The Eternal Jew’s Tale, #169, Abarbanel 4.61

In this episode, Yose ben Khalafta prays with a mourning dove in the ruins of Betar.

The Eternal Jew’s Tale
Twentieth Era, Part 5, ~1483 C.E., Iberia

The Abarbanel Cycle, 4.6.1
The Ladder of Ascents, 6, part 1
Compiled by Isaac Abarbanel
With the help of the Eternal Jew and his wife Batkol

Third Courtyard, Imaginal Ascents

6. Part 1
And the last of the great descents I heard come from Yose ben Khalafta’s mouth when I were trekking my way north and stopped in Zippori, that venerable town. Christian, Samaritan, Essene, and Jew all living there in debate and dissent not long after that fatal revolt.* This was his teaching on the long descent.
* Bar Kokhba revolt, 132 CE

“One night I was walking past the ruins of Betar. A moaning dove perched on an arch lured me into the rubble to pray, sighing,
‘Hail, spirit. What troubles you?’

“I called to him. He moaned a reply. As I approached he lifted his wing and flew to a pillar further in, and still he called, imploring me, call and response, to pray with him. And yet still further, he lit on a branch of a ghastly myrtle burnt in the siege. And there we began to pray *the 18,* and I got as far as **’lee shanay affar’.**
*-* the 18 blessings, core of the 3 daily prayer sessions
**-** ‘those who sleep in the dust’ from the 2nd blessing

“The dove then ceased his moaning and leapt from the branch and flew away. But now what did I hear? A weeping child? And there, behold! He sat at my feet. Our eyes met and he took my hand, and I, I knew not what to do. One must not interrupt prayer, but nor might I leave this child alone.

“And so, as he led, I repeated this phrase:
‘Mi khamokha b’al g’vurot, u’mi do melakh?’
‘Who is like you, Master of strength, and who can be compared to you?’

“And now it seemed we were lost in a maze. There, the dove prayed his moans. There the myrtle, its branches like arms, frantic, reaching to an empty sky. As the dove continued moaning his prayers on a pillar leaning in an empty lot, a twig cracked. Gravel was kicked. And all around the echo of moans. And now a snarl and now a growl. And now an animal charging at us; a great wolf! It leaps at the boy. And licks his face. Is this a dog?

‘This is who I’ve been looking for.’
“The first words the boy has said.

“Now the dog leads us deeper in, into a warren of rubble and ruins. Do I see a face staring at us, wrinkled *as one whom years deform*, haggard, unkempt, mournful, old. His voice intones like the joyless dead.
*-* Shelley, Triumph of Life, l. 88

‘I once ruled the heavenly spheres with grandeur such as none could compare. ‘Pharaoh’ they would whisper and bow low, and those that knew me called me ‘god.’ I, even I, was punished severe by that Hebrew Lor whose power I dared. Search ye now thru my opulent home, where lapis and gold once tiled the streets, now rubble and mudbrick and stinking tombs. Prophet, what further ruin will you vent on one who knows not how to repent?’

“In awe I dwelt on his fearsome word, until I dared to ask of him,

“What, oh pharaoh, compels you to dwell here in Betar far from your Nile?
‘For me, that river never ceased to flow in blood, bringing pestilence. But here my stony and envious heart finds pleasure, seeing how Roman gods have avenged my loss to that Adonai.’

“Just then the child whispered to me,

‘But he said to me, he came here to live because Betar appeared to him just like Fustat, his ancient home, which every year decays still more. Here he hopes to learn from the Jew how to repent and serve the Lor.’
‘Curse you child,’

“that specter forswore, and disappeared back into the stones. And once again, that dove and his moan.”

~~~~~~~~~~

In the next episode we meet the sad eyed lady of the ruins.