A Sacred Mystery on the Bridge?

The Year: 1696. Location: Charles Bridge, Prague. Trigger: A fateful spit.

This is a perplexing enigma that cannot be ignored by anyone with a Jewish heart. Situated in the tourist heart of Prague, it silently echoes the unspeakable hardships faced by Jews in exile, and more specifically, by those in Prague, who were subjected to brutal persecution.

Locally, this place is known as 'Karlův most', which translates to 'Charles Bridge', the oldest bridge crossing the Vltava River. The bridge is named after Emperor Charles IV. Its foundation was laid at exactly 5:31 AM on July 9, 1357. The alignment of the numbers, 135797531, forms a palindrome and is carved into the ancient tower at the bridge's entrance.

There, at this historical emblem of the city, thousands of tourists daily encounter this chilling mystery. Looming on the obsidian arms of a Catholic figure, gigantic Hebrew letters boldly spell out the deeply Jewish phrase "Holy, Holy, Holy is Hashem of Hosts." The sacred names are written in full, a shocking sight.

Every Jewish heart that confronts this alarming monument skips a beat. Jews stand frozen in pained recognition as past decrees and accusations against them surge back to mind. For over 300 years, this atrocity has remained in place, a harsh reminder of past sufferings.

While there's yet no definitive solution to this mystery, tradition tells of a Jewish passerby in 1696 who spat near the abomination, whether intentionally or not. Two seminary students lying in wait sentenced him to torture and death. But that wasn't all. The church imposed a heavy 'ransom of life' on the community, a huge amount of gold used to cast the verse atop the statue, ensuring Jews would not dare spit there again.

Over the years, many Jews have tried to remove this disgrace, but the local authorities refuse to part with this 'tourist curiosity,' promptly repairing any damage and restoring the shameful display. This enigma remains unsolved, serving as a subtle reminder of our ongoing exile, and the scriptural promises yet to be fulfilled: ''Hashem's name and throne will not be whole until Amalek's seed is erased.''