The Alchemist's Door Read Online Free PDF

thirty-six. An old Jewish tradition said that there were thirty-six righteous men who upheld the world. According to the tradition if any of these men should die, or stray from the path of righteousness, the world would come to an end. They were called the la’med vavniks, from the Hebrew letters that corresponded to thirty-six.
    Was he one of these men? He had far too many faults, he knew that; his anger flared out too easily, he coveted the post of Chief Rabbi of Prague, he wanted to know and understand more than was perhaps lawful for a mere man. And how could he take on such a vast responsibility? How could he carry the weight of the world on his shoulders?
    â€œJudah?” Pearl said again. “Are you listening to me? I said Izak wants to talk to you after supper.”
    He forced his attention back to his family. The conversation turned to his audience with Emperor Rudolf, set for two days hence. Another heavy responsibility, Loew thought.

    â€œWhy do you suppose the emperor wants to see you?” his daughter Leah asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” Loew said. “It’s said that Rudolf studies Kabbalah. I’m perfectly willing to discuss this with him, if that’s what he wants. My worry is that he summoned me to talk about something else.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œYou know how precarious our situation here is,” Loew said. Leah shook her head, and Loew had to remind himself that his children had lived here in safety all their lives. “It was only forty years ago that King Ferdinand of Bohemia expelled all the Jews from Prague.”
    â€œDid he?” one of the grandchildren asked. “But then why are we here?”
    â€œThe next emperor, Maximilian, reversed the order.”
    â€œSo everything worked out well, then,” the grandchild said, taking a last bite of chicken.
    Loew smiled. “Yes, but you see, our lives depend on the whim of whoever is in power. And Rudolf, they say, is mad. I will have to be very careful.”
    â€œMad?” Leah looked at him with consternation. “What do you mean? Mad how?”
    Now he had frightened the children, and some of the grandchildren as well. “Oh, nothing too strange,” he said, trying to sound unconcerned. “He collects things—it’s said his castle is filled with paintings and statues and scientific instruments. And he has fits of temper, and banishes his counselors when they displease him.”
    â€œThat doesn’t sound so terrible,” Leah said.
    â€œNo, as you say,” Loew said. “I’m certain I’ll be fine.” But he caught Pearl’s eye and saw that she shared his worry. One misstep on his part, and they might all be exiled again.
    Someone knocked at the door. “That will be Izak,” Pearl said, rising. “Should I tell him you’ll see him in your study?”

    Loew nodded. He took one of the candles and headed back into the house. It was only as he opened the door to his study that he realized he hadn’t asked Pearl which Izak had come to see him: there must be dozens in the quarter.
    As he lit a lamp he noticed that the book on his desk was open to page thirty-six. He closed it angrily and sat behind the desk.
    A young man came into the study. His face was thin and bony, with a protuberant chin, and he had curly, sandy-colored hair. Now Loew remembered him from the school; he had been a good student, though not a brilliant one. What was his father’s name? Izak son of … He shook his head at his absentmindedness.
    To Loew’s surprise a young beautiful woman stepped in after him. “This is Sarah,” Izak said. “We want to be married, and we want you to perform the ceremony.”
    Now Loew remembered what he had forgotten earlier, and a great sadness came over him. “Sit down, please,” he told the couple. He looked from one of them to the other. “I’m afraid I cannot marry