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几个世纪之前，教皇命令所有的犹太人改变信仰，否则必须离开意大利，由此引发了犹太社团的强烈抗议。于是教皇提出一项解决方案,提议由他与犹太社团的首领进行一场宗教辩论。如果犹太人赢了，他们可以继续留在意大利；如果教皇赢了，犹太人则必须离开。 犹太人聚在一起，选出一个极富智慧的长者拉比—摩舍，代表他们参加辩论。然而，摩舍不懂意大利语，而教皇不懂犹太人的意第绪语，因此双方同意进行一场"无声”辩论。在约定的那一天，教皇与拉比摩舍面对面坐了整整一分钟，然后教皇举起手，伸出三个手指。拉比摩舍看了看，举起一个手指。接下来，教皇伸出一个手指开始绕头部转圈，而拉比摩舍则用手 指往地上指了指。最后，教皇拿出一块圣饼和一杯用圣杯盛的葡萄酒，而拉比则掏出一个苹果。看到这个举动，教皇站了起来，宣布他输掉了这场辩论，还说拉比摩舍聪明过人，犹太人可以继续留下来。 不久，红衣主教们见到教皇，问他这场辩论到底是怎么回事。教皇回答说：“刚开始，我伸出三个手指，代表圣父、圣子和圣灵三位一体;他则伸出一个手指提醒我说我们双方信仰的是同一个上帝。然后我又转动手指，想表明上帝无所不在;他则指着地面告诉我，上帝此刻也正与我们同在。我又拿出葡萄酒和圣饼,表明上帝赦免了我们的罪过;他则掏出一个苹果提醒我还有原罪。我被他击败了，无法继续辩论下去。” 与此同时，犹太社团的成员也正围在拉比摩舍的身边。“你是怎样赢得这场辩论的？”他们问道。“我也不太明白，”摩舍回答说：“刚开始他告诉我说我们还有三天时间就要离开意大利，因此我对他说，去你的吧！然后他告诉我这个国家不允许有犹太人存在，于是我回应他说，我们就待在这儿。”“最后呢？"一个妇女问道。"谁知道呢？”摩舍回答说，“他拿出了他的午饭,于是我也拿出了我的。” The Pope and the Rabbi Several centuries ago, the Pope decreed that all the Jews had to convert or leave Italy. There was a huge outcry from the Jewish community, so the Pope offered a deal. He would have a religious debate with the leader of the Jewish community. If the Jews won, they could stay in Italy； if the Pope won, they would have to leave. The Jewish people met and picked an aged but wise Rabbi, Moishe, to represent them in the debate. However, as Moishe spoke no Italian and the Pope spoke no Yiddish, they all agreed that it would be a “silent” debate. On the chosen day, the Pope and Rabbi Moishe sat opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers. Rabbi Moishe looked back and raised one finger. Next the Pope waved his finger around his head. Rabbi Moishe pointed to the ground where he sat. The Pope then brought out a communion wafer and a chalice of wine. Rabbi Moishe pulled out an apple. With that, the Pope stood up and declared that he was beaten, that Rabbi Moishe was too clever and that the Jews could stay. Later, the Cardinals met with the Pope, asking what had happened. The Pope said, “First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there is still only one God common to both our beliefs. Then, I waved my finger to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground to show that God was also right here with us. I pulled out the wine and wafer to show that God absolves us of all our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of the original sin. He had me beaten and I could not continue." Meanwhile the Jewish community was gathering around Rabbi Moishe. “How did you win the debate?” They asked. “I haven’t a clue，” said Moishe, “First he said to me that we had three days to get out of Italy, so I said to him, up yours! Then he told me that the whole country would be cleared of Jews and I said to him, ‘we’re staying right here. ’”“And then what?” asked a woman. “Who knows?” said Moishe, “He took out his lunch, so I took out mine.，’ |
