith held them
tightly to his small chest.
“That’s enough,” a voice announced from the stairwell leading
to the small cabin.
Captain Mason bent his head down to enter the ships galley
and herded them back to the rear of the room. The boy Tzi-
Tzith and the rough looking man stood awkwardly, moving
from foot to foot and jostling each other as they awaited the
Captain’s tongue lashing.
Christian Soontag looked away from the Captain and gazed
out of the porthole in the great oak bulkhead. He could see
the wind pushing the muddy river waters first to one side and
then to another. He had seen that many years before in the low
countries of Europe, his homeland.
“Momma,” he asked as a child, “will it snow in time for
Christmas?”
Mrs. Soontag had sighed and said, “I hope not. It is cold
enough.”
“How will Santa come without snow?” he’d thought. Now it
was Christmas again and the Jewish cabin boy they called Tzi-
Tzith was praying more than the whole crew combined, and the
British warships were right behind the small American fleets.
“Captain,” said Soontag, “Tzi-Tzith has been lighting this
candlestick for six nights now.”
“But it is important,” Ti-Tzith said. “Each candle represents
something at Hanukah time.”
“Why?” said the Captain.
“Because it celebrates freedom!” the boy answered.
“More words,” Soontag answered. “Captain, each night the
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boy has lit a candle for something different. The first night was
light...”
“Then justice,” Tzi-Tzith interrupted. “Then peace, truth,
benevolence, brotherly love and harmony. But it all started
when the Brothers Maccabee freed our holy city, Jerusalem,
from the Greeks many years ago.”
Outside it began to rain and Soontaq’s eyes turned to the water
now sparkling with added wet. Christmas shouldn’t come
without snow, he thought, and then remembered where he was.
There was the ship and the tight quarters and the new British
war.
“He has lit all the candles but one?” the Captain asked.
“It is a prayer,” Tzi-Tzith added.
”Like the clothes he wears.” Soontaq said.
“The tallit, he calls it with the tassels of Tzi-
Tzith. Why, we don’t even know his name-
- we call him what he said his clothes are
because they are different from ours.
It was getting dark and Tzi-Tzith held his
candles closely. Outside, the wide expanse
of water seemed to disappear and the ships of the small fleet
moved further apart to avoid hitting each other in the dark.
“I must give this some thought,” Captain Mason cautioned.
“Prayer is always helpful--especially when you are alone and
afraid.”
Tzi-Tzith waited in the galley, huddling against the wind which
had suddenly grown colder and looked up through the porthole
for a sky he could not see. Soontag had walked out of the room,
the candlestick still in his bag. He thought about the year. He
had signed onto the small ship as a cabin boy and extra hand
just so he could eat and have a place to sleep. Then the shelling
of the new Capitol by the British had made them all captives of
a new war.
Suddenly he could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks. He
cried for himself and for his brothers who had been chased out
of countries because they were Jews.
Then a voice interrupted his crying. “Tzi-Tzith, what is the
matter?” Tzi-Tzith looked around, but he could not see anyone.
He thought of Samuel, growing up in the temple and hearing
voices.
“Where are you?” he asked. “Out here,” the voice said.
Tzi-Tzith looked around, but all he could see was the bulkhead
and the porthole. It was completely dark now in the galley.
I’m here,” the voice said, then moved into view on the porthole.
A white and grey gull perched half in and half out of the ship.