Author Mordechai Chalmesh: "I Worked on the Ten Commandments Comic for Five Years"

It took a full five years for author Mordechai Chalmesh and artist David Bichman to work on the new book added recently to the shelves of Haredi comics - 'Elishama and Ephraim at Mount Sinai.' For five years, they labored over writing and illustrating the book, with the goal of representing the revelation at Mount Sinai as vividly as possible.

"For each page I wrote, I read hundreds of Midrashim," Chalmesh explains, "it was exhausting work. You read a certain Midrash and try to depict the grand scene of receiving the Torah based on it, then suddenly, in another Midrash, you find something that contradicts what you wrote, making it impossible to write or illustrate that way, requiring you to start over. The work is endless, but fascinating and filled with mission."

"Truly a Calling from Heaven"

There aren't many children in the Haredi sector unfamiliar with Elishama and Ephraim - two Jewish boys featured in Chalmesh's book series. Elishama and Ephraim undergo the horrors of Egyptian bondage with their family, experiencing all stages of redemption along with the readers.

The first book in the series – 'Elishama and Ephraim Leave Egypt' was published about seven years ago, at a time when Chalmesh never imagined he would become an author. "For years I studied in yeshivas and kollels. I never thought I would create children's books, let alone comic books," he recounts. "I was busy writing Torah insights and articles. Occasionally, I published educational articles on various Jewish themes in the press. Until one day, two strangers came to my house, requesting that I write a Passover Haggadah for children in comic form."

Recalling the event, he does not hide his excitement. "It was truly divine providence, a calling from heaven to venture into this field, because truthfully, there was no reason to approach me, but from heaven, this is how it unfolded. The two who came to my home introduced themselves as owners of 'Yafe Nof,' explaining that they had a plan to release a Passover Haggadah in comics for children. They approached various individuals in the field who declined the role for various reasons. One of them mentioned me, and they decided to approach me.

"We finished our meeting, and I told them I would think about it. Immediately after they left, I remembered the artist David Bichman, whom I have known for a long time, and suddenly I thought to join forces with him to create the work together. We met, and I inspired him with the immense mission here, since as a father, I know firsthand the desire to convey the theme of the Exodus to my children, and I decided to attempt it as engagingly as possible. Initially, I searched for names for the two leading children in the books. I decided to call them 'Elishama and Ephraim,' so it would rhyme with the continuation – 'Leaving Egypt.' I decided their family would have sextuplets, just as the Torah describes. In the book, it is shown that immediately after the babies are born, the Egyptians seize them and throw them into the river. Later in the book, you see how the parents work, while Elishama and Ephraim carry mortar and bricks, discussing the sorrow and hopes, and then about the ten plagues."

Eventually, the book was an indescribable success and sold tens of thousands of copies. The owners of 'Yafe Nof' informed Chalmesh that they wanted a sequel as quickly as possible. "The funny thing is, I was never in book marketing and didn't even know it was considered a tremendous success. But once they requested, I continued, and thus I released the next book in the series 'Elishama and Ephraim in the Sinai Desert,' depicting their journey and experiences in the desert."

Aren't you afraid to write or illustrate the Torah?

"This was indeed a heavy concern that accompanied me the entire way, and my third book in the series - 'Elishama and Ephraim at Mount Sinai' was delayed much because of this question. I constantly felt – Who am I to decide how Moses looked and how could I know what the Israelites felt at the revelation at Mount Sinai? The challenge was especially hard due to the need to combine an elevated spiritual event, which cannot even be described in words, with a captivating story in comic style. We harnessed all the secrets and tricks from the world of literature and comics to successfully present this sacred story in a way that would leave an indelible impression on children, ensuring it stays in their hearts forever. As the Ramban wrote in Sefer HaMitzvot, the commandment of remembering the revelation at Mount Sinai should be in a way 'that our eyes and hearts are there every day.' These are very demanding words."

Chalmesh attests that during the writing of the book, there were many prayers, consultations, and of course, enormous divine assistance. "I'll be honest – had I known beforehand the numerous thoughts and doubts that would accompany me, I might not have entered into it at all, because it was five years of intensive work. But after I had started and released the first books in the series, I understood that part of my mission was to release the subsequent books as well. Naturally, the book on the giving of the Torah was the most difficult of all, but I felt it was my duty."

Children's Critique

Chalmesh notes that before his books see the light of day, they consistently undergo his children's critique. "To me, the books I write are intended first and foremost for my children, and if they fit and are right for them, then I understand they can be suitable for all children. If the children don't understand something, I obviously try to correct and improve it," he shares, "and indeed, I did so quite a bit."

The book on the giving of the Torah was released very recently, but already a lot of enthusiastic feedback has been received. Chalmesh notes: "From all the support we received after the book's release, I was particularly moved by a conversation with a 16-year-old boy who called me, thanking in tears for the strength he gained from the book. He said he was in a state of confusion, considered essentially as faltering with one foot outside the yeshiva, experiencing many trials. In a moment of frustration, he returned home, looking for a comic book to relieve him a bit. Somehow, my new book came into his hands and he suddenly perceived the magnitude of the giving of the Torah and the Torah we received, and it strengthened him immensely. I was very moved to hear these words."