During one of my many trips to London, I =
became friends with a very wealthy, yet very modest, Jewish businessman =
named Hyman. On one visit, Hy told me that because of his large =
donations to charities through the years, the Queen wanted to knight =
him. He confided he was going to turn it down.
"That’s a great honor," I said. =
"Why would you turn it down?"
"Because during the ceremony you have to =
say something in Latin," he said. "And I don’t want to bother =
studying Latin just for that."
"So say something in Hebrew. The queen =
wouldn’t know the difference."
"Brilliant," Hy complimented me, =
"but what should I say?"
It’s been a long time since my =
Talmud-Torah school days, but I asked, “Remember that question the =
son asks the father on the first night of Passover? Can you say that in =
Hebrew?"
"Of course," he said. "Ma =
nishtana ha laila hazeh. Thank you, old sport, I shall become a =
knight."
At the ceremony Hy waited his turn while =
several of the other honorees went before the Queen. Finally they called =
his name. He knelt before Her Majesty, and she placed her sword on one =
shoulder and then on the other. Then she motioned for Hy to speak. Out =
came "Ma nishtana ha laila hazeh."
The Queen turned to Prince Charles and asked, =
"Why is this knight different from all the other =
knights?"
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] www.grif.net =
"Jesus Knows Me, This I =
Love!"