secret-affair

The chapter recounts a story told by Zimbalist about his secret affair with a dying widow and his daily chess games with Mendel Shpilman, a gifted but mischievous boy from the Verbover community. Mendel's simple question about the widow's health and his blessing unexpectedly coincide with her miraculous recovery, shaking Zimbalist's cynical worldview. Their relationship ends after Zimbalist arranges a secret chess match for Mendel, highlighting the tension between faith, skepticism, and human connection.