FREE ESSAY ON THE TRIALS OF THE JEWS AND OF THE LAMED VAVNIK

THE TRIALS OF THE JEWS AND OF THE LAMED VAVNIK

The Last of the Just, Andre Schwarz-Bart's compelling novel, chronicles the pain and
suffering of the Levy family over eight centuries. Each new generation includes a Lamed
Vavnik, or Just Man, who must bear all of the suffering of the world in his heart. The
Just Men exemplify for their co-religionists the ideal of patient submission to the
constant harassment of a world in turmoil. How is the duty of a Just Man a microcosmic
reflection of the fate of the Jewish people as a whole?
In many ways, the Levys see the role of the Jews in this world as a selfless and
sacrificial one. In order to lessen the pain of others, they must heft an enormous heavy
burden of misery. A great deal of their willingness to accept this burden, however,
springs from their eternal hope that God will eventually allow them to pass into the
promised land:
O God, the Just Man Ernie Levy said to himself as bloody tears of pity streamed from his
eyes again, O Lord, we went forth like this thousands of years ago. We walked across arid
deserts, and the blood- red Sea in a flood of salt, bitter tears. We are very old. We are
still walking. Oh, let us arrive, finally! (Page 372)
The promise of eventually reaching paradise is adequate justification for many Jews to
accept their role as the world's scapegoats.
However, the life of a Lamed Vavnik is an even more demanding endeavor: a Just Man must
bear his torment as an individual, for the Lamed Vavnik have no comrades with whom they
may share their anguish. Often, a Just Man may go through life in almost total anonymity
-- receiving no recognition for his stoic endurance. And, the Just Men are not offered
the incentive of reward for their thankless suffering, only God's consolation to ease the
weight on their souls.
Andre Schwarz-Bart portrays the Lamed Vavnik as a hereditary position; at once great
honor and a vast challenge. During their lives of humble service to humanity, Just Men
must successfully face incredible challenges to preserve their status and fulfill their
duties. A Just Man must at all times have the humility of a small fish even if he is
aware of his sacred position. He must preserve his faith in God and in humanity
regardless of his personal distress. Above all, he must not resist his calling for the
sake of personal comfort, instead he must whole-heartedly bend himself to the task of
alleviating suffering.
For their fellow Jews, the Just Men serve as inspirational examples of wisdom, tolerance,
and dedication. Without their leadership and the motivation of their self-sacrificial
lifestyle, the Jews would be unable to bear the torment of the world. ...the sufferings
of mankind would poison even the souls of the newborn, and humanity would suffocate with
a single cry. (Page 5) Together, the Jewish people and the Lamed Vavniks act as a buffer
for the peril of humanity's misfortune.