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The RABBI BEN ISRAEL, sitting on a high stool, with a long beard, and a rod in his hand.
RABBI. I AM the Rabbi Ben Israel, | |
| Throughout this village known full well, | |
| And, as my scholars all will tell, | |
| Learned in things divine; | |
| The Cabala and Talmud hoar | 5 |
| Than all the prophets prize I more, | |
| For water is all Bible lore, | |
| But Mishna is strong wine. | |
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| My fame extends from West to East, | |
| And always, at the Purim feast, | 10 |
| I am as drunk as any beast | |
| That wallows in his sty; | |
| The wine it so elateth me, | |
| That I no difference can see | |
| Between “Accursed Haman be!” | 15 |
| And “Blessed be Mordecai!” | |
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| Come hither, Judas Iscariot; | |
| Say, if thy lesson thou hast got | |
| From the Rabbinical Book or not. | |
| Why howl the dogs at night? | 20 |
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JUDAS. In the Rabbinical Book, it saith | |
| The dogs howl, when with icy breath | |
| Great Sammael, the Angel of Death, | |
| Takes through the town his flight! | |
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RABBI. Well, boy! now say, if thou art wise, | 25 |
| When the Angel of Death, who is full of eyes, | |
| Comes where a sick man dying lies, | |
| What doth he to the wight? | |
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JUDAS. He stands beside him, dark and tall, | |
| Holding a sword, from which doth fall | 30 |
| Into his mouth a drop of gall, | |
| And so he turneth white. | |
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RABBI. And now, my Judas, say to me | |
| What the great Voices Four may be, | |
| That quite across the world do flee, | 35 |
| And are not heard by men? | |
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JUDAS. The Voice of the Sun in heaven’s dome, | |
| The Voice of the Murmuring of Rome, | |
| The Voice of a Soul that goeth home, | |
| And the Angel of the Rain! | 40 |
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RABBI. Right are thine answers every one! | |
| Now little Jesus, the carpenter’s son, | |
| Let us see how thy task is done; | |
| Canst thou thy letters say? | |
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JESUS. Aleph.
RABBI. What next? Do not stop yet! | 45 |
| Go on with all the alphabet. | |
| Come, Aleph, Beth; dost thou forget? | |
| Cock’s soul! thou’dst rather play! | |
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JESUS. What Aleph means I fain would know, | |
| Before I any farther go! | 50 |
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RABBI. Oh, by Saint Peter! wouldst thou so? | |
| Come hither, boy, to me. | |
| As surely as the letter Jod | |
| Once cried aloud, and spake to God, | |
| So surely shalt thou feel this rod, | 55 |
| And punished shalt thou be! Here RABBI BEN ISRAEL shall lift up his rod to strike JESUS, and his right arm shall be paralyzed. | |
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