08x05 - Chutzpah

[bunniefuu]

- Hello.
- Hi.

Are you waiting for the bus?

I've never been on a bus.

H was thinking of trying it.

Of course, I can't
actually get on the bus

without Monica here.

'Cause I'm an angel,

and I'm new to
the angel business,

so I have to stay right here

until they tell me what
to do and where to go.

Did I say something wrong?

Gloria?

Andrew. Oh, my goodness.

How did you know I was here?

I didn't. I didn't.

I was on my way to a...

What are you doing here alone,

telling people that
you're an angel?

Where's Monica?

She told me to stay right
here until she got back.

From?

Oh, Tess is not
going to like this.

Well, that's the truth.

You mean Monica just let you

and that mouth of
yours loose on humanity?

Yes.

Andrew, you stay here with her.

I'm going to go find her.

I can't. I, uh, have
an appointment...

now.

You... you stay right here.

You don't move.

You don't speak to anyone

unless you're
spoken to directly,

and don't tell anybody
you're an angel.

Have you got that?

Yes, ma'am.

I'll be right back.

Hey.

Are you speaking to me directly?

Yep.

Oh, okay, then. Hey.

Hello.

Hello.

Who do you think
you're talking to?

And what are you doing here?

I like to come here
when I need to think.

Well, you'd better
think about getting

your little angel patootie
back to business.

You left Gloria alone.

Just for a moment.

It only takes a moment.

I'm sorry.

Where is she?

She's back at the
bus stop... alone.

And that's about it.

Got to go. Take it easy.

I will. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

This has been very illuminating.

Hey, hey, hey!

I can't believe it;
missed it again.

Happens every time.

I'm late, the bus is early.

When I'm early, it's late.

You suppose it knows
what it's doing to me?

Well, the bus is a
mechanical device.

It has no soul.

What do you know about souls?

I know that a soul
is the intangible,

yet very present
essence of an individual

that seeks its
reason for existence

and ultimately its Creator.

Ah, smart girl.

What are you, some
kind of student?

No. I'm an...

Uh... I'm in real estate.

Or at least I'm
thinking about it.

Then you're not
so smart after all.

What do you do?

I'm a sofer.

You're a couch?

I'm a sofer.

A Torah scribe.

I handwrite the Hebrew words

of the Torah onto the parchment.

That sounds so interesting.

What's a Torah?

It's the scrolls of
the Books of Moses,

the sacred knowledge
of the Jewish faith.

Jewish.

I-I know all about that.

- Really?
- Yes, yes, uh, it's here.

Oh, this is such a coincidence.

Of course, Tess would say
there are no coincidences.

I was just speaking
to some young men.

Right here.

"Jews are pigs.

"They are only
interested in money,

"and they try to
manipulate society

"by perpetuating the
myth of the Holocaust,

but the truth is the
Holocaust never happened."

♪ When you walk ♪

♪ Down the road ♪

♪ Heavy burden ♪

♪ Heavy load ♪

♪ I will rise ♪

♪ And I will walk with you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Every time, I tell you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪

- I'd better stop this.
- No.

Whatever has just got
started has got to be finished.

I think I know what it is.

Yes. You better get going.

Did I say something wrong?

I say wrong things sometimes

because I'm-I'm trying to
learn a lot about people,

but don't ask me why, because
I'm not supposed to tell you.

Let me see that, please.

Who told you this?

About Jews?

Those young men with
no hair that got on the bus.

Skinheads? You were
talking with skinheads?

And you believed them?

Their information
was inaccurate?

What planet are
you from, smart girl?

Well, actually, I'm...
Gloria, is that you?

Imagine seeing you here,

talking to strangers.

Can I give you a lift?

Of course I can give you a lift.

Get in this car.

I have to go,

but it was very nice
to have met you.

You seem like a nice girl.

Misinformed, but nice.

You know, my wife
wants to sell our house.

You got a card?

A card?

Uh, it's in your left pocket.

Oh, my goodness.

"Tess and Gloria, your
real estate specialists."

Thanks. Uh... I'm
Sam Silverstein.

Well, I hope you call me, Sam.

On the phone.

That was a very nice man.

Here's a good rule
to live by, Gloria.

God did not send angels to Earth

to insult strangers
on bus benches.

Have you got that?

- Yes.
- And here's another thing.

Don't start an assignment

till someone actually
gives you one.

That's my assignment?

Well, it is now; start reading.

"And never forget
that today's child

"is tomorrow's voter.

"Choices they learn to
make for themselves today

will be the decisions they
make for all of us tomorrow."

That's not bad.

Her name's Monica;
she's new in town.

I like her writing,

and we could use an
objective voice around here.

Yeah, I've been telling
you that for months, Jack.

Monica, come on over.

Monica, this is Rachel Silver.

She draws a
cartoon strip for us.

Hello. How do you do?

Nice to meet you.

I'll leave you two.

I've got a meeting
upstairs with the suits.

Okay.

Are these your cartoons?

You're really talented.

Oh, thanks. No, this is
my, uh, private collection.

See, I can't afford therapy,

so I draw the source
of my frustration.

My dad.

He looks like an
interesting fellow.

Yeah, well, you
might find other words

to describe him if you
ever actually met the man.

Drop your little pencil.

Here's your chance.

I come with a gift.

A brisket sandwich still warm.

I wrapped it in foil.

Hello.

How are you, and who are you?

Fine. Monica, editorial writer.

Sam Silverstein,
delivery man-slash-father.

I hate to keep you, Dad, so
thanks for the, uh, sandwich.

You should eat it now.

Uh, no, I'm busy.

It's warm now.

I'm busy now.

Fine, give me the sandwich
back. I'm on my way to synagogue.

I'm sure there's someone
there who'll appreciate it.

I don't want the sandwich;
I was making a point.

Which I suppose will
earn me another picture

on your Wailing Wall here.

Hmm.

Are you coming
to dinner tonight?

If it's Wednesday,
then I'm coming, right?

So I'll see you later.

I have a lot of work to do.

- Bye.
- Bye-bye.

- What are you doing for dinner?
- Nothing.

Oh, good. You're coming with me.

Jack came once, won't go back,

so you're elected to be my
human shield for the night.

I think it's really nice

that you have dinner with
your family every week.

Well, it's my compromise

for not going to
Shabbat on Fridays.

You don't go for Sabbath dinner?

No, not my thing.

Are you in?

I'm in.

Oh, good.

It's not just really
about the brisket.

Oh, Sam, it's not
about the brisket at all.

Have you seen those little
cartoons she draws of me?

She has no respect.

Well, she still comes
to dinner every week.

But on Wednesdays.

Oh, Sam, that's more
than most parents get.

I'm gonna see Who's at the door.

- Mrs. Silverstein?
- Yes.

I'm Tess, and this is Gloria.

We're from the real
estate company.

Oh, hi. Come on in.

Sam, they're here.

Oh, you have a
very beautiful house.

Well, thanks.

We hate to sell, but
it's time to downsize.

Well, whatever size you
want it to be, we're here to do it.

Gloria has been

a whimsical
addition to our staff.

Is Mr. Silverstein in?

- Oh.
- I'm coming. I'm here.

Ah, it's the smart
girl and her friend.

- Hi.
- We were so pleased

to get your call... and
a bit surprised, too.

You mean after what smart girl
here said to me about the Jews?

You think I haven't
heard it before?

She's a good kid

who hasn't been
taught the truth.

Better she should
learn it from me.

You know, maybe you're right.

Mmm.

Well, let me show you around.

So, what are you saying?

I'm out?

Not necessarily.

You just got to change
your angle a little.

A lot. What can I
tell you, Rachel?

I don't get it. They
hire Monica to come in

and write these
good news editorials,

then they come down
on the comic strip

for being too soft?

Who's reading the editorials?

Management just wants to
shake things up where it matters.

They want that biting
social commentary

in the cartoons.

They want that kind
of cutting-edge stuff

that'll have people talking
around the water cooler.

It's not the kids

that are reading the funny
pages anymore, Rachel.

Well, nobody's hanging around
the water cooler, either, Jack.

Don't sh**t the messenger.

Okay.

This is delicious,
Mrs. Silverstein.

It's, uh, Sam's mother's recipe.

It's one of the few
things she was able

to hold onto during the w*r.

My parents survived
the Holocaust.

Came to America only to
be k*lled by a drunk driver.

I'm so sorry.

They were good people.

So, uh, what's with
selling the house?

It's your mother's idea.

Oh, it's, um...

it's just too much for us
to keep up with anymore.

- Mm-hmm.
- That's a nice way

of saying I'm a slob.

years, and I've never

lived up to her expectations.

Gee, I wonder what that's like.

Please, we have a guest.

Father knows best.

It's like with the
brisket for lunch.

Here's when to eat it,
and here's how to eat it.

- Those were suggestions.
- Oh, you mean like, uh,

"Why don't you get married,
have children, settle down?"

What's wrong with a family?

Nothing. What's
wrong with a career?

Nothing. You can have both.

Well, or in my case, neither.

They're thinking of
canceling my strip.

Why? It's a very cute

- little cartoon.
- Well, that's the problem.

Uh, Jack says the management's
looking for something grittier.

You know, cartoons
with an attitude.

Right, Monica?

Well, it does look like they...

they want to go
in a new direction.

I'm not sure I agree
with their philosophy.

If they want anger

and a bad attitude
in the funny pages,

they should see
those hateful cartoons

on the walls of your
little pretend office.

Finally had an idea I
can live with, Daddy.

"Chutzpah."

Yeah.

♪♪

"I said a rich doctor,
not a witch doctor."

That's the first time I've
heard you laugh, Rachel.

Yes, well, I've
never had anything

to laugh about before,
and now I have...

fans.

Yes, but they're not all fans.

You know what?

Love it or hate it,
they're reading it,

and that's what counts.

Don't you care that
you're offending people?

You know what, the
publishers wanted edgy.

It's not edgy if you don't make
a few people squirm, right?

Like your father?

Exactly like my father.

Hello.

That you, smart girl?

Yes, it's me, and
I brought Andrew.

Mr. Silverstein, hi.

I'm, uh, here to
help out Gloria.

Yes, we need to get
some repairs done

before we can sell your house.

I understand that you
have a... oh, a leak.

I like that leak.

It's been keeping me
company for years.

Well, I-I don't see
how that's possible.

The drip could have
no way of knowing

or acknowledging your existence.

Yes, theoretically,
you're correct,

but it's constant.

It doesn't change.

How many things in life
can you say that about?

,.

Uh... Gloria, that's a...

that's a rhetorical question.

It doesn't really
require an answer.

Oh.

Though I am fascinated

that you actually
came up with a number.

Someday I'd like
to hear the list.

In the meantime, the drip stays.

So, um, Gloria tells me

that you're a... you're a sofer.

How long have you
been making Torahs?

Since I was a young man,

like my father before me
and his father before him.

This, um, Silverstein Torah

was started by my father.

He managed to hide it

before he was taken away
to the concentration camp.

And when I was old enough,

he recovered it and
passed it on to me.

Let me show you something.

These... are my parents.

My father was sent to
Auschwitz during the w*r.

My mother was sent to Dachau.

I want you to write
those two names down.

Auschwitz,
A-U-S-C-H-W-I-T-Z, and Dachau,

D-A-C-H-A-U.

I want you to go to the
library and look them up.

Find the truth for yourself.

Don't just believe
what you're told,

not by me or the
boys at the bus stop.

I'm not allowed to go
anywhere by myself for a while.

What are you,

on some kind of
crazy-person parole?

You-you know, it
would go a lot faster

if you just typed this
out on a computer.

It's not about faster.

This is the Word of God.

It's still duplicated
one letter at a time,

exactly as it appeared
thousands of years ago.

This is about
reverence and respect.

It's a sacred obligation.

You know, Moses
brought the Word of God

down to the people,
and the Jews have gone

to great lengths to protect
those words ever since.

“Tzedek, tzedek, tirdoff.“

"Justice, justice,
thou shalt pursue."

You speak Hebrew?

When you told me
about the Torah,

I went and I learned.

You learned Hebrew yesterday?

- Yes.
- You... She is a smart girl.

Quick mind.

Which is why I don't think
I could take the time to sit

and... and make
this beautiful Torah.

If it were up to me, you
wouldn't do it anyway.

There are some
who accept the notion

of a woman sofer,

but in my book,
that's just not right.

It's not tradition.

Oh, okay.

That doesn't bother you?

'Cause it sure
bothers my daughter.

Excuse me.

I'm coming, I'm coming.

Rabbi, come in.

Hi, Sam.

Look, about this cartoon.

"I heard your shop
b*rned down last night."

"Shh. It's tonight."

The first few were tolerable,
but it's getting worse.

- I know.
- At first, people were calling me

with questions.

"Is this okay, Rabbi?"

"Should I just smile

and show others we
can laugh at ourselves?"

But it's become degrading
and mean-spirited.

I know.

It gives fodder to those
who already hate us.

It's got to stop.

I'll speak to her, Rabbi.

Monica, did you...
did you write this?

- Yes.
- Yeah?

"Some may defend

"the degrading
stereotypes as social humor,

"but it is difficult to
ignore the influence

"that such derogatory
characterizations have

on an already
fragmented society."

I thought we were friends.

We are, but even
friends can disagree,

and I disagree with
what you're doing.

- Oh.
- Hey, Rachel,

looks like lunch is here, and
maybe tomorrow's cartoon.

Hi, Dad.

Don't tell me; you
brought a brisket again.

No. I brought you tongue.

Oh, I hate tongue.

I know. I didn't
bring it for you to eat.

I brought it for the symbolism.

Oh, oh, well, in
that case, thanks.

I want you to think
about the words

you're spewing
out into the world,

not with your tongue,
but with your pen.

Your insults to
me, I can live with,

but this must stop.

It must, because I
can't live with you

insulting our
people and our faith.

Your faith, Dad.

I don't believe
what you believe.

This isn't about
what you believe.

You're doing this to save
your job and to hurt me.

I am not.

Yes, you are, and
I don't know why.

What did I ever do to you
to deserve this treatment?

Tell me. What?

You know something? If
you don't know, forget it.

Really, just forget it, Dad.

You're not just hurting
me now, you know.

Bye, Monica.

Well, guess he's not
a real big fan, either.

Father, please show
me what I need to see.

I'm almost finished
with the third book.

I-I've adjusted the
crowns as you suggested.

I think you'll be pleased.

- Now, look here.
- Daddy, Daddy.

Don't interrupt, Rachel.

I'm busy now.

But I have a
surprise for you now.

What is it?

It's a Torah, a Rachel
Silverstein Torah.

Ooh, it's very pretty.

I made it all by myself.

But it's really not a Torah.

Yes, it is.

I copied it exactly like yours.

Rachel, it takes a long time

to learn to do it
perfectly, honey,

and it must be
perfect because it's

the Word of God that
we're preserving here,

and this is not perfect.

There are pictures in here.

I know. I made them for you.

But there are no
pictures in a Torah.

Besides, you're a girl,

and I don't believe girls are
supposed to make Torahs.

Here, darling.

So what?

Who wants to be a
stupid old sofer anyway?

"The pen is mightier
than the tongue."

What is it? What do you want?

Oh, well, Tess and
Eva are downstairs

going over some
papers, so I thought

maybe you'd like to
go to the library with me.

No, I'm busy. Good-bye.

Bye.

Did I say something wrong again?

I'm sorry.

No, smart girl.

It's not you.

It's my daughter.

She refuses to listen to me.

- Is it true?
- What?

Is the pen mightier
than the tongue?

Hmm.

Sometimes I can't tell
if you're really smart

or really... not,

but you may be onto something.

Good morning.

Yes, it is a good
morning, Monica.

Oh, see that?

Friends can agree
with each other,

although, you know,
where's the story

if there's no conflict, huh?

Is that why you refuse

to work things out
with your father?

Anti-Semite.

Dad, are you crazy?

Anti-Semitism is wrong.

How can I be an anti-Semite?

I am a Semite.

It's even worse when
the anti-Semite is a Jew.

It's just a comic strip.

You might have
said the Star of David

was just a star until it
marked a Jew for death.

It's a joke.

The Jewish faith is not a joke.

Maybe it is to me.

You know something, Dad,
if you screw this up for me,

I swear I'll never forgive you.

Rabbi. Rabbi.

I'm not a rabbi. I'm a sofer.

Is Rachel Silver your daughter?

It's Silverstein... and
I have no daughter.

How could you say such a thing?

What do you mean,
"I have no daughter"?

Of course you have a
daughter, and you're her father,

and you don't
desert your family,

and in front of
all those people.

I was angry.

I still am.

You see what she's doing.

Yes, I see what she's doing,

and I see what you're doing.

I see what you've both
been doing for years,

and you're growing
further and further apart,

and I don't know why,

and I don't know what
I'm supposed to do.

You're supposed to do nothing.

It's time for dinner.

It's in the oven.
Serve yourself.

I'm not hungry.

Where are you going?

She's still my daughter,

and I'm going to talk to her.

Gloria, you really
have to be careful

about what you say.

We leave you alone
for only two minutes,

and suddenly Sam's
walking the picket line

and disowning his
daughter on the : news.

This angel business
is very tricky.

Well, you're learning,

but remember that humans
hear only what they want to hear,

so you must listen
to their hearts

before you speak.

Makes you wonder why
God created me at all.

I'm sure He had His reasons.

- Rachel?
- Hi, Mom.

I saw the news.

I am so sorry for
what your father did.

It was wrong of him.

I know he hurt you.

But can't you see
what you're doing?

You've got to stop it, Rachel.

No, Mom, this is my career.

I am finally successful.

I can't just stop.

You know, you
wouldn't understand.

Because I never had a
job outside of the home,

suddenly I don't know anything?

I didn't say that.

That's the problem, Rachel...
All the things you don't say,

but they come out in
your attitude anyway.

- Oh.
- Now, you listen to me.

Women like you
have a choice to work

because of women like me.

That's what women's
liberation was about.

What is so liberating
about being a housewife?

The fact that I chose
to be a housewife.

We fought to choose the
lives we wanted to lead.

Right, and I chose this
one, so what is the problem?

And since when is what I
think such a big deal to him,

and why should I care?

Because he's your father.

- Mom.
- You're on your way to becoming

a famous cartoonist,

but one day you are
gonna be the woman

who used to be the
famous cartoonist,

and what will you have left?

You've had other
jobs before, Rachel.

You can get other jobs again.

You will only ever
have one father.

Well, thank God.

You know, those young bald
men were right about one thing:

Jews are stubborn.

Come with me.

It's beautiful.

Yes, it is.

Do you know why?

Because God spoke it into being,
just as He spoke you into being,

and as He spoke the
entire world into existence

at the beginning of creation.

I wasn't there in the beginning.

No, but you can
still feel the power

and the glory of
God's Word all around,

now and as it always has been.

You know, it was on a
mountain just like this

that God gave Moses His Word.

Moses climbed up
the mountainside,

came into a clearing,
and there was God.

Can you imagine what an
extraordinary experience

that must have been
for a human being?

I can't.

I-I know what it was like for me

to be in His presence
even for a moment.

Yes.

You don't know what
it's like not to know that,

but to believe without
proof, as most humans do,

that's what faith is.

It must be very difficult

to believe something
you've never actually seen.

Yes, it requires strength
and courage and a willingness

to love unconditionally.

Gloria, you've only
known three Jewish people

in your short life,

and even though
you learned Hebrew,

there's a big difference
between learning a language

and really
understanding a people.

You don't know their history,
the strength of their faith.

You weren't there for the Exodus
or the wandering in the desert

or the centuries of
occupation and homelessness.

You weren't there
for the Holocaust.

There really was a Holocaust?

There's something
you need to see.

They've been in
there a long time.

As long as it takes.

Here they come.

Are you all right, baby?

It's so horrible.

Six million Jews were k*lled
in less than seven years.

It was...

It was worse than horrible.

Six million?

It's such an
unbelievable number.

It's so hard to imagine.

So I didn't think
about the six million.

I thought about just one.

Like Sam.

I-I didn't know.

How could you have known?

You weren't there for it

any more than those
boys that told you lies.

Why would they tell a
lie about such a thing?

Gloria, they lied to you

because once
someone lied to them,

and this legacy of
hate has continued.

But now you've
been told the truth,

and once you know the truth,

you become responsible for it.

Those things I said.

Sam's such a kind man.

He didn't return my
ignorance with anger.

And those things I
said hurt him deeply.

It's not about anger.

It's about understanding.

That's what Sam wants
from you, little angel.

And that's what
Rachel wants from Sam.

You'd better be on your way.

Alone?

There are some things

that angels have
to do by themselves,

and asking for
forgiveness is one of them.

Rachel Silver.

Hi.

This is your biggest fan.

Oh, really?

Oh, yeah.

I love the way you
nail those kikes.

Um, excuse me,
but, uh, that's...

that's not what I do, sir.

I-I appreciate your support,
but this is not about hate.

It's-it's about, you
know, helping people

laugh at themselves.

Hey, I'm laughing.

Anyway, my buddies and I
just want to tell you thanks.

Now we're gonna
do something for you.

You won't have to
worry about that crew

of pig rabbis
protesting anymore.

We're taking care of it.

What? What?

Hello? Hello?

Hello? Hello?

Oh, my God.

Oh, God, Dad.

Mom?

Mom, yeah, listen.

Yeah, I cannot talk, okay,

but you and Dad have
got to get out of there.

Your lives may be in danger.

Where is he?

Synagogue?

Oh, no. Oh, my God.

Okay, Mom, Mom,
you guys got to go.

Just you go.

Just go to Aunt
Sarah's or something,

and, Mom, please, Mom,

just leave and I
will get Dad, okay?

Thank you.

.

Yes, hi. I have an emergency.

Hi, Sam.

May I walk with you?

Of course.

How'd you know I'd
be here, smart girl?

I'm really not a
very smart girl, Sam.

I... I said some things

the first day we
met that were wrong.

Yeah.

Things people told me,
and-and I believed them,

but they were lies,

and I just didn't
understand it then.

I know you didn't.

Have you learned something now?

I, uh... I went to the
Holocaust Museum.

Uh-huh.

I'm so sorry.

Thank you.

I forgive you.

Thank you.

Well, you must be
able to do something.

- It was just a thr*at.
- It was more than a thr*at.

- It was?
- Yes, it was...

- You're gonna have to wait.
- Well, I can't wait.

- It's gonna be too late.
- You have to wait.

- Uh, okay, forget it.
- Forget it?

- Yes, forget it. Never mind.
- Ma'am...

Monica, what am I gonna do?
They're going after my father.

Come on, we'll
find him. I'll drive.

Sometimes I like to
come here at night.

Why don't you come in?

I bet you've never even
been in a synagogue before.

Hey!

What have you done?

Well, look who we have here.

It's party time.

You have a problem
with the Jews.

Let's talk about it.

You guys hear something?

Kind of a squealing sound?

Please, there's no
need for v*olence.

We should be talking.

These kikes think they
run the whole world.

No!

Stop this.

- Please.
- Why should we?

Because I'm an angel.

I-I'm an angel.

Oh, please, Father, help me.

What do I do now?

What do you mean,
you're an angel?

I'm an angel from God.

He... He sent me here.

He made me.

He made you.

He... He made Sam.

He... He made us all.

He's... He's the
Father of us all.

That makes this
man your brother.

He's not your enemy.

Shut up.

Don't make me k*ll you, too.

You can't k*ll her.

Oh, Andrew.

And you can't k*ll me,

and you can't k*ll the truth.

See, sooner or later,
you will hear the truth

because your
Creator wants you to.

So you can wait until
after you die to hear it,

which is gonna be
too late, by the way,

or you can put the Kn*fe
down and hear the truth now.

Oh, you want the Kn*fe? Here.

You know, something tells me

that you don't really want
to know what the truth is.

You're just looking
for an excuse to hate.

This isn't over.

Oh, yes, it is.

They're going to catch
you in a few hours,

and they're going to try you

and convict you
And put you in prison,

and then one day,
another angel will visit you.

You'd better listen to him.

OFFICER: Stop right there.

I got him!

Stop!

Hold it!

Oh, my God.

Dad? Dad?

Oh, why?

I can't put it back together.

You're not supposed to.

That's not why we're here.

Come on, we'll do this together.

You see what you've caused?

You think this is my fault?

Yes.

Isn't that your
signature? "Chutzpah"?

It takes no chutzpah

to be a coward in the night.

They are cowards,
and they're nuts.

I never encouraged
this kind of thing.

I-I never... I never said

that anyone should
hate the Jewish people.

No, you just made
us less than human,

and that's all they needed.

And then... and then...

not even angels could
change their minds.

Angels?

Dad.

Yes, Rachel.

Gloria is an angel, and so am I.

Right. Sure you are, Monica.

Is it so hard to believe that
God would send His angels?

Yeah.

Yeah, kind of.

Why?

Because, if you
acknowledge angels,

then you have to
acknowledge God,

and if you acknowledge God,

then you have to acknowledge
the faith that you left behind.

My daughter doesn't believe.

Oh, so now I'm your daughter.

You always were. I'm sorry.

Yeah, well, that's the
problem, isn't it, Dad?

You're sorry.

I don't understand.

Tell her.

What?

The problem with
being a daughter

is that you're not a son.

My father, he's not
disappointed with who I am.

He's disappointed in what I am.

That's ridiculous.

Dad, how come you never finished

the Silverstein Torah?

It wasn't possible because...

Because you and Grandpa

wanted to finish it
in three generations

of Silverstein men.

But I broke the chain, didn't I?

- I never said that.
- You didn't have to say it.

What are you talking about?

One day, when
she was a little girl

and trying to please
you, Rachel gave you

a handmade, childlike Torah,

not to create an
abomination to God,

but to honor you
and to let you know

in her own little way
that when she grew up,

she wanted to be
a safer just like you,

but you took the
letter of the law

as you interpreted it, Sam,

and you unwittingly
crushed her spirit.

She lost her dream

to become a sofer that day,

but she also lost respect
for her father, as well.

I wanted... I wanted
him to love me.

-I wanted... I wanted him -God.

- To be proud of me.
- Oh, God.

I do love you, sweetheart,
and I am proud of you.

Then show her, Sam.

What can I do?

My hands.

Dad, I can help you.

H can help you, if you'd let me.

The Torah is a
sacred obligation.

It is also

a sacred obligation and
a holy work to be a father.

Sam, look at your daughter.

See the child that she was,

the artist that she is, and yes,

even a sofer that she
always wanted to be.

God loves you both so much.

He wants this family
to be whole again.

I'm so sorry, Dad.

I'm sorry for all those
years of fighting and...

and-and for trying to hurt you
with my stupid little pictures.

I did hurt you, Dad,
and I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry, too.

You are God's
gift to me, Rachel.

A beautiful, talented daughter,

and I love you
more than life itself.

I should have told you that.

Aw.

The aleph looks like
it stands on one foot,

reaching its hand up to God.

One hand in Heaven,
one foot on the ground.

I learned that from my father
who taught me how to be a sofer,

but when your hand
cannot reach far enough,

it's better to ask God for help

than to leave a
good work undone.

My father began
this Torah scroll,

and after his
death, I continued it.

According to his wish, I
was to pass it onto my son,

and so it remained unfinished,

but when the Torah was
destroyed in this synagogue,

a new Torah was
needed, and I realized,

where I once saw no way out,

God provided a way.

He has made a
road in the wilderness

and streams in the desert.

Gentlemen and ladies,

the Silverstein Torah.

I can understand that.

I know what that means.

We all know what
that means, baby.

Praise God who
has kept us in life

and sustained us to this moment.

Amen.

The synagogue has its new Torah.

Mazel tov.

Mazel tow!

Mazel tov.

- Maze
tov.
- Maze
tov.

Mazel tov.