A Serious Man

"Rabbi Nachtner: You know Lee Sussman. Larry Gopnik: Doctor Sussman? I think I - yeah. Rabbi Nachtner: Did he ever tell you about the goy's teeth? Larry Gopnik: No... I- What goy? Rabbi Nachtner: So... Lee is at work one day; you know he has the orthodontic practice there at Great Bear. He's making a plaster mold - it's for corrective bridge work - in the mouth of one of his patients, Russell Kraus. The mold dries and Lee is examining it one day before fabricating an appliance. He notices something unusual. There appears to be something engraved on the inside of the patient's lower incisors. He vav shin yud ayin nun yud. "Hwshy 'ny". "Help me, save me". This in a goy's mouth, Larry. He calls the goy back on the pretense of needing additional measurements for the appliance. "How are you? Noticed any other problems with your teeth?" No. There it is. "Hwshy 'ny". "Help me". Son of a gun. Sussman goes home. Can Sussman eat? Sussman can't eat. Can Sussman sleep? Sussman can't sleep. Sussman looks at the molds of his other patients, goy and Jew alike, seeking other messages. He finds none. He looks in his own mouth. Nothing. He looks in his wife's mouth. Nothing. But Sussman is an educated man. Not the world's greatest sage, maybe, no Rabbi Marshak, but he knows a thing or two from the Zohar and the Caballah. He knows that every Hebrew letter has its numeric equivalent. 8-4-5-4-4-7-3. Seven digits... a phone number, maybe? "Hello? Do you know a goy named Kraus, Russell Kraus?" Who? "Where have I called? The Red Owl in Bloomington. Thanks so much." He goes. It's a Red Owl. Groceries; what have you. Sussman goes home. What does it mean? He has to find out if he is ever to sleep again. He goes to see... the Rabbi Nachtner. He comes in, he sits right where you're sitting right now. "What does it mean, Rabbi? Is it a sign from Hashem, 'Help me'? I, Sussman, should be doing something to help this goy? Doing what? The teeth don't say. Or maybe I'm supposed to help people generally, lead a more righteous life? Is the answer in Caballah? In Torah? Or is there even a question? Tell me, Rabbi, what can such a sign mean?" [pause as the Rabbi drinks his tea] Larry Gopnik: So what did you tell him? Rabbi Nachtner: Sussman? Larry Gopnik: Yes! Rabbi Nachtner: Is it... relevant? Larry Gopnik: Well, isn't that why you're telling me? Rabbi Nachtner: Okay. Nachtner says, look. The teeth, we don't know. A sign from Hashem? Don't know. Helping others... couldn't hurt. Larry Gopnik: No! No, but... who put it there? Was it for him, Sussman, or for whoever found it, or for just, for, for... Rabbi Nachtner: We can't know everything. Larry Gopnik: It sounds like you don't know anything! Why even tell me the story? Rabbi Nachtner: [chuckling] First I should tell you, then I shouldn't. Larry Gopnik: What happened to Sussman? Rabbi Nachtner: What would happen? Not much. He went back to work. For a while he checked every patient's teeth for new messages. He didn't find any. In time, he found he'd stopped checking. He returned to life. These questions that are bothering you, Larry - maybe they're like a toothache. We feel them for a while, then they go away. Larry Gopnik: I don't want it to just go away! I want an answer! Rabbi Nachtner: Sure! We all want the answer! But Hashem doesn't owe us the answer, Larry. Hashem doesn't owe us anything. The obligation runs the other way. Larry Gopnik: Why does he make us feel the questions if he's not gonna give us any answers? Rabbi Nachtner: He hasn't told me. [Larry puts his face in his hands in despair] Larry Gopnik: And... what happened to the goy? Rabbi Nachtner: The goy? Who cares?"

"Clive's Father: Culture clash. Culture clash. Larry Gopnik: With all respect, Mr. Park, I don't think it's that. Clive's Father: Yes. Larry Gopnik: No. It would be a culture clash if it were the custom in your land to bribe people for grades. Clive's Father: Yes. Larry Gopnik: So... you're saying it is the custom? Clive's Father: No, this is a defamation. Grounds for lawsuit. Larry Gopnik: Let me get this straight: you're threatening to sue me for defaming your son? Clive's Father: Yes. Larry Gopnik: But it would... Mr. Brandt: Is this man bothering you? Larry Gopnik: Is he bothering me? No. I, uh... [Larry stares awkwardly at Brandt until he leaves] Larry Gopnik: See... if it were defamation there would have to be someone I was defaming him to, or I... all right, I... let's keep it simple. I could pretend the money never appeared. That's not defaming anyone. Clive's Father: Yes. And a passing grade. Larry Gopnik: Passing grade. Clive's Father: Yes. Larry Gopnik: Or... you'll sue me. Clive's Father: For taking money. Larry Gopnik: So he *did* leave the money. Clive's Father: This is defamation! Larry Gopnik: It doesn't make sense. Either he left the money or he didn't. Clive's Father: Please. Accept the mystery. Larry Gopnik: You can't have it both ways! Clive's Father: Why not?"