Enchantress: A Novel of Rav Hisda's Daughter (32 page)

“I am not completely bereft,” Salaman said. “My two remaining sons are my apprentices now.”

“We must dine together so all the boys can meet.” I made an effort to curb my excitement. “We’re staying with Yochani.”

“I don’t know.” He looked away and shuffled his feet. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“You won’t be intruding. Besides, the Rabbis teach that it’s a mitzvah to comfort the bereaved.”

“Then perhaps they aren’t so useless as I thought.” Salaman lost no time in reminding me that he was one of the
amei-ha’aretz
, those Jews, unfortunately the majority, who didn’t accept the Rabbis’ authority.

That was why I’d turned down his marriage proposal.

NINETEEN

F
or the briefest moment he grinned, but it was long enough for my heart to leap in response. Those perfect teeth, that wonderful smile. I knew when I married Rava that he tended toward the somber, but I didn’t realize his smiles would be so rare.

Salaman and his sons dined with us that evening and the next, and both times my husband was detained at court. The following afternoon, though we hadn’t planned it, I again met Salaman at the cemetery.

“Since you don’t seem too busy these days, I have a favor to ask you,” he said.

“What do you need?” I asked, though I had already decided to do it.

“I need a mosaic template for a baby’s face, but I can’t seem to get the proportions right from memory. . . .” He trailed off.

“You want to use Chanina as a model?”

“Only for a few days, a week at most. And only for a few hours, while he’s asleep.”

I hesitated. What if he was still attracted to me? “I suppose so, but I mustn’t appear secluded with you.”

“Bring Joseph and Sama, then.” Salaman’s voice rose with enthusiasm. “Boys that age tend to find my workshop fascinating.”

 • • • 

Salaman was right. Joseph and Sama loved playing with the colored tesserae. Jacobus and Gabrilus showed them the codex filled with designs and helped them create some of their own, but Sama preferred to linger with delight over the pages portraying animals.

“The mosaic we’re finishing in Lydda is the biggest I’ve ever worked on,” Salaman told them. “Nearly every panel has animals in it: fish, birds, and large ones like lions, leopards, and antelopes. There are even creatures I’d never seen before, like a giraffe, elephant, and rhinoceros.”

“You’ve seen lions?” Joseph was clearly suspicious.

“Of course.” Salaman grinned. “They always have lions in the circus.”

“I want to see a circus,” Sama announced.

“A big circus always comes to Sepphoris during Hanukah.” Salaman gazed at me and raised his eyebrows questioningly. “If your mother agrees, we could all go together.”

“If you make good progress on your studies”—I looked from one son to the other—“I will consider it.”

“Wait until you see all the Hanukah lamps in the city lit together,” Salaman added.

Joseph turned to me. “But why do we light all these lamps for Hanukah? It’s not in the Torah.”

I smiled at him. Not only did I have the answer, but it was one that might help Salaman appreciate the Rabbis. “Our Sages taught that Hanukah starts on the twenty-fifth of Kislev, and for eight days we do not eulogize or fast. During the time of the Hasmoneans, centuries ago, the Greeks entered the Temple and defiled all the pure oil there. When Israel defeated them, they found only one cruse of oil with the seal of the High Priest, and it contained only enough for one day’s lighting. Yet a miracle occurred and for eight days they kindled with it. The following year, a festival was established on these days, with reciting of Hallel and Thanksgiving.”

Salaman looked at me in surprise. “I’ve never heard about that miracle before. I thought Hanukah commemorated the military victory, which is why Jews from Caesarea come to Sepphoris to celebrate it.” When he noticed my sons’ confusion, he added, “The Romans don’t like us celebrating Israel defeating our oppressors, but there aren’t so many Romans here.”

Joseph wasn’t satisfied. “But why light lamps?”

“The Rabbis taught that a mitzvah of Hanukah is to kindle one light for each household, but those who are zealous kindle one light for every person,” I replied. “Another mitzvah is to place the lamp outside, where others can see it, to publicize the miracle. That’s why we say two blessings: one when we light the lamp and the other when we see it burning.”

Joseph still wasn’t satisfied. “How can the Rabbis call these mitzvot when they don’t come from the Torah? How can they say that Elohim commanded us to do this?”

Salaman chuckled. “Your son has more objections to the Rabbis than I do.”

“It comes from near the end of Devarim, when Moses recites his poem to all Israel: ‘Ask your father and he will inform you, your elders and they will tell you,’” I replied. “The elders are our Sages, and this verse gives them the authority to institute rabbinic mitzvot.” Since this controversial interpretation was the basis for the Rabbis’ authority, I expected Salaman to challenge it. But he seemed lost in thought.

Joseph also remained silent, until he eventually said, “I don’t understand.”

“Then ask
your
father and he will inform you.” I gave him a hug. I too wanted to hear how Rava would explain this.

When Salaman spoke again, I was astonished by his unbiased answer. “Since all Jews celebrate Hanukah today, though it is not mentioned in the Torah . . .” He spoke slowly, as if still considering the matter. “Evidently somebody had the authority to establish it. And since it wasn’t the priests, who else could it be but the Rabbis?”

“It was the Rabbis who established the blessings for Hanukah,” I pointed out. “As they did for the daily
tefillah
and all the other blessings we say.”

 • • • 

Finally it was the first night of Hanukah, and of course Rava and I were invited to the celebration at Judah Nesiah’s. I looked forward to finally wearing the golden yellow outfit that Yochani had insisted I bring back with me to Bavel, though I’d never had an occasion to wear it there. First came the cream-colored
haluk
, whose soft, well-worn linen caressed my skin as Leuton pulled it over my torso, careful not to disarrange the elaborate Roman hairstyle she’d labored over.

Next on was the yellow
limbus
, a long, pleated underskirt made from the finest British wool, guaranteed to keep me warm on the coldest Sepphoris night. Over that went my golden silk
stola
, and I tried to stand still as Leuton pulled the extra length up and over the jeweled belts I wore under my breasts and at my waist so the
limbus
would peek out at the bottom. Yochani couldn’t resist adjusting the sleeves so they covered my elbows.

Soon I was ready to put on the
palla
, a long piece of yellow wool made from the same material as my
limbus
. Without even thinking, I pulled it around my waist, over my left shoulder from behind, and under my right arm, leaving enough length to cover my head when I went outside.

Rava, Papi, and the boys were waiting, and as I came through the door I could hear Rava trying to explain the source of rabbinic authority to Joseph, who only peppered him with more questions while Papi listened in silence.

Rava’s face lit up with pride and admiration when he saw me. “You look magnificent.”

His adoring expression was better than any smile. “I wouldn’t want to insult Judah Nesiah by wearing less than my best Roman clothes.” Then I turned to Yochani. “Are you sure you won’t come with us?”

She shook her head. “It is difficult to walk all that way uphill, but going downhill is even worse.”

“Papi is a strong young man,” Rava said. “He’ll assist you.”

Yochani surveyed Papi, who had filled out a good deal since he first dined at her table. “I’ll go with you on the eighth night, when the view is best.” She pointed to a low shelf where a number of lamps were laid out. “Now everyone choose the lamp you like so we can light them before you leave.”

They all looked similar to me, so I waited. Of course Joseph and Sama wanted the same one, but Yochani was ready for them with a supply of extra lamps nearly identical to the first. “Each night we kindle an additional light,” she explained to them. “That is why I have so many.”

The sun was setting as we left, and I delighted in pointing out all the lights shining from windows, doorways, and the tops of walls. “Just wait until we get to the crest of the hill.”

When we reached the heights, we stood in awe as the entire lower city continued to fill with tiny flickering lights. It was almost as if a giant mirror had been laid over the town, with the moonless starry sky reflected back at it.

Rava breathed out a contented sigh and took my hand. “I see why you wanted to spend Hanukah in Sepphoris.”

 • • • 

“Thank Heaven I saw you,” Susanna told me in the palace foyer. “Rava’s status ensures that you will be seated early. It would be a terrible affront if you weren’t here when they called you in.”

“What else should I know?” I asked, never having been an honored guest at a regal banquet.

“The slaves will show us to our couches, a few at a time, along with those of similar rank,” she whispered. “Sit down, but don’t recline until Judah Nesiah and his wife do.”

Rabbi Avahu, head of Caesarea’s Jewish community and liaison to the Roman governor there, added to his wife’s explanation. “The closer our couches are to Judah’s, the higher our status relative to the other guests and the better quality of wine we’ll be served. Also the more eloquent a discourse we are expected to provide.”

Susanna chuckled at my flustered expression. “Don’t worry. Women are only expected to be decorative.”

Avahu regarded me with the look that made Caesarea matrons swoon. “In that regard, you have no cause for concern.”

I blushed at his compliment as Rava added, “I agree.”

Suddenly Rava started waving, and moments later Salaman was introducing us to a portly, clean-shaven man. “I’d like you to meet Fulvius, my patron from Lydda. He provides exotic animals for the best circuses.”

“I’ve heard praise for Fulvius’s animals,” Susanna told me. “We should take your boys. I’m sure they would love to see them. And what boy doesn’t enjoy a chariot race?”

Rava turned to me. “Why don’t you ask Salaman to arrange it, as Fulvius is his friend?”

I swallowed hard. The casual way Rava asked the question was proof enough that he knew I was seeing Salaman.

 • • • 

The semicircular stone stadium in Sepphoris was a twin to Caesarea’s, albeit smaller and with a view of lush green hills instead of the sea. Fulvius was delighted to provide a private tour of his menagerie before the first chariot race. He assured us there would be no gladiatorial contests or public executions. The boys were giddy with excitement, but they quieted when they saw the animals, which were much larger close-up than expected.

Fulvius kept us away from the lions, leopards, elephants, and a nasty-tempered beast with a curved horn he called a rhinoceros, which stank worse than a camel. But he encouraged the boys to closely observe the gentle antelopes and gazelles. He was particularly proud of his exotic zebras and giraffes, and declared that their like would not be seen at any other circus in Eretz Israel.

“Too bad I forgot to have you write a spell for winning today,” Salaman teased me as we climbed to the top row. “I’ve never won so much on chariot races as when I wore that amulet you inscribed.”

“I am not inscribing any spells or incantations in Eretz Israel.” I did not match his cheery tone. “Not after what happened last time.”

“You’ve given up
charasha
?” he asked in surprise.

“Not at all. I do a great deal of it in Bavel.”

Joseph was watching us intently, a curious expression on his face. I was sure he was about to question me when a horn sounded and the horses bolted out of their stalls. The circus had begun.

Susanna and I exchanged smiles at the boys’ discussion about which animals they liked best. Sama preferred the giraffe, with its long neck, to the zebra, which was nothing more than a striped donkey, and Joseph declared the intimidating elephants, safely far away, his favorite. Then Susanna abruptly stood up and turned to Salaman. “We have to leave immediately. They’re letting the gazelles loose.”

Salaman jumped up and propelled us down the long flight of steps, toward the tunnels that exited the stadium. “Any moment now they’ll release a lion or leopard,” he warned me. “We do not want the children to see it catch its prey.”

Fate was against us, for we reached the stadium floor at the same time the lion did. As swiftly as we ran, the lion ran faster, with the result that Joseph and Sama saw it bring down the gazelle and tear into its flesh at close range. Blood squirted from the victim’s throat, and its squeals joined the boys’ shrieks of terror as the lion dragged it down. My entire being was focused on escaping this den of death before the lion decided to jump the wall separating us.