The Expulsion From Spain: Year 5252. 1492 Common Era.

First England (1290 CE), then France (1394 CE), and now Spain expels every Jew who refuses to adopt Christianity. Portugal will follow shortly.

Out of six-hundred-thousand souls, a quarter-million choose to remain in Spain and convert. They are largely from the upper class. Their commitment to Judaism relies more on philosophy and intellect and less on emotion than the lower classes. They rationalize and hope that it will blow over soon, that their experience as Christians will be temporary. By staying they choose comfort. However, having abandoned Judaism, many live with anguish. They do not live as Jews; They will not die as Jews. Those who left Spain have difficulty in living as Jews; However, they will die as JewsToday, Spain is a devoutly Catholic country. Demographers estimate that ninety-percent of the population has Jewish ancestors.

The deadline for the Spanish expulsion `happens' to fall out on the ninth of the Jewish month of Av, the very same date of the destruction of both Temples. The exiled are led by orchestras to raise their spirits and then are forcefully cast onto small boats in the Spanish harbor

In these darkest of times, G-d's awareness of the suffering of his children does not seem to be obvious. Neither does His active management of our history appear to be obvious. It is difficult to see how events are leading to the completion of creation, when all of Mankind will voluntarily rise into harmony with the forces of nature and only perform the will of G-d.

No doubt some vessels in the Spanish harbor may have crossed paths with that of a Royal expedition, lead by a person named Christopher Columbus and sponsored by the monsters who threw the Jews out. The New World which he discovers eventually becomes a great haven for refuges and a champion for tolerance.

Very pro-active and yet very concealed management.

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Incidentally, there are theories which suggest that Columbus himself was Jewish and the expedition was partially supported by Jews in search of either a refuge or the Ten Lost Tribes. In fact, the crew member who served as his translator was well versed in Hebrew.

In Loving Memory Of Our Father, Mr. Joseph Black (Yosef Ben Zelig) O"H In Loving Memory Of Our Mother, Mrs. Norma Black (Nechama Bas Tzvi Hirsh) O"H

© 1996- by Tzvi Black, JewishAmerica. All rights reserved.