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| Judea Hills by Ben Shemen Forest |
The Judean hills stood dry and barren against a blue and white sky making Mary realize how much more beautiful her Galilean hills were back home in Nazareth. Looking across the table she stared at her husband Joseph. She suddenly noticed how old he was looking. They both were drinking beer they had purchased from the caravan coming up from Egypt. She sipped it. This beer was better than the old Babylonian recipe of hers, she thought to herself and then returned her thoughts to Joseph. It may be these last few months have taken their toll on Joseph. Who would have predicted what they were to go through since last Shevat. They were seated at a way-station somewhere in Northern Judea. The caravan trains travel this route going north to Damascus in Syria and Eastward as far away as the great river of the horses. They also traveled the same route South down the Via Maris bypassing Jerusalem. But Mary and Joseph were going to Bethlehem and that led them down the Jordan Valley. It was an ancient route that has been contested by nations who would like to control the taxes and goods that the camel trains would bring. But Mary did not care about all that now, she was more concerned with what she was carrying, for Mary was with child.
Her husband reaches across the table and says, "I know you are concerned, and so am I. I want what is best for our child."
"Do you?"
"Yes, of course I do. I told you that months ago."
"Yes you did. And I am grateful for that. but..."
"But what? Think about the child. How will he..."
"My mother says it is going to be a boy. She can tell by the way I am carrying him. And you know what the angel told me?"
"Yes, Yes I know that. Iesou, I know that. I believe it is a boy also. Remember an angel appeared to me too. "
"Really? Because sometimes I think you have forgotten all that. And Yehoshua it is! You know I like the Hebrew."
"Are you kidding? How can someone forget a thing like that? But this is why it is all the more important that we think about giving him a home where he can have the best opportunities, education, temple training, connections with Priests, all that we can not possibly give him in Nazareth. And he will at least say his name right! He has to have the right background!! Nothing important comes from Galilee."
"You mean you want to give him to Rachel, Elizabeth’s sister."
"Well, yes. But I know I don't want to do it if you are against it. "
"Is this really what you want, Joseph? Without you I would be an outcast. My parents would be ashamed. As it is, rumors still persist. You're the only one who stood by me. So, if you really want me, us, to give up the child to Rachel then..."
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| Camel Train from "Pilgrimage" by Richard Burton |
"Well... I don't want to do it if you are against it. But I have heard of others that have done it and..
"and what?"
"Been successful!"
"Name one."
"Well...there was Hannah."
"She gave Samuel to the Lord to be a priest!"
"Isn't that what we would be doing?"
"No, not really, we would be giving him to Rachel ..."
"Yes but her husband Nathaniel is a Priest! In Jerusalem at the temple!!! Wouldn't that be the same thing? Surely, the one who is going to save the world must come from Jerusalem. Have the right background, and ...
"Oh please, please, please, please stop talking. It's driving me nuts."
Joseph sat there in silence looking at Mary and turned his glass around on the table.
Mary stared at the Judean hills. They seemed so blank, almost white.
"It is easy to see how things become barren in this land." After another thoughtful moment, "This land is in need of a savior"
Joseph relaxed on the bench and stopped playing with his drink as he realized Mary was doing it again. She would have moments where she would start talking in a certain tone and nothing could stop her. He loved it when she did it, but he didn't know why. He listened.
"God wants to do something different, Joseph. He is starting it in me, and I feel that I, that we, are responsible to bring it to maturity. It is a deep and magnificant honor that we are to be the ground in which the vine of Israel will grow and become fruitful."
"Well how do you know it is going to happen as you think?"
"Because Yehoshua was given to me. And the angel came to me. And he said I would be blessed of all women."
"So you are and you will be, because you gave birth to him...."
"It's not the same."
"What do you mean?"
"If we give him away ..." Mary's eyes begin to swell with emotion, "I won't feel blessed! I will feel jealous like Sarah did and feel my fulfillment has been stolen. This is my responsibility and my joy. I thought we were going to do this together, but if you don't want to do it Joseph," Mary hesitated, "I will not hold you to it. You may go in peace."
"It's not about that. That's not fair. I have stood by you for all these months. I will continue to do so. I, well I just thought... I don't feel like I have anything to give him as a father. How can I teach him about the things of God? I struggle with being a good carpenter. " Joseph takes a long drink on his beer like he was trying to wash something away.
Mary, softening toward her husband reached across the table and took his hand, "Remember Joseph God is his father. He will be taught by Him. Don't the scriptures say Your children will be taught of Yahweh? He is the husbandman. All we have to do is trust and follow and he will do the rest."
"You mean Adonai."
"Yes, of course, Adonai."
"You're right, sometimes I feel the pressure upon me and doubts rise up." Joseph downs the last of his beer, "lets get our things, the camels are standing up, the train is ready to leave. We have a destination to reach."
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