"La Pascua Marrana" is a Jewish traditional story transmitted orally by tens of generations of the Cohen family, to make it public one of its members, Leon Cohen Bello. The story was published in 2001 by Isaiah Leo Kremer in his work of every village a peasant. The oral tradition is starring Don José Manuel Rojas and Mejia, a member of the anusim and has been picked up by international Jewish organizations like the Center for Sephardic Studies (Caracas, Venezuela), La Boz Sephardic (Lima, Peru), mifgash of WUPJ (World Union for Progressive Judaism) or the WZO (World Zionist Organization).
We can place this story in Andalucia mid-sixteenth century, the Rojas(שחור) Jewish family is widely documented for example there is a record of Sanlucar de Barrameda (Andalucia) in the seventeenth century with a list of members of this anusim family. Members of this family came to the Canary Islands and got married with other anusim in the Canary Islands are a very high number of the descendants of this family.
Many members of this family on the island of Tenerife took refuge in the area known as the Mountains (mountains of Anaga) in this area all population without foreign origins (not canarian) has Rojas's ancestors .
Pascua Marrana
Today is the 16th day of the new moon of March . The pastor of dawn is hig still , the sounds of the night are still whispers that explode at dawn. I Don José Manuel de la Santa Trinidad Rojas y Mejia , contemplate the night that is giving birth to the day of the Jewish Passover . My name is not a coincidence, since they were imposed to the New Christians , plus the surname Rojas is a reversal of letters SajoR ( black , in Hebrew ) and Mejia that is a derivation of Messiah , but this is something very hidden and very private , otherwise misfortune would befall me and my beloved family.
I belong to the so-called "Marranos" for the holy church and I do everything possible to prove my Christian devotion . In fact my brother Fray Pedro Mejia Rojas is sacristan who has sacrificed more , because not only must live a life of hypocrisy and denial of their faith, but that was doomed to be a trunk without cuttings or seed for " honor " of his church. Today I shall attend Mass and see my brother when placing the host in our mouths , knowing that we do that pushed by circumstances .
Then Pedro comes on a donkey to the farm , and together on the banks of river water hit them with sticks of willow, reminding our patriarch Moses in the desert. Not is good I do this but there is something very deep in me that makes I do this. Perhaps it was the respect for my elders. But no, It's something that came from my more than for them, for love rather than by compromise. I have a farm where I salted and leather tanning.
As much staff I require , I'm usually in slave auctions . There my server : the mulatto Lucas , whom no one would suspect Marrano origin (in fact does not) , approaches the poor wretches review as simulated inspect mouth and ears in a low voice tells the " Shema Israel " , ( hear Israel) to what many stunned respond and seized by emotion. These are slaves to buy for my farm and especially brought slaves from Portugal and Brazil who respond positively to the password.
Today , Easter night , all those , "slaves" who work with me know they will be released from obligation, because after telling about our slavery in Egypt , we say : ! Now we are free ! , Although I know that we are still , prisoners.I buy to pirate groups who sell without going through any market , and these are the Judaizers suspects were brought before the Holy tribunal of Spain and that captured at the sea. In order to address these " Shopping" I help family members Priest ( Cohen ) and Viel ( investment letters Levi ) , who are in the same condition as me.
During the week we burn a lot of flour in the oven so that no one suspects that we will not eat bread, slipped among many baked a few of " skinny bread " who left without being seen and jealously guarded in the basement of the house, order to have matzah ( unleavened bread ) for the night. I choose personally the lambs animals without defect, I take knives without despostar dent and after , put the meat in salt water and not forgetting splashing with bloody knives on doorposts as my ancestors did . I would accompany this with the appropriate blessings .
Now comes the dinner . Peter look in the false bottom of the chapel a very old book what I never read , but my brother if , and in turn teach my son to do so. I send Lucas and under the pretext of putting lime , low in the hammock until the second wedging where there hides a cup carved a small prayer shawl and a skullcap with the Star of David . Also a piece of parchment I found in an old family chest as I think it is written in Hebrew and I hide until it can be translate . Under the basement. The strong smell of leather permeates my nose , and table is covered by a white linen tablecloth , gleaming cup filled with wine and bread of poverty facing the bedside chair .
We all have fears and anxieties , my brother Peter is transformed , his eyes shine that is crying , my oldest son have a red skullcap looks at me with love and fear . . Oh boy! If I could protect you from the risk to expose you . But I can not , which assails me guilt. This fades when hear words I do not understand , but with a melody that awakens in my memories of experiences that I don't lived . My son gets up and sings a few sentences for me and my guests. But to hear them all break to mourn .
My brother , now without his crucifix seems rid of his oppressive yoke , stands , covers me with the old stripes shawl who belonged I ignore . But to wrap myself in the strange feel a warmth in my whole being .God all powerful, why can not we feel like today for forever? Why should we lie daily about our faith ? How many of us follow your ways and how many will turn away forever from your path ? I wish I could see a future populated as brothers speak freely as Jews. Children of your chosen people. We invade the silence .
We all cried at this event , which should be of joy for the freedom achieved . I ask my brother the sacristan if he can translate the old parchment. The difficulty unfolds and reads the letters that erases time, and read on speaker
Veatá ahinu bnei Avadim Jorim , Baruch atah adonay Eloheinu , vehigiyanu Shehecheyanu vekimanu
Laz'man hazeh
We were slaves and now we are free , blessed that you allowed us to come and live in this time.
Want God in the near future , my children and their children can live in freedom his Easter , feel like this " our Marrana Passover " .
No comments:
Post a Comment