BeYad Hazakah (With a Mighty Hand) – A humorous and illustrated literary booklet for Passover. Published by Etz Kotzetz, Jerusalem, Nisan 1931. An early non-traditional version of the Passover Haggadah containing criticism of British Mandate policy and the White Paper, as well as internal criticism of the institutions of the Jewish Yishuv in the Land of Israel. Edited by Zvi Karol. Rare.
The booklet’s title page presents the “Ten Plagues, ” one of which is depicted as MacDonald’s White Paper – “a plague not even written in the Haggadah” – alongside “Revisionism” as one of the plagues and Agudat Israel, represented by a Hasidic figure. At the beginning of the booklet appears a non-traditional Passover Haggadah text opening with the passage: “Ha Kaspa Anya…” (“This is the bread of affliction” is replaced by “This is the poor money…”). It continues: “Let all who flatter come and eat; let all who are in need cry out ‘Living and enduring’…”. The author proposes that one should not ask “Mah Nishtanah” (“Why is this night different?”), lest one arrive at the answer, “We were slaves.” The section “Go forth and learn” has been replaced by a criticism of the White Paper: “Go forth and learn what the ‘White Paper’ sought to do to the Jews, for Simpson decreed only against the land, whereas ‘Lavan’ sought to uproot everything, as it is said: ‘A wandering Arab, ‘ poor fellow, and because of the small number of Jews who are exploiting him, we shall no longer be able to rule over the great, mighty, and numerous Arab nation…”. And further:
“And we cried out unto England, and it heard our protests and said: ‘Speak unto the trees and the stones.'”. Later appears: “Rabbi Eliezer Yaffe says: From where do we know that every crisis that has befallen us came because of our failure to purchase the produce of the Land and the products of ‘Tnuva’? For it is said: He sent among them Australian butter, Egyptian cream, Romanian wheat…”. In the text of Who Knows One?: “Two, who knows? … The two tablets of the covenant – ‘Brit Shalom’ and ‘Brit Trumpeldor.’ What do they have in common? Both are liable to gore in the public domain…”. And further:
“Concerning four daughters does the Torah speak: Ada Fishman, Shoshana Persitz, Mrs. Landau, and… Daniel Persky…”. As well as:
“Blessed is Agadati, who gave the doctrine of dance to the people of Israel…” And more.
Further on appears a humorous piece by Zvi Gordon, “On a Purim That Falls on the Sabbath, ” as well as The Transformations of the Palestine Appeal, and a humorous encyclopedia explaining various terms: “Opposition – a place for people without a position…”. “Mandate – at present, it means the White Paper and MacDonald’s Letter…”. Further sections include From Arab Humor, a humorous piece on the Council of the Histadrut, a satire on national art composed entirely of immigrants from foreign lands, On Dancing, and more. At the end of the booklet are advertisements for manufacturing companies in the Land of Israel.
41 pages. Complete issue. Good condition.
