Original subtitles

Look, Mother, he drew this.

PREVIOUSLY ON SHTISEL

Your rabbi draws very well.

You're seeing the widow Rotstein.

-Twice a widow. -Stop it! I don't want to hear about it.

-I made you wait, I'm sorry. -You're here now.

They told me they don't want to go through with it.

Who? Her parents? Her?

I have a proposal for you. Gottlieb's daughter.

She's 19, just started getting offers for matches.

How are you? I was worried.

And I miss your food.

Why do we have to hide?

Do you have any chicken soup left over?

Have a safe trip. I miss you already.

Is this what I get for having to leave home for six months?

This is hard, that's all.

It seems your husband decided to stop working for us.

What do you mean? He just went to Argentina.

The guys say he was in a terrible mood when he arrived

and after about an hour, he took his wallet, said he was fed up.

Abot Barkai Productions

Talisma Productions

Created by Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky

Dov Glickman

Michael Aloni

Ayelet Zurer

Neta Riskin

Shira Hass

Casting Hila Yuval

Executive Producer Eitan Abot

Line Producer Isca Gur Luzon

Art Director Tamar Gadish

Music by Avi Belleli

Cinematography Roey Roth

Editor Gilad Ariel

Screenplay Yehonatan Indursky and Ori Elon

Executive Producer Dikla Barkai

Executive Producer Jonathan Aroch

Director Alon Zingman

SHTISEL

The rabbi's coming, the rabbi's coming.

Good morning, children.

Please be seated.

Does anyone know why the rabbi wasn't here these past two weeks?

Yes, Kirshenboim.

-Because the rabbi had a heart attack. -That's right.

And with God's help,

I'll try not to get upset anymore.

What page in the Gemarah did you get up to with Rabbi Akiva?

Hello?

Hello, this is Aliza Gvili from the Talmud Torah.

Rabbi Wasserstein wants to know if you can come to work today.

Isn't Rabbi Cheshin back?

He is, but someone has to grade the exams of 3A.

-Can you come in? -Listen, Mrs. Aliza, I...

I'm busy today. Something important came up.

Hold on, Akiva.

-He's busy. Maybe some other time? -There is no other time.

Tell him you need him.

Are you sure you cannot come in? I'm in a bind here.

I'm sorry, I... I have to go.

Take care.

-Well? -He hung up.

-How are you, Father? -Forgive me for disturbing you.

I heard that you're very busy.

Come on now. Grading exams?

I didn't say a word. It's your life, do whatever you want.

But what you're doing to that nice Gottlieb girl isn't right.

Even if you were really busy, why should she have to wait for you?

Did Konigsberg tell you to put pressure on me?

Who said anything about Konigsberg?

You met her over a week ago.

No one said you have to decide if you want to marry her,

but you can meet with her again.

Truth is I don't know what to do.

When you speak, I listen.

She really is a nice girl.

But I don't see the point in meeting with her again,

because I don't know if I can say that I have feelings towards her,

that I love her.

I see.

What do you think?

Your mother and I,

in all the 38 years we were married,

do you think I ever said those words to her?

You never told her?

-She told you, that's for sure. -I can't remember.

But what does it matter?

What matters is only what matters.

"Blessed are You, Lord our God,

through Whose word everything comes into being."

Let me tell you something.

Every morning during the 38 years that we were married,

your mother, may she rest in peace, would get up early

and take the butter out of the fridge

so that when I got back from prayer, the butter would be soft

and ready to eat. Do you understand?

We were together, that's all.

Do you know what Hedva Grossberg told me today?

What their kids bought them for their silver anniversary?

Two gravesites next to one another.

The world's gone mad. Who buys a grave as a gift?

It's the custom. A promise of longevity.

So I was thinking, maybe we should do the same.

-Who knows? -Longevity? Dvora, really.

You know who invented that?

Those thieves at the burial society who want to make money off of innocent Jews.

How can you be so sure?

Maybe there's something to it and you just don't understand.

-You don't know everything. -But Dvora,

we do what we have to, we don't spare on anything.

The finest physicians, the most modern treatments, vegan, not vegan.

We do our part and He'll do His.

If there's the slightest chance that it will help,

the slightest chance,

isn't it worth trying?

All right.

If it means that much to you, I'll call Zussman in the morning.

I want to see my Akiva get married.

You will.

Of course you will.

He'll be up in an hour. Put it in the fridge for now.

Aren't you going to tell me where you're going?

Didn't I tell you?

There's a parent-teacher meeting at Yosa'le's school.

It will probably end late, I hope everyone will be asleep by the time I get home.

We decided to share. Now we have 350 marbles to play with.

Yehoshua's sleeping.

Wow, 350 marbles? That's a lot.

I'm glad you're sharing. Father would be so proud of you.

He didn't answer our letter.

That's right, he's very busy.

But I'm sure we'll get a letter by Thursday.

Ruchami, call me if you need me.

Of course. Bye, Mother.

-I only have wood. -No, they're too big.

-I don't have smaller ones. -Thank you.

You're welcome.

-Hello. -Yes?

I'm inquiring about the ad outside.

Do you have experience?

Not in a shop like this, but I'm a fast learner, so...

They're looking for saleswomen with experience.

-Thank you. -Sure. I'm sorry.

-I'll try somewhere else. -Good luck.

Yes, Ruchami?

-Mother, do you hear me? -What's all that noise?

-When will you be back? -What is it? Why aren't they sleeping?

Yehoshua is screaming, he won't take his formula

and my arms hurt from holding him.

I can't control them. I'm going crazy.

I'll try to be quick, but Ruchami, you know,

you'll be a mother in a few years too. The experience is good for you.

How long will the meeting take?

It'll take a while. I have to go.

Bye.

Miss, listen, I don't have experience as a saleswoman

but I raised five beautiful children which is just as hard.

Please give me a chance.

It's not that. I'm looking for a different type of saleswoman.

I know English. Want to hear?

No, that won't be necessary, I believe you.

I just think you're more suited for...

Why don't you look for a job in a religious neighborhood?

-I think you'd enjoy it more. -Why...

Do you really want to know? My husband left us.

He left me and the children.

No one knows. I don't want anyone to know.

I have to support my family.

Look...

I'm a single mother too. I'm raising my son on my own.

-I feel for you. -Maybe you do.

Never mind. Forget what I said.

-Good night. -Hold on!

I have an idea.

Are you a good cook?

Yes? Why?

I'm looking for a housekeeper for when I'm in the shop.

Hello?

Hello?

Good morning.

Rabbi Shulem, what a coincidence.

I was just about to call you. Do you have an answer for me?

Yes, he wants to continue.

Very good, I'll talk to them.

Talk to them and tell Gottlieb that this delay is not his fault,

tell him it's my fault.

Even better, tell him it's because of you.

Don't worry, I'll come up with something.

Talk to them right away. Time is of the essence.

Akiva's free today. Call them, I'm waiting.

Rabbi Gottlieb, hello. How's the family?

Is everyone well?

It's Obama speaking... Don't you recognize my voice?

Listen, about your daughter.

Can she meet tonight?

Shtisel wants to continue.

No, they called me long ago, only...

It took me some time to get back to you.

Fine, 9 p.m.

and tell her mother to dress her nicely, okay?

Good luck. Shana Tova.

This is for the fruit juice.

Hello, I'm Giti and I...

I live here in Jerusalem, not far from you.

Nice to meet you.

Go on, Amit, introduce yourself.

I'm Amit.

Amit, that's a beautiful name.

Amit, Giti will stay with you three times a week when I'm at work.

Today is her first day, okay? Be a good boy.

Okay.

-You religious? -Yes.

Religious.

-Here you go. -Thank you.

"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe,

through Whose word everything comes into being."

-Is that a prayer? -A blessing.

What did you say?

You don't have to recite the blessing, only religious people.

Great.

As you can see, there's not much to do, so...

Amit tidies his room every day so all you have to do is dust,

maybe clean the windows, okay? And make sure he eats well.

No junk food from the freezer.

-You can answer that. -No, it's not important.

-Well? -No answer.

Keep calling until she picks up.

-That's what I'm doing. -Fine, don't get all upset.

I wasn't getting upset.

What's the matter?

Did the rabbi say bad things at the parent-teacher meeting?

What meeting?

-Wasn't there a meeting yesterday? -No, that was two weeks ago.

-Well? Is she picking up? -No, now she's unavailable.

You call her if you want to!

Kiva?

Hi, Father. I came over for lunch but no one's here.

-Do you know where your brother is? -Probably with his lazy friends.

Why are you giving him a hard time?

Father!

Help, Father!

"If I say: 'My foot slippeth',

Thy mercy, O Lord, holdeth me up.

Thy mercy, O Lord, holdeth me up."

God Almighty, I don't understand.

I'll tell you the truth, if a man drives the same Subaru for ten years,

it's only a matter of time before the radiator breaks down.

Father!

Oh, dear Father!

You know what? I think he's right.

Your father?

-Father! -Of course he's right.

But that doesn't mean you're not right too.

From your perspective.

-Do you want hear a nice story? -Yes.

-"Have I gone blind? -Father!

Has the inner eye of my soul lost its strength?

It was as if I had seen a divine epiphany

because her image eluded me once again.

In vain, I summon up my imagination to conjure up her image.

Were I to see her again,

I would recognize her among 100 others.

Now she is gone,

my mind's eye tries in vain to find her in its longings."

That's beautiful.

Is it that a German poet?

No, someone else, from Denmark.

Kierkegaard.

He wrote it about his fiancée, Regine.

He must be very happy

if he got engaged to a woman for whom he has those feelings.

They got engaged, but they didn't marry.

Didn't she want him?

He called it off two weeks before the wedding.

-Father! -Did he love her or not?

He wrote in one of his books that

she could have made him the happiest man on earth.

So, what happened?

He didn't want to be the happiest man on earth.

Oy!

Idiot.

Oy!

Oy!

-Help! -Do you hear that?

-Isn't that Pinchik? -Where are you? Help!

Oy!

Someone help me! Help! Help!

Where are you?

-I think I broke my leg. -Pinchik?

-How the mighty have fallen. -Oy.

Get me out of here.

I've been shouting for hours!

-It's all in God's hands. -Pinchik, get up. Are you all right?

I've been shouting for hours, lying here, doomed,

but all the doomed were shouting too.

That's enough, Shtisel. Stop laughing.

He's not laughing at you, Pinchik,

he's just happy he's not the only doomed in the world.

Kiva, come on!

-What? -Come quick!

Where were you all day, and without a cell phone?

The world could be ending and you're nowhere to be found.

Did the world come to an end?

No, but it will if you don't get into the shower.

Get dressed and go to the Grand Hotel.

You have a meeting with Esti Gottlieb in twenty minutes.

-Did you arrange this? -Get in the shower.

The boiler's been working overtime.

Why did you arrange a meeting without asking me?

I want to tell you something.

Tell me.

-Promise you won't laugh? -I won't.

After our last meeting, I... I was afraid.

I didn't sleep at night.

Really? Why?

I had this feeling that I was so shy,

you must have thought I was this silly girl.

Not at all. I enjoyed our meeting.

-But after... -What?

I got all kinds of thoughts in my head.

What thoughts?

You don't have to tell me if it's personal.

Look, Esti,

you're very special.

And very pretty.

-Thank you. -I mean it.

It's just that...

Esti, this has nothing to do with us. With you.

It's something I'm going through.

I don't think I can get married now and be happy.

I don't want to hurt you, but...

I think we should...

Oy.

Esti.

Why are you crying?

Esti.

I can't promise that if we get married,

we will always be happy.

We'll have challenges to face,

but I'll help as much as I can.

I'll hold you when you're sad,

and you'll hold me...

if I cry.

Really?

Esti, will you marry me?

-Do you mean it? -Yes, I do.

Don't cry, Esti, don't cry.

-Can you say that again? -What?

My name.

Please say my name again.

I like it when you say my name.

Esti.

Esti.

Why are you up so early?

-I didn't sleep last night. -Why not?

Father, congratulations are in order.

Esti and I have decided to get married.

Are you serious?

Yes. I got back late last night, I didn't want to wake you.

You don't say!

-So fast? -It felt right.

Wait, this calls for a toast.

Lechaim. To a good life, to peace.

"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe,

through Whose word everything comes into being."

-Don't worry, you did the right thing.

Yes, I know.

-She's very special. -Good.

So you're pleased with your decision?

Thank God.

Eat something. It'll make you strong.

Do you want a sandwich?

You were right, Shulem, the gravesite didn't help.

Neither did the prayers.

Don't say that, Dvora, our prayers are always heard.

What do we know? We know nothing.

Dvora, I beg you, eat something.

Not for you, for me.

Do you think I could get a chocolate bar?

"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe,

Who brings forth bread from the earth."

-Thank you. -Enjoy.

This tastes so good.

-Aren't you eating with me? -No, I ate already.

I want to ask you something.

Yes?

What's your relationship with your husband like?

I told you, we divorced four years ago.

Yes, but in the beginning, that's what I want to know.

Was it a good relationship?

Yes, it was, at first.

All right.

And did he...

Did he ever say "I love you?"

Yes, a million times in the beginning.

There you go.

-There you go? -Never mind.

-Why are you asking? -Just curious.

We've never talked about him.

-Then what happened? -Never mind, it's...

I don't like talking about it. Where did this come from all of a sudden?

I'm just curious. We don't have to talk about it.

A friend gave me a DVD of the movie Ushpizin.

Have you seen it? We can watch it together.

Today? No.

Akiva's future-in-laws are coming over tonight.

Really?

Now you tell me?

I had to push him into it.

With all this.

Too bad you don't push yourself like that.

How can you compare the two? He's a young man.

I have a gravesite all ready with my name on it.

I'm sure you do.

-More importantly, is he happy? -Since when is that important?

What kind of question is that? Are you happy?

Are we here to be happy?

He did what he had to do and God willing, he'll be happy too.

God willing.

Who's the bride?

I'm glad I pushed him into doing this.

-Yes. -Don't you agree?

No, no, I agree.

Akiva and Esti

have made their acquaintance,

how about telling us about yourselves, about the family.

About us?

I'm a simple Jew, a teacher at the school.

I have six children and many grandchildren.

What else can I say?

Tell us about Akiva's mother, may she rest in peace.

After all, we won't get to meet her until the resurrection of the dead.

Dvora was a very good woman

and a devoted mother.

Dvora was very sensitive.

She was very talented, just like Akiva.

She was

very attached to Akiva.

He's our youngest.

The mingling of the grapes

Of the vine

is beautiful and acceptable

The mingling of the grapes...

You're happy, Kive, aren't you?

Yes.

It's all in God's hands.

Is beautiful and acceptable

Beautiful and acceptable

The mingling of the grapes

Of the vine.

-Mazal tov, Father. -Mazal tov.

Mazal tov, Akiva.

I had some errands to run,

I came straight here instead of going home.

Beautiful and acceptable.

Are you Esti?

How nice.

Esti, this is Giti, my big sister.

My big, all powerful sister.

Don't exaggerate, Akiva.

The mingling of the grapes

Of the vine...

He seems so content.

Mother, how are you?

Aren't you going to Akiva's engagement party?

I just dropped in to say mazal tov.

I'm exhausted.

You can go if you want. They're still there.

No, I'm exhausted too.

How was your day?

-Any easier? -Yes.

-I'm so proud of you. -Mother...

I think you deserve a present.

You shouldn't have, Mother.

Open it.

It's beautiful. Thank you.

-Mother, I want to tell you something. -Go ahead, sweetheart.

Tell me everything.

It's about the way I get Yehoshua to calm down.

I'm not sure it's permitted.

What do you do?

Promise you won't be mad at me?

-I promise. -Since...

we decided to wean Yehoshua, he wouldn't take his formula.

He cried and cried. He didn't stop crying.

So I found a method.

I realized that he cries not because he's hungry but because...

So I nursed him.

Even though I don't have milk and it even hurt a little,

at least, he calmed down and went to sleep.

-I knew you'd be mad. -I'm not mad, Ruchami.

But what you did is very bad

-and I don't want you to do it again. -Nothing else helped.

Besides, at least I told you.

You don't tell me anything!

Ruchama, I have a splitting headache,

Don't do that anymore.

Ever.

Come, sweetie.

My little girl, my pet.

You know what I was thinking?

How about you sleep in my room until your father returns?

I'm often away in the evenings, and that way you'll have some privacy.

What do you think?

I have something unpleasant to tell you too.

I don't know when Father will be back.

I don't know if he'll be back at all.

Hello, Esti, it's Akiva. How are you?

No, no, I just wanted to say good night.

Yes.

I've been thinking about something.

Has anyone ever told you that you have a nice voice?

It reminds me of the sales reps at the cellphone company.

You know what Konigsberg said to convince me to see you?

That you have an angelic voice.

I don't know where he comes up with those things either.

Esti, it was nice talking to you.

We're meeting on Sunday, right?

Good.

Good night then, Esti.

-Hello? -Hello, Rabbi Shtisel?

Yes, who is this?

It's Elisheva, Israel Rotstein's mother.

Hello, Elisheva.

-How are you? -Well, thank God. How are you?

Well, thank God.

-Where are you? -On Ethiopia Street.

-Doing some shopping. -Yes?

-Israel lost his class schedule and... -I see...

I'm no longer his rabbi, didn't you know?

No, I didn't. He must have forgotten to tell me.

Rabbi Cheshin came back.

-Praise God. -Praise God.

Well, thanks anyways.

-Goodbye. -Hold on.

-Elisheva? -Yes?

I remember his class schedule by heart,

I can tell you what it is.

-Are you writing this down? -Yes.

-Chumesh. -Chumesh.

-Jewish laws. -Jewish laws.

-Prophet. -Prophet.

-Math and Grammar. -Math and Grammar.

-Elisheva? -Yes.

Congratulations are in order.

I got engaged tonight.

Yes, I know.

-Mazal tov. -Thank you.

I'll make sure Israel doesn't lose his class schedule again.

I'm glad I could help.

-Good bye. -Take care.