EVERAL CENTURIES AGO, THE POPE DECREED THAT
> ALL THE JEWS HAD TO LEAVE ITALY, OR CONVERT.
> THERE WAS, OF COURSE, A HUGE OUTCRY FROM THE
> JEWISH COMMUNITY, SO THE POPE OFFERED A DEAL.
> HE WOULD HAVE A RELIGIOUS DEBATE WITH A LEADER
> OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. IF THE JEW WON THE
> DEBATE, THE JEWS WOULD BE PERMITTED TO STAY IN
> ITALY. IF THE POPE WON, THE JEWS WOULD HAVE TO
> LEAVE.
>
> THE JEWISH COMMUNITY MET AND PICKED AN AGED
> RABBI, MOISHE, TO REPRESENT THEM IN THE DEBATE.
> RABBI MOISHE, HOWEVER, COULD NOT SPEAK LATIN,
> AND THE POPE COULD NOT SPEAK YIDDISH. SO IT WAS
> DECIDED THAT THEIRS WOULD BE A "SILENT" DEBATE.
>
> ON THE DAY OF THE GREAT DEBATE, THE POPE AND
> RABBI MOISHE SAT OPPOSITE EACH OTHER FOR A FULL
> MINUTE BEFORE THE POPE RAISED HIS HAND AND
> SHOWED THREE FINGERS. RABBI MOISHE LOOKED
> BACK AND RAISED ONE MIDDLE FINGER.
>
> NEXT, THE POPE WAVED HIS FINGER AROUND HIS HEAD.
> RABBI MOISHE POINTED TO THE GROUND WHERE HE SAT.
>
> THE POPE THEN BROUGHT OUT A COMMUNION WAFER
> AND CHALICE OF WINE RABBI MOISHE PULLED OUT AN
> APPLE.
>
> WITH THAT, THE POPE STOOD UP AND SAID, "I CONCEDE
> THE DEBATE. THIS MAN HAS BESTED ME. THE JEWS CAN
> STAY."
>
> LATER, THE CARDINALS GATHERED AROUND THE POPE
> ASKING HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED.THE POPE SAID,
> "FIRST I HELD UP THREE FINGERS TO REPRESENT
> THE TRINITY. HE RESPONDED BY HOLDING UP ONE
> FINGER TO REMIND ME THAT THERE WAS STILL ONE
> GOD COMMON TO BOTH OUR RELIGIONS. THEN I WAVED
> MY FINGER AROUND ME TO SHOW HIM THAT GOD WAS
> ALL AROUND US. HE RESPONDED BY POINTING TO THE
> GROUND TO SHOW THAT GOD WAS ALSO RIGHT HERE
> WITH US. I PULLED OUT THE WINE AND THE WAFER TO
> SHOW THAT GOD ABSOLVES US OF OUR SINS. HE
> PULLED OUT AN APPLE TO REMIND ME OF ORIGINAL SIN.
>
> MEANWHILE, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CROWDED
> AROUND RABBI MOISHE. "WHAT HAPPENED?"
> THEY ASKED. "WELL," SAID RABBI MOISHE, "FIRST HE
> SAID TO ME, YOU JEWS HAVE THREE DAYS TO GET OUT
> OF HERE!" SO I SAID TO HIM, "UP YOURS!" THEN HE
> TELLS ME THE WHOLE CITY WOULD BE CLEARED OF
> JEWS. SO I SAID TO HIM, "LISTEN HERE, MR. POPE, THE
> JEWS WILL STAY RIGHT HERE!
>
> "AND THEN?" ASKED A WOMAN. "WHO KNOWS?" SAID
> RABBI MOISHE. "HE TOOK OUT HIS LUNCH, SO I TOOK
> OUT MINE." |
