I want to put over my emotions in the spectator, - I want to make him fascinated by the scene, which I have not only seen with my naked eyes, but whi… - Jozef Israëls

And there we have my good rabbi.. ..he came up so tired in the studio, and then I put him down here. There was such a real seat in that guy, so with his pants slumped. That's nice, isn't it, that long black cloak with those wide folds and that slackly beer mat. He is holding the Torah role in his arm, do you see?. ..I known that old rab for a lot of years already, and with Purim and Rosh HaShanah [Jewish New Year] he comes faithfully around for his douceur [tip]. (translation from the original Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek)

version in Dutch (citaat van Israëls, in het Nederlands): Is er een verschil tussen een joodse zee en een niet-joodse zee? Wat is een joodse manier van schilderen?

[quoting a verse from the Torah, including some faults]: Behold, I send an angel before you, to guard you on this road, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared; Exodus 23:20. (translation from Dutch: Fons Heijnsbroek).