By His Countenance I Knew Him To
Be One Of The Hebrew Race, Nevertheless There Was Something Very
Singular In
His appearance, something which is rarely found amongst
that people, a certain air of nobleness which highly interested me.
I
Approached him, and in a few minutes we were in earnest
conversation. He spoke Polish and Jewish German indiscriminately.
The story which he related to me was highly extraordinary, yet I
yielded implicit credit to all his words, which came from his mouth
with an air of sincerity which precluded doubt; and, moreover, he
could have no motive for deceiving me. One idea, one object,
engrossed him entirely: "My father," said he, in language which
strongly marked his race, "was a native of Galatia, a Jew of high
caste, a learned man, for he knew Zohar, {22} and he was likewise
skilled in medicine. When I was a child of some eight years, he
left Galatia, and taking his wife, who was my mother, and myself
with him, he bent his way unto the East, even to Jerusalem; there
he established himself as a merchant, for he was acquainted with
trade and the arts of getting money. He was much respected by the
Rabbins of Jerusalem, for he was a Polish man, and he knew more
Zohar and more secrets than the wisest of them. He made frequent
journeys, and was absent for weeks and for months, but he never
exceeded six moons. My father loved me, and he taught me part of
what he knew in the moments of his leisure.
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