Gett Page #6

Never imposed himself on anyone?

No. Always gracious.

Always.

- Well-liked?

- Very.

There's gossip in the synagogue, no?

Thou shall not gossip,

or however the saying goes...

So you happen to hear:

"This one went here,

that one went there..."

I know what everyone else knows,

no more, no less.

Everyone sees the sun, right?

It's like that.

And among all the rumors...

unwillingly, of course,

did you ever hear anything

about my brother Elisha Amsalem

or his home?

Nothing, never.

And even if something happened,

we never heard about it.

So if you don't hear,

it never happened.

- Everyone sees the moonlight.

- True.

If you had a daughter,

would you let your daughter

marry him?

Without hesitation.

Sunlight, moonlight,

interesting.

Jacob Ben Harouch, could it be

that the sunlight has blinded you?

What do you want, Carmel?

Didn't you hear

that Elisha Amsalem lives alone

and that his "well-known" wife

moved out four years ago?

- For two and a half years, we didn't.

- How can that be?

- Elisha didn't tell us.

- And then he did?

- No.

- Then what?

- People talked.

- What did they say?

They said she left him because

they aren't compatible.

That's what they said.

What else?

They said he let her go

and now he's waiting

for her to calm down.

He never said no to her. Never.

Domestic harmony

is all that matters to him.

You've been praying together

for a long time?

Yes.

Did you ever have to mediate

between Elisha and anyone?

Mediate?

What do you mean, mediate?

What it sounds like. Mediate.

Mediate? Yes.

Go on.

Look...

Elisha, how should I put it?

He's pedantic.

He likes things done his way.

When you say "pedantic,"

you mean "stubborn."

Your Honor, he's interpreting!

Did you hear me say stubborn?

I said "pedantic."

Okay. Give us an example.

If a congregant doesn't

follow his advice,

or sings differently,

Elisha...

doesn't spare the rod.

I suppose not all the congregants

sing like him

so you've had to mediate

between Elisha and...

two, three congregants.

It's a synagogue,

that's how it goes.

Everyone has someone

he doesn't speak with.

So does he.

They don't speak.

What's the big deal?

So what?

Can you give us a name?

A name?

A name, please.

Give us a name.

Abraham Zagouri.

Zagouri.

They had a disagreement

and since then they aren't speaking?

Yes.

For how long?

It's not my business.

Isn't it your job

as the Synagogue manager

to conciliate the congregants?

Of course it is.

Try to remember.

- How long haven't they spoken?

- A while.

How long?

A long time.

- How long?

- Many years.

- How many years?

- 15 years. Okay?

Excellent.

For 15 years,

they haven't spoken

because of a prayer

sung out of tune.

Why nitpick?

Elisha talked, the other did too,

and no one has forgiven.

Is that a crime? No.

It's not a crime.

Did you try to mend the rift?

- How many times?

- Plenty of times.

How many?

I don't know, on holidays...

Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah.

Abraham Zagouri apologized

to Elisha Amsalem.

Yes.

How many times?

Several times.

How many?

Until he gave up.

And he didn't forgive him. Did he?

He didn't.

So what if my brother doesn't

speak to a congregant?

That's not the point, Shimon.

The point is his endless patience.

He's made us wait five years!

And he could make us

wait even longer.

15 years, Your Honors.

15 years!

No more questions.

- So what?

- So nothing.

The witness is dismissed.

The witness may leave.

ONE WEEK LATER:

Thanks for coming.

Your testimony means a lot

- because you know all the congregants.

- For 20 years.

I heard what Mr. Ben Harouch said.

Nonsense.

Zagouri doesn't speak

to half the synagogue. Really.

Good to know.

Elisha is one of the best congregants

in our synagogue.

He's humble. Special.

A true friend.

That's all, Your Honor.

Your Honor, if I may.

So...

- Zagouri is the problem, not Elisha.

- Not Elisha!

Zagouri is ignorant,

he comes to synagogue twice a year,

and wants to teach us

how to sing a verse!

A guest doesn't tell his hostess

how to cook her stew.

The problem isn't him, it's her.

Her?

No.

What?

Yes.

I think...

If I may...

this woman is deceitful.

Excuse me?

Sit down, Mrs. Amsalem.

Why do you say she's deceitful?

Your Honor, I work in the mall.

So what?

Just a minute!

Across from my store,

there's the Kapulsky Caf.

Yes.

And I saw this woman

with a strange man

at the Kapulsky Caf.

He's lying, Your Honor!

Silence, Mr. Amsalem.

Maybe it was a relative?

No, it's a big, respectable family.

I know them all.

He wasn't a relative.

Maybe someone

from the extended family?

He didn't look like a relative.

- Did you see them holding hands?

- No.

- Did they touch each other?

- No, Your Honor.

It's all lies.

Elisha, people talk.

I'm just trying to help you.

Help me?

Elisha, hold on.

Shmuel, are you absolutely sure

that the woman you saw

was Viviane Amsalem?

I could never mistake her.

Viviane Amsalem,

is this man, Shmuel Azoulay,

speaking the truth?

Yes, Your Honor.

- Did you commit adultery?

- No.

Your Honor,

my client isn't an adulteress.

Idiot!

Watch yourself, Mrs. Amsalem,

I heard that.

Know your place, woman.

I know my place, Your Honor.

In the Kapulsky Caf is where

I met with my advocate,

Carmel Ben Tovim.

- In the Caf?

- Yes.

Didn't you hear that?

Carmel Ben Tovim, do you confirm?

Yes, Your Honor.

Why were you sitting in a caf

with this woman?

Your Honor,

my office is on Mt. Carmel,

and since I have a number

of clients in the suburbs

on Thursdays I meet them

at the Kapulsky Caf,

so as...

to make it easier for them.

We have short meetings.

Dubious.

Is something wrong?

A public place, total visibility.

The caf owners will confirm.

Shmuel Azoulay,

do you recognize

Mr. Carmel Ben Tovim

as the man you saw sitting

with Mrs. Viviane Amsalem

at the caf in the mall?

I'm not sure, Your Honor.

The man was wearing a skullcap.

The day I had an appointment

with Mrs. Amsalem,

I came from a funeral and forgot

to take the skullcap off my head.

I forgot about it.

You forgot.

Is there a problem?

The son of Sasson Ben Tovim,

the light unto the nations,

forgot to remove his skullcap?

Out of excitement...

I beg your pardon?

You're pardoned.

I don't need it, Shimon.

A man who wrote half a ruling,

thinks of himself as a great Rabbi!

This isn't the place

to insult Rabbi Shimon.

Rabbi Shimon's rulings were

dismissed by Rabbi Abouhatsira.

Shimon Amsalem

is a student, not a rabbi.

I never claimed to be one.

I never asked

to be called "Rabbi."

I know my place

and trust in God and Him alone.

And thank Him every day

for what He's given me.

What are you doing, Mrs. Amsalem?

What are you doing, Mrs. Amsalem?

Pull your hair back!

ONE MONTH LATER - THREE YEARS

SINCE THE TRIAL BEGAN

Elisha,

did you let friends

come over or not?

Very few came over.

Not often, I admit it.

I didn't want it.

Why not?

Your Honor...

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