9325. IT'S A JEWISH JOKE

IT'S A JEWISH JOKE

Truth holds a token to the heart,

and this always remains true. I 

had a friend once, yes actually a

Jewish biblical scholar, not like

'extremely' religious over it all,

but he knew his Shalmulunkah.

(I just made that up). But this

rest here is real. One time he 

and I were walking through a

Jewish cemetery  -  he was

looking for 'designs' -  as an

'artist' his trade was memorials.

I was taken with the big blocks

of Hebrew lettering that I saw on

so many of the stones, and I said,

'Sandy, (his name was Sandford),

I wish I knew what some of these

said.' So he started, went right to

one and said  -  'See. See this one.

The Jewish undercurrent, through

all these tragic ages we've lived, has

always been one of loose humor,

almost brave and bold humor, what 

we now say 'in your face', but to

God this was all directed. As if

He was always looking and involved,

and we were always trying snidely

to get a message through. It's Jewish 

humor here, you see. The Messiah.

You know what this says, here, this

one ('Eleazar Rothman, 1849-1912'); 

it reads, really, 'He never showed up.'

No, it's not about Eleazer; it's instead

Eleazer's final, curt comment about

his time on earth, here, awaiting some

more this 'Messiah.' Not so much 'giving
the finger to God, as, maybe, instead, a
Bronx cheer to God. You see. Humor.'