If Not Higher

                                                                                                        I.L.Peretz, Poland (1852-1915)
Summary in English

"If Not Higher" is a moral story that tells us about the true way to go to heaven. In addition, it focuses on the social service where work is taken as worship. Doing good deeds on earth may be more exalted activity than doing God's will in heaven. God loves him/her who loves others.
The main character of the story is Rabbi. He disappears every Friday morning at the time of penitential prayers. People from the Jewish community believe that Rabbi usually goes to heaven on Friday. However, one day, Litvak, a critical thinker, comes at Nemirov, Jewish community and tells people that he never believes on Rabbi's going to heaven. Rather he wants to search where he goes every Friday morning. Then, he comes to the room of Rabbi on Thursday evening without informing him. He remains a wake whole night. He looks at each and every activities of Rabbi on Friday morning, for example; his earlier getting up and praying for an hour for the progress, peace and happiness of all common people.
Rabbi, then, wears the clothes of peasant. He takes rope and axe and goes to the forest. He cuts down firewood and comes back beside a broken hut. There he helps a poor old sick woman by making fire himself. During the fire, he recites three courses of the penitential prayers. Observing such activities of Rabbi, Litvak is greatly impresses. Finally, Litvak becomes a true disciple of Rabbi believing that Rabbi really goes to heaven, If Not Higher.
As Litvak follows Rabbi and comes to know Rabbi's real worshipping which is not to God but to the human beings with the things they needed. This story represents true worship to God is by serving the poor creature. God lives in human heart. In the story, Rabbi's service has been admired by the skeptic Litvak and finally becomes his disciple looking at social service and humanity.