King For A Day
The strange story of Rabbi Shaul ben Yehuda Wahl.
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Q: I seem to be the only Jew in the
universe who actually eats buksor
(aka St. John's Bread, carob pods) —
you know, that bizarre Tu B'Shevat
thing that's a cross between a date
and tree bark. I love it so much that
a friend took a picture of it growing
on trees in Israel, which I now have
framed and sitting on my desk (some
people have kids' pictures; I have
snack foods).
Anyway, being a real '90s kind of
gal, I must know the nutritional in-
formation of everything I eat. I have
been searching obsessively for nu-
tritional info on buksor — calories
and fat grams in particular. I also
would love to know its history and
use. I can't find anything anywhere.
Can Tell Me Why help?
From reader J.K. in Smithfield
A: This food of 1,000 names
Diamonds by the yard!
One of a kind,
PINE .JEWEB—Filf
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(we'll refer to it as carob here) is
a native of the eastern Mediter-
l.anean area. Its trees reach as
high as 50 feet and bear petal-
less yellow or red flowers.
The delicious food (rest as-
sured: there are others out there
who love carob) consists of a pod
that starts at about 3 inches long
but can grow as big as 12 inches;
inside each you'll find between
five and 15 little seeds (which
should be removed before eating
the pod).
The seeds are extremely hard,
rendering them inedible to all but
those who enjoy breaking their
teeth. But they do contain a gum-
like substance used in certain in-
dustries, including textiles,
leather and rubber making. It
takes a lot of work to get that
gum out, though: about 1,000
pounds of pods brings in 100
pounds of seeds, yielding 35
pounds of gum. And still this is
not the end of the process. The
gum must be removed from the
seed and roasted before it is
placed in boiling water. After the
liquid evaporates, a kind of pow-
dery substance remains. It is this
substance which finds its way
into numerous industrial prod-
ucts.
Some say carob tastes like
chocolate (which is why carob
chips are often used in recipes
calling for the chocolate variety).
Some label the food (not just the
flavor, but the leather-like tex-
ture of the pod) inedible, ghastly
even. There's no question that it's
sweet though, which is totally un-
derstandable considering the fact
that carob pods are 50 percent
sugar.
Tell Me Why's favorite nutri-
tionist, Janis Roszler of Oak
Park, found out the answer to the
rest of your question. This infor- crowned and given all the pow-
mation applies specifically to the ers of a Polish king. He seized the
flour (from ground pods), but it opportunity to enact decrees fa-
should tell you everything you vorable to the Jews.
ever wanted to know (and more)
The following day, the noble-
about carob (which, by the way, men met again and agreed that
has virtually no fat).
Sigismund III, Stephen Batho-
Per 1/4 cup carob flour:
ry's nephew, should be Poland's
64 calories
next king. Shaurs reign was over,
1.5 grams protein
and he became known as the
98 mg. calcium
"king for a night."
319 mg. potassium
Over the centuries, historians
31.5 gm. carbohydrates
have debated the authenticity of
6 mg. sodium
the story. There is no doubt that
15 IU vitamin A
Shaul was a real person, had
1.4 mg. iron
great wealth and that his influ-
Q: In a previous Tell Me Why you ence with the Polish monarchy
described the legend of a Jewish was considerable. No one is cer-
queen of Spain. As always, the ex- tain how he acquired the appel-
planation was brilliant. Isn't there lation "Wahl," which in German
means "choice."
also a legend about a Jew-
AP/CARLOS OSORIO
ish king of Poland?
A: There certainly is,
and in this case the Jew-
ish subject of the legend
was a true historical fig-
ure.
The legend concerns
Rabbi Shaul ben Yehu-
da Wahl (1482-1565),
grandson of Rabbi Meir
Katzenellenbogen, chief
rabbi of Padua, Italy.
Shaul was born in Pad-
ua in 1545. As a young
man he left his birth-
place to study in Poland,
settling in Brest-Litovsk
(today in Ukraine). In
time, he became a
wealthy merchant and
the leader of Brest-
Litovsk's Jewish com-
munity. He had
extensive business deal-
ings with the Polish
monarchy and became
well known throughout
the kingdom. He died in Babs: The nose knows.
Brest-Litovsk around
1617.
0: Look, let's be honest. Barbra
Among the most famous leg- Streisand has a big, big nose. Now,
ends told of Shaul concerns his I've heard a lot about why she
election as king of Poland — for wouldn't have it fixed ("it would af-
a night. As the story goes, fect her voice"), but I have to know:
Stephen Bathory, king of Poland, didn't she, at least once, ever con-
died Dec. 12, 1586. Unlike most sider a rhinoplasty?
other countries, Poland had an
A: She did indeed — but some-
elected, not a hereditary, monar-
body talked her out of it.
chy. The Polish nobles set a date
Early in her career, while she
of Aug. 18, 1587, to elect a new
was starring in Funny Girl on
king. But the numerous factions
Broadway, Babs was thinking
could not agree on who should
about getting a nose job. But pro-
rule the country. The day soon
turned to night and one of -the ducer David Merrick convinced
her not to go through with it.
frustrated noblemen suggested
'Don't," he advised. "You'll be like
they select a temporary ruler un-
everyone else." ❑
til the political mess could be
straightened out. Everyone pre-
sent agreed the interim king
should be Poland's leading Jew,
the wise Rabbi Shaul.
Shaul immediately was
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