This classic is attributed to George Burns:
During one of my many trips to London, I became friends with a very
wealthy, yet very modest, Jewish chap named Hyman Goldfarb. On one
visit, Hy told me that because of his large donations to charities
through the years, the queen wanted to knight him, but he was going to
turn it down.
"That's a great honor," I said. "Why would you turn it down?"
"Because during the ceremony you have to say something in Latin," he
said. "And I don't wish to bother studying Latin just for that."
"So say something in Hebrew. The queen wouldn't know the difference."
"Brilliant," Hy complimented me, "but what should I say?"
"Remember that question the son asks the father on the first night of Passover? ... Can you say that in Hebrew?"
"Of course," he said. "Ma nishtana ha leila hazeh. Thank you, old sport; I shall become a knight."
At the ceremony Hy waited his turn while several of the other honorees
went before the queen. Finally they called his name. He knelt before
Her Majesty, she placed her sword on one shoulder and then on the other,
and motioned for Hy to speak.
Out came "Ma nishtana ha leila hazeh."
The queen turned to her husband and said, "Why is this knight different from all other knights?"
Awful joke. It completely caught me. Still giggling.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm imagining it with George Burns's delivery.
Each time I read the punch line, I burst out laughing again. I picture the Queen turning to Philip and saying the words.
ReplyDeleteGroan!
ReplyDeleteStill funny today.
DeleteMimi, just to let you know: when I told my (ultra-Orthodoc adhering) rabbi that joke htis morning, he loved it.
ReplyDeletekishnevi, it gladdens my heart to hear that your rabbi enjoyed the joke.
DeleteJust to let you know, I finished the second seder a little while ago. One drinks four cups of wine at the seder.....so my typos in the above can be blamed on God (or at least the Rabbis).
ReplyDeleteLOL. After four cups of wine, I doubt I could type at all, kishnevi. You hold your wine well.
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