Second Haman

My friends! You should not look at me today as your king but as a person and friend. Today is New Year’s Day, and I invited you all here so that you can welcome the first day of the New Year together with me in joy.

This year we have more reason to rejoice than in any other previous year because Poland has never been as mighty as now, our nation has never been so fortunate as today; we maintain friendly relations with all the European powers, there is perfect order in our country, and we have all this to thank to none other than our Minister Klemens.

Your appreciation, Emperor, and the love of all the people in the court toward me give me courage to continue to care for the prosperity of the king and the welfare of our fatherland.

A Spanish courier requests to be admitted.

It must be some important issue if he comes today. Let him in. [He appears.] Welcome! I trust that you bring me good news.

Jacob [Dressed as a Spanish courier]:

This is my news.

The man seems very familiar to me.

What is this? Count Lubecki, read it for us.

Lubecki [Reads]:

Noble Emperor! I committed a terrible sin now for which I deserve to be punished by death. I deceived Your Majesty, but I could not have appeared in front of Your Royal Majesty in any other way. I am not a Spanish courier but a simple Jew.

What an impertinence and insult to His Majesty! He deserves death!

Not so fast. I am curious to know what made this Jew deceive me. Continue to read!

I could swear that the minister is Reb Sholem . . .

Lubecki [Reads]:

A simple Jew stands in front of you, Your Majesty, who came to ask for your graciousness and protection for his bride and her father, the rabbi of the local community. On the day of my wedding they were both arrested without any charge of a crime. Noble Emperor! Take pity on the unfortunate and innocent.

Who are you?

The bridegroom of this girl. I have turned to every office for help, but I was turned away by all of them, and since as a Jew I am not permitted to see the king in order to present my complaint, I was forced to come here by this means.

Without any crime, you say? Who ordered the arrest?

I will now answer, just like Queen Esther once answered King Ahasuerus when he asked who wanted to annihilate her people, “Haman the Evil.” [He points at Klemens.] This evil Haman.

The minister?

I didn’t know he was a minister, I just learned it. I knew him as Sholem, a simple Jew who came to see the rabbi on many occasions and wanted to marry the rabbi’s daughter. When the rabbi denied his request, he took revenge and threw the girl and her father into prison.

What is this supposed to mean?

I declare this man completely crazy. Does the king believe that Klemens would disguise himself as a Jew for a rabbi? The Jew is either crazy or drunk.

Oh, no! My mind is completely clear. You, beast, you infiltrated our house like a poisonous snake and made the life of our entire family miserable. King! I know that I deserve death, but I beg you to hear me out. A faithful citizen is speaking to you. Please protect us and yourself, because all of his deeds are poisonous. Death and ruination.

The man passed his own sentence. With Your Majesty’s permission I will hand him over to the executioner.

No! He should not die. If there is any truth to his words, he must be pardoned. [Talks to Queen quietly.]

My wife is right. Go home now, and tomorrow at 10:00 o’clock I will grant you an audience. Until then I will investigate the matter thoroughly. Go, now.

I thank you . . . [Leaves.]

If this Jew is wrong, misfortune be upon the Jewish people!

Definitely, Your Majesty! You don’t know them. They are considered a pest everywhere, in every country. Blessed be Spain and Portugal, they already exiled them a long time age. Poland, too, will be fortunate when we cleanse ourselves of the Jew-dirt.

That’s right. [ . . . ]

It is easy to say such a thing; considering that such a scenario is impossible, I would be willing to bet my rank and my head on such a game.

This interest for the [Jewish] people makes me very curious to get a true idea of your thoughts. Minister Klemens demands that I exile the whole people from my country; conversely, Count Lubecki demands that I grant them protection and justice. As a consequence I am willing to lend my throne and my royal power to someone for twenty-four hours; he will be king for twenty-four hours. I am completely serious. You can make the bet.