The Kabbalistic Murder Code: Mystery & International Conspiracies (Historical Crime Thriller Book 1)

by Nathan Erez

  Just then, from behind, two men dressed in black, with black neckties, entered the room and took up positions behind Elijah. They had entered so silently that Elijah was not even aware of their presence. However, Lynne’s evident confusion made it clear to Elijah that something must have happened. Before he had managed to react, the Chinese or Korean man burst into the room with a gun in his hand, and fired. At first, Elijah thought the gun had been aimed at him, but when he heard what sounded like the angry growl of a hungry leopard behind him, he turned around and saw one of the two men falling down bleeding, while the other drew his gun and managed to shoot the Luzatto Institute man in the chest. Even in the throes of death, the Chinese or Korean man motioned to Elijah to run into the inner rooms of the brothel. One of the men who had been sitting in the conference room followed him. Without thinking consciously about what he was doing, Elijah ran in the direction he was shown, followed by Lynne Sassoon and Mei-Ling. He lost the man who was in front of him at a bend, and started running even faster.

  Totally lost, he wandered into a room where a very portly westerner, completely covered with lather, was being mounted by a slim young woman, who was sliding all over him. The excessive heat, the fact that the Oriental man who had evidently been shot was the one he had seen in Israel, as well as all the things he had seen since entering the building, left him utterly disoriented, to the extent that he became dizzy and saw black circles dancing before his eyes. He rushed out of the room and kept running until he was brought to a halt by stumbling over a body lying on the floor. He had evidently come full circle and was again in Lynne’s office. He fell on top of the Chinese man, who was bleeding profusely from his wounds.

  “Luzatto!” screamed Elijah, his face almost touching that of the mortally wounded man. The man was clearly breathing his last breath. Elijah tried to stand up, but kept toppling over. Suddenly he felt an outstretched hand pulling him. It was the one of the men he had seen earlier in Lynne’s office.

  “Hurry! Come with me! You are in great danger!”

  The man grabbed Elijah’s jacket and dragged him into a small room, occupied by a woman. Throwing the woman out of the room and sending her to the manager, he grabbed a container and shook it before spraying Elijah from head to toe with a white foamy substance, making it impossible to identify him.

  “What the hell is going on?” Elijah shouted, using the most vulgar language he could muster.

  “Mister, they wanted to kill you. Kim tried to protect you, and paid for it with his life.”

  “Who is Kim? Is he the man I met in Israel?”

  “Yes, he was sent to protect you.”

  “To protect me from whom?”

  “From the White Lotus gang.”

  “And who are these ‘White Lotus’ guys anyway? What on earth would they want from me?” The questions kept tumbling out.

  “They are what you would call the Chinese Mafia.”

  “But why would the Chinese Mafia care about me? Orna is never going to believe this!”

  “They believe that you bought the manuscript for your wealthy employer, and decided to take you hostage so as to blackmail him.”

  It all began to sink in, although Elijah was still not quite sure what was really happening. “So how much could I possibly be worth to him?” he asked.

  “To him, you are not worth a thing. He is interested only in the manuscript. Kim loved that manuscript, and was willing to forfeit his life to protect it. We’ll hide out for a while and then we’ll take you to a safe house. There is no way we can go back to your hotel, because I’m sure they’re there waiting for you.”

  “What will happen to Kim? I think he’s still alive.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about him. His lungs are filling up with blood so fast that he will be dead by the time we get him to a hospital.”

  Elijah remained frozen in place, with the foam all over him. He was afraid even to breathe.

  Finally, at 2:00 am, Lynne came in and said to him, “We can take you now. You will be going to Batzri.”

  They left by a little-used side entrance. He never saw Mei-Ling again. They entered a small black car which had been waiting for them, and the driver took them, following a circuitous route with many detours, to a house at the edge of the city.

  A smiling, cheerful man who looked surprisingly like an old Yemenite that Elijah knew in the Israeli town of Rosh Ha’ayin, opened the door. The man appeared to be very alert, and in spite of the late hour he acted as if he had been anticipating visitors.

  “I’m so pleased to meet you,” said the man, holding out his hand. Elijah automatically shook the outstretched hand.

  “I’m Rabbi Solomon Batzri,” the man introduced himself. Elijah had heard the name Batzri at Mr. Wang’s home, but had no way of knowing if this was the same man, or a descendant. Wang had described the other Rabbi Batzri as an old man many decades earlier, and he was no doubt dead by now.

  “It’s a pleasure. I’m Elijah,” he replied mechanically. He was totally numb after all he had gone through that night.

  “Here you can feel totally secure. Please take a seat. Would you like clothes that are not quite so wet?”

  “No, no, I’m fine,” replied Elijah, and he realized that this answer guaranteed him lower back pain for weeks to come. “Could you possibly explain to me what is happening here?”

  “Yes, I can. I am the grandson of Rabbi Judah Batzri, who was a friend of Madame Rachel Sassoon. When Lynne contacted me an hour ago to host you in my home, I was more than delighted that I could be of service. In order for you to understand why you’re being hunted and how much money is involved, let me tell you a little about my grandfather and Lynne’s grandmother.

  “In spite of my grandfather’s name, which would seem to imply that his family hailed from Batzra in Iraq, he was actually of Yemenite origin. There are those who say that my grandfather’s father did not leave his home voluntarily, but was forced to do so after having been excommunicated by the noted rabbi, Rabbi Joseph David HayyimAzulai, who was the author of the Ben Ish Chai series. He appears to have been excommunicated for teaching Kabbalah to those who were unworthy of learning it. According to the letter of excommunication, he had no part in the people of Israel or in the city of Jerusalem. He was forbidden – as were the next three generations succeeding him - to set foot in Jerusalem. My grandfather was of the first generation to which this edict did not apply. He lived in Palestine in abject poverty, and became a friend of the Kabbalist Rabbi David Moreno, who took him under his wing. My grandfather had wealthy relatives here in the East, and even though the news that he was seriously involved in Kabbalah greatly disturbed them, they invited him to move here so he would be able to spend his last days in comfort. In order for him not to feel that he was living off charity, he was put in charge of the ‘Genizah’, the old book repository, and it was there that he met Madame Sassoon.”

  “I understand,” said Elijah, all the while understanding absolutely nothing at all. If anything, the only detail he did understand was that the more time elapsed, the more deeply involved he was becoming - and he saw no way he could extricate himself from the mess he was in.

  “My grandfather was always considered to be something of a strange bird and he kept to himself. Here, too, rumors were rife with regard to his study of the Kabbalah and that made people wary. Once, when I was small, I heard him repeating a series of Hebrew words and verses, like a mantra, and I could see that he was in ecstasy. I was too young to understand what he was doing, and if anything, I was scared. I finally mustered the courage to ask him what he was doing. He told me that he was trying to recall a child of my age, the son of David Moreno, who had disappeared or been kidnapped. His dealings and meetings with Madame Sassoon were strange and evoked all kinds of questions. However, because of their advanced ages and public status, no one said a word. It was Madame Sassoon who supported him in his old age, and it was she who insisted on being the one to organize his funeral service and choice of
headstone. It was she, too, who executed his will, which was not a difficult thing to do, considering that he owned almost nothing. Madame Sassoon continued to have an interest in Judaism even after my grandfather’s death and, rumor has it, she even hired private tutors to teach her Judaism and mathematics. She died about three years after he did. Since her only daughter had severed all ties with her and the rest of her family had not been especially fond of her during her lifetime, the Hong Kong Jewish community was not surprised to learn, when her will was read, that she had left the brothel to her daughter, while the rest of her estate, which included real estate, stores, shares and a great deal of money, was to be used for the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem, no more, no less. The Jewish community in Jerusalem was appointed to oversee this.

  “Based on British law, which states that where the provisions of a will cannot be enforced as such, the estate is then apportioned for similar aims, the judges in Hong Kong ruled that since, at present, there is no way for the Third Temple to be built, in the interim the interest was to be used for religious and charitable purposes. Note the judges’ use of the phrase ‘in the interim’. In other words, the capital remains available for if and when the Third Temple is built.”

  “And where is the capital at present?”

  “There was no simple answer to this when it was in probate. The judges ruled that the capital be transferred to the Jewish community of Jerusalem. But which one? The Sephardi or the Ashkenazi? There was an all-out battle between the two groups. The Sephardic community claimed that since Madame Sassoon came from a distinguished Iraqi family - and the Iraqi Jews are all Sephardi - the money should go to them. The Ashkenazi Jews claimed that since all Jews are brothers, the money should be divided equally between the two communities. During her lifetime, she had been shunned by all, but after her death people suddenly declared themselves her best friends. This dispute dragged on for years, and both sides periodically sent representatives to Hong Kong – their traveling expenses to be deducted from the inheritance once the claims had been settled. In the end, it was decided that the Sephardic community would receive 70% of the interest and the Ashkenazi would receive 30%.”

  “While all of this is fascinating,” said Elijah - his scholarly patience wearing dangerously thin - “how does Norman fit into the picture?”

  “The heads of the Chinese crime syndicates, which are very much a part of Hong Kong as well, heard about the manuscripts which had somehow or other found their way here. These manuscripts are worth a fortune. My grandfather and Mr. Wang’s father once found an old crate full of manuscripts. You and Kim were merely messengers. Since your arrival, the situation has become too dangerous for you to remain here and finish your work.”

  “One second, please. You’re under a totally mistaken impression. I’m not a businessman and don’t have the authority to negotiate with Mr. Wang or with anyone else. I’m a scholar of manuscripts, and was merely sent here to examine the manuscript and report my findings to Norman.”

  “Indeed? And what conclusion have you reached?”

  “The manuscript is a forgery,” Elijah lied.

  “I knew it! I knew it! I’ve always known that the real manuscript was in my grandfather’s possession. Wang found a number of valuable manuscripts in the crate, but my grandfather had one manuscript of his own. He gave it to Rachel Sassoon for safekeeping. This manuscript had never been in the crate and was handed down in our family for four generations until it was given to my grandfather. My father told me it had been stored inside a silver sphere to keep it out of the hands of the fanatical Khalif Omar, the same khalif who had burned down the library in Alexandria. My father also told me that he had seen the place where Rachel and my grandfather had hidden the silver sphere, and he spelled out to me exactly where it is to be found. For years I thought it was nothing but a legend, and when I became a rabbi I believed it inappropriate for me to delve into the Kabbalah. And of course, as a rabbi, I could hardly go to the brothel and look for the silver sphere. It is possible that I am the only one alive today who knows where they hid the ball.”

  “And I’m the only person in the world who can tell you if the manuscript is genuine or not,” responded Elijah, throwing out the bait.

  “Let me call Lynne. We can drive there if it’s not too dangerous.”

  “Back to the brothel?” said Elijah nervously. He knew about the criminals and their rule of always returning to the scene of the crime; and he was terrified of going back there. All he wanted was to head for the airport and take the 7:00 am flight out of town.

  At the brothel the phone rang and rang, but no one answered.

  “The place is obviously closed. There is no one there,” Rabbi Batzri said sorrowfully. He was consumed with the desire to get his hands on that manuscript, but of course it was only worth the effort if the manuscript did not turn out to be a forgery.

  “I think I’ll take a cab to the airport,” proclaimed Elijah. “I’m so tired I’m afraid that if I fall asleep now I won’t get up in time for the flight. I might as well go to the First Class lounge and sleep there.”

  “I’ll go with you,” said Rabbi Batzri, even though it was close to 4:00 am. He called a taxi service and ten minutes later a cab arrived. Rabbi Batzri mumbled something in Chinese. Elijah had no idea what he said, but he noticed that they stopped a few minutes later at the rear door of the brothel.

  “I’ll be right back,” said the rabbi, as he swiftly climbed up the fire escape leading to the roof of the building. He came back down a few minutes later; he was obviously tense. The veins in his neck protruded angrily, and he was breathing deeply but unevenly. He had a package with him. In spite of the coolness of the night, he was perspiring. He ordered the driver to set off.

  Elijah understood that there must be some major problem, but had enough sense not to engage Rabbi Batzri in any conversation. When they reached the airport, Rabbi Batzri paid the driver and got out of the cab with Elijah.

  “I have the equipment to examine the manuscript with me,” said Elijah quietly.

  Batzri responded immediately. “You have it with you? As you saw, I have my grandfather’s manuscript, and would like you to examine it. I’m willing to pay you whatever you ask.”

  “You saved my life tonight. I wouldn’t dream of asking you to pay. It’s the least I can do for you.” Elijah knew that, if anything, he himself was willing to pay as much as was demanded just for the chance to examine the manuscript.

  “Let’s go into the men’s lavatories. You can go into one of the stalls, while I stand guard outside.”

  “Are you sure it’s safe here? I’d hate to be caught with my pants down.”

  “While we’re in the airport we’re totally safe. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity of accompanying you here. The members of the Chinese Mafia are known to the local security forces. They do not find it easy to enter the airport.”

  Once inside the stall, with the manuscript in his hands, Elijah forgot about the world outside. He was snug in his own little world. He peeled off the white cloth in which the manuscript had been wrapped. Fighting the manuscript’s tendency to curl itself up, he was able to spread it out before him. Yes, this had definitely been written by Nehemiah of Peki’in. He knew this script well by now and, to him, it was like receiving a letter from the past. He began to examine the script line by line. The first few lines were identical to those of the photocopy he had received at the institute and to the copy in Mr. Wang’s possession. Here again, there was a change in the seventh line! Elijah began to understand what was involved: each copy provided another hint. Elijah had no idea what it was, though, as he had not been educated on the Kabbalah. Up to now, there had been something about the Even Shetiyah. And there was an allusion to the heart of the world and to the spring. Here, though, the text was totally different.

  By now, he was convinced that each of the seven copies contained a different hint, and that was why it was vital for Norman to acquire all of them. O
nly by obtaining all seven copies and comparing the seventh line of each could a full picture emerge. Now he understood why Norman was willing to pay any amount of money to obtain all seven manuscripts! Elijah photographed the manuscript, making sure to focus on the seventh line, and then rolled it up, wrapped it carefully in its cloth, and came out. Rabbi Batzri was waiting anxiously.

  “It’s genuine!” ruled Elijah, and Rabbi Batzri almost kissed him in gratitude.

  “I suggest that you offer it for sale to Norman,” said Elijah, as he handed the rabbi Norman’s business card.

  Only once the plane had taken off and was safely in the air, was Elijah able to unwind a little. Now he was free to think back to the to-do list which he had found in the desk drawer. It seemed that days before Kim died, whoever had written the note had mentioned the need to take care of the Kim Foundation. That was the end of his tranquility!

  The Fifth Sphere

  When the Arabs Conquered Jerusalem

  In 638 C.E., which is the year 17 of the Hegira, the Arabs conquered Jerusalem, which was still called Aelia Capitolina. It was a bloodless conquest, in which Patriarch Sophronius surrendered without a fight. Sophronius, though, was only willing to surrender to the head of the Muslims, Khalif Omar ibn al-Khattab. Omar had arrived in Jerusalem from Syria, riding into Jerusalem on a camel and dressed simply in a camel’s hair garment, to show the modesty of a devout Muslim. According to Christian history, on the other hand, the garments he was wearing were filthy.

  In consultation with a Yemenite Jew who had converted to Islam, Ka’ab al-Akhbar, the khalif decided to build a prayer hall on the Temple Mount itself. Ka’ab asked that it be built to the north of the Even Shetiyah - so that when the Muslims prayed in the direction of Mecca they would be facing the Even Shetiyah. After all, by tradition, that is the Foundation Stone of the entire world and it is from it that the world was formed. Thus, when Muslims bowed down in prayer they would be bowing down to the Temple Mount, where the Second Temple had stood. Omar was opposed to this idea, and mockingly claimed that Ka’ab was still thinking like a Jew.