to all that was said. He seemed moved by the story, and, at the same time, deep in thought. First he turned to the uncle. “You were quite right to insist on a ruling in this case. Thank you for taking the time to travel so far to attend the hearing.” The man nodded.
“Now, Mr. Frieder, let me ask you a few questions. What about the little girl herself? What does she say?”
“She is devastated by the loss of her mother, of course. It is my wife who has been able to comfort her the most. When I asked Hanna if she would like to live with her cousins out in the country, she ran straight into my wife’s arms. It was hard to understand what she said through the sobs.”
“But you are convinced she would like to stay where she is?”
“Yes, your Honor. All of her friends and her mother’s friends live in Worms. It is the only place she knows.”
“Pardon me for this blunt question, but would you and your wife want to make this girl into a Christian?”
“Yes, your Honor, we would want to, of course. But Hanna is already a Jew. She and her mother regularly sat with the women in the synagogue. Hanna already knows large portions of the Old Testament by heart. Even after her mother died, she has been going to Sabbath services every week with an elderly friend of her mother. We would make no attempt to change this practice.”
“Does your wife agree in this? Would you both be willing to make a promise never to try to seduce the child into Christianity?”
“Speaking for myself, I would promise. I think my wife would do almost anything you asked, if only Hanna could stay with us.”
The rabbi breathed deeply and closed his eyes. He asked one of the scribes sitting beside him to bring him a Torah scroll. After locating a passage, he said, “There is no question this girl Hanna is a Jew, and she must be raised as a Jew. Moreover, Judaism can be practiced only in the context of a Jewish family.”
Frieder’s shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh.
The rabbi raised his hand slightly and shook his head. He turned to the scribes and asked them to put down their pens. “This is a very difficult case, and I could be mistaken in my decision. Therefore, let the ruling not be publicized outside this community.”
The scribes laid their quills on the table and leaned back in their chairs. The rabbi continued, “It is always easier to interpret the law strictly rather than to find a reason for leniency. Furthermore, close observation of traditional customs and practices often guards us against mistakes. For my own conduct, I find it best to adhere closely to every statute of the law.
“Yet we are also commanded to judge others in a spirit of righteousness and charity, and to weigh carefully the well-being of each individual involved. In a case such as this, the disposition to be charitable may lead to a lenient interpretation of the law. Such an interpretation can easily be misunderstood and abused. Thus we consider this ruling to be strictly local and not applicable in a larger sphere.
“For some time now, church and civil authorities in the Rhein Valley have been as generous to our people as we could expect. Half a century ago, Bishop Burchard of Worms encouraged Jewish commerce and allowed our people to practice their faith freely. The late archbishop of Mainz was another good man, mourned at his death by Christians and Jews alike. King Henry has given legal autonomy to Jews in some communities, and he is fair in his tax policies. The Christians in this region have demonstrated by their actions that they are reasonable people. Moreover, Christians are not pagans, but believers in their own way.
“Based on these considerations, it will be possible for the girl Hanna to continue to live with Mr. Frieder and his wife if the following three conditions are met: First, they must promise to make no attempts at conversion. Second, Hanna’s Jewish education and Sabbath observance must continue without interruption. And third, her uncle must bring her into his family circle twice a year, for Holy Days and for Passover. This can take place at his farm or, more likely, here in Worms when the family comes to worship in the synagogue. Are there any questions?”
The two men standing before him shook their heads.
“Then it is up to you gentlemen to introduce Hanna to her uncle’s family and to work out a method of communication between you. We close this case with a passage from the fifth book of Moses: ‘As an eagle that stirreth up her nest, hovereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her pinions—The Lord alone did lead them.’”
Chapter 6
Josef pulled his cloak tightly around his shoulders. It was freezing outside. His hands were blue from the cold, and his feet felt the same, though he couldn’t actually see their color through the thin leather shoes he wore. Listening to them crunch on the frozen snow, he wished the soles were thicker.
Adding to the sense of chill was his destination; he was on his way to study with Father Matthias. He had already attended lessons with the young priest almost every afternoon for three weeks, and that was enough to convince him he’d had enough. Latin was all right as a language; in fact it was easier than Hebrew. But Father Matthias was so different from Mosche as a teacher, or from Father Albert. He didn’t seem to love the language or enjoy the interchange between teacher and student. Josef was supposed to study with him for three years!
Two other boys had begun their study of Latin at the same time. Michel, the rosy-cheeked son of a butcher, looked healthy and well-fed. The other boy, Stefan, was pale and sickly. His father was a member of the lesser nobility, though Stefan’s clothes were as shabby as Josef’s. Josef thought the other two boys rather dull-witted. During the first lessons, neither had been able to repeat the words Father Matthias pronounced. Only Josef had recited them in perfect order. Instead of seeming pleased, Father Matthias had frowned and made a sour comment. “One would think you had studied this before,” he said, looking suspiciously at Josef.
“No, sir. But I like the sound of it in my ears.”
“You needn’t offer your opinion unless I ask for it,” said the priest sharply.
Josef remained silent after that unless he was specifically asked to speak. Sometimes he couldn’t decide what to say. Should he answer questions correctly or pretend he didn’t know the answer, so he wouldn’t seem too smart? Coming to no quick decision, he often became tongue-tied, and this caused Father Matthias to tap his wand on the desk. As difficult as the situation was for Josef, he felt it was worse for the other two boys, who, most of the time, did not know the answers.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или
