There's Something Special About Israeli Cabdrivers

Hat Tip: Instapundit

As anyone who had the good fortune to learn Tanakh with Nechama Leibowitz knows, there is something special about the cabdrivers and bus drivers in Israel. Contrast a Nechama story about an Israeli cabdriver with some others.

First, here is a story about an Israeli cabdriver...

about the cabbie who, upon noticing his passenger was grading papers, and discovering that she was a professor of Tanach, took advantage of the Tel AvivJerusalem ride to unburden himself of a question that had bothered him for some time: "What does Jeremiah (9:22) mean when he says: 'Let not a wise man glory in his wisdom; and let not the strong man glory in his strength; let not a rich man glory in his wealth. But let him that glory, glory in this: that he understands and knows Me?"'

"Well," explained Nechama to her driver, "that means that human wisdom and human strength and riches are not really important values; the prophet is telling us that what really counts is knowing Hashem."

"Yes, yes, I know," said the cabbie, with a trace of irritation, "but what does he mean when he says 'Let not a wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his strength, let not a rich man glory in his wealth ..."

Nechama tried again, in her patient pedagogical manner. "The prophet is teaching us a very important lesson in life. Those things that most men strive for riches, wealth and strength are...

"Of course, of course. Understood!" interrupted the cabbie with undisguised impatience. "But what does Jeremiah mean when he says "A rich man, a wise man; but when he speaks of strength, he says the strong man?"

At this point in her story, Nechama looks up with wide-eyed wonderment and a smile of admiration. "You know," she confides, I never noticed that! That's a very interesting point!"

Her message: When it comes to learning Torah, all Jews are equal, professor and baal agalah.

Here is one of two stories that Ann Althouse writes about in her encounters with cabdrivers here in the US:

New York City. Sunday, noon. The ride starts at 55 Church Street. The cabdriver asked me where I was from, so I asked him where he was from. He said Pakistan, then rushed to say that he's all American now, here for 20 years. Where in Pakistan? Lahore. I ask what I always ask about cities I don't know: Is the architecture beautiful? He talks about how the city has changed so much in the last ten years, something about all the new and not very good buildings that have detracted from the beauty of the old. It used to be so clean. He used to know every tree, which ones were good for climbing, and where the bird's nests were.

I'm sure there was something special about that conversation, something that does not translate well when converted into a short written description. My point, and the point that Nechama made in the stories about her encounters with "the man in the street" is that you can find a simplicity and depth in the relationship of a Jew with the Torah.

But be careful if you try to find something similar here on the streets of America: apparently not every cabdriver you come across in the US is capable of intelligent conversation about matters of religion.

For example in Ohio

Two students visiting from Ohio were coming from a bar downtown when they got into an argument with their driver over religion, said police. After they paid the driver he allegedly ran them down in a parking lot.

Somehow, I don't think you can blame this one on the Abarbanel.

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