Then I experienced the rabbi, with whom I probably will have to deal more often. What a rigid and brutal man! The bad entities that I saw in his vicinity seemed to be very delighted that they are able to influence this man so much. Unfortunately he is one of the most important people in Nazareth and his influence is very large
I feel very sorry for his son Joshua. I do not want to have that kind of a father. I even prefer Joseph to that ... Maybe I should give Joshua a gift. I am sure that will make him feel better. He does not seem to have received many presents yet. Father, please take away the sadness from the hearts of the people and let them recognize your love. And let the Rabbi soon recognize how you really are! Amên.
∞
How dare that damned construction craftsman! Samuel cursed. The Rabbi was still upset even a couple days after the welcome celebration. Did this useless Joseph really believe his son could be the long awaited Messiah?
Since the family of Joseph had arrived in Nazareth, Samuel was not able to form a clear thought. But worst of all was that his own son, Joshua, his first born son, whom he in his innermost core regarded very highly, had exposed him, the rabbi of the village, the head of Nazareth’s, in front of other people. Why did that dreamer do this to him? Sarah had not spoken a word to him since that event and spent much time with Joshua in bed, who was still whimpering in pain. At least his son now had enough time to think about his impertinence. He, Samuel would take him on later.
Samuel often wandered about the area alone after school these last few days. He loved to walk around without a goal while delving into his conscience. Today he met the potter Jacob at the well. They greeted each other exuberantly. Together they walked across the meadow. Samuel was pleased that he had just met his friend Jacob for they often had the same opinion. And this was considerably easier than always having to deal with some know-it-all.
“Samuel, try not to be too upset about Joseph“, Jacob began, after they had walked side by side in silence for quite a ways. “There is no point in that and it does not serve you well. Joseph is a naive man. He does not know what he says. He is not intelligent enough to damage our village nor its reputation. He will be working in Sepphoris a lot in the future and due to this you will not see him often. Samuel, don’t let this get to you anymore.”
Samuel stopped and turned around in order to look at Nazareth, which was nestled up against the fertile hill like a cat. Truly a lovely village.
“Jacob, how can you remain so calm regarding this insolence! Do you truly believe that the saviour of our race is currently playing with kids his age in this backwater?”, he ranted. “And even with girls, who normally belong next to their mothers in order to learn how to cook and bake?” Samuel was in full swing now.
“Calm down, Samuel.”
“Don’t you think that we could be able to recognize him if he were the saviour? By his nobility, by his intelligence? Doesn’t Yeshua instead look rather like flour, so pale and sunken in? Believe me, this boy doesn’t even dare to say anything in school. Whenever I ask him the simplest of questions he says that he can’t make much sense of my explanations and that he still has to get used to his new home some. Very well, I am going to give him some more time, but soon I will tend to him more closely.” Samuel spat on the ground. “And besides he is a bastard, as anyone can see. That in and of itself should be proof that he can not be the saviour.”
“Samuel, you are right of course. “ Jacob took his arm from Samuel, who always walked as if he was running from a desert storm. “He truly can not be the Messiah. Besides, I believe that our saviour will grow up in Jerusalem and perhaps be one of the descendents of the noble priesthood, the Sadducees, if he ever comes at all. However, unlike you and your strong faith, may the Lord bless you Samuel, I do not believe that the Messiah will ever come.” Jacob took a big step in order to avoid some cow dung.
“Where were we?” Jacob looked at Samuel questioningly.
“Speaking of your lack of faith.”
“Ah yes, the Messiah. If there truly were a Messiah, then he would have already arrived long ago and saved us from the bondage of the Romans. You know how things look in Sepphoris. First came the Greeks, then the Romans. What once was the most beautiful city in Galilee was completely destroyed months ago.”
“You’ve got a point there, Jacob. And now it is being rebuilt in the spirit of the Greeks. Pah.” Samuel spat again.
“Exactly, and today it is even under the rulership of the stupid Herod Antipas. May he die of a foul illness soon, that son of a bitch.” Jacob snorted deeply through his large nodular nose.
“May God hear your words. “ Samuel nodded. “But I…“
“Samuel, I believe in God, our Lord, but I believe that we ought to free ourselves from the oppression through Rome. In this regard I am rather on the side of the zealots, on the side of Judas, their leader. The zealots could kill all of the Romans in my opinion, after all, don’t their crosses on which innocent Jews die horrible deaths stand everywhere on the hills of Judah and Galilee? Where is he, our saviour?”
“Jacob, nothing can be reached by violent means. The peaceful path is the right one.”
“Excuse me“, Jacob was a little confused about the statement of the rabbi, “then why did you beat up your son? He has not been to school in more than a week as I have heard, and people say that he has not spoken for days due to your slap in his face.”
Samuel was shocked and affronted. How could even his best friend now backstab him so wretchedly?
“Jacob, you yourself heard what Joshua said and how he exposed me, the guardian over the laws of our faith in our village.” Samuel had the feeling as if his head must explode any minute. “Every real man would have had the duty to punish his son as I did. After all Joshua was supposed to learn a lesson from this. And that he has, believe me. That dreamer will not risk a big lip again the way he did that evening. And in the future I will have a very watchful eye on my son. I will never let him get away with something like that again.”
After that they both went back to the village in silence. Samuel did not say anything anymore because he felt betrayed by Jacob, and Jacob remained silent because he did not feel understood by Samuel.
∞
“Joshua, please say something.” Sarah was desperate, for her son had not spoken for over two weeks. Not a single word. “Are you o.k.? Are you still in pain?”
A barely noticeable shaking of his head, followed by a stronger nodding. The desperation of the loving mother was interrupted by a gentle knocking on the door. Sarah quickly went to the door.
“Greetings Miriam, please come inside.” Sarah’s soul always smiled, whenever she saw the new female inhabitant of the village.
“I just saw how your husband took the path down to the meadow. And since he has been walking around among the hills for many hours the past few days, I thought I would quickly come around and say hi to you and to Joshua.” Miriam hugged Sarah closely to her heart.
“How is Joshua doing?”
“He simply is not speaking. The ear pain seems to have passed. Now only the wounds on his bottom are still worrying me. Miriam, why does Samuel beat our son?” As soon as Sarah had asked the question, she was surprised at her own natural openness when dealing with Miriam. She trusted her.
“Samuel
