Where's the Pope and What Did He Eat For Breakfast?

One of the generation's greatest Torah luminaries came to visit the United States. Joe Christianson from Smalltown, U.S.A. is following the visit with great curiosity. Will the rabbi visit the tomb of the unknown soldier? Will he embarrass us by visiting inner city slums, illegal immigrants or Jimmy Carter? Joe Christianson is not alone. Many Americans of all faiths are listening, waiting to analyze every word that the holy bearded scholar utters. Tensions are high. Who knows what the rabbi will say?

Of course the story in the previous paragraph was the work of my imagination. It never happened. But I wrote it to make a point. The Pope is here in Israel on a visit, and it is amazing how much attention the press and certain Jewish organizations are giving to everything the man does and says.

I, Cosmic X in Jerusalem, am not at all interested in what the Vatican City's Chief of State has to say. I am not interested in what he is doing or where he is, with the exception of knowing what roads are being closed in honor of his visit. It's not that I have something against the man, it's because I'm not a Catholic. I'm an Israeli Jew, with a yarmulke, beard, glasses, and a four cornered fringed garment under my shirt. Just like your average Catholic isn't interested in what Rabbi Ovadiah has to say, so too I am not interested in what's on the mind of the head of the Catholic Church.

Simple, is it not? If so, why are so many finding it so complicated? The answer is that it is much easier to take the Jew out of Golus than to take the Golus out of the Jew.