Decker exhaled slowly. “I must have been more affected than I realized for Rina to call you. And here I was thinking I was maintaining perfectly …”
The rabbi smiled. “Are you all right, Akiva?”
“Physically?”
“Physically … emotionally.”
“I’m fine.”
The old man absorbed his student’s words, weighing their veracity for just a moment. Then he pointed to a chair, offering Decker a seat. Schulman eased into a leather chair, and rested his elbows on his sprawling desktop. Clasping his hands, he touched his lips to his fingers and waited.
Haltingly, Decker related the details of the morning’s ordeal. As he spoke, he began to feel lighter of weight, his emotions releasing in slow steady leaks rather than sudden bursts. He was sheepish about using the rabbi as a spiritual springboard. But the old man seemed used to it.
Afterward, Schulman said, “It was a fluke, this horse going crazy?”
“No, Rabbi, the horse was drugged.”
The old man pondered the statement. “Someone tried to kill this lady using a horse?”
“Maybe just frighten her. But who knows?”
“Terrible,” Schulman said. “Truly terrible.”
“If that’s what happened, yes, it is.”
The old man seemed a shade paler than before. Decker quickly added, “She’s fine, Rabbi. Sure she was shaken, but she’s fine.”
“Did you bench gomel?” the old man asked.
Gomel—thanks to God for delivering a person from harm. Decker had not only said it, he had said it with feeling.
“Yes, though technically, I guess she was the one who should have done the praying.” He added under his breath, “Not that I can imagine her praying.”
Schulman said, “She’s an atheist?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Decker smoothed his mustache. “She’s more like a New Ager. Do you know what that is?”
“It’s a person who worships chandeliers.”
Decker smiled. “Crystals, Rabbi. Not chandeliers.”
“There’s a difference?” Schulman waved his hands in the air. “It’s all avodah zorah—idol worship.”
Easily categorized, easily dismissed. But something was gnawing at Decker’s gut.
“Rabbi, the woman claims to have magical powers, says she can predict things by the miasma in the air. Of course, she’s strange. But something in me can’t completely disregard her. Before the horse bolted, she felt something bad was going to happen. And then the horse went crazy. I don’t know what to think.”
Schulman’s expression was grave. “And this woman. She is beautiful, Akiva?”
Decker raised his brow. “Truthfully, she is.”
“And sensual?”
“Yes.”
“And seductive?”
“Very.” Decker observed the old man’s face. “Do you know who I’m talking about?”
“In theory only. I have met her in the Bible.” Schulman adjusted his hat. “‘Mechashepha lo techaye—do not let a sorceress live.’ Not that I’m wishing harm to befall her in any way. I’m relieved that she’s fine.”
“I know you are, Rabbi.”
“Perhaps, Akiva, this woman’s feelings of power are nothing more than a wish to be special, a shout for attention.”
“Could be. Although she hasn’t called the press. And she could get press if she wanted to.” Decker drummed his finger on the desk. “Rabbi, what made you ask if she was seductive?”
Schulman threw up his hands. “I’m not in the business of personality profiles.”
“I won’t hold you to anything.”
“Just so we understand that I’m talking theoretically.”
“Understood.”
“Okay.” Schulman sat up in his seat. “When one hears of predicting the future, if one is a rabbi, he thinks of false prophets or sorceresses. Makes sense, correct?”
Decker nodded.
Schulman said, “I asked about those specific characteristics because they’re traits of the sorceresses and false prophetesses recounted in our history. Many of them were beautiful and seductive because they were the ones able to obtain followers. They would entice the men sexually, win them over to their profane ways, and eventually the poor wives and daughters—not wishing to be deserted—would follow the men. Many men fell prey to the lures and were sucked into lives of idol worship and sexual depravity. Insanely jealous of Hashem and His true powers, these so-called prophetesses would do anything to get Jews to abandon the Torah. That is why the biblical punishment against them is so strong.”
“The Torah doesn’t advocate killing prostitutes and they’re pretty licentious,” said Decker. “Why such harsh measures for a seductress?”
“Sorceress, not seductress, Akiva. But still it’s a good question. You have a woman causing problems—who is sexually loose and is preaching false words, doing black magic—why not just exercise some other form of punishment? Perhaps a sound flogging or even banishment? Why death?”
Schulman lifted his finger in the air.
“Why? I’ll tell you why. Because sexual licentiousness wasn’t the sole moral problem of the false prophet. The pagan ritual practices were barbaric, Akiva, often full of human sacrifice and infant slaughter as offerings to their idols. If the pagans didn’t kill outright, they often mortally maimed—castration, evisceration, amputation. Not to mention hideous torture to animals. Once morality is compromised like that, ethics fall by the wayside permanently. The hedonistic rituals—all of them completely contrary not only to the Torah, but to the seven Noachide laws.” The old man got a gleam in his eyes. “Which are …”
Decker smiled.
“Always the teacher, Akiva,” Schulman said. “Name them for me.”
Decker listed the seven laws—the six prohibitions against blasphemy, idolatry, murder, adultery, theft, and eating or drinking blood from live animals as well as the one positive commandment to establish legal systems. Divinely revealed laws given to the world after the Great Flood.
Schulman said, “Very good. The commentaries teach us that it is not necessary to be Jewish to have a share of the world to come. But it is necessary to follow the Noachide laws. That is why the other religions are not an affront to Hashem—quite the contrary. There is a place for all righteous people. But not for pagans who torture.”
Decker thought a moment about the Noachide statutes.
“You know, I’m thinking to myself, Rabbi, these laws are the polar opposites of devil worship. Satanists must have formulated their rules by doing the antithesis of the Noachide laws.” He laughed. “Not exactly an earth-shattering observation.”
“But a correct one, Akiva. Satan is the polar opposite of Hashem. Is your seductive lady a Satanist by any chance?”
“I don’t have any indication of that, but I don’t really know. Maybe she does belong to some crazy cult and some lunatic is out to make her a human sacrifice. I think that’s a long shot. Still …”
“And as long as you’re considering long shots, may I suggest something else?”
“Sure. Shoot.”
“Perhaps