Original subtitles

Are you sure you want this thing in your room?

Yes!

A woman who has read the "Women's Bible" all her life...

PREVIOUSLY ON SHTISEL

...now she has a TV in her room?

Mother, can you turn the volume down? You know it's a problem for me.

Watch whatever you want.

Watch the women on your Mother's TV, see if I give a damn.

She's just jealous because my son is the school principal.

It takes some getting used to.

Shulem, dear, you'll figure it out.

Mother, Father's back!

-Giti, I have to talk to you. -What's there to talk about?

Have pity on me, Giti.

I was only 19 when you were born.

All of a sudden I found myself in a frenzy to make money, to care,

but neither you nor your brothers nor your righteous mother

deserve to be without a father.

Let's get engaged.

We don't have to get married if you don't want to.

-The wedding will take place in...? -Write Elul.

Just keep that blank for now.

What's the problem?

I can't do this! I can't keep longing for you.

I want to marry you.

Not now. Tomorrow, okay?

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 Avi Belleli

Cinematography Roey Roth

Editor Gilad Ariel

Screenplay Ori Elon and Yehonatan Indursky

Executive Producer Dikla Barkai

Executive Producer Jonathan Aroch

Director Alon Zingman

SHTISEL

I'm sorry I kept you waiting.

Well, here you are.

You like waiting.

I'm not so sure.

Listen, I have an idea.

I spoke to my friend, Riki Strauss.

-Did I ever mention her? -I don't think so.

A good friend from way back.

Her husband studied with Israel, of blessed memory.

-In any case, they live in London now. -Okay.

She told me about their life there.

It's so different than here.

What's different there? Other than the buses.

Let's go there, Kive.

-To London? -Yes.

-Okay, when? -Tomorrow, next week.

-I mean it. -Fine.

-Will you marry me in London? -I don't know,

but we'll be able to take our time.

Think how peaceful it will be.

No one will harass us, no one will drive us crazy.

It'll be just the two of us.

How about it?

Israel and I have valid passports, you can apply for yours here, now.

ADMITTANCE

-But... what will we do in London? -We'll work it out.

I'll find a job.

I'll teach Hebrew or work at a bank

and I'm sure they have great schools for Israelis.

-What about me? -You could be a painter.

All right. But why London?

Imagine how peaceful it would be on the moon.

Akiva, it's not that farfetched and complicated as it sounds.

It is just as farfetched and complicated as it sounds.

You didn't think this through.

You know as well as I do that it won't happen.

-What will happen? -I don't know. We'll stay here.

And...?

You know what? Listen.

I'll apply for a passport right now,

but you're coming to look at apartments with me.

-Then we'll decide, okay? -Okay.

Is it prohibited because the law applies to a person or to an object?

Are you with me, Lippe?

Do you see that man?

That's what your brother in law wants to be.

A business man? Good luck to him.

Thanks to that business man we study day and night.

Fine, but since we're already here, we might as well learn something.

Even Rabbi Zimmerman understands.

That's fine, but you've been here for a month

and you've only studied a total of two hours.

I'm only here to make your sister happy, you know that.

Fine, but since you're here, make an effort.

The Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds differ

on the laws of dry figs and raisins that were dried on a roof.

Do I look okay? The beard and everything?

You look fine, Lippe, but we're in the middle here...

-Do you have all the prayer books? -Yes.

Bring them into the auditorium.

Take it to the dining hall.

Good job.

Velvale, why aren't you in chorus practice?

-Rabbi Pinsker kicked me out. -What? Why?

-I said something. -What do you mean?

-What did you say? -I said a bad word.

Whisper it in my ear.

What?

Get back into class.

With a mouth like that, you can't be in the chorus.

-But Grandfather-- -Don't "But grandfather" me.

For tomorrow, you'll write the following verse 150 times:

"Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."

Go.

How do you like that?

-Can you access the Internet? -Sure. Want to see?

You're bringing all this filth into the house?

It's not filth. It's the Internet, big deal.

Why should a yeshiva student need the Internet?

That's what I wanted to talk to you about.

I gave it a lot of thought, I spoke to some smart people and...

I decided to leave the yeshiva.

But you liked studying with Zvi Arye.

I know, but I've decided that it's not for me.

Hear me out, I have some good news.

I'm listening.

Arthur Glicksberg came to the yeshiva today.

He's a very wealthy man. He supports some twenty yeshivas.

In any case, I got up the courage to talk to him

and I'm going to start working with him.

You are?

Did he buy you that cellphone?

No, after we talked, I was so excited

that I went to Davidka square and bought it at an amazing price

and can pay in five installments.

-Lippe... -Do you really think

that I can work with Rabbi Glicksberg with that piece of junk that I had?

And you'll actually work for him, salary and all?

I won't get paid at first.

I'll run errands, I'll be his driver.

That's how everyone starts out.

Then I'll make my way up.

In ten years I'll be making more in one day than I make in a year.

I'll take you to hotels.

I don't want to go to hotels, I want you to study the Torah.

Don't worry, Giti, I'll study every day.

Are you feeling all right, Giti?

-Yes, I'm just exhausted. -Soon you'll be able to get lots of rest.

Forty-seven.

Four, seven.

Seventy-four.

Seven, four.

Look at this, I have three in a row.

So what? I have a grave that my husband bought me.

What good does it do me? Diddly squat.

Forty.

Four, zero.

An invitation to the school prayer book party

where your son is the principal.

-Nice, isn't it? -Very nice.

Just hope I get 32 or 45.

Fifty-six.

-You know what... -Five-six.

...happened today, Mother?

Twenty-one. Two-one.

A boy used dirty words during chorus practice.

What did he say? Shmuck?

Never mind, I won't repeat it.

Come on 32 or 45.

-Forty-six. -You know who the boy was, Mother?

-Seventy-one. Seven-one. -Your grandson, Velvale.

Velvale said a dirty word?

What did he say? Butt? Putz? What?

And do you know who he learned it from?

From her?

From the TV in your room.

Seventeen. One-seven.

But I don't let them watch it.

You don't let them, but they watch it anyway.

You can imagine it was the talk of the school,

the principal's grandson cursed.

Thirty-two. Three, two.

That's enough.

I'm moving overseas.

Sixty-five. Six, five.

I remember when you used to devote every waking moment to reciting Psalms,

to reading the "Women's Bible."

Fifty-one. Five-one.

But that's okay, Mother.

I'm just telling you this,

so you make sure the children don't watch, okay?

Good luck with the bingo.

Seventeen. One, seven.

Fifteen. One, five.

Forty-four. Four, four.

Thirty-eight.

-Finally. -I came as fast as I could.

Do you use this place to paint your own pictures?

-What's the problem? -I'll tell you what the problem is.

These paints, all the things you use,

I pay for them and you do as you please.

Fine, you're right.

You could have told me all this on the phone.

That's not why I asked you to come.

-Have you finished this painting? -I'll finish it at home.

No, why?

This painting will be in "Earthly Jerusalem."

-Where? -The new exhibition

at the Israel Museum.

-Your exhibition? -A group exhibition

of many major artists.

They want an Orthodox artist.

-What's that got to do with my painting? -Its theme suits the exhibition.

Can you finish it in two days?

And it will be at the museum under your name, right?

-I don't agree. -Why not?

It's a painting of my wife. It's personal, I won't exhibit it in a museum.

Especially not with your name on it.

-But it's no longer yours. -Let go, what are you doing?

-It belongs to me. -I painted it!

-Shtisel, I know-- -Be careful!

I know it's painful, but it is what it is.

Let go! I won't let you take it!

Get your things and get out of here.

Do you hear me?

Next time I come, I don't want to see you here.

What's with the old typewriter? Are you writing a book?

It's my sermon for the prayer book party.

I need your advice

but I want you to hear me out before you say that I'm being silly.

I'm telling you right now that you're being silly, okay?

-Now talk. -Okay.

Do you remember before the engagement

I told you that Elisheva is... having a hard time

with getting remarried and everything.

-Yes, but now you're engaged. -Yes.

-But that's where it ends. -What do you mean?

I mean...

She agreed to get engaged as long as we don't get married.

She agreed to get engaged as long as you don't get married?

-It was my idea, to be honest. -What?

What are you talking about?

I know how scared she is of getting married

so I thought that if we jumped in at the deep end...

it wouldn't work.

-Do you understand? -Absolutely.

-And you're telling me this because...? -I need your help.

Remind me why she doesn't want to marry you?

Doesn't she like you?

No, no, no.

She loves me, that I know for sure.

It's just that...

her two husbands...

-she was very attached to them. -So what? They're dead.

She wants to marry you, you want to marry her.

-I don't see the problem? -I don't know.

She's been through so much. It's complicated.

Does she think she's responsible for their deaths?

No, not at all.

I don't think that's it.

-Did you ever hear about Chaya Keile? -No, who is she?

My aunt. Your grandmother's little sister.

She had these glasses

that made her eyes look very big.

When she was eleven, she went outside with her friend

to get water from the well.

-Back then there were wells in the yards. -Okay.

They were playing by the well

and her friend, I think her name was Tirtza Blau,

she fell into the well

and by the time she was taken out, she was dead.

My aunt saw all this

and it tormented her for her entire life.

You see what I'm saying?

She didn't tell anyone

but she was sure that it was her fault,

either because she didn't save her or because she survived,

and her friend died.

Poor thing.

The years went by, she didn't have a family, nothing.

When she was 30,

my aunt went up to a rooftop,

placed her glasses on the railing so they wouldn't break

and jumped off the roof, poor thing.

Why are you telling me this?

I don't know. It just came to mind.

Listen, this is a serious problem. I'll think it over.

Your bride is a sensitive woman.

Karine and I committed murder when we were kids.

-Don't you see? -No, I don't.

There are two tins of gasoline in the car. It can catch fire in a second.

No one will bother checking the charred body

in a tragedy that will shock the nation.

The truth is poisoning me,

it's poisoning my heart,

my body, my soul, it's sullying my wife,

even my child.

Honey, calm down.

Ninette, you don't know me, you don't know who I am.

Yotam, put the gun down.

Yotam, put the gun down!

I can't, sweetheart, and now you're going to die

and he'll die with you.

Today we'll bury this Yotam-- What's this?

-What are you doing? -Yotam!

Who do you think you're calling?

-Who do you think you're calling? -Yotam!

-Yes? -Shulem, dear.

Yes, Mother, how are you?

You were right. You saved me.

What happened, Mother? Are you all right?

Yes, I am now.

But please come over and take the TV away.

Throw it out the window, smash it with a hammer, I don't care.

But why? What happened, Mother?

You were right.

Come quick, take that thing away.

It's the angel of death incarnate.

All right, Mother, I'll handle it, don't worry. Tonight.

Goodbye, Mother.

Kive!

-Grandmother, are you sure? -I'm sure, I'm sure.

Just get it out of here.

I'll leave it by the front desk.

-Just as long as it's not here. -All right.

-Grandma. -Yes, Kive dear?

-Do you remember Chaya Keile? -Who?

Never mind.

Goodbye, Grandmother.

-Goodnight. -Goodnight.

Good evening, Rabbi Shulem.

-Is Akiva all right? -No, he's not all right.

What happened?

Can you tell me what my son did to you?

Why are you making his life so miserable?

Why do you say that?

Because if you cared about him,

you wouldn't let him sacrifice his life for you.

And for what? Answer me.

Did he tell you that?

I'm asking you to get out of my son's life.

I pray to God every day

to give me strength and courage.

He's dear to me. I love him.

You listen to me.

I spoke to my son and he knows, and I know

that you won't find the courage

because you can't forgive yourself for what you did to your husbands.

Akiva is in pain, can't you see that?

-I-- -You want to get married?

You want to have children?

Leave him alone.

That's all.

Lippe, I have something to say to you.

What?

I'm exhausted from everything that's been going on

I need some time off.

I saw an ad for a women's retreat up north and I registered.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning.

But who will take care of the house? The children?

-Who'll cook? -You will.

But I...

How can you do this to me, Giti?

I'm seeing Glicksberg tomorrow morning.

We have a meeting and then we start working together.

I'm sorry, postpone it. I have to do this for me.

How can I stay alone with them?

How long is this retreat for?

Six days.

I've never been alone with them for more than a few hours.

Ruchami will help you, she's used to it.

Goodnight.

Are you doing this on purpose, Giti?

Because I left the yeshiva?

Six days, Lippe, that's all.

I'll be back, you know I will, right?

What kind of question is that? Of course you'll be back.

Yes.

I'll be back, you know that.

But for me, whenever you leave the house,

I have no idea if you'll be back.

Catch it.

Hello, Rabbi Glicksberg?

Hello, this is Lippe Weiss.

I'm from Argentina, we met at Rabbi Zimmerman's yeshiva.

Yes.

I wanted to ask if we can postpone our meeting until next week.

Stop that this minute.

Can't I have a minute of quiet around here?

Yes, Rabbi Glicksberg?

Can we postpone our meeting until next week?

I'm not having second thoughts. Something came up,

it wasn't planned. But I want to begin right away.

Australia? I see.

How about the week after that?

Okay.

That's too bad, I thought we hit it off.

All right.

We'll talk, take care.

Binyamin, what are you doing?

Growing a candy tree.

-What? -I'll water it every day,

I'll pray, and it will bear candies.

Do me a favor, this place is a mess, throw it away.

-But it's a candy tree. -There's no such thing as a candy tree!

You want candy? Go to work, make money,

go to the supermarket and buy yourself candy.

But it's a candy tree.

Stop arguing and throw it away.

Ruchami?

Ruchami!

Take care of Yehoshua, I want to lie down.

Who wants to read the 11th Mishnah?

Excuse me, Rabbi Akiva,

Israel Rotstein's mother is waiting for him in a taxi,

he has to be dismissed.

Noah Fried, read the Mishnah out loud.

"If one found his lost article and his father's lost article,

his own takes precedence.

If one found his own lost article and his father's lost article,

his own takes precedence.

His father's and his teacher's, his teacher's takes precedence

because his father brought him into this world,

whereas his teacher, brings him to the World to Come."

Hello, I'm Yaara. I'm a social worker.

-This is Dr. Sagi and Dr. Furman. -Hello.

Please give me your ID and the results of your ultrasound.

Thank you.

Hello, Giti. Please relax, everything's fine.

-Right? -I guess so.

Have one.

-Mints are very soothing. -No thank you.

-They're kosher. -I'm sure they are.

Do you know why, to terminate a pregnancy,

-the committee has to include one woman? -No.

Dr. Sagi, this is not the time.

The reason is because this is a matter of life and death.

Only a married woman or a mother can determine matters such as these.

-You're in your fifth week, right? -Yes.

-Are you married? -Yes, I have five children.

-Have you ever had a miscarriage? -Once, in the third month.

Why do you want to abort this pregnancy?

-Is there some genetic flaw? -No.

Is it the result of an extra-marital affair?

No, God forbid. I can't have another child right now.

Do you have a health condition?

No, I'm healthy, thank God. I just...

I've had a very hard year.

I can barely keep my life together as it is.

I don't know if you consulted a rabbi on this matter,

but even the rabbis that permit it--

Dr. Sagi, please stop. This is unethical.

I want you to know,

the decision to abort a pregnancy is yours and yours alone.

This is my decision.

Rabbi Shtisel, you have a phone call.

Thank you.

It's for you.

-Hello, Akiva. -Hello.

Where did you disappear in the middle of the day?

I didn't want to tell you, but...

What?

Where are you, Elisheva?

-I'm going away with Israel. -What are you talking about?

-Where are you? -It's best for us both.

Get back to your life before you met me,

before I got in your way.

You didn't get in my way, on the contrary.

Elisheva, please.

-What's gotten into you? -I'm no good for you, Akiva.

Wait, hold on, don't hang up.

Elisheva, where are you? You're at the airport, aren't you?

Wait for me, I'm coming. Wait for me, okay?

No, I don't want you to come.

You won't make it in any case. We're about to board our flight.

Why didn't you tell me?

-I know that this is what you want. -No I don't, absolutely not.

-Then why did you tell him? -What?

Goodbye, Akiva.

-You talked to her, didn't you? -What?

You talked to Elisheva.

I want nothing to do with you.

Kive, cut the drama.

Close the door, sit down, let's talk like adults.

-Shoshana? -Yes, who is this?

Malka.

Why are you calling at this hour?

I'm dying to know what happened to Ridge,

if he got back with her or not.

Can I come over and watch a little?

Only for an hour.

Malka, you know very well that I can't stand this nonsense.

I only watch the news.

But I'm dying to know. Can't I come over for just a few minutes?

If you want to watch so badly,

go to the lobby with that shmuck Zilberman

who changes the channel every minute.

All right, that's what I'll do. Take care.

WE'RE SORRY ELEVATOR OUT OF ORDER

It should be higher.

Yes, good, the right side. Straighten it.

WELCOME TO SIDDUR PARTY

Hello? Yes? Speaking.

ROSH HANIKRA A LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN MOUNTAIN AND SEA

Okay.

You have to sign these two forms.

Read them before you sign.

I can't concentrate. Can you tell me what this says?

Yes, it says that you're aware of the risk

of terminating the pregnancy through a D&C

and this form pertains to the general anesthesia.

Will I be able to give birth?

What?

-Will I be able to give birth after this? -Of course.

We have to warn you about the complications

but they are extremely rare.

Okay.

Here.

I'll check which room you'll be in before the operation.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

Mother.

Mother.

It's Shulem, your son.

Mother?

-Yes, Lippe? -Are you all right?

Yes, thank God.

-Did I wake you? -No, I'm just hoarse.

-Where are you? -At the hostel.

Up north.

-Giti, I'm calling because-- -How are you getting along?

-Okay, I guess. -What happened?

Giti, are you sitting down?

-Yes, what happened? -It's very sad.

I didn't know if I should call you or wait until you got back.

Tell me what happened!

Grandma Malka... She fell in the nursing home and...

she's in the hospital, unconscious.

They don't know what's wrong with her.

I'm on my way.

Get out of here. I'm warning you, I'll call the police.

-I'll sell you the painting. -No, that painting belongs to me.

One thousand five hundred shekels, cash. Do you want it?

All you have to do is sign it.

I think things got out of hand.

You see? We found a way to compromise.

It's all good.

Good luck.

The studio is waiting for you.

Goldman came to see me.

He wants four copies of the Rabbi of Belz.

I'm never touching a paint brush again.

Take care.

-Where is she? -In there.

Grandmother.

Grandmother.

-Do you want a glass of water? -Yes.

BINYAMIN ELIEZER - ZVIKA SHTISEL HAIM BEN YEHONATAN SHTISEL

GRACE AFTER MEAL

Shtisel, I'm expected at home.

Do me a favor, leave already.

Let me sleep here, Anshin.

Do me a favor. What do you care?

You want money? I'll pay you.

Yosa'le, Haim'ke, come and see! Come see my candy tree!

Look at all the colors.

Orange, green, toffee.

-Father, look at my candy tree! -What's this?

It's a candy tree.

I'll share with everyone.

You too, Father.

Mother!

-How are you? -Fine.

How did it go?

Hello, Giti.

I have to lie down, I feel sick.

Maybe it's something you ate.

No.

We're having a baby.

May it please the teachers,

the righteous mothers,

the dear fathers,

and the guests of honor:

You, the school children, who will determine the future.

This week has not been easy for me.

My mother is unconscious in the hospital.

She needs your prayers.

Before she collapsed,

I wrote the sermon for this exciting event.

And it was only last night,

I realized

that it has not one word of truth.

I want to tell you something.

My mother, may she live long,

would cry every Friday afternoon

as she lit the Shabbas candles.

Why?

Very simple.

Because her old prayer book said, "Here you should cry."

Her faith is so simple and innocent.

I found this piece of paper

in my mother's Book of Psalms.

She has had it for years.

She writes down the names of all her grandchildren

and great grandchildren,

so she'll remember to pray for each and every one of them.

I looked at this piece of paper this week...

and I discovered some names that I don't recognize.

I wracked my brain,

who are these people and how does Mother know them?

Ridge, son of Stephanie,

Brook, daughter of Cynthia.

And then...

I discovered that these are the names

of the characters from Mother's favorite TV show.

Rabbi Shulem, you must be tired. Come down.

It would be a pity to disgrace yourself so.

My esteemed teachers,

here we must cry!

How powerful is your love, Mother.

A love for every man and even for these characters

that don't exist in reality.

You prayed for them every day.

Every day.

Children,

I hope that your hearts will always be pure.

That you will always care about one another.

That you will always pray.

Hear our voices, God

Spare and have mercy on us

Accept our prayers

With mercy and favor

For you are a God

Who hears prayers and beseeching

And do not dismiss us Empty handed from before

For You hear the prayers

Of Your people Israel with mercy

Malka, dear, what have you decided?

Are you going back or are you staying?