The Tale of the Curtains: A Jewish Community's Miracle

In 1623, valuable tapestries and curtains from Damascus vanished from the estate of Prince Liechtenstein, the governor of Prague. Suspecting a theft, the authorities blamed the local Jewish community. To recover the missing items, they ordered notices in synagogues demanding that whoever held the curtains return them to the synagogue officials.

A Jewish man named Rabbi Yosef Tayn, who had purchased the curtains from two soldiers, gave them to Rabbi Chanoch Altschul, a synagogue official. Altschul then handed them over to the community leader, Rabbi Yaakov Teomim, who returned them to the prince's estate.

Rudolf Waldstein, the city's magistrate, known for swift and harsh judgments, learned about the recovery and demanded Rabbi Teomim reveal the 'thief's' identity. He threatened Teomim with execution if he refused. Rabbi Teomim insisted he had no knowledge of the thief and only Altschul, who was bound by communal oath, knew the identity but was obligated to protect it to preserve pathways of repentance.

Waldstein summoned Altschul to reveal the 'thief.' Under threat of hanging, Altschul identified Rabbi Tayn as the one who possessed the curtains.

Rabbi Yosef Tayn was sentenced to death by hanging alongside two dogs as a posthumous humiliation. Altschul, remorseful for betraying Tayn, sought to prevent the execution.

The Jewish community negotiated with Waldstein, who agreed to spare Tayn in exchange for a hefty ransom of 10,000 gold coins, demanding they deliver it in ten baskets, each filled with copper coins, posing a logistical challenge.

Throughout the night, the Jewish leaders tirelessly converted the gold into smaller copper coins. Upon delivery, Waldstein mocked them, demanding they carry the ransom on their shoulders, escorted by military guards through a lengthy route to the city hall.

On the 22nd of Tevet of that year, after debasing the community leaders, Waldstein accepted the ransom and released Rabbi Yosef Tayn from confinement with the dogs.

In remembrance of this miracle, Rabbi Chanoch Altschul composed a scroll known as 'The Scroll of Purim of the Curtains.' He instructed his descendants to celebrate the 22nd of Tevet as a festive day and to read the scroll annually, commemorating the great miracle that occurred.