Tractatus de imposturis et ceremoniis Iudaeorum nostri temporis

filled with them, by which they stubbornly lacerate and persecute the birth of the Virgin, the life, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ to the heavens, and finally the most holy and adorable Trinity itself. There exists a booklet about the nativity of the Lord, which they call in their own language Doldum Iesum a derogatory title for Jesus; it teems with so many detestable blasphemies that my mind shudders to recall them. Christ and the undefiled Virgin Mary His mother are especially noted there, whom they call Harriam dung heap, and Strankilion stormy tempest. The Rabbis, freed from Egyptian slavery, who are ashamed and disgusted by such impiety, bear the most ample and grave testimonies of this matter to me. However, the name of Jesus, most honorable among Jews, sounds so ill that you could not persuade even a man of the lowest sort, and the most needy among them, to impose it upon his son, even if the highest weight of gold were offered. Furthermore, if anyone, moved by some injury or anger, had called his adversary "Jesus" for the sake of insult, they interpret it so sinisterly that they compel the slanderer to recant, just as one who has taken much away from the reputation of his neighbor. The word "Jesus" contains the number 316, from which they collect just as many blasphemies. Munster, in a certain Preface, relates a history not unworthy to be recounted here. A Christian, observing a Thalmudist reading and perceiving that as often as the word "Jesus" occurred, he would spit with a certain nausea and disgust, saying these words: Gemach schemohu vesicharu May his name be blotted out and obliterated. Suspecting slanders, he seized the scoundrel by the hair and compelled him to the interpretation of those words. He, trembling and thinking that his life and fortune were at stake, having received a pledge of impunity, explained the meaning of those words, adding an explanation of the word Woric a term containing the same number, often used as a code for blasphemy, which contains the same number as the previous one and is held in the same place. By these words they express their horrible blasphemies, which it is not the place here to recount: for Ioan. Isaacus describes them more fully in his [work on the] sacred language.