As I have noted before, I am a philo-semite. I respect and admire the Jews both for their intellectual and ethical contributions to Western civilization, and for their dogged determination in the face of overwhelming odds.
Several nights ago I had a dream in which I was being given a tour of a museum of Judaism by Dymphna’s Jewish cousins. A young boy led me from case to case and translated the inscriptions for me, which were entirely in Hebrew.
After I repeatedly expressed my admiration for all things Jewish, the boy’s father asked me, “Since you like the Jews so much, why don’t you convert?”
I replied, “I have a friend who is an accomplished fisherman. I go with him to the river; I watch him fish; I help him clean and eat the fish he catches; I acknowledge and proclaim his skill to others; but I don’t have to fish with him.
“I am a blacksmith, and blacksmiths don’t fish.”
Make of it what you will. I'm not very good at interpreting dreams.
3 comments:
Me, too! I know it means something, but I don't know exactly what. Dymphna thinks the fisherman stands for Christ, but that doesn't make any logical sense...
Good point. For similar reasons, I won't become a concert pianist.
A story for philo-semites which I read in the Joy of Yiddish:
Two businessmen on a train struck up a conversation. After introducing each other, one said, "Your name sounds Jewish. Are you a Jew?"
"Yes," replied the other.
"Well, I am proud to say that in my little town there are no Jews at all."
"And that's why it will remain a little town," was the retort.
Of course, the book told it far, far better. (The book is a goldmine of stories, wit and wisdom. If possible, buy an older, used edition. I have it on good authority that PC editors have "cleaned up" the current edition.)
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