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The Pope And A Rabbi Debate
Many years ago, the Pope decreed that all the Jews had to leave Italy. 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 his 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 his middle 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. He had an answer for everything. What could I
do?"
Meanwhile, the Jewish community crowded around Rabbi Moishe.
"What happened?" they asked.
"Well," said 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... we stay right
here!"
"And then?" asked a woman.
"Who knows?" said Rabbi Moishe. "He took out his lunch, so I took out
mine." |
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