The Yiddish Policemen's Union

A grieving Lapidus insists that he didn’t know Frank that well. Berko speculates that Frank was part of the Russian mob. Landsman disagrees, citing Fishkin and Lapidus’s reaction as proof that Frank’s death was bigger than a casualty in the Russian gang wars. This leads them to suspect that Frank was involved with the Chasids of Verbov, a gang also called the Verbovers. The Verbovers were founded by the only surviving member of an Israeli black-hat sect. Claiming territory in the Fifth Precinct, now colloquially referred to as Verbov Island, the Verbovers built a profitable but morally bankrupt criminal empire. Berko suggests that they should seek out Itzik Zimbalist.

Landsman and Berko proceed to Verbov Island, which is booming with civilian activity. The first Verbovers they encounter watch them with caution and resentment. In spite of Berko’s protests, Landsman decides to confront them. Landsman and the Verbovers intimidate one another, forcing Berko to intervene with his replica Tlingit chief’s hammer. This draws the attention of passersby who are excited to see an Indigenous person in Sitka. They are disappointed when they spot Berko’s Jewish cultural garments.

Berko recognizes one of the Verbovers, a man named Dovid Sussman. They wish each other well, defusing the tension and allowing the detectives to leave. Landsman observes that none of the Verbovers are nervous about the imminent Reversion, which suggests that they all feel secure about their residency status. He suspects that their leader was able to arrange this using extrajudicial methods.

Zimbalist’s shop is located across the house of Heskel Shpilman, who is descended from the family that founded the Verbovers. The elderly Zimbalist is helped around by a young bachelor. They greet Landsman and Berko when they arrive at the shop. Berko introduces Landsman to Zimbalist, who only knows Landsman by reputation. Zimbalist clarifies that he isn’t sympathetic to the Verbovers, even though he is married to one.

Zimbalist specializes in redrawing the boundaries of an eruv, allowing his clients to extend their household to public areas so that they can practice certain activities forbidden in public on the Sabbath. Many of the black-hat sects respect him because they rely on his geographical expertise to positively affect their territorial influence. Zimbalist explains that Verbov Island is in the midst of a population boom, which is why Berkov’s reputation may be waning even though he was previously assigned to the area as a patrolman.

Landsman explains the agenda for their visit, tying Emanuel Lasker/Frank to the Verbovers. He shows Zimbalist the photo of Lasker’s corpse. Zimbalist is mortified to recognize him, calling him a “sweet boy.” Zimbalist says he taught him how to play chess when he was still young. Landsman clears the shop of Zimbalist’s employees so that the detectives can talk to him in private. Zimbalist reveals that Lasker’s true name is Mendel and that he is around the same age as Berko. Mendel was a precocious child who was proficient in several languages by the age of nine. He was also a gifted chess prodigy with a photographic memory. Nevertheless, he had a kind heart, often making gifts for his sisters.

Once, Zimbalist arranged a chess game between Mendel and a world champion named Melekh Gaystik. Mendel bested Gaystik, who agreed to keep the game secret because Mendel was forbidden to play with outsiders. Zimbalist then reveals that Mendel was the only son of Heskel Shpilman. This shocks Berko, who has heard many stories about Mendel Shpilman. Landsman demands to hear them.

Zimbalist recalls his mistress, who was dying of cancer in 1973. Zimbalist would frequently visit his mistress in the hospital, returning to his shop the following morning for his daily game of chess with Mendel Shpilman. Zimbalist stresses Mendel’s precociousness, citing his keen understanding of Jewish law and the philosophy behind it. His intellectual talents and charm earned him the right to play chess with Zimbalist.

During one such game, Mendel asked Zimbalist how his mistress was doing, which surprised Zimbalist since he had been extremely discreet about his affair. He denied any knowledge of the woman Mendel was asking after. Mendel retracted his question, but before he left that day, he asked Zimbalist to pass on his blessing to his mistress. Zimbalist agreed to do this and was moved to tears.

Later that night, Zimbalist visited his mistress and passed on Mendel’s blessing. The following morning, the mistress began to quickly recover. Mendel asked again about Zimbalist’s mistress during their next meeting, and he then instructed Zimbalist to pass his blessing on to the other patients at Sitka General. Over the next few weeks, Zimbalist’s mistress recovered to full health. The affair ended, but Zimbalist was so disturbed by the possibility that Mendel had performed a miracle that he started to doubt his own lack of faith. He thinks that Mendel could have been a candidate for the Tzaddik Ha-Dor (Messiah). Mendel’s parents later revoked his right to visit Zimbalist when they learned about his game with Melekh Gaystik.

Berko reveals that he met Heskel Shpilman when he was assigned to the district. Heskel courted his favor so that the Verbovers could operate with minimal police interruption. Landsman asks if Berko believes that Mendel had miraculous powers or was the Messiah. However, Landsman is really expressing his doubt about the idea that things will become better once the Messiah comes.

Zimbalist leads the detectives across the street to the Shpilman residence. They are intercepted by Verbovers, who take offense at the detectives’ presence. Berko formally asks them for an audience with Rabbi Heskel Shpilman. The Verbovers insist on learning what business the detectives have on Verbov Island, so Zimbalist tells them it has to do with Mendel. The Verbovers understand at once and let them inside.

The three visitors are made to wait in the hall. They are met by Rabbi Baronshteyn, Heskel’s son-in-law and personal assistant. The detectives refuse to tell him why they want to see Heskel. Baronshteyn reminds them that he is also Heskel’s attorney and that he can answer any legal questions on Heskel’s behalf. Zimbalist shows hostility toward Baronshteyn, implying that Baronshteyn tried to take Mendel’s place as Heskel’s favored son. Berko asks the Verbovers to walk Zimbalist home, then he orders Baronshteyn to take them to Heskel.

Rabbi Heskel Shpilman is a mountain-like man with a high-pitched voice. Baronshteyn stresses that he will attend the meeting in his capacity as Heskel’s legal counsel, though Heskel protests that he doesn’t need a lawyer. When Baronshteyn goes out to answer a phone, Landsman explains that Mendel’s corpse was discovered at the Hotel Zamenhof. Heskel looks at the photo of Mendel’s corpse and confirms his identity. Landsman catches him up on the facts of the case. Heskel digresses to ask Berko how his family is doing. This makes Landsman realize that Heskel knows everything about him, too, including the loss of Bina’s pregnancy.

Landsman observes Heskel’s cold reaction to the news of Mendel’s death. Heskel explains that he and Mendel have been estranged for many years. Heskel has long considered Mendel dead. Landsman asks about Zimbalist’s assertion that Mendel could have been a candidate for the Tzaddik Ha-Dor or Messiah. Heskel reminds Landsman of the Jewish teaching that a potential Messiah is born into every generation. Mendel had the capacity to perform miracles, but the nature of his ability was to merely inspire warmth and light in the spirits of those in his presence. It has been over 20 years since anyone in the Shpilman household spoke to Mendel, including Mendel’s mother.

Heskel is aware that Mendel’s case has already been suspended. Landsman wonders if this means that Heskel might be controlling the development of the case, which includes his involvement in Mendel’s death in the first place. Landsman asks Heskel what Mendel did to earn his ire. Heskel refuses to answer the question and warns Landsman not to set foot on Verbov Island again. Landsman refuses to be intimidated, so Heskel reframes his request by suggesting that Landsman should make better use of his time. The detectives are soon shown out by Baronshteyn, who threatens them more directly.

Landsman goes to the Polar-Shertn Kafeteria that evening to have his only meal of the day. He orders three cheese blintzes as he fights off the self-pity that comes with his feelings of loneliness.

He sees two other men who look just as lonely as he does. One of them is a dentist named Buchbinder. Landsman talks to Buchbinder and learns that he has closed his museum on the Koyenim, which was regularly vandalized in the past. However, Buchbinder plans to reopen his museum in Jerusalem. Landsman doesn’t believe him but indulges him by asking who he knows there. Buchbinder answers, “Messiah.”

Bina arrives at the Polar-Shtern Kafeteria. Landsman pretends not to notice her so that he can spare her from acknowledging him. When Bina goes to order her food, Landsman worries that she has already seen him. He reminisces about their relationship, which was passionate and even infiltrated their shared workplace. Landsman and Bina only ever worked on one case together, but they failed to close it. They carried the grief of that case into their marriage and into the loss of Bina’s pregnancy.

To distract himself further from his loneliness, Landsman wonders how he might attempt suicide. He supposes he might try to shoot himself. At this point, Bina asks to join him at his table. Landsman marvels at Bina’s ability to carry everything she needs to get through life in her large tote bag. Feeling his attraction to her flare up once more, Landsman tries to engage Bina in small talk. Bina refuses to entertain it, which Landsman accepts. Instead, Landsman runs through a list of other topics they don’t have to talk about, including his day, politics, and Reversion.

Bina offers Landsman some of her noodle pudding because she is concerned about how thin he looks. She soon finishes her meal and prepares to leave for her parents’ house, where she is staying. She notices a discarded flyer that Landsman took from the Shpilman residence about Verbover Hasidism. She suspects that Landsman is up to something but is too tired to guess what it is. She asks to see him in her office the following morning.