My uncle Isaac returned to split and took up residence there once again. He would conduct his business with my father from his home in Split. One day on the 15th of Elul, 1826 the congregation awoke for the penitentiary prayers (selichos) but to their consternation Isaac, who was usually one of the first 10 to arrive was not there. It was then that they heard the sad news that he had suddenly passed away. My father travelled from Trieste to Split to check on the state of the business and to his dismay he realized there was very little capital leftover. Out of the goodness of his heart he left this small sum to his orphaned nephews and returned empty handed to Trieste.
From that day forward my father gave up all his business aspirations, and instead made his Torah study his main occupation. He sublet part of our apartment in order to pay the rent, and because had a sweet voice he was also able to take up a position as Cantor in the third synagogue of Trieste the one that followed the sephardic rite, and thus supported himself, albeit with great difficulty.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to SeforimChatter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.