This frankness pleased Jankiel, who placed his hand on his visitor's shoulder, and replied kindly:--
"I have heard of you as a man on whom the people of Israel can lean with confidence, for, in spite of your known learning, you guard the ancient faith, customs, and practices, and honour old age. In all this you differ from many of our young men. May the God of Isaac and Jacob bless you! Learned men abound, but pious ones are rare. Our customs are neglected; they spit on the tombs of our ancestors, and on all that past ages have taught us to respect."
"I fear I am not possessed of all with which you credit me, but I try not to disgrace my ancient faith and lineage."
"And where do you come from now?"
"From foreign parts. I have visited almost all countries inhabited by the Jews, and everywhere I have verified their deplorable misery."
"Have you visited the land of our fathers?"
"Yes, but even there the Jews are not at home. They are strangers even in their own country."
At this moment Jankiel remembered a citation from the Prophet Jeremiah, to which Jacob replied by the following passage from the Talmud:--
"'The hands of the divine mercy are always outstretched under the wings of the Seraphim to receive the repentant sinner.'" (Pesakhim 119. a.)
Jankiel was enchanted to hear the young man quote the Talmud, so neglected by the present generation. He blessed him, with emotion, and said:--