He involuntarily recalled the terrible legend of the Day of Atonement in the tenth month, Tishri, in the synagogue of Posen when, during the prayer of Kol Nidrei, the congregation kept growing larger and larger; unknown people, pushing one another, wrapped in prayer shawls, came in, one hundred after another, until the terrified Rabbi lifted his hand as if to curse and exclaimed: 'He who has flesh in his cheeks, let him throw off the prayer shawl!' Hundreds remained covered, and when the prayer shawls were torn away from them, all saw the skulls of the dead who had come out of the graves to celebrate the Day of Atonement with the rest of the congregation.
"As there, it seemed to him that the prayer shawls had fallen off the heads of the praying old men, and a row of dead skulls appeared.

At that moment the clock struck twelve.

A sharp metallic sound rang out on the grave, after which a blue flame appeared and illumined the thirteen kneeling figures.
"'I greet you, Roshe beth Aboth (heads) of the twelve tribes of Israel,' announced a dull voice.
"'We greet you, son of the accursed.' "'A hundred years have already passed.

Where have the Nesiyim (princes of the tribes) come from ?' "'From the lands where the nation of Adonai has been scattered by the orders of our forefathers.' "'Are you ready to fulfil the promise during the coming century ?' "'We are ready!' "'Then say, whose representatives are you, and where do you come from?
Tribe of Judah ?' "'From Amsterdam,' replied a strong, loud voice.
"'Tribe of Benjamin ?' "'Toledo!' came the dull answer.
"'Tribe of Levi ?' "'Worms!' "'Tribe of Manasseh ?' "'Budapest!' "'Tribe of Gad ?' "'Cracow!' "'Tribe of Simeon ?' "'Rome!' "'Tribe of Zebulun ?' "'Paris!' "'Tribe of Dan ?' "'Constantinople!' "'Tribe of Asher ?' "'London!' "'Tribe of Issachar ?' "The answer came in a faint voice and could not be heard distinctly.
"'Tribe of Naphtali ?' "'Prague!' "'And I am the representative of the unfortunate and exiles,' said the man who asked the questions in a dull voice.

'I am myself wandering about all over the world in order that I may unite you for the sake of the cause of redemption which has been promised to the seed of Abraham and which was taken from them by the sons of him who was crucified! Who is here of the house of Aaron, let him rise, scrutinize the heads of the tribes and gather the council.' "The man who was the first to arrive rose and then seated himself upon the tombstone.