'I heard him support an opinion of Beit Shammai just the other day,' said a fourth voice.
'Which one?'
'In the question of divorce. They asked him, "Can a man put away his wife for ruining his dinner?" -- that was the gist of it. He quoted Genesis, saying "The two shall be one flesh." Then, he practically put a curse on anyone who would separate them.'
'Interesting that he actually sided with the rabbis of Beit Shammai! They're the ones who are usually all over him over this or that, especially over the issue of shabbat,' said the third voice.
The fourth one said, 'He also said once, "If the P'rushim can pull a cow out of a pit on shabbat, why can I not save the life of the desperately sick?"'
'An indirect reference to the Sons of Light,' said Reb Shim'on.
Reb Yakov spoke again: 'He does support the Sons of Light on a number of issues. He says, "Let your 'yes' be 'yes' and your 'no' be 'no' -- don't swear at all by anything."'
'What do the Sons of Light think of his healing on shabbat?' asked Reb Shim'on.
'They have their rules,' said the fourth voice, 'but ever since their prophet, Yohannan the Immerser loudly proclaimed Reb Yeshua as Messiah of Yisrael, they tend to be less troubled about some issues.'
'I can speak for myself,' said Reb Yakov. 'I used to be a lot more sure about some things than I am now. At least I was sure I knew my own brother! I tend to accept most of what he says now. Opinions differ, as they always do, but in the end, the Truth will show them for what they are -- opinions. As far as I'm concerned, the gentile boy and girl are welcome to stay -- for now anyway. Let's not say too much about them in the hearing of the others though.'
The conversation began to drift to other subjects not of interest to Tsaphar. She looked again, longingly at the snoring body of Eetoo, and walked quietly back to the women's room, lay down and was soon asleep.
13
to the Outer Court of Beit Ha Mikdash
go the rabbi's orphaned pupils each day
to observe the morning sacrifice
while the smoke is yet ascending
but the last 'Amen' has been sung
the two young adventurers go
in search of their treasure
Alexander says some of the wells join underground streams. One of the kings of old time once dug a tunnel for water. There's another one that leads to a well, that King David sent his men through when they captured the city from the Yebusites. There are others as well, but no one's sure which passage would get us to the tablets.
Alexander's not with us today but we sort of know our way about now.
Parts of the Lower City are every bit as bad as Thevsos, under the grey mist. It's crowded and dirty as anything! The air's generally cleaner though, but there are smells from other things, like the animal hides hanging out over the wall in the Kidron Valley.
Even if we did have any idea where to find the way underground, there's so many people about, either selling things, working their trade, or just camped out. One little lane we went up is full of weavers. They're working inside the shops, but they've got rolls of material and stuff scattered all over. The next street is mostly cobblers making shoes for folks, and other people working with leather, and mending things. Here and there, there are people selling other things as well.
And the beggars! Some kids wearing nothing at all; some grown up ones might as well be wearing nothing. At least the lepers aren't allowed inside the city.
The leather workers seem very religious. One of them, an older man, is working away at whatever he's making, and at the same time, teaching the Torah to some of the others gathered about him. Some of them are working as well, but others just come to sit and listen.
Down another street, they're selling oils and perfumes. They aren't so religious there. I even saw one of the shoemakers giving some of them a dirty look, as though he were a pervert or something.
I can see why. One of them's flirting with his woman customer.
In another section of town people are dyeing cloth purple, red and other colours. Then, we come to where they're all making tents. There's a few rabbis there as well, teaching Torah while they work.
There are wells here and there, but we can't even get close to some of them. With all these crowds, it's going to be awkward, even if we do find the right one. It's hard to move about, let alone look for ways underground.
I don't understand a lot of the talking. There are so many languages being spoken. Besides Hebrew, there's one that's a lot like Akkadi, but they started speaking it in Babylon. Some are speaking in Greek and other languages.
There's so many people because it's a special holiday. Alexander says, some of them just come for one feast day and stay on till the next, doing their trade, like shoe making or weaving tents, like these ones here.
There's one who looks like a rabbi, sorting out some camel's hair in his weaving loom while he's answering someone's question about some point of the Torah. There are a few half finished tents lying about and a kid is sewing some bits of one together.
Tsaphar nudges me. 'He seems to know a lot. Maybe he'll know about the plates.'
We stand about and wait for a chance to ask.
There's a lot of talk about what this rabbi or that rabbi said, what the rabbis of Beit Hillel say, and what Beit Shammai say. It all sounds like the discussions Reb Hyrcanah used to have.
Then the rabbi at the weaving loom says, 'My own rabbi, Rabban Gam'liel always says -- something something -- but I tend to lean towards his son, Rabbi Shim'on on that issue.'
Reb Hyrcanah used to talk about Gam'liel as well.
There's a pause. I nudge Tsaphar.
I think she's all ready to ask him but someone else gets in first:
'Rabbi Sha'ul, what do you make of this Yeshua of Natzaret, whom they claim is Messiah?'
'Hah!' he starts, 'You mean the one who'll to destroy the Temple and build it back in three days?' He goes on to verbally bash Yeshua every which way. He all but curses him!
'We'd better go,' whispers Tsaphar.
We're off.
There's another gate ahead of us. Next to it is a big pool with a wall around it, called Shalom pool. Alexander showed us this way out before. He said this was Fountain Gate.
As we come out this gate, there's a big valley on our right they call Gei Hinnom. On the left is the Kidron Velley. Where Kidron smells of hide tanning fluid, Gei Hinnom smells of rubbish. There's smoke from some places where they're burning it. Lot's of barely dressed people and naked kids are picking through it trying to find anything valuable, or even food to eat -- just like Thevsos again.
Alexander says that the rabbis named the place where the spirits of bad people go after they die, Gei Hinnom, after this place.
Also, long time ago, during the reigns of the kings when the people turned away from Adonai, they set up a big iron image here of a god they called Molech. It was a beautiful valley then, but they had the idol here, and they'd sacrifice babies to it. They would build a fire around it, so the iron image was red hot, then they'd throw the babies up into the arms of Molech. They had loud drums playing to drown out the screams of the baby so the parents wouldn't be upset while worshipping the god.
Now, it's like there's a curse on the place. The idea of spending the afterlife in a place like this should scare anyone into being good.
We get back to the house, no closer to finding the plates than we began.
As usual, Alexander says, 'Have faith.'
Miriam, Yakov's stepmother, is also encouraging. She always has food in the pot, and welcomes anyone into the kitchen for a bite when they look hungry.
We're there with her now. I think she's trying to figure us out.
'I'm trying to think where you could be from. What's the name of the place again?'
'The land of Tok,' says Tsaphar. 'Eetoo's from Kalodzu-Famta.' We've learned to say 'land' instead of 'planet', so we won't confuse people too much.
'And you're looking for golden
tablets that were hidden underneath the city by Shem.'
'Yes,' says Tsaphar. 'The stone tablets say they are in this land. Hyrcanah said they were hidden under the city.'
'Yes. I knew Hyrcanah -- may he rest in peace. He was quite a scholar. If he said they're under the city, I'm sure they are. He's found a number of things there, including a very ancient Torah scroll.'
'He gave that to me,' I say. 'Also a rubbing he made of the Ten Words.'
She puts her finger over my mouth. 'I wouldn't talk very loudly about that. Just take that quietly back to your land with the other things you find. I'll pray daily that you find the golden tablets.'
After a while, she says, 'Perhaps I'll mention it to my son.'
She seems like a woman I'd trust. But I think Yakov already knows what we're looking for.
14
at the break of day
leaving time enough for the morning walk
before the morning sacrifice is offered
There's a knock at the front door. One of Reb Yakov's pupils goes to answer it.
It's the boy we saw the other day who was helping us pick up bits of rope for the king.
Reb Yakov Says 'Yohannan ben Zavdai, do you come with a message from your rabbi?'
'I've come to fetch the son of Ham,' he says.
Reb Yakov points him to me.
'Come,' says Yohannan. He sees Tsaphar. 'You too.'
We're ready to go so we follow him.
There's a few other men walking ahead of us. We catch up.
Yohannan introduces us to his older brother, Yakov. There's a big, rough looking man named Kefa. That means 'rock'. I suppose he looks a bit like a rock.
'So, you wish to be a follower of Messiah?' he says.
I guess that would be nice. I nod my head.
'Let me tell you right now, it's not a life for the weak. You've got to be willing to die for him. You see all of us here?'
'Lighten up Kefa!' says one of the others.
Kefa just repeats himself. 'You see all of us here? We've left all to follow him. There are twelve of us, and because we're ready to die for him, we will sit on twelve thrones when he sets up the kingdom.'
He sounds as though he's had a bio-media upload.
'Hey! Give it a rest Shim'on!' says Yohannan's brother. 'We don't even know why Rabban asked for him!'
'You'd better lighten up Yakhov!' says another one. 'Don't forget what you sounded like just a few days ago!'
'Hah! Two thrones for the Sons of Thunder! Indeed!' says another.
'Hoi!' Yohannan twirls around glaring at the one who said that.
But now everyone's looking at what's up ahead. There's a tree in a bit of empty ground. Someone's under it looking for fruit.
'Figs for breakfast?' says someone.
'It's not the season, is it!' says another.
I see who it is -- the king!
'No one shall eat figs from you, ever again,' he says. He turns to us. 'Ah, the son of Ham and daughter of Ishmael.'
We go to him, and he has us walking one on either side of him as though we were his kids. He's asking us this and that, but nothing really important -- like he just wants to get to know us.
We come to Ophel Gate.
If he's a king, this is nothing like the emperor's court in the Teknesh galaxy. He's opposite of the way people were there, or here too for that matter. I even get the feeling he's forgotten how important he is!
We're walking along the South side of the Temple now, in an open area. The wide stairs up to the Temple are ahead of us, but we're taking a round-a-bout way. There are merchants here that look like some of the same ones he chased out of the Court of the Gentiles a few days ago. A couple of them give us a look. A few others from the crowd begin to follow us.
Suddenly, he stops and points off to the left. 'Do you see that hole, son of Ham?'
I see a hole at the edge of the open space. It looks as though it were covered with pavement before, and some of it has broken and fallen in. There are big rocks on either side that look like they're to keep people from falling in.
'That's actually an ancient well. If you were to descend into it early tomorrow, before sunrise, you'll find a passage leading in the direction of that pinnacle over there. Go that way for fifty paces and then to the left another twenty-seven. Stand on the rock you'll see. Shine your light upward and it will show you what you're looking for. Go down tomorrow before sunrise, for if you go at any other time, it will have become an underground stream. Nothing will hurt you down there if you go at that time. The gates will be shut, but you can come in by that small door you see there.' He points to a small door in the wall near the big gate we just came in.
'Read, and record what you find written in your recording box, but return the original tablets to their place. You will have just enough light to do what you need to do. When you have finished, continue along the passage to a junction. Then go the direction in which you see a dim light. Follow the light and exit the underground passages by that way. You will see me again at a distance, but we cannot meet again until four days from now. At that time, remember where it was you last saw me at a distance, and go to meet me there.
'Now, go and offer thanksgiving, and then return to your abode and rest. You will need it.'
We start to walk to the hole, but he grabs my shoulder.
While Tsaphar walks ahead, he whispers in my ear, 'This is a strange land for you, and your sister is lonely.' He looks at me, like I'm supposed to do something about it.
He walks off.
15
Tsaphar was sure it was the same one. That morning they had seen Messiah standing under it, gazing into the green leafy world of the tree, looking for figs. Now, all she saw were dry branches, twigs and a few drooping leaves that hadn't fallen off yet.
He had said, 'No one will eat of you again.' And the tree took it so literally!
Why in the world would he do that?
Hyrcanah said once that the forbidden tree in Gan Eden was a fig tree. Was he saying, maybe, that the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was now dried up?
They arrived at the house.
Ima Miriam brought them to the kitchen and served them a lunch of matzo and stew.
After that, they took a long nap.
That evening, a couple of the neighbours from down the street popped in, whom Reb Yakov introduced as Reb Lazar and Rabbi Shim'on the P'rushah. They joined them for a light supper. Some of the others were there. Eetoo sat with Alexander, Philip and Nicanor, while Tsaphar ate with Ima Miriam and some of the wives.
'Where is Reb Yeshua this evening?' enquired Reb Yakov.
'Up the mountain with his pupils, as usual,' said Reb Lazar.
'I mean no disrespect,' said Rabbi Shim'on, 'but he's gone and stuck his foot in it this time.'
'How so?' asked Reb Yakov.
'Had they convened the Great Sanhedrin at noon today, they would have declared him Messiah of Yisrael -- unanimously. Some of them, perhaps grudgingly, but they would have conceded. He had proven himself. But as of an hour before sundown? Most were dead against him.'
'Why?'
'They had tested him with their questions. Some of them were out to trap him, to be sure; others simply needed to be confident that he knew his stuff. He passed every test, he answered every question with amazingly simple solutions. The pupils of Shim'on ben Gam'liel had tried him, the pupils of Sha'ul of Tarsus, the pupils of Yehuda ben Nahum, the Harodians; even the Tsaddukhim had a go at him with one of their objections to there being a resurrection. He delighted all the P'rushim by not only answering Tsaddukhim without a bat of an eyelid, but by tossing them a question of his own, throwing them into utter confusion.
'Finally, one of the older rabbis -- I couldn't see who, from where I was standing -- I think, Yahannan ben Zakkai, or was it the other one that looks like him -- of Beit Hillel -- he simply asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" Reb Yeshuah answered by quoting the Shema, and then adding the
commandment from Sefer Vayikra: "Love your neighbour as yourself". That ended in a pleasant dialogue that should have been a prelude to his reign.
'At that point, the rabbis of Beit Hillel were happy with him. Those of Beit Shammai were at least happy he had silenced the Tsaddukhim and the Herodians. They would have declared him Messiah of Yisrael.'
'But?'
'Then, Reb Yeshuah has a go at them! He turns to the people and says, "The rabbis and P'rushim sit in the seat of Moshe..." and that was about the only good thing he said. He gave the most cutting commentary I've heard yet. You should have seen them, Rabbi Shim'on ben Gam'liel, Rabbi Sha'ul of Tarsus, Rabbi Arach ben Yohannan, absolutely gnashing their teeth, calling him names.'
'What about Rabban Gam'liel, himself?'
'As usual, silent.'
'Ben Zakkai?'
'Likewise, silent.'
'Nicodemon?'
'I couldn't see him from where I stood, but if he spoke against him, it would be a first.'
'Yourself? You also sit in Moshe's seat.'
'Ha ha ha -- on one hand, I wanted to say "Amain", on the other, kick him! He spoke the truth. But the truth -- should it always be shouted from the housetops?'
'The truth, in this case,' replied Reb Yakov, 'is that many look for Messiah, but they aren't ready for him. The prophet Malachi said Messiah's coming could be a curse rather than a blessing but for the coming of Eliyahu. They say Yohannan the Immerser was the emissary of Eliyahu; some say, a reincarnation. He warned them to repent and prepare themselves for Messiah, but they didn't, so now -- this.'
'So, what's to happen?' said Reb Shim'on of Alexandria, looking horrified.
Rabbi Shim'on answered, 'If Reb Yeshua's last words to them are anything to go by, it would seem the Kingdom is going to take a while in coming. In fact, it sounded as though he were prophesying destruction.'
'What did he say?'
'"Your house is left in desolation" and "You will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.'"'
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