Rashi's Daughters, Book III: Rachel (26 page)

“I suppose it would be.” Eliezer’s flirtatious mood evaporated at this mention of his wife’s menstrual apparatus.

“I think it was Joheved’s idea, since she had all that extra wool. But she wasn’t sure it would be allowed on Shabbat, since it might be considered carrying instead of wearing. So she discussed it with Papa.”

Carrying items from one domain to another was forbidden work on the Sabbath, but wearing something was, of course, permitted. Since a
mokh
went into a woman’s womb, Eliezer could understand how it could be acceptable, despite the fact that it was a new innovation. “If it makes being
niddah
less onerous for women, I think we should be lenient,” he said.

“Not that Joheved cares anymore,” Rachel said. “She hasn’t been
niddah
since little Salomon was born. I guess he’ll be her final child.”

Eliezer gave silent thanks to his sister-in-law. Last summer Rachel went to bed early when she was
niddah
, but now she and Joheved stayed up studying together until he and Meir returned from the late-night Talmud sessions. Now that he thought of it, something seemed to be bothering Meir; he occasionally asked Eliezer what the last speaker had said, and his young students sometimes had to repeat their questions for him.

“I’m also happy because Milo will soon return with a new English ram for Joheved,” she continued. “He has to be back soon or it will be too late for the rutting season in September.”

“That’s an odd thing to make you happy,” he said.

Rachel proceeded to explain the situation in Ramerupt. “I know we won’t have better wool immediately, but we can keep the male lambs with the finest wool for breeding, and eventually we’ll have wool that’s worth dyeing with kermes and indigo.”

Eliezer sighed.
So that’s what was distracting Meir from Talmud.
“What’s Joheved going to do when Milo returns, as you’re so sure he will?”

“Oh, I have an idea how to solve that.” Rachel grinned at him but said nothing more.

Eliezer smiled at her confidence. Even in the unlikely event that Milo did bring back a ram that met Rachel’s expectations, it would still take several years for her scheme to work. And that was assuming she found a competent fuller—which meant he was in no danger of having to give up his astronomy studies in Toledo.

He was a student in al-Zarqālī’s school now—a novice astronomer to be sure, but Eliezer knew he would quickly rise in the ranks. For his study partner, and good friend, was Abraham bar Hiyya, son of the Nasi in Barcelona. When it came to astronomy and mathematics, Abraham was brilliant. Slightly younger than Eliezer, he too had little patience for those with less intellect. But because he understood that Eliezer’s ignorance was due to lack of exposure to the subject, and because he saw how quickly Eliezer learned the material, Abraham was willing to study with him. Normally Eliezer would have chafed under such an unequal partnership, but Abraham was even more ignorant of Talmud than Eliezer was of astronomy.

Abraham had studied Jewish Law with Rabbi Isaac Alfasi, author of the great legal code
Sefer ha-Halachot.
Eliezer was horrified to learn that instead of having his students study the Talmud itself, Alfasi had transcribed the Talmud’s halachic conclusions verbatim, without the surrounding deliberations.

Eliezer and Abraham almost came to blows early on, when Abraham declared Talmud study unnecessary because Alfasi’s work contained all the essential decisions and laws. But once Eliezer quoted a few choice sections of Talmud for him, and showed him the importance of somebody knowing enough Talmud to make new laws, Abraham laughingly agreed that the French and German Jews could concentrate on Talmud exclusively. He intended to study the stars.

Eliezer was still smiling when Rachel finished dressing and went downstairs with Shemiah and little Rivka. One girl and one boy. Now that he’d fulfilled the mitzvah of procreation, he didn’t need to father any more children. Rachel might be eager for another baby, but he found that he wasn’t. No more pregnancies meant that Rachel would be able to travel with him again. Half the year in Troyes, for the fairs, and half in Toledo—that would be perfect.

Suddenly another thought cheered him. Milo would surely notice how well wheat was growing in the lands he passed through on his way back from Angleterre.

 

Looking forward to immersing that evening and resuming relations with Eliezer, Rachel returned from the vineyard early to find the courtyard bustling with more unexpected guests. She recognized Samson from Mayence: no one could forget that redheaded giant. But the group included three veiled women, a young man, and several children.

Joheved rushed up as soon as Rachel closed the gate. “Can you find room for Samson’s family in your house?”

Rachel groaned inwardly. She could put them in the children’s bedroom, but then Shemiah and Rivka would have to share hers. “But I’m going to the river tonight to immerse, remember. Isn’t there anyplace else they can stay?”

“Everyplace else is full of yeshiva students. And thanks to your husband, Elisha and Giuseppe are at Miriam’s.” Joheved paused to think. “What if your children sleep with mine?”

“I suppose so.” Rachel’s pout changed to curiosity. “What’s Samson’s family doing in Troyes?”

“They’re here for Pesach’s wedding.” Joheved saw Rachel’s startled expression and held up her hand to forestall any questions. “There’s a severe shortage of wheat in Worms, so Samson decided to have the wedding here. I’m so happy to see Catharina again.”

“I thought she wasn’t to come back here,” Rachel whispered. Catharina, the parchment maker’s daughter, and Joheved were girlhood friends. But Catharina had moved to Mayence after she converted to Judaism and married Samson.

“Her brother and everyone who worked in his shop died a few years ago. Some of their sheepskins carried a pestilence.” Joheved shuddered. “Thank Heaven it wasn’t from any of ours. Besides, it’s been over fifteen years since she left Troyes. No one will remember her.”

Within a week, Rachel was grateful for Catharina’s visit. Except to attend services, Catharina never stepped outside Salomon’s courtyard. Anna and Miriam’s cook did the shopping, but Catharina insisted on helping with the other household chores. Her daughters and daughter-in-law pitched in as well, leaving Rachel free to concentrate on the vineyard and her jewelry clients.

Baruch and Samson agreed to postpone the wedding for a month, hoping that Judah and Miriam would return by then. But regardless, it seemed that Samson preferred to stay in Troyes as long as possible, should more grain merchants arrive. Samson clearly had the credit to buy wheat at the outrageous price the dealers asked.

“He does very well in the fur business,” Eliezer explained to Rachel. “With his size and expertise in arms, he needn’t hire mercenaries for protection. He speaks the Slavic language, so his old countrymen trust him. And I’ve never seen anyone who could drink more and still remain sober.”

She laughed. “Quite an advantage in negotiating prices.”

 

Rachel had just slid her jewelry case behind one of the wine casks in her cellar when a noise on the stairs startled her. She peered up to see who’d been watching her, but it was only Joheved.

“There you are.” Joheved sighed with relief as she hurried down the stairs. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“What’s the matter? Is Judita in labor?”

“Not yet.” Joheved looked at her with dread. “Milo is home. And he’s brought back two of the finest rams I’ve ever seen. Whatever am I to do?”

If not for her sister’s anxiety, Rachel would have hugged Joheved in exultation. “Don’t worry. I’ll explain what to do when we get to Ramerupt. I want to see these rams.”

Two hectic weeks passed, however, before Rachel found an opportunity to visit the new livestock. Miriam’s family returned from sitting shiva for Judah’s mother just before Shabbat. Their arrival was fortuitous, because three days later Judita went into labor, giving birth to a baby boy. Zipporah performed the midwife’s job perfectly, while Miriam supervised.

Joheved wouldn’t leave Troyes until after her grandson’s brit milah, which Miriam reluctantly agreed to do. She’d been doing circumcisions for seven years, but she’d never grown accustomed to the hostile stares that greeted her presence on the
bima
with her mohel’s kit. Miriam didn’t want her actions to challenge her community; she just wanted to fulfill the mitzvah. So unless the mother asked for her specifically, or the baby boy was family, Miriam left the rites during fair times to Avram the Gold-smith, the mohel who’d trained her.

Samson and Baruch scheduled their children’s wedding for Tuesday, while the moon was still waxing. Rachel was so impatient to see those rams that, when she became
niddah
again, she convinced Eliezer to relinquish their large four-poster bed to the newlyweds for the nuptial week. After the ceremony, she and Joheved would go to Ramerupt.

Eliezer needed no convincing. As anticipated, Milo had reported passing lush fields of wheat in Picardy, near the Flemish border, which Eliezer was determined to reach at harvest time. Elisha and Giuseppe had already left for the area, their funds augmented by Samson and Miriam. Talmudic skills were required to renegotiate Eliezer’s original simple partnership with Elisha to the five parties’ satisfaction; it was necessary to take into account the different amount of capital supplied by each investor, that the men buying wheat would likely not bring back equal quality or quantities, and that the ones traveling west to procure the grain were not those who’d be selling it in the Rhineland.

“Are you sure you don’t want to sell your share in Troyes?” Eliezer asked Miriam.

“I can wait for the higher prices in Mayence and Worms. And I’d rather our wheat goes where people really need it.”

“Do you want me to bring back your profit or buy more furs with it?”

“I suppose I should invest in your furs.” She shook her head in amazement. “This is becoming a complicated process.”

Eliezer laughed. “It’s nothing compared to the contracts I arranged in Maghreb. There we negotiate with dozens of partners and have contingencies for circumstances such as the boat sinking in a storm, being attacked by pirates, the traveling partners having to be ransomed, or if an opportunity for additional profit presents itself on the journey.”

“I can understand why Talmud scholars make the best merchants.”

 

Joheved had sent no word that she was coming, but Milo still rode out to meet them. He looked so happy to see her, and so proud of himself, that Rachel couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Once Joheved followed her advice, this would be the last time he’d be riding with his ladylove.

At Rachel’s insistence, they stopped where the rams were pastured. “They are indeed magnificent creatures,” she said after stroking their wool. “Are you sure they’re not related?”

“That would be very unlikely,” Milo replied. “One comes from the Welsh marches and the other from the Midlands.”

Rachel had no idea where these places were, but she accepted Milo’s assurance. “You have done my sister a great service. I’m sure she will wish to reward you.”

“I deserve no reward other than the knowledge that I have served my lady well.”

Joheved’s face blanched as she raised the slightest brow at Rachel, who could barely wait for her scheme to come to fruition.

 

“How could you tell Milo that I’m going to reward him?” Joheved demanded, as they dressed for the evening meal. “What have you gotten me into?”

“Tonight at
souper
, will it be just the three of us at the high board and all the servants below?” Rachel asked.

“
Oui
.”

“So they won’t be able to hear us, but we’ll be in clear view all the time?”

“
Oui
.”

“Then we will give Milo the supreme test. Prepare him by saying that if his face betrays a hint of his feelings at what I say to him, you will deem him unworthy of your affection.” Rachel patted his sister’s hand. “Trust me.”

Joheved wanted to object, but she had no choice but to remain silent as Milo escorted them to the table.

“Follow my lead,” Rachel whispered in her sister’s ear.

It was a struggle but Milo managed to maintain a bland expression when Joheved repeated Rachel’s earlier words.

“You have another trial for me?” he asked.

“My sister will explain it to you,” Joheved said. “So I can carefully observe your responses.”

Rachel was impressed at Joheved’s quick-wittedness. “Milo, we all know that if a man easily gets what he desires, he holds it cheaply.”

Milo brightened with hope and then abruptly calmed himself.

“
Oui . . .
just as when the possession of some good thing is postponed by the difficulty of getting it, we desire it more strongly and put forth greater effort to keep it.”

“We understand each other well,” Rachel said. “My sister absolutely forbade you to love her; yet you persisted. To test you, she gave you an exceedingly difficult task, and now she must admit that you performed it twice beyond her satisfaction.”

“Give me another task, even more arduous.”

Rachel was pleased to see that, despite the passion of Milo’s words, he appeared to be saying something mundane. It looked like her idea might succeed. “In order to obtain my sister’s love, you must promise that you will always obey her commands.”

“I gladly make such a promise,” he answered.

“And if you violate your word, you will lose her love completely,” Rachel warned him.

“Heaven forbid that I should ever do such a thing.”

“Then if you truly love my sister, and wish to protect her from shame, you must cease all talk of love, all demonstrations of tenderness. You must display not the slightest hint of affection other than the loyalty she expects of all servants.”