Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all the
Jews had to convert or leave Italy. There was a huge
outcry from the Jewish community, so the Pope offered
a deal. He would have a religious debate with the leader
of the Jewish community. If the Jews won, they could
stay in Italy. If the Pope won, they would have to leave.
The Jewish people met and picked an aged but wise Rabbi,
Moishe, to represent them in the debate. However, as Moishe
spoke no Italian and the Pope spoke no Yiddish, they all
agreed that it would be a "silent" debate.
On the chosen day, 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 finger.
Next the Pope waved his finger around his head. Moishe
pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope then brought
out a communion wafer and a chalice of wine. Moishe pulled
out an apple.
With that, the Pope stood up and declared that he was beaten,
that Rabbi Moishe was too clever and that the Jews could stay.
Later, the Cardinals met with the Pope, asking 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 is still only one God common
to both our beliefs. "Then, I waved my finger 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 wafer to show that God absolves us of all
our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of the original
sin. He had me beaten and I could not continue."
Meanwhile, the Jewish community was gathered around Moishe.
"What happened?" they asked.
"Well," said Moishe, "First he said to me that we had three
days to get out of Italy, so I said to him, 'Up yours.' "Then
he tells me that the whole country would be cleared of Jews
and I said to him, 'Mr. Pope, we're staying right here.' "
"And then what?" asked a woman.
"Who knows?" said Moishe. "He took out his lunch, so I took
out mine."
Jews had to convert or leave Italy. There was a huge
outcry from the Jewish community, so the Pope offered
a deal. He would have a religious debate with the leader
of the Jewish community. If the Jews won, they could
stay in Italy. If the Pope won, they would have to leave.
The Jewish people met and picked an aged but wise Rabbi,
Moishe, to represent them in the debate. However, as Moishe
spoke no Italian and the Pope spoke no Yiddish, they all
agreed that it would be a "silent" debate.
On the chosen day, 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 finger.
Next the Pope waved his finger around his head. Moishe
pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope then brought
out a communion wafer and a chalice of wine. Moishe pulled
out an apple.
With that, the Pope stood up and declared that he was beaten,
that Rabbi Moishe was too clever and that the Jews could stay.
Later, the Cardinals met with the Pope, asking 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 is still only one God common
to both our beliefs. "Then, I waved my finger 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 wafer to show that God absolves us of all
our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of the original
sin. He had me beaten and I could not continue."
Meanwhile, the Jewish community was gathered around Moishe.
"What happened?" they asked.
"Well," said Moishe, "First he said to me that we had three
days to get out of Italy, so I said to him, 'Up yours.' "Then
he tells me that the whole country would be cleared of Jews
and I said to him, 'Mr. Pope, we're staying right here.' "
"And then what?" asked a woman.
"Who knows?" said Moishe. "He took out his lunch, so I took
out mine."