As retold by
Bruce Lowitt
About a century or two 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 a middle aged man named Moishe to represent them. Moishe
asked for one addition to the debate.
To make it more interesting, neither side would be allowed to talk. The Pope
agreed.
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.
"What happened?" they asked
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.
"Then 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," Moishe said. "He took out his lunch, so I took
out mine."
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