It is a little known fact that there was an ancient tradition, rigorously upheld, and whose origins were lost in the mists of time.
The tradition was that on the appointment of either a new Chief Rabbi or a new Pope, a visit was made by the Chief Rabbi to Rome. The Chief Rabbi solemnly handed to the Pope a sealed casket, the Pope equally solemnly shook his head and handed the casket back, and the Chief Rabbi then departed whence he came.
However, a few years ago, the appointment of a new Chief Rabbi coincided roughly with the appointment of a new Pope. The new Chief Rabbi, having been instructed in the tradition, asked what was in the casket, but nobody knew, so he duly made his journey to Rome and handed the sealed casket to the new Pope. The new Pope, having also been instructed in the tradition had also asked what was in the casket, but nobody in the Vatican knew either. So when the Chief Rabbi handed him the casket, he shook his head, and was about to hand it back when he stopped and asked, “What is in the casket anyway?” The Chief Rabbi shook his head and replied “Nobody seems to have any idea. I was told that it was just a tradition that I hand you the casket and that refuse it and hand it back. Nobody seems to know why”
The two men stood in silence for a moment, and then the Pope said “Why don`t we open it and have a look?” For a moment the Chief Rabbi was horrified, and then his curiosity got the better of him, and he agreed.
The seal was carefully cut, the casket lid was removed, and the two men both peered into the casket. In the bottom was a single piece of dried out brown papyrus. Carefully the Chief Rabbi lifted it out of the casket; even more carefully he unfolded it so that it should not disintegrate, and the two men bent over to read the almost indecipherably faded writing.
It was the bill for the Last Supper.
