“But whatever gave you the idea to whisper the Shema Yisrael in my ear? Did you, perhaps, think that I too might be a secret Jew?”
“Not really. I had no reason to believe this at all. It has been my practice when called upon to administer the `last rites’ to whisper the Shema Yisrael prayer in the ear of the dying person, for several reasons. First, unfortunately, the practice of Judaism on the part of Jewish people who have been forced to convert has become gradually weakened. It is not easy to know who is, or who is not, a secret Jew. Therefore, I reasoned, if I whisper this prayer to one who is not a convert, but a born Christian, he would not know what it was, and would be none the worse for it. But if the dying person was, in fact, Jewish, the holy words of the Shema could awaken in him his Jewish spark and a feeling of repentance in the last moment of his life, and he would then feel that he is dying as a Jewish person.”
Both men were now silent, each lost in his own thoughts. The counsellor was the first to break the silence.
“I am sure you have told me the truth,” he said. “However, are you now prepared to forget everything and from now on behave as a true Christian priest? For, if not, I have no choice but to put you in the hands of the Inquisition. I beg you, don’t force me to do this.”
“This I cannot promise you,” replied the cardinal resolutely. “You do what you have to do, and I will do what I must. I am ready to give my life for my Jewish faith, as did my forbearers who died at the stake with the Shema on their lips.”
A feeling of great inner joy filled the heart of the Royal counsellor. He jumped up and lovingly embraced the “cardinal.”
“That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear from you,” said the counsellor with great emotion.
The cardinal was stunned, and the counsellor did not keep him in suspense.
“You are naturally astonished at my behavior. So listen to what I am going to tell you. I know I can trust you. I, too, was born Jewish, and my parents were also secret Jews like your own. But my parents died when I was a very small child and I was brought up by my uncle who had an important position in the Royal Court. Just before my 13th birthday, my uncle told me the secret that I was Jewish. He arranged for a teacher to prepare me secretly for my bar mitzvah. But here my Jewish education ended. Later, as I had distinguished myself as a highly educated young nobleman, the King appointed me to take over the position of Royal counsellor which had been left open after my uncle’s death. From then on I became further and further detached from Judaism, and soon forgot entirely that I had ever been Jewish.
“When I became ill,” continued the counsellor, “I felt that my days were numbered and that I would soon have to appear before the Heavenly Court to give an accounting of my life. I remembered then that I was Jewish and felt terribly troubled and confused. How could I have wasted all these years of my life? If only there was some way that I could die as a Jew, I would die peacefully, with the holy words of Shema on my lips. But try as I could, the words would not come to my mind.
Then, suddenly, as if in a dream, I heard those elusive words Shema Yisrael, HaShem Elokeinu, HaShem Echad! My whole being became alive again… such a sweet feeling. I made a vow that if the Almighty spared me and let me live, I would return to my Jewish faith with all my heart and soul.
“Now, my dear friend and brother, you can well understand how grateful I am to you that you have saved my life and my soul…”
The King’s counsellor paused only long enough to compose himself, for he was overcome with feeling and barely managed to hold back his tears. Then he continued:
“Words cannot express my gratitude, but I hope I can do more than that in return. Now that G-d helped me to get well, I began to search for a way to fulfill my vow. I thought of a plan that would enable us both finally to throw off this hateful disguise and openly be Jewish, without fear. Would you be interested in such a plan?”
“It would make me the happiest man alive!” the cardinal exclaimed.
“Not the happiest man,” corrected him the counsellor, “but one of the happiest; I would be the other. Well, here is my plan, I would go before the King and tell him that at the height of my sickness, when I felt that my end had come, I made a solemn vow that if the Almighty would spare me, I would settle in the Holy Land to spend my remaining years in seclusion and holiness. I feel certain that the King would give me permission to fulfill my vow, and then I would ask him for a special favor; to allow you, my dear friend, to join me, to be my spiritual mentor and teacher in my old age. So, what do you say to my plan? Agreed?”
Words were not necessary.
Within weeks all preparations were completed. The King did everything possible to see that his two loyal friends, the cardinal and the counsellor, left the shores of Spain with great honor and well provided with all their needs. After a long and exciting voyage, they arrived in the Holy Land and settled in Safed. At that time, the Holy Land was under the rule of the Ottoman Turks, who were Moslems. In the Ottoman Empire Jews could practice their religion freely. Thus, the former Royal counsellor and the Cardinal of Spain could start a new life here, a life of Torah, mitzvahs, and good deeds. They particularly devoted themselves to helping other Jewish people to come to the Holy Land and return to the Jewish fold as free, loyal and proud Jews like themselves.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)