קיג

And behold — on Thursday I returned with alacrity to Galata, leaving no book in Uskudar. And we were eager to arrive before midday at the Consulate — to hear the answer — upon which our eyes were depending. And our lives were hanging in the balance — for it was a risk to life as mentioned. And we came to Galata — went immediately to the city of Byale — came again to the Secretary — gave him the ticket with the copy written and signed by the scribe. He opened it, read it — and answered: behold, the scribe himself said he did not recognize the signature. And he said he needed to ask another lord who was like a second to the Consul — for the Consul himself was not then at home. And we went back from there in worry and great fear. The greatness of the anguish and the fear — impossible to explain. And I sat astonished on the upper floor — until I began to weep with a very broken heart — that I had come to a far land with no one who knew me, and came into such a danger. And I had a longing of the eyes until Friday after the prayer.

Afterward we went back again. And the Secretary replied: go to that lord himself — for he had not yet answered him. And that lord was not then at home. We were compelled to wait there a long time in very deflated spirit and longing of the eyes. After two or three hours — the lord came home. And we came before him. And he raised the same claims as the Secretary had. And he also asked: where did we wish to travel? We told him: to Jerusalem. He answered: our Emperor did not look favorably on people going to Jerusalem — for he wished every person to sit in his own country at home. For these people deceived the world and took the country's money outside. (It was known there that it was forbidden under the Emperor's decree to collect Eretz Yisroel money.) I answered him: I wished to return immediately. And he was somewhat silent. But in any case regarding the ticket — he gave no reply. Only he said he needed to send the matter before the Minister Consul himself — and that it was impossible to receive an answer until Monday. And he accepted the ticket and the copy from our hands — to send it to the Consul himself. And we returned and went from there. And the greatness of the anguish and the fear and the terror that was upon us then — impossible to tell. And I returned and wept before Hashem Blessed be He that He have mercy on me in His great mercy.

And behold — the greatness of the longing of the eyes we had until Monday — every person can understand from himself. And behold — this is the day Hashem has made. Monday — Parshas Emor — the thirtieth of the Counting — we entered there. We were compelled to wait a little. Afterward a man brought us two tickets — written and properly sealed — with two small slips in the Ishmaelite language. Blessed be Hashem who multiplied His wonders with us and helped me until here. So may He complete His kindness upon us — to bring me quickly to Eretz Yisroel for a good life and in peace. Amen. On Wednesday — Parshas Emor — the 32nd of the Counting — 17 Iyyar — we boarded the ship for Alexandria. And the matter that happened was as follows: on the previous Wednesday of Parshas Kedoshim — when we came from Uskudar to Galata — the host immediately informed us that there was a ship going to Alexandria that would leave on Shabbas or the following day. And he told us we would need to pay expensively — namely eighteen gold ducats. And I said this was more than three hundred taler. He replied that he could establish the purchase at three hundred taler.