Ushpizin (2005) Plot Summary

Moshe (Shuli Rand) and Mali (Michal Batsheva Rand) Balanga are an impoverished, childless, Hasidic baalei teshuva (“returnees to Judaism”) couple in the Breslov community in Jerusalem. After Moshe is passed over for a stipend he expected, they cannot pay their bills, much less prepare for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Sukkot.

After recalling a saying of Rabbi Nachman that difficult times are a test of faith, both of them pray independently before both receiving unexpected gifts: Mali receives a large sum of money after another person who was supposed to receive that stipend unexpectedly died, and Moshe’s friend helps him move up a sukkah he thinks is abandoned. With the money, Moshe buys a very beautiful etrog, known as “the Diamond” for 1000 shekels (~300 USD).

The couple is visited by a pair of escaped convicts, one of whom, Eliyahu Scorpio (Shaul Mizrahi) knew Moshe in his earlier, non-religious life, and Eliyahu’s friend, Yossef (Ilan Ganani). The convicts become their guests (ushpizin) in the sukkah. They are very disrespectful and ungrateful throughout their stay, with Eliyahu questioning Moshe’s transformation in personality while reminding him of his earlier days, prompting Moshe to lie to them that he and Mali have to visit Mali’s parents, a commitment that had been made before they expected guests, in order to get them to leave. Mali regrets this decision, recalling the story of Abraham and Sarah, who would invite anyone into their tent, even heretics and criminals, and teach them about God. She says that if this is a test from God, they failed miserably.

Eventually, Eliyahu and Yossef suspect that Moshe had been lying to them all along, and come back, to Moshe and Mali’s relief. They try to be as hospitable as possible and ignore their disrespect. Eventually, the guests start grilling meat and peppers in the middle of the street playing loud techno music, despite the pleas of the community leaders, and Mali, to stop, prompting the police to come. Moshe tells Mali to tell the guests to hide immediately, leading to Mali’s discovery that they are escaped convicts; angry at Moshe, she leaves to go to her mother’s house, telling Moshe that he is not coming back. Eliyahu eventually acknowledges Moshe’s transformation and tells Moshe that he respects that. However, later, when Eliyahu and Yossef mistake the expensive etrog for a lemon and use it in a salad, Moshe almost reverts to his old anger issues, before throwing the box down and running away, pleading with God that the test has been taken too far. After returning, he discovers that Mali has returned and is pregnant; nine months later, their son, Nachman, has his brit milah.