Our Special Connections - Seville

This blog called “Our Special Connections”, bonds the lives of The Hidden Jews from the Inquisition to the eternality of the Torah

   The following historical fiction is to commemorate those hidden Jews of the inquisition that did the Mitzvah of Saving a life.  As  the Torah states in Leviticus 19:16 (Vayikra 19:16): "You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor" (or "Do not stand by your brother's blood").

This verse establishes a positive obligation to act to save a fellow Jew from danger, even taking risks, notes Arutz Sheva.

A true friend

It has been days since I ‘ve heard from my friend Miguel. I know he has been caught by the Inquisition, I’ve been searching for him frantically in everyplace possible. I have a couple of leads. The problem with searching for Miguel is the Inquisition has several secret jails, and you have to know someone who is working for the jail to find out information. But the biggest problem is if you poke around too much, that gets the Inquisition nervous so they start to focus on you. It’s never a good thing to have the inquisition looking for you. I had no luck. I'm at a dead end. I had to keep my despair for my self as hope faded everyday. I had to keep up his family's spirits, and those daily visits were excruciating.

At Church on Sunday, I sat in our usual place on the last bench waiting for Miguels family. His youngest son ran in and hugged me. "Father is here", he sobbed. Miguel stumbles in, held by his wife and older son. He looks terrible! His face is very thin.   He has bruises all over his face, neck and arms. I don’t see his legs but I assume he has bruises everywhere from the torture he went through.

The service began and we could not speak. That had to wait until we got Diego home.

“Diego, I promise you that I didn’t want to reveal any names from our secret community of Jews here. But… I had no choice. The torture was horrible! We have to tell all the people that I gave their up names... Diego, your name and your family’s name is on that list!  You must run before they catch you!”

“Miguel, my friend, I’m so sorry what they put you through. Do you know where the secret jail is?

 “Yes and I found out where they put the list of names that I confessed! It’s in the central office in Madrid on the second floor. I wish I could destroy that list!"

I said good-bye and left. I went back to my house. Now to put my plan in motion.

I instructed my wife to take our children and go visit her sister in Toledo. After that I sent, by a trusted courier to each house that I knew was a secret Jew, a note to be prepared to go to another city incase my plan didn’t work.  I packed up a few things in a small knapsack. I put inside the knapsack, a small knife, some rope, some apples, candles, some gun powder, a flint stone, and a flask of good brandy and of course some silver and gold coins for bribery. I slipped a few coins inside a hidden pocket in each of my boots, next to my hidden knife.

I set out by foot. I felt if I was on a horse people would get suspicious of me. I wrap my black cape around me and pull my hood as far over my head and face as possible as I don’t want anyone to recognize me. It’s dark now. It will probably take me an hour to get to the office of the inquisition. So I’ll get there about midnight, I hope no one is working there late tonight. I don’t want any surprises.

I finally get to the heart of the city. The office of the inquisition is on the next street.

I hear voices down the street. I quickly hide in an alley next to me. I pull my cape over my face completely. I hold my breath.  I don’t dare move or make a sound. The group of people pass by me; they look like officials of the Inquisition. The office should be empty now.

I wait for them to pass. The street is quiet now. I come out of my hiding place. I quietly walk towards the office of the dreaded Inquisition. I go to the back of the building. I see a trellis with climbing roses on it. It reaches to the second floor window. I slowly climb up the trellis.  I get to the top. I carefully push open the window. I climb inside. No one is around. I ‘m so relieved.  I make my way around the room. There is a large desk in the center of the room. I can see by the moonlight, which is streaming through the window, piles of files on the floor, on the desk and on several chairs. My intentions were to get the newest files and escape. But now that I see so many files that will put good people at risk of jail time or worse death, I can’t leave without destroying all of the files.

I carefully set my knapsack on the floor. I take out the gunpowder the flint stone and the candle. I spread the gun powder on the desk and on as many files that I can. I use the flint stone to light the candle. I make sure all of the gunpowder is lit. I quickly grab my knapsack and hurry out the window. I slip off into the shadows and watch to make sure the office is on fire.

I quietly go another route home. I make it back just before dawn. I fall into a deep sleep.

 I wake up to Miguel banging on my door.

“Diego come quick!” Said Miguel.

I hurry to the door.

“What’s happening?” I ask.

“Didn’t you hear? The office of the Inquisition in Madrid was burned down last night. Now all of the papers that are incriminating to our secret group of Jews, is lost. Now we are safe! Praise be to G-d for saving us.”  Do you know anything about it? “He asked.

I smiled.  And winked at him.

“Looks like G-d wanted us to be safe.” I said.