An elderly Italian Jew wanted to unburden his guilty
conscience by talking
to his Rabbi. "Rabbi, during World War II, when the
Germans entered Italy, I
pretended to be a Catholic and changed my name from
Levy to Spumoni, and
I am alive today because of it."
"Self-preservation is allowable, and the fact that
you never forgot that
you were a Jew is admirable," said the Rabbi.
"Rabbi, during the war, a beautiful Jewish woman
knocked on my door and
asked me to hide her from the Germans.
I hid her in my attic, and they
never found her."
"That was a wonderful thing you did, and you have no
need to feel guilty."
"It's worse, Rabbi. I was weak and told her she must
repay me with sexual
favors, which she did, repeatedly."
"You were both in great danger and would have
suffered terribly if the
Germans had found her. There is a favorable balance
between good and
evil, and you will be judged kindly. Give up your
feelings of guilt."
"Thank you, Rabbi. That's a great load off my mind.
But I have one more question."
"And what is that?"
"Should I tell her the war is over?"
conscience by talking
to his Rabbi. "Rabbi, during World War II, when the
Germans entered Italy, I
pretended to be a Catholic and changed my name from
Levy to Spumoni, and
I am alive today because of it."
"Self-preservation is allowable, and the fact that
you never forgot that
you were a Jew is admirable," said the Rabbi.
"Rabbi, during the war, a beautiful Jewish woman
knocked on my door and
asked me to hide her from the Germans.
I hid her in my attic, and they
never found her."
"That was a wonderful thing you did, and you have no
need to feel guilty."
"It's worse, Rabbi. I was weak and told her she must
repay me with sexual
favors, which she did, repeatedly."
"You were both in great danger and would have
suffered terribly if the
Germans had found her. There is a favorable balance
between good and
evil, and you will be judged kindly. Give up your
feelings of guilt."
"Thank you, Rabbi. That's a great load off my mind.
But I have one more question."
"And what is that?"
"Should I tell her the war is over?"
