The Russian czar, Nicholas the First, was a ruthless anti-Semite. He decreed that Jewish boys should be drafted into military service at a tender age so as to tear them away from their Jewish faith as well as from their family and, eventually, to turn them into Christians.
They were forcibly taken away from their parents and sent to distant villages to live among Christian peasants. Then they were drafted into the army to serve for twenty-five years!
Czar Nicholas would sometimes disguise himself as a civilian and move among the people to hear what they might be saying about him.
Once, in his disguise, the czar entered a bar where peasants and soldiers were sitting and drinking. He sat next to a soldier who offered him a drink. The soldier did not know that he was "treating" the czar. When the czar finished his drink and put the empty glass down on the table, the soldier slapped him on the back.
"What did you hit me for?" protested the czar.
"Don't you know you should never leave your glass empty? You must immediately refill it!" retorted the soldier.
The czar refilled his glass, drank it, and the soldier repeated this performance until they emptied the entire bottle. As if they had not already drunk more than enough, the soldier breezily ordered another bottle, although he had paid for the first with the last of his money. When the bar owner demanded full payment, the soldier offered his sword as a "pledge" until he could bring the money to settle the bill.
The czar and the soldier left the bar together, swaying drunkenly. The czar, however, was not too drunk to notice what the soldier had done, and he asked him in what regiment he was serving. The two then went their separate ways.
The following day, the commander of the regiment received word that the czar was coming on an official tour of inspection. The soldier, who had parted with his sword the previous day, could not possibly redeem his "pledge" in time for the czar's inspection. What could he do now? Suddenly he had an idea. He carved out a sword from a piece of wood and fitted it into the sheath, hoping that the czar would not notice.
The czar went riding majestically among the rows of soldiers. They all stood at attention, their arms raised in salute. The czar stopped in front of the soldier with whom he had been drinking the previous day, and the poor soldier's heart trebled. But the czar addressed himself to the soldier next to him saying, "Look at your uniform! Is that the best you could do?"
The poor fellow was flabbergasted! There was nothing wrong with his uniform, but who dared argue with the czar? The czar turned to his "drinking companion" and shouted, "Draw your sword and chop off his head!"
The soldier with the wooden sword was in quite a predicament. Disobeying the czar meant death. On the other hand, if he drew his sword, the czar would immediately see that the sword was just a piece of wood. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, they were followed by an ingenious idea.
"Your Majesty," began the soldier, "I am ready to carry out your order, as you feel my friend is guilty. But if he deserves to be spared, I ask the Almighty, Who alone sees into the hearts of men, to save him by turning my sword into wood." Saying which, he quickly drew his sword out of its sheath and, to everyone's astonished gaze, there in his hand was a sword of wood!
"Very well," said the czar. "I will pardon your friend. As for you, I promote you to the rank of officer."
The czar was impressed with the soldier's brilliance, and was determined to avail himself of his genius. He received promotion after promotion until he finally became a member of the czar's prestigious bodyguard. One day, the czar began to discuss religion with him and asked, "Do you truly believe in G-d, and do you attend church regularly?"
"Yes, your Majesty, I believe in G-d, but I do not go to church. I am a Jew."
"A Jew?" exclaimed the czar. "I thought you were a Christian. Become a Christian and I will make you a general. You will then be my personal friend. The czarina and I will be your godparents and you will lack neither honor nor riches." The soldier was taken aback at the czar's offer. He had, in truth, been torn away from his family and faith at a very young age. Yet he had never entertained the thought of changing his religion.
The czar, seeing his hesitation, began to urge him to accept his offer while, at the same time, hinting that things would go badly for him if he refused. So, somewhat reluctantly, the soldier decided to say "yes" to the czar, though in his heart he meant to remain a Jew.
Everything was arranged, and the czar, czarina and the soldier set out for Kiev where the Bishop would carry out the baptism and conversion. The soldier sat in the royal carriage, silent and lost in thought. How could he ever have even thought of becoming a Christian? A Jew he was born, and a Jew he would remain to his dying day.
As the royal carriage was crossing a bridge over the river in the center of the city, the soldier suddenly jumped out of the carriage. With the words of the Shema on his lips, he flung himself into the rushing waters. His body quickly disappeared.
The whole party looked on in horror. Sadly, they turned back. The czar, in particular, had become attached to this Jewish soldier, and he began to think deeply about the whole matter. If these Jewish soldiers could feel so strongly about their Judaism, his plan to "Russify" them was obviously a failure, and there was no point in continuing it. Thus, the sacrifice of this martyr was, after all, not in vain, for soon thereafter the czar rescinded his cruel decree.
