The Pope & The Rabbi
A little-known fact, but once a year there's a ceremonial meeting between the Chief Rabbi and the Pope,
followed by a dinner.
Every year since time immemorial they have carried out the Ceremony of the Envelope.
What happens is that the Chief Rabbi hands the Pope an envelope and the Pope hands it back unopened.
Then they go eat.
This year as usual the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks, handed the envelope,
by now somewhat tattered and dog-eared, to His Holiness as he and his predecessors had always done.
But instead of handing it back as usual, the Pope said,
"We've been doing this for hundreds of years, Jonathan.
Do you know what's in the envelope?"
"Well, Karol, since you ask," replied Dr. Sacks, "actually I have no idea."
"In that case," said the Pontiff, "it seems to me that the ceremony is in danger of becoming meaningless,
so what do you think? Shall we open the envelope?"
After a moment's thought the Chief Rabbi agreed,
so with trembling hands they opened the ancient enclosure and extracted a yellowed parchment.
Wondering what profound theological revelation it contained, very carefully they unfolded it.
It was the bill for the Last Supper!
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