by Shlomo Kalo
“Do you remember the wonderful story of the house of the Rechabites?” she asked.
He searched his memory for the name, but could not find it.
“At the beginning of his ministry Jeremiah the prophet was commanded to go down to the house of the Rechabites,” she reminded him, and quoted:
“Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them to one of the rooms in the house of the Lord and offer them wine to drink. So I fetched Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah son of Habaziniah, with his brothers and all his sons and all the family of the Rechabites. I brought them into the house of the Lord to the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, the man of God, that adjoins the rooms of the officers above that of Maaseiah son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold. I set bowls full of wine and goblets before the Rechabites and invited them to drink wine, but they said: We shall not drink wine, as our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab laid this commandment upon us, saying, You shall never drink wine, neither you nor your children. And you shall not build houses or sow seed or plant vineyards, and you shall have none of these things, but shall stay in tents all your lives, so that you may live long in the land in which you dwell. And we have obeyed all that our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us and have drunk no wine all our lives, neither we nor our wives, nor our sons, nor our daughters. We have not built houses to live in, or planted vineyards or fields. We have lived in tents, and obeyed all the commandments of our forefather Jonadab…
“And here with your permission I shall omit a few lines,” she said without turning to him, “and move on to the end: And to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: These are the words of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel, because you have obeyed the commandments of Jonadab your forefather, and followed his instructions and done all that he told you to do, therefore, says the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel – Jonadab the son of Rechab will not be deprived of a descendant, to stand before me for all time.”
After a short pause he responded:
“Hope is not yet lost for the people of Judah!”
The days passed one by one, and their tranquil radiance strengthened something in their hearts, but this was not faith, as their faith was already so steadfast it was beyond compare. Rather, it was what was shared between them that grew stronger and blossomed, striking deep roots and becoming an element of unity astonishing in its enduring vigour.
Most of the time they spent together and most of the time they kept their silence and did not converse between themselves, speech being superfluous. They did not need the voice to convey their feelings to one another, and the thoughts of one were revealed to the other without a word spoken. And the lasting pleasure prevailed over everything, even over mere satisfaction, and this was a pleasure that had nothing to do with the fleeting day or with the tender night. And their hearts beat with the same rhythm, until it seemed they were not two hearts divided one from the other but one heart alone – perceiving, feeling and thinking for two.
Often they went out on horseback, ascending to the low ridge or following the winding goat-track leading from one end of the settlement to the other. There was silence all around them, save for the steady murmur of the eddying streams which did nothing to impair it but rather accentuated it, as did the sound of their horses’ hooves. There were days too when they went out walking, and their impressions then were sharper, as if closer to the primeval sources. Sometimes on their way they met a man or a woman of the locality who blessed them, and they never ceased to be amazed by the look of sincere humility, innocence and friendship. After meeting a woman advanced in years, her wrinkled face beaming, who urged them to take some of the nuts that she carried in her basket, and would brook no refusal, he said to Nejeen:
“From my father I heard a legend, or not so much a legend as a prophecy,” – and as they climbed that winding goat path he continued: “The human race will destroy itself by driving God away, and all that will be left will be a tiny minority, people of simple ways who never considered themselves worthy of any distinction or prize, like the people of Jahanur for example, or the family of the Rechabites that you spoke of. And their precise number will be twelve thousand times twelve. And it isn’t of the chosen ones that we speak, but those who have known God and delighted in Him secretly, and loved Him, and will not deny Him whatever the circumstances. In those one hundred and forty-four thousand souls God will reveal Himself in all His glory, and those souls shall be saved, turning from mortal to immortal, and God in them, and they in Him.”
“So this is what lies ahead for the community of Jahanur, and for the future offspring of the family of the Rechabites!” she declared. “But what is to become of our people, which is astray in the ways of chaos and is far from God?”
“As the prophet said,” he replied with a sadness that he could not hide: “Would that my head were water and my eyes a fountain of tears, so I might weep day and night for the slain of my people!”
The Blazing Furnace
Midway through the month allotted to him, he felt a heavy weight growing in his heart, and he knew that disaster was imminent. She shared his premonition but revealed nothing to him – nor he to her – and both tried not to speak of what was in their minds, smiling at one another as if their smiles could instil confidence and equanimity. Until one morning he rose and said to her:
“We are returning to Babylon!”
And without saying a word in reply she set to packing their belongings, and felt some relief, knowing there was to be no more delay; trouble lay ahead and so long as they stayed here, they could do nothing to avert or forestall it.
He approached the steward of the household and ordered him to harness their chariot and to prepare the baggage wagon. In a few words he expressed gratitude for the hospitality that they had enjoyed, and declared himself fully satisfied, and the steward bowed to him, assured him that his commands would be obeyed, and gave instructions to his underlings.
About an hour before noon everything was packed and ready in the wagon, and they boarded their chariot, bidding hurried farewells to the staff of the household, slaves and serving-maids, and to Avarnam, who heard of their impending departure just in time and arrived in haste to give them his blessing. And as the royal chariot left the courtyard, Avarnam ran behind, calling out obscure words which at the time he did not understand:
“Accept the Son of the living God!”
On the way a vision was revealed to him, and he saw his three friends, Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah, standing in a ring of fire, laughing.
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits in height and six cubits in width. He had it set up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon. And the King sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, viceroys, counsellors, treasurers, judges, constables and all governors of provinces to attend the dedication of the image which he had set up. So they assembled – the satraps, prefects, viceroys, counsellors, treasurers, judges, constables and all governors of provinces – for the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before the image, that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the herald loudly proclaimed: O peoples and nations of every tongue, you are commanded, when you hear the sound of horn, pipe, zither, triangle, dulcimer, music and singing of every kind, to prostrate yourselves and worship the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whosoever does not prostrate himself and worship shall forthwith be thrown into a blazing furnace. Accordingly, no sooner did all the peoples hear the sound of horn, pipe, zither, triangle, dulcimer, music and singing of every kind, then all the peoples and nations of every tongue prostrated themselves and worshipped the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
It was then that certain Chaldeans came forward and informed against the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar: O King, live for ever! Your Majesty has issued an edict that every man who hears the sound of horn, pipe, zither, triangle, dulcimer, music and singing of every kind shall fall down and w
orship the image of gold. Whosoever does not do so shall be thrown into a blazing furnace. There are certain Jews, whom you have appointed to serve in the administration of the state of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego – and these men have paid no heed to Your Majesty’s command. They do not serve your god, nor do they worship the golden image which you have set up.
Then in rage and fury Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego to be fetched and they were brought before the King. Nebuchadnezzar said to them: Is it by design, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my god or worship the golden image which I have set up? You have heard the commandment, that when you hear the sound of horn, pipe, zither, triangle, dulcimer, music and singing of every kind, you are to worship the image that I have made, and if you do not worship, you shall forthwith be thrown into the blazing furnace, and who is the god who can deliver you from my power?
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego said to King Nebuchadnezzar: We are not afraid to answer you in this matter. We have a God whom we serve, and he can save us from the blazing furnace, and deliver us from your power, O King. And even if we are not saved, be it known to Your Majesty that we will neither serve your God nor worship the golden image that you have set up.
Then the King was filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego and he commanded that they be thrown into the blazing furnace. So these men were bound, in their cloaks and their breeches and their turbans and their other garments, and thrown into the blazing furnace. Because the King’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego into the furnace were themselves killed by the flames. And those three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, fell bound into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed, and he rose in haste and said to his counsellors: Did we not throw three men bound into the fire? And they answered the King: Yes, Your Majesty. He answered: Yet I see four men walking about in the fire free and unharmed, and the fourth looks like the son of God. Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the blazing furnace and said: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, servants of God the Most High, come out, come here! And then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego came out from the fire. And the satraps, prefects, viceroys and royal counsellors gathered around and saw how the fire had not the power to harm the bodies of these men, and their hair was not singed and their garments were unchanged, and there was not even the smell of fire about them.
Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke out: Blessed is the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, who has sent His angel to save His servants who trusted in Him, who disobeyed the royal edict, and would rather yield their bodies to the fire than worship any god other than their God. And it is my decree that any man, of whatever race or nation or tongue, who speaks ill of the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, shall be cut in pieces and his house laid waste, for there is no other god who could save men in this way. And the King promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in the service of the state of Babylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar to all nations and peoples and tongues in the world: may you ever prosper. It is my pleasure to tell of the signs and wonders that God the Most High has worked for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion shall stand for all generations.
The vision that was revealed to him as he rode in the chariot, before arriving in Babylon, at once eased his heart and soothed his spirit. He smiled at her and said:
“Our God who is love has rescued his loyal servants from the King’s furnace, namely Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.”
Her face reflected the relief that lit up his face, and the oppression that had tormented them lifted, melting away as if it had never been. As a field of wheat glows in the sunlight after a ferocious storm, so her face shone before him now, in all its youthful radiance.
He found Babylon in a ferment. Nashdernach was sitting in his office, his face ashen grey as the face of a corpse, his gloomy eyes sunk deep into their sockets, framed by the wrinkles of many sleepless nights.
Nashdernach rose to meet him and stood before him silent for a long moment, as if he did not recognise him or had lost his wits, but then he recovered himself, bowed low and vacated his place behind the broad table.
“It’s all my fault!” he mumbled as if talking to himself, almost in a whimper, and then he clutched his outstretched hand, hugged him briefly and stood back, staring at him curiously, as the dilated pupils of his eyes gradually returned to their habitual state.
“I never imagined, it never occurred to me that the King’s decree would apply to them as well, your three friends Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-Nego, and even when the decree was issued and they were forced to go to that valley and to follow the example of all the others, there was still hope that with all the confusion, and the noise and the crowds this would not be noticed – a few people defying the edict and not bowing down to that image. But there was jealousy in the hearts of the enemies of those three. The Chaldeans are by no means a people innocent of jealousy, but the Chaldeans were not the first to see them. Someone drew their attention, and he was neither a Chaldean nor a Sidonian nor a Mede. Someone pointed to those three, who were standing firm and not bowing to the image, in defiance of the King’s command, and he whispered in the ears of the Chaldeans.
“So the matter was reported and they were brought before the King, who tried to mitigate their offence, asking them if it was ‘by design’ that they did what they did. If the three of them were to fall at his feet now, and confess that they had acted not by design but out of error and in all innocence, and now they were begging his forgiveness and appealing to his mercy, knowing he was generous of heart and great of spirit, showing mercy to all who deserve mercy – then they would be dismissed with a rebuke, and perhaps also relieved of some of their official duties, but their lives would be spared. They responded with vehemence that was utterly unexpected, defying that awesome King, Nebuchadnezzar, His Majesty, in the style of great warriors or saints, fearlessly and unequivocally, and thereby dealt a mortal blow to the King’s pride, and his wrath was kindled.
“And I, who had thought of coming before him and falling at his feet and appealing for clemency on their behalf – I stopped myself just in time, realising that I would be doomed and they would not be helped! My death would be to nobody’s advantage, least of all my own! And then, oh, then!” Nashdernach exclaimed, his eyes bulging wide open – “Then the miracle happened! Incredible to relate, a real miracle before our very eyes. The fire in the furnace didn’t touch them at all, didn’t even singe a hair of their heads or their beards. With my own eyes I saw,” – the narrator pointed to his eyes – “and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Even at this moment, I find myself shuddering, awe-struck, wondering if this was a dream that I dreamed or is my mind unhinged – did these things really happen? They did! And all praise and glory be to God the Most High, who saved His loyal servants from the fire. As King Nebuchadnezzar himself said, no other god could have done this. It happened, it happened before these eyes of mine. I saw and I witnessed. And once again I give thanks to the God of the Jews, to your God. Were it not for the miracle that He performed – I could not have endured the shame and the disgrace, of having deceived myself and deceived you, however innocently and unintentionally. Unforgivable – and my life would not have been worth living!
“I was sure your companions would not be forced to attend the ceremony of dedication of that image. And since it happened I have been wondering – why does your God, the true, the one God, the all-powerful – not deliver your people, rescue the whole of your race from the clutches of King Nebuchadnezzar, from the clutches of all the conquerors and kings of the world, as he has done for your three friends, Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-Nego?” He looked up at him with an air of innocent curiosity.
“Because my compatriots are not as devoted to Him as are Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-Nego, and they do not serve Him as Meshach, Shadr
ach and Abed-Nego serve Him, or trust in Him as they trust in Him!” he replied in a voice of remarkable serenity, a voice he hardly recognised as his own.
At his home, Denur-Shag was waiting for him. He rejected all offers of hospitality or refreshment and seemed in an agitated mood, quaking in every limb of his body, pacing this way and that, and mumbling to himself. For the first time since he had known him, he was not tripping on the flaps of his long, shabby cloak.
“The whole of this business,” he said, sitting down opposite him and shaking his big, balding head to a rhythm all of his own, “has left me feeling utterly helpless, completely lost! It was a fateful moment, I should say – a moment of truth! You may find this hard to believe, but I actually tried to force my way through the crush and get to the King, with the idea of talking him into a compromise, exerting all my eloquence and persuading him to show mercy – and then this soldier comes along and clubs me over the head!” Denur-Shag touched his scalp gingerly, and he noticed a fresh, blue bruise.
“I lost consciousness,” Denur-Shag continued, “but after that ignominious episode it suddenly became clear to me as daylight that deep down, I had no confidence at all in my ability to reach the King, stand before him, put my argument forward and drown him in a tidal wave of erudite words, thus attaining my goal. This being the case, it wasn’t by chance that I passed so close to that coarse, rough-tempered soldier. In fact, I was hoping to be hit, and the man didn’t disappoint me, he did a thorough job. This is the part of it that I just can’t fathom out, and I reckon the best thing for me is a spell of voluntary exile, leaving Babylon and sorting some things out for myself. Perhaps I’ll go to the countryside, stay with that estranged wife of mine – and suffer at her hands until I’ve atoned for my cowardice!