GISCHALA OF GALILEE CHAPTER NINE- Page 1

MIRIAM COULD HARDLY wait for Saul to come home from school. The moment he opened the door, she cried, "Saul! Saul, you will never guess! Uncle Hasham has invited me to Gischala, and mother and father have already said I may go!"

Saul felt a slight shock at these words. Gischala in Galilee meant that his younger sister would return to their homeland before he would. Waiting for word from the Hillel School, he had begun to wonder if he had been secretly rejected. The feeling of jealousy was similar to the feeling he had known when Marcus had announced his return to schooling with Scaveola in Rome--though Marcus' ship had yet to leave. "Well, did Uncle invite me, or any other member of the family?" Saul voice betrayed a sharpness.

Miriam's countenance fell. She had hoped her brother would be as excited for her as she was. "No, Saul, he just invited me."

"And how do you expect to go? Do you have the money?"

Miriam laughed, realizing that he was jealous. "I won't need money, Saul. Uncle is sending a coach and driver, a Carruca Dormitoria!"

With this news, Saul received his second shock. His wealthy Uncle was sending the finest coach available, just to transport his little sister? And for what? Saul knew that Uncle Hasham of Gischala was his mother's favorite brother, and a man of wealth, but to think of him sending a driver with an elaborate Carruca all the way to Tarsus, just to take his sister to their home near Galilee? Saul's jealous emotions seemed to be getting the better of him. He had expected to have earned such treatment himself, by his hard work at the cilicium business, and at synagogue. Why Miriam, a mere girl?

"Mother is waiting to go with me into the city," Miriam said, as she ran from the door.

Saul stood silently watching his sister and mother walk happily in the direction of the market. New clothes for the trip, no doubt. As he watched, he began to make sense of it. He realized that this invitation had not been exactly spontaneous. His Mother has expressed her worry about Marcus' attraction to Miriam, and her own flattered appreciation of his attentions. Saul remembered seeing his Mother handing a letter to a Roman mail courier many days ago, asking how long it would be before it would be delivered in Gischala. It is evident that she was writing to her brother Hasham, to tell him about her concern for Miriam. That might explain everything.

When Miriam and her mother returned later that afternoon, Saul made mention of the letter to his mother. She privately acknowledged that she had written to Hasham about Miriam's future. "Uncle Hasham replied, Saul, by saying there was a young man in Gischala named Esrom, whom they were very fond of," her eyes sparkled with a mother's excitement as she said this. "Esrom comes from an excellent family, and Hasham says he is handsome and diligent in his studies, and has already been offered a teaching position in Jerusalem. Your uncle expressed his desire to send one of his old and trusted servants, Phineas, to bring Miriam by carriage to Gischala. I was thrilled. If she is favorably impressed with Esrom, and he is equally attracted to her--and how could he not be?--they could be united in marriage. Your father and I would have shared this with you sooner, Saul, but felt it wise to wait until we heard more from Hasham. As you know, the letter came only this morning, and Miriam was so excited she wanted to be first to share the news with you. My brother knows how much I loved Jerusalem as a girl. He also knows how concerned we are that Miriam marry the right person, certainly one of our own faith."

Saul's mother was gushing now. She blushed slightly with parental pride when she said her brother had described Miriam to Esrom as a very beautiful girl, and very much like her mother.

Saul smiled with genuine pride. "She certainly is the most beautiful girl who ever lived in Tarsus, and she does resemble you very much, Mother."

"Well," continued Esther, "Esrom has already said he would be very desirous to meet Miriam, and Hasham believes there will be a happy marriage. But that is not all, Saul."

Saul took a deep breath, wondering what more could his uncle say.

"Hasham's older sister Hulda has a large home near the Temple in Jerusalem, and she has told Hasham the home is too much for her to live in alone at her age--"

For a moment Saul thought that lodging had been found for his schooling in Jerusalem. Not so.
"--She would like to come to Gischala to live with him and turn her home in Jerusalem over to Miriam and Esrom."

Once more, Saul worked to hide his disappointment.

Rabbi Benjamin entered the house, but seeing they were engaged in a conversation, and knowing what it was about, did not interrupt. He listened intently as his wife concluded with Hasham's suggestion that they all come for the anticipated wedding in Gischala, and then go together to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. The timing would seem perfect, and Hulda would be so honored to have the family present when she turned her home over to Miriam and Esrom.
Saul glanced at his father and saw something he very seldom had seen before. A tear was slowly making its way down his cheek.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning," Benjamin said, smiling. "Memory is a surprising and unexpected thing. I was comparing just now the joy of this hour with the dark days of our own childhood, when my father Ben-Lemuel had to hide my sister and me in the mountains during the time our city was occupied by the Romans. This is a time of great joy for our Miriam."