This text is from the book Chesed Yehoshua (specifically the pamphlet titled "Ein Dim’ah" – Eye of a Tear), which serves as a memorial and historical account of the destruction of the Jewish community in Chust (Huszt), a city in what is now Ukraine (formerly part of Hungary and Czechoslovakia), during the Holocaust.
"My eye, my eye runs down with water for the breaking of the daughter of my people, our holy community of Chust, a city and mother in Israel, full of the blessing of the Lord, disciples of sages, God-fearing and pious individuals, and men of action for more than a hundred years. It never ceased to be a place of Torah, and the renown of its teaching spread to all of Israel through my holy ancestors and the great elders of the world who served there as rabbis. The voice of Torah was heard in its streets, and day and night it was like a fortified wall for the customs of Israel of old. For fifteen years I was privileged to serve as a rabbi in the aforementioned glorious city, and I endeavored to adapt myself to follow the paths of my ancestors and to fulfill the good customs. This continued until the day of the destruction of our eyes, when the Torah was given to fire in the burning of the House of the Yeshiva, and my father and teacher, who sat over the Torah, was taken from me. Woe to the house that was destroyed, and alas for the city over which a hand of murderers and despoilers ruled, to the point that it was wiped out before our eyes."
"I said I would tell the final generation what passed over us in those days, 'days in which there is no pleasure.' This is so that the future generations yet to be born will know the magnitude of the troubles that came upon us, and will learn a lesson from the terrible disaster that occurred to our people when, by the will of Heaven, our pride was destroyed and the holy communities and the chosen fortresses that were built and established over hundreds of years were ruined. Many countries of Europe, holy communities, and fortresses of Torah, were destroyed and withered during our long exile... And particularly regarding our city of Chust and its holy yeshiva, where thousands of God-fearing students were educated according to His word and gave honor to the Torah—'Come and see' the bitterness.
And although I only personally saw what happened in our city, the holy community of Chust (Carpatho-Russia), and what was done to me in the camps of the Gestapo (may their name be blotted out), let it be known to all: it was done with a unique and organized method of cruelty, planned in advance. Thus, they were killed, burned, and destroyed without mercy. Holy souls and the purity of the nation—men, women, and children—fell. In every place, city, and town, the land was abandoned to the feet of the oppressive enemies, the Nazis (may their name be blotted out). It was done in an organized and horrific manner.
At the end of the year 5699 [late 1939], the Second World War broke out. The German army attacked Poland with great force, capturing city after city and renaming them. The Jewish settlements were destroyed, and we were in the district of Carpatho-Russia... We began to fall under the heavy and cruel yoke of the Nazis (may their name be blotted out). We passed from the hand of one government to another, and the town of Chust and its surroundings were handed over... by the orders of the Nazi murderers."
"Under the 'Ukrainian' state, a blood-soaked hand was renewed. In this 'small' state, fears and panics passed over us for many days. Their short reign, as is well known, consisted of haters of Israel from of old. Immediately upon their arrival, anti-Semitic and cruel laws were renewed. Many of them were ready to shed blood and seize our property. In the matter of livelihood, a snare was spread for them [the Jews]. For a short time, the Hungarian army came and waged war against them, and the war was waged within the alleys of our city, Chust. The Ukrainians set up a fortress for their kingdom, and we were trapped as if in a snare from the fear of war. For three days they fought until each was killed. The Hungarian soldiers killed the Ukrainians with great force. Our pride fell later when it became known that the Ukrainians had intended to rise up against Israel and a prepared list was found of those who were to be killed... and they were cut off.
In the land of Hungary, a great and deep hatred for Israel already prevailed. The infamous 'Jewish Laws' were well known to all, which they used as a game to oppress Israel at every step. When they annexed the regions from the 'Hungarians' [referring to the shifting borders], they began to enforce these laws on the Jewish residents also in our district and our city of Chust. Most of the Jewish shops were closed and their business licenses were revoked. Suddenly, in one day, they were boycotted and their goods were seized. It is hard to describe in words the sorrows and the deep bitterness that hit the people of Israel when their sources of livelihood were suddenly cut off, and they were left to rot in hunger.
And a trouble greater than this was that they took the sons of Israel to labor camps—the military service units established for Jews. Hundreds and thousands were sent to the front lines ... thousands were killed in labor camps during the war. In the first year of the war, the country was full of widows and orphans.
In every city and town, they fell upon the Jews... In the middle of the third meal [Shabbos], they attacked us in the synagogue, broke into the holy ark, and tore the Torah scrolls. This was only the beginning...
In the year 5701 [1941], about thirty thousand souls were taken from their homes and handed over to the German "SS" and the Hungarian Gendarmerie. They were taken in wagons like cattle... men, women, and children were beaten as they were loaded.
I will mention one thing I saw: they brought the Jews of the neighboring villages—men, women, and small children—into our city. Their cries reached the heart of heaven. They were gathered in the local school and then sent to Kamianets-Podilskyi. There, they contracted typhus. They were not given medicine, and they died in agony.
The Killing Fields
The German and Hungarian militias conspired to gather them in a designated place... then they killed them all with terrible cruelty. They were shot into mass graves, some buried alive. Only a few escaped to tell us the horrors... they told us how brothers were forced to dig graves for one another. For three days, the earth moved above them [the buried].
I said the prayer of Hesped (Eulogy) in the Great Synagogue of Chust... My heart was full of trembling. Who has seen such a sight?
Immediately when the "Hungarian-Nazi" foot stepped on our soil, they destroyed synagogues and study halls... they were all enemies of Israel from the start.
The Gestapo and the Judenrat
[The author discusses whether it was permissible to carry items on Shabbat under the restrictive decrees.]
The Gestapo Arrives
The sound of the German "Gendarmerie" boots echoed... Only seventy parasangs separated Chust from the Russian front, but our salvation was not yet to come. On the holiday of Passover, the messengers of the Gestapo arrived. They entered the home of the community president and ordered him to evacuate his home within hours to make it their headquarters. Fear fell upon the city. We gathered in the synagogue and wept.
The Germans arrived—high-ranking "SS" officers. They spoke with pride and cruelty. They said: "Jews, we the Germans have come here to restore order. Your neighbors, the Russians, are far away." They ordered the establishment of a "Judenrat" (Jewish Council) to carry out their commands. They warned that if any Jew spoke on the telephone or left his house at night, he would be killed.
Extortion and Fear
The Gestapo did not stop harassing us. Not an hour passed without a new demand. Once they demanded thousands of kilograms of coffee; another time, all the luxury items, jewelry, and gold. They threatened that if the items were not delivered by morning, five hundred men would be taken and "not returned." People went from house to house at night, knocking on doors to collect whatever jewelry was left to save the lives of the hostages.
Meanwhile, we were busy preparing for the holy day of Passover. We were in great distress. The "villains" forbade the baking of Matzah. In the middle of the work, they stopped the ovens and dispersed the people. On the eve of Passover, the Gestapo broke into Jewish homes and seized whatever food they found. On the night of the Seder, we sat in darkness and fear, whispering the Haggadah.
The Ghetto and the Descent
Pesach in the Shul
In the shul, the people were broken. I stood and spoke words of encouragement. I said: "The Haggadah says 'This year we are slaves, next year we will be free.' We see the miracles of God even now so certainly next year we will be free." I tried to strengthen their hearts, though my own heart was heavy with grief.
The Ghetto Decrees
During the intermediate days of Pesach, a terrifying rumor spread. Soldiers were going from house to house with lists to arrest Jews... No one was safe.
I received a secret message to flee to the border... but I could not leave my community. The Hungarian border police were catching everyone who tried to escape to the mountains.
Immediately after Pesach, the order came to establish a Ghetto. They intended to separate the Jews from the rest of the population to prevent "propaganda" against the war. They designated a specific, crowded area of the city. We were given three days to move.
Looting and Despair
The "neighbors" [non-Jews] fell upon the Jewish houses even before we left, stealing clothes and furniture. The Jews were forced to leave behind their life's work. The Hungarian soldiers stood by and laughed.
We were moved into the ghetto in a state of starvation. The Nazi "SS" officers came every day with new decrees to torment us. They took the men for forced labor, beating them with sticks.
We saw the "Jewish Laws" of the Hungarians being implemented with more cruelty than even in Germany. They took the children and the elderly first... It was a "descent" into an abyss. Our sources of livelihood were gone, our dignity was trampled, and we were left waiting for the final decree.
Desolation in the Ghetto
I was permitted to leave the Ghetto for a few hours to enter the city... I saw the streets of the city were empty and desolate. No one came and no one went. The synagogues and study halls were closed and locked. Some were turned into storehouses. The evil Nazis intended not only to destroy the Jewish population but also to eradicate their spiritual treasures... to destroy the Torah and its students.
The Transports Begin
The fear in the Ghetto increased from moment to moment. We heard the terrible news that they intended to liquidate the Ghetto and take us to a place from which no one returns. On the third day, the Gestapo ordered the "Judenrat" to gather all the people of the Ghetto. They were told they were going to "labor camps" and should bring only what they could carry. Everyone was pushed toward the train station.
We were exhausted and broken when we arrived at the station. There, we were crowded into cattle cars—about 80 to 90 people in each car. It was impossible to stand or sit. There was no air, no water, and no food. For three days and three nights, we traveled in these "wagons of death." The cries of the children and the moans of the elderly were heartbreaking. We realized we were being taken toward the border of Poland... we were being led to the slaughter.
Arrival at the Gates of Hell
Suddenly, the train stopped. We had arrived at the infamous place: Auschwitz. The doors were thrown open with shouts of "Raus! Raus!" (Out! Out!). We were blinded by the light and the sight of the SS men with their dogs. A great panic broke out as families were torn apart. This was the moment of the first "Selection." We stood before the Nazi officers who, with a flick of a finger, decided who would live and who would die. To the right went the young and strong; to the left went the elderly, the women, and the children.
The Selection and the Crematoria
The SS officer [likely referring to Mengele, though not named] stood there with a stick in his hand. With a motion of his finger, he directed the flow of people. Right... Left... Life... Death. Mothers were separated from their children, husbands from their wives. We did not yet understand the meaning of "Left." We thought they were being taken to a separate camp for the elderly and children.
The Processing
Those of us who were sent to the "Right" were taken to a large building. We were ordered to strip naked. Our hair was shaved from our entire bodies. We were then driven into cold showers and given striped rags to wear—thin clothes that did not protect us from the cold. We were no longer human beings; we were now only numbers.
It was only later that we learned the horrific truth: those sent to the "Left" were taken directly to the Crematoria. They were told they were going to the "baths," but instead, they were gassed. Within hours of our arrival, our parents, our wives, and our children were turned into ash and smoke that rose from the chimneys. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, a smell we would never forget.
Life in the Barracks
We were taken to the barracks—long, wooden huts with tiered bunks. There were no mattresses, only bare wood. We were crowded like animals. The "Kapos" (prisoner-overseers) were cruel and beat us for no reason.
The hunger was unbearable. We were given a small piece of "bread" that tasted like sawdust and a bowl of watery soup. We had to stand for hours in the "Appell" (roll call) in the freezing mud, while the SS counted us over and over. Many people lost their will to live and "ran to the wire" [committed suicide by touching the electric fence].
The Tattoo and the Act of Kindness
I was given a number that was tattooed on my left arm: 72783. This number replaced my name. I was now a prisoner of the German Reich, a slave destined for labor until death. We wore the "striped garments" with a yellow star and the letter "U" [for Ungar/Hungarian].
Reflections on Faith and Suffering
How can a person describe the screams of the children being led to the gas? The world remained silent while millions were murdered. We saw the fulfillment of the most terrible prophecies in our own flesh. Yet, even in this hell, there were moments of humanity.
The Story of the Shoes
I remember one particular incident. My shoes had been taken from me, and I was forced to walk barefoot in the sharp stones and mud. My feet were bleeding and swollen. A fellow Jew, Rabbi Chaim Moshe, saw my suffering. Despite the risk to himself, he managed to find a pair of old shoes and gave them to me. "Take these," he said, "you must survive to tell the world what happened here." That small act of kindness gave me the strength to endure another day.
We lived in constant shadow of the chimneys. Every day more transports arrived from all over Europe. The "Great Destruction" (Churban) was happening before our eyes, and we could only pray to the Almighty for a spark of mercy in a world of absolute darkness : The Underground Tunnel
"The primary work there was to build a tunnel (tonel) underground. The work site was far from the camp, and we would walk there daily under heavy guard. The work was extremely hard and dangerous. Every day, some of the workers would collapse under the heavy stones or be injured by falling rocks. I myself was physically weak, and only by a miracle of Heaven did I survive each day. We were beaten with sticks during the work, and the sound of our cries rose to the heavens, yet no one came to our aid."
The Air Raid
"One day, while we were at the work site, the sound of airplanes was heard. Suddenly, the sky darkened with Allied planes. We felt a spark of hope—perhaps the day of liberation had come? But that hope turned to terror. The planes began to drop bombs, but they did not hit the Nazi guards; instead, the bombs fell directly onto the barracks and the work area where the prisoners were concentrated."
The Slaughterhouse
"In an instant, the camp turned into a slaughterhouse. Hundreds were killed or maimed. I saw bodies torn to pieces, limbs scattered everywhere. The cries of the wounded were heart-wrenching. We, who had survived the gas chambers so far, were now being killed by the very planes we hoped would save us. The earth shook, and the smoke was so thick we could not see a hand in front of our faces."
"When the bombing stopped, a scene of Sodom and Gomorrah was revealed to us. Blood flowed like water. I spent the entire night helping the wounded as best I could, though we had no bandages or medicine. I saw people I knew, holy and righteous men, dying in agony. It is impossible to describe the bitterness of that night. Even the Nazi guards were shaken for a moment, but they soon returned to their cruelty."
Reflections on Martyrdom
"I asked myself: 'Why does the Almighty allow this?' I thought of the stories of our holy martyrs, like Rabbi Hanina ben Teradion, who was burned with a Torah scroll. We were like those scrolls, being consumed by fire. Yet, even in the depths of hell, there were those who whispered prayers and accepted the 'Judgment of Heaven' with love. I mention here the name of Rabbi Yitzhak of Angovara, a man of great spirit, who encouraged us even as he lay wounded."
The Irony of "Liberation"
"The tragedy was twofold. Not only were we being murdered by our enemies, but we were being killed by the bombs of those who came to destroy our enemies. It felt as if the heavens themselves were closed to us. Yet, those who survived the bombing had no time to mourn; the next morning, the 'Appell' was called as if nothing had happened."
The Torture of the Appell and Public Executions
"The most famous 'game' of the SS was the Appell. Twice a day, morning and evening, we were forced to stand for hours in the central square. It did not matter if it was raining, snowing, or if the sun was scorching. We had to stand perfectly still, in rows of five. If anyone moved, or if the count did not match, we were forced to stand for even longer. Many who were already weak from hunger collapsed during the Appell and were never seen again."
Snow and Cold
"I remember standing in the deep snow, my feet frozen in my wooden clogs. The Kapos would walk between the rows, striking people with their sticks just to see if they were still alive. We were like shadows, living skeletons, waiting for the command to return to the barracks. This was a refined method of psychological and physical torture, designed to break the human spirit."
The Public Hanging
"One day, a young Jew was a few minutes late for the Appell. He had been so exhausted he had fallen asleep in the barracks. The SS commander decided to make an example of him. They erected a gallows in the center of the square and forced the entire camp to watch as they hanged him. As the rope was placed around his neck, he cried out: 'Shema Yisrael!' (Hear, O Israel!). His voice echoed through the silent camp. We stood there, thousands of us, unable to move or speak, our hearts breaking for our brother. The 'Order' (Seder) of the camp was maintained through blood and fear."
Prayers in Secret
"I managed to find a small scrap of paper and a pencil stub. With great fear, I wrote down the main parts of the Yom Kippur service. On the eve of the holy day, as the sun was setting, we were forced to stand in the Appell (roll call). We stood there, thousands of Jews, broken in body but standing firm in spirit. We whispered the Kol Nidre prayer. The German guards looked at us but did not understand that we were offering our souls to the Almighty. Even in that place of filth and death, the voice of the Jewish people rose in prayer."
The Fast of Yom Kippur
"We fasted, even though we were already starving. Every drop of water and every crumb of bread was precious, yet we chose to offer our hunger as a sacrifice to God. During the Ne'ilah prayer (the closing service), it felt as if the gates of Heaven were truly opening to receive the souls of the holy martyrs who were being burned just a few hundred meters away. We felt a strange elevation, a spiritual light in the midst of the thickest darkness."
The Sukkot Booth
"A few days later came the holiday of Sukkot. We found some wood scraps near our work site and managed to construct a tiny 'booth' (Sukkah), hidden from the eyes of the guards. Each of us took turns sneaking into the booth for just a minute to recite the blessing and fulfill the commandment. We knew that if we were caught, it meant certain death, but the desire to keep the Torah was stronger than the fear of the SS. These moments of holiness were the only things that kept us human."
The Onset of the "Sad Days"
"After the holidays, the 'Sad Days' of winter arrived. The cold in Poland was like nothing we had ever experienced. We were given no coats, only our thin striped rags. Our wooden clogs offered no protection from the snow and mud. During the night, we huddled together in the barracks for warmth, but every morning we would find people who had frozen to death in their sleep. The chimneys of the crematoria continued to smoke, and the smell of death was everywhere."
Hunger and Disease
"Hunger reached such a level that people would chew on grass or roots found near the work site. Then came the plague of typhus and dysentery. Thousands fell ill. The barracks were filled with the moans of the dying. My strength finally gave out, and I collapsed with a high fever. I was taken to the 'Revier'—the camp infirmary. To go to the Revier was usually a one-way trip to the gas chambers, as the Nazis had no patience for those who could not work."
The Author’s Fever
"I lay on a wooden plank with four other sick men. The fever was burning my brain. I saw visions of my home in Chust, of my father and my students. In my moments of consciousness, I saw the 'doctors'—other prisoners who tried to help with no medicine and no tools. I remember Rabbi Chaim Moshe bringing me a small cup of water, which felt like the water of life. I prayed to God: 'Take me if You must, but let me not die in this place of filth.'"
The Horrors of the Revier
"The conditions in the Revier were a nightmare beyond description. People were stacked like cordwood. Every few days, the SS would come for a 'Selection' in the infirmary. They would look for anyone who appeared too weak to recover and send them immediately to the gas. I saw holy and righteous men, scholars whose mouths never stopped whispering words of Torah, being dragged away to their deaths. I hid my weakness as best I could when the officers passed."
The Decision to Survive
"Miraculously, my fever broke. I knew that every day I stayed in the Revier increased my chances of being 'Selected.' Despite being so weak I could barely stand, I forced myself to get up and return to the labor details. I wanted to live, to be a witness to what was being done to our people. I returned to the barracks, a walking skeleton, but I was still among the living."
Reflections on Martyrdom
"I reflect on the millions of our brothers who were murdered for the 'Sanctification of God's Name' (Kiddush Hashem). They died because they were Jews, yet they died with the 'Shema Yisrael' on their lips. We who survived are like brands plucked from the fire. The 'Eye of a Tear' (Ein Dim'ah) never stops weeping for the glory of Israel that was cut down. We began to hear the sound of cannons in the distance—the front lines were moving closer. A glimmer of hope began to appear in our hearts, even as we stood in the center of the valley of death."
The Nazi Retreat
"As the front lines drew closer, the panic of our oppressors (may their name be blotted out) became visible. They began to move us from camp to camp in 'Death Marches,' trying to hide the evidence of their crimes. Many thousands died on these roads from exhaustion and the bullets of the guards. I was among the walking dead, barely able to move my legs. We heard the thunder of heavy artillery—not from the German side, but from the liberators."
The Day of Liberation
"It was Sunday, the 32nd day of the Omer [L'B BaOmer period]. We were in the camp of Ebensee (a sub-camp of Mauthausen). The SS guards suddenly disappeared from their towers. A strange silence fell over the camp. Then, the gates were smashed open. Not by the hand of the 'Angel of Death,' but by the American Army. I remember the sight of the giant tanks and the soldiers who looked at us with tears in their eyes. They could not believe that human beings could be reduced to such skeletons."
"Am Yisrael Chai"
"Despite our extreme weakness, a cry went up from the thousands of prisoners: 'The Americans are here! We are free!' Some tried to run toward the soldiers but collapsed. The soldiers began to distribute food, but for many, it was too late; their bodies could no longer process nourishment. I sat on the ground and recited the blessing of Shehecheyanu (Who has kept us alive to this season). I knew then that the 'Net of the Hunter' was broken, and we had escaped."
The Ruins of Chust
"After a period of recovery in the hospitals, I made my way back toward our home, the city of Chust. My heart was heavy with dread. Every stop along the way, I looked for familiar faces, but I found only strangers and ruins. When I finally reached Chust, the 'City and Mother in Israel,' I found it a shadow of its former glory. The streets that once hummed with the sound of Torah were now silent."
The Desecrated Synagogues
"I went to the Great Synagogue and the Study Hall of my ancestors. The windows were smashed, the benches burned, and the walls stained with soot. The holy books that had been the lifeblood of our community were scattered and torn. I stood in the empty sanctuary where thousands used to pray on the High Holidays and wept until I had no more tears. There was no one to greet me. My family was gone, my students were gone, and the glory of the Chasam Sofer’s legacy in this city had been put to the torch."
The Remnant
"A few survivors began to trickle back. We looked at each other with hollow eyes, survivors of the same furnace. We asked the same question: 'Where is my wife? Where are my children?' The answer was usually a silent shake of the head. I realized that I was one of the few 'brands plucked from the fire' who was left to tell the story. I took it upon myself to begin the work of recording what had happened, so the world would never forget the 'Eye of a Tear.'"
Halakhic Challenges
"In the aftermath, we faced agonizing questions. There were many Agunos—women whose husbands had disappeared in the camps without witnesses to their death. According to Jewish Law (Halacha), we had to find ways to allow these broken souls to rebuild their lives. I spent many nights poring over the codes of law, seeking mercy and solutions for the survivors. We had to rebuild not just buildings, but the very fabric of the Jewish soul."
A New Beginning
"I eventually moved to Budapest and then beyond, realizing that the old world of Europe was gone forever. But the Torah is eternal. We began to establish new study halls and new communities. I say to the survivors: 'Though we have walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, we shall fear no evil, for God is with us.' Our revenge against the Nazis is to live, to learn Torah, and to raise a new generation that will remember the holiness of Chust."
"I finish this pamphlet with a prayer that the Almighty will comfort the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. May the tears shed in this 'Eye of a Tear' be the last tears the Jewish people ever cry. May we see the fulfillment of the prophecy: 'And God shall wipe away the tears from every face.'
Written and signed in sorrow and hope,
Yehoshua Grunwald
Son of the holy Rabbi Avraham Yosef (of blessed memory)
Formerly Rabbi of the Holy Community of Chust and its district."
"עֵינִי עֵינִי יֹרְדָה מַּיִם עַל שֶׁבֶר בַּת עַמִּי, קְהִלָּתֵנוּ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה חוּסְט, עִיר וָאֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, מְלֵאָה בִּרְכַּת ה', תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, יְרֵאִים וּשְׁלֵמִים וְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה זֶה לְמַעְלָה מִמֵּאָה שָׁנָה. לֹא פָּסַק מִמֶּנָּה קוֹל תּוֹרָה, וְשִׁמְעָהּ הָלַךְ בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי אֲבוֹתַי הַקְּדוֹשִׁים וּגְדוֹלֵי עוֹלָם שֶׁכִּהֲנוּ בָּהּ בָּרַבָּנוּת. קוֹל הַתּוֹרָה נִשְׁמַע בִּרְחוֹבוֹתֶיהָ, וְיוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה הָיְתָה כְּחוֹמָה בְּצוּרָה לְמִנְהֲגֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא. חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה זָכִיתִי לְשָׁרֵת בַּקֹּדֶשׁ בָּעִיר הַמְּהֻלֶּלֶת הַנַּ"ל, וְהִשְׁתַּדַּלְתִּי לָלֶכֶת בְּדַרְכֵי אֲבוֹתַי וּלְקַיֵּם הַמִּנְהָגִים הַטּוֹבִים. כָּךְ נִמְשַׁךְ הַדָּבָר עַד יוֹם לִקּוּי מְאוֹרֵינוּ, עֵת נִתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה לָאֵשׁ בִּשְׂרֵפַת בֵּית הַיְשִׁיבָה, וְאָבִי מוֹרִי, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב עַל הַתּוֹרָה, נִלְקַח מִמֶּנִּי. אוֹי לַבַּיִת שֶׁנֶּחֱרַב, וְאַבּוֹי לָעִיר שֶׁמָּשְׁלָה בָּהּ יַד רוֹצְחִים וּבוֹזְזִים, עַד שֶׁנִּמְחֲתָה לְנֶגֶד עֵינֵינוּ.
אָמַרְתִּי לְסַפֵּר לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן אֶת אֲשֶׁר עָבַר עָלֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם, 'יָמִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהֶם חֵפֶץ'. זֹאת כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ הַדּוֹרוֹת הַבָּאִים אֶת גֹּדֶל הַתְּלָאוֹת אֲשֶׁר מְצָאוּנוּ, וְיִלְמְדוּ לֶקַח מֵהַשּׁוֹאָה הָאֲיֻמָּה שֶׁקָּרְתָה לְעַמֵּנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּרְצוֹן שָׁמַיִם נִשְׁבַּר גְּאוֹנֵנוּ, וְנֶחֶרְבוּ קְהִלּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִבְצְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּבְנוּ וְהוּקְמוּ בְּמֶשֶׁךְ מֵאוֹת שָׁנִים. מְדִינוֹת רַבּוֹת בְּאֵירוֹפָּה, קְהִלּוֹת קֹדֶשׁ וּמִבְצְרֵי תּוֹרָה, חָרְבוּ וּבָלוּ בְּגָלוּתֵנוּ הָאֲרֻכָּה... וּבִמְיֻחָד בְּנוֹגֵעַ לְעִירֵנוּ חוּסְט וִישִׁיבָתָהּ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁבָּהּ הִתְחַנְּכוּ אַלְפֵי תַּלְמִידִים יִרְאֵי שָׁמַיִם עַל פִּי דְבָרוֹ וְנָתְנוּ כָּבוֹד לַתּוֹרָה – 'בֹּא וּרְאֵה' אֶת הַמְּרִירוּת.
וְאַף שֶׁרָאִיתִי בְּמוֹ עֵינַי רַק אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֵרַע בְּעִירֵנוּ, קְהִלַּת חוּסְט הַקְּדוֹשָׁה (קַרְפַּטוֹ-רוּס), וּמָה שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לִי בְּמַחֲנוֹת הַגֶּסְטָאפּוֹ (יִמַּח שְׁמָם), יִוָּדַע לַכֹּל: הַדָּבָר נַעֲשָׂה בְּשִׁיטָה מְיֻחֶדֶת וּמְאֻרְגֶּנֶת שֶׁל אַכְזָרִיּוּת, מְתֻכְנֶנֶת מֵרֹאשׁ. כָּךְ נֶהֶרְגוּ, נִשְׂרְפוּ וְהֻשְׁמְדוּ לְלֹא רַחֵם נְשָׁמוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת וּטְהוֹרֵי הָאֻמָּה – אֲנָשִׁים, נָשִׁים וָטַף. בְּכָל מָקוֹם, עִיר וַעֲיָרָה, הָאָרֶץ הֻפְקְרָה לְרַגְלֵי הָאוֹיְבִים הַנֶּאֱצִים הַמְּעִיקִים (יִמַּח שְׁמָם). הַדָּבָר נַעֲשָׂה בְּאֹפֶן מְאֻרְגָּן וּמַחֲרִיד.
בְּסוֹף שְׁנַת תרצ"ט פָּרְצָה מִלְחֶמֶת הָעוֹלָם הַשְּׁנִיָּה. צָבָא גֶּרְמַנְיָה תָּקַף אֶת פּוֹלִין בְּעוֹצְמָה רַבָּה, כָּבַשׁ עִיר אַחַר עִיר וְשִׁנָּה אֶת שְׁמָן. הַיִּשּׁוּבִים הַיְּהוּדִיִּים הֻשְׁמְדוּ, וְאָנוּ הָיִינוּ בִּמְחוֹז קַרְפַּטוֹ-רוּס... הִתְחַלְנוּ לִפּוֹל תַּחַת עֻלָּם הַכָּבֵד וְהָאַכְזָרִי שֶׁל הַנֶּאֱצִים (יִמַּח שְׁמָם). עָבַרְנוּ מִיַּד מִמְשָׁל אֶחָד לְמִשְׁנֵהוּ, וְהָעִיר חוּסְט וּסְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ נִמְסְרוּ... בִּפְקֻדַּת הָרוֹצְחִים הַנֶּאֱצִים.
תַּחַת הַמְּדִינָה הַ'אוּקְרָאִינִית', הִתְחַדְּשָׁה יָד סְפוּגַת דָּמִים. בִּמְדִינָה 'קְטַנָּה' זוֹ עָבְרוּ עָלֵינוּ פְּחָדִים וּבֶהָלוֹת יָמִים רַבִּים. שִׁלְטוֹנָם הַקָּצָר, כְּפִי שֶׁיָּדוּעַ, הֻרְכַּב מִשּׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָז וּמֵעוֹלָם. מִיָּד עִם בּוֹאָם חוּדְשׁוּ חֻקִּים אַנְטִישֵׁמִיִּים וְאַכְזָרִיִּים. רַבִּים מֵהֶם הָיוּ מוּכָנִים לִשְׁפֹּךְ דָּם וְלִגְזֹל אֶת רְכוּשֵׁנוּ. בְּעִנְיַן הַפַּרְנָסָה, נִפְרְשָׂה רֶשֶׁת לְרַגְלֵיהֶם [שֶׁל הַיְּהוּדִים]. לִזְמַן קָצָר בָּא צָבָא הונְגַרְיָה וְנִלְחַם בָּהֶם, וְהַמִּלְחָמָה נֶעֶרְכָה בְּתוֹךְ סִמְטְאוֹת עִירֵנוּ חוּסְט. הָאוּקְרָאִינִים הֵקִימוּ מִבְצָר לְמַלְכוּתָם, וְאָנוּ הָיִינוּ כְּלוּאִים כְּמוֹ בְּמַלְכֹּדֶת מִפַּחַד הַמִּלְחָמָה. שְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים נִלְחֲמוּ עַד שֶׁנֶּהֶרְגוּ. הַחַיָּלִים הַהונְגָרִים הָרְגוּ אֶת הָאוּקְרָאִינִים בְּעוֹצְמָה רַבָּה. גְּאוֹנֵנוּ נָפַל מְאֻחָר יוֹתֵר כְּשֶׁנּוֹדַע שֶׁהָאוּקְרָאִינִים הִתְכַּוְּנוּ לָקוּם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנִמְצְאָה רְשִׁימָה מוּכָנָה שֶׁל אֵלּוּ שֶׁנּוֹעֲדוּ לַהֲרִיגָה... וְהֵם נִכְרְתוּ.
בְּאֶרֶץ הָגָר [הונְגַרְיָה] כְּבָר שָׁרְרָה שִׂנְאַת יִשְׂרָאֵל גְּדוֹלָה וַעֲמֻקָּה. 'חֻקֵּי הַיְּהוּדִים' הַמֻּשְׁמָצִים הָיוּ יְדוּעִים לַכֹּל, וּבָהֶם הִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ כְּמִשְׂחָק לְדַכֵּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל צַעַד וָשַׁעַל. כַּשֶּׁסִּפְּחוּ אֶת הַמְּחוֹזוֹת מֵהַ'הונְגָרִים' [הַכַּוָּנָה לְחִלּוּפֵי הַגְּבוּלוֹת], הֵחֵלּוּ לֶאֱכֹף חֻקִּים אֵלֶּה עַל הַתּוֹשָׁבִים הַיְּהוּדִים גַּם בִּמְחוֹזֵנוּ וּבְעִירֵנוּ חוּסְט. רֹב חֲנוּיוֹת הַיְּהוּדִים נִסְגְּרוּ וְרִשְׁיוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם בֻּטְּלוּ. פִּתְאֹם, בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, הֶחֱרִימוּ אוֹתָם וְגָזְלוּ אֶת סְחוֹרָתָם. קָשֶׁה לְתָאֵר בְּמִלִּים אֶת הַצַּעַר וְהַמְּרִירוּת.
"בשנת תש"א (1941), נלקחו כשלֹשים אלף נפשות מבתיהן ונמסרו לידי ה-'SS' הגרמני והז'נדרמריה ההונגרית. הם הובלו בקרונות כבהמות... גברים, נשים וטף הוכו נמרצות בעת שהועלו עליהם.
אזכיר דבר אחד שראו עיניי: הביאו את יהודי הכפרים הסמוכים – גברים, נשים וילדים קטנים – אל עירנו. צעקתם הגיעה עד לב השמיים. הם רוכזו בבית הספר המקומי ומשם נשלחו לקמניץ-פודולסק. שם דבקה בהם מחלת הטיפוס; תרופות לא ניתנו להם, והם מתו בייסורים נוראים.
גיא ההריגה
אנשי הצבא הגרמנים וההונגרים נדברו יחדיו לאסוף אותם למקום מיועד... ואז הרגו את כולם באכזריות איומה. הם נורו אל תוך קברי אחים, וחלקם נקברו בעודם חיים. רק מעטים נמלטו כדי לספר לנו את הזוועות... הם סיפרו כיצד אילצו אחים לחפור קברים זה לזה. במשך שלושה ימים רעשה האדמה מעל הנקברים.
נשאתי דברי הספד בבית הכנסת הגדול בחוסט... לבי היה מלא רעדה. מי ראה מראה כזה מעולם?
מיד כשדרכה רגל ה'נאצים-ההונגרים' על אדמתנו, הם החריבו בתי כנסת ובתי מדרש... כולם היו שונאי ישראל מראשיתם.
הגסטאפו וה'יודנראט'
[המחבר דן בשאלה האם מותר היה לטלטל חפצים בשבת תחת גזירות המצור].
בוא הגסטאפו
קול מגפי ה-'ז'נדרמריה' הגרמנית הדהד... רק שבעים פרסאות הפרידו בין חוסט לחזית הרוסית, אך הישועה טרם באה. בעיצומו של חג הפסח הגיעו שליחי הגסטאפו. הם נכנסו לביתו של ראש הקהילה וציוו עליו לפנות את ביתו בתוך שעות ספורות כדי להפכו למפקדתם. פחד נפל על העיר. התכנסנו בבית הכנסת ובכינו.
הגרמנים הגיעו – קציני 'SS' רמי דרג. הם דיברו בגאווה ובאכזריות, ואמרו: "יהודים, אנחנו הגרמנים באנו לכאן כדי להשליט סדר. שכניכם הרוסים רחוקים מכאן". הם ציוו על הקמת 'יודנראט' (מועצת יהודים) כדי להוציא לפועל את פקודותיהם. הם הזהירו כי אם יהודי כלשהו ידבר בטלפון או יצא מביתו בלילה – הוא יומת.
סחיטה ואימה
הגסטאפו לא חדל מלהציק לנו. לא עברה שעה ללא דרישה חדשה. פעם דרשו אלפי קילוגרמים של קפה; בפעם אחרת, את כל חפצי הערך, התכשיטים והזהב. הם איימו כי אם החפצים לא יימסרו עד הבוקר, חמש מאות גברים יילקחו ו"לא יוחזרו". אנשים עברו מבית לבית בלילה, דפקו על הדלתות כדי לאסוף את התכשיטים שנותרו כדי להציל את חיי בני הערובה.
בינתיים, עסקנו בהכנות לחג הפסח הקדוש. היינו במצוקה גדולה. ה'רשעים' אסרו על אפיית מצות. באמצע העבודה, הם השביתו את התנורים ופיזרו את האנשים. בערב פסח, התפרצו אנשי הגסטאפו לבתי היהודים וחטפו כל מזון שמצאו. בליל הסדר ישבנו בחשיכה ובפחד, לוחשים את ההגדה.
הגטו והחורבן
פסח בבית הכנסת
בבית הכנסת היו האנשים שבורים ורצוצים. עמדתי ונשאתי דברי חיזוק. אמרתי: "בהגדה נאמר 'השתא עבדי, לשנה הבאה בני חורין'. אנו רואים את נפלאות ה' גם עתה, ובוודאי שבשנה הבאה נהיה בני חורין". ניסיתי לחזק את לבבם, אף שלבי שלי היה כבד מנשוא ומצער."
