Several centuries ago, the Pope decided
that all the Jews had to leave the Vatican. Naturally
there was a big uproar from the Jewish community. So the
Pope made a deal. He would have a religious debate with a
member of the Jewish community. If the Jew won, the Jews
could stay. If the Pope won, the Jews would leave.
The Jews realized that they had no choice. So they picked
an elderly aged man named Moishe to represent them. Rabbi
Moishe's Latin wasn't very good - in fact, he knew very
little--but he was a man of great faith and well
respected in the Jewish community. The pope agreed. What
could be
easier than a silent debate?
The day of the great debate came. Moishe and the Pope sat
opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope
raised his hand and showed three fingers. Moishe looked
back at him and raised one finger. The Pope waved his
fingers in a circle around his head. Moishe pointed to
the ground where he sat. The Pope pulled out a wafer and
a glass of wine. Moishe pulled out an apple. The Pope
stood up and said, ''I give up. This man is too good.
The
Jews can stay.''
An hour later, the cardinals were all around the Pope
asking him what 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 and
showing that God was also right here with us. I pulled
out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us
from our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of
original sin. He had an answer for everything.
What could I do?''
Meanwhile, the Jewish community had crowded around
Moishe. ''What happened?'' they asked.
''Well,'' said Moishe, ''First he said to me
that the Jews had three days to get out of here. I told
him that not one of us was leaving. Then he told me that
this whole city would be cleared of Jews. I let him know
that we were staying right here.'' ''And
then?'' asked a woman. ''I don't know,'' said
Moishe. ''He took out his lunch and I took out
mine.''
