A very important Rabbi visited the Pope recently in order to improve relations between the Vatican and Israel. The visit went very well. After the Rabbi saw all the important sites and met with Cardinals, he had a short meeting with the Pope himself.

As the Rabbi and Pope were conversing in the Pope's office, the Rabbi couldn't help but notice a huge red phone on a side desk. The Rabbi asked the Pope about the phone and was told that it was a direct line to heaven. Intrigued, the Rabbi asked if he might use the phone. The Pope agreed.

After finishing his called, he exclaimed: "It really was a direct line to heaven! Thank you very much, but I insist on paying for the call. It must be very expensive." The Pope refused several times, but finally agreed to accept the actual cost of the call. It was quite expensive; several thousand Lyra were exchanged.

The visit went so well that several months later, the Pope decided to visit his new Rabbi friend in Israel. This visit went equally well. He spent a couple of days visiting all the sites in the Holy land, and finally met with his friend the Rabbi in his office.

The Pope was astounded to see that the Rabbi had a huge red phone exactly like the Pope's phone at home. He asked about it and the Rabbi said that he had it installed right after he returned from Rome since he was so impressed with the phone in the Pope's office. The Pope couldn't believe it. Surely the Rabbi couldn't have a direct line to heaven; that is the exclusive right of the Pope. Rather than saying so, which he thought would be rude, he asked if he might use the phone. The Rabbi agreed.

After several minutes the Pope hung up and exclaimed "It really was a direct line to heaven! Thank you very much, but I insist on paying for the call. It must be very expensive." The Rabbi agreed to accept the cost of the call, but said it was only one Sheckle. "Why so inexpensive?", asked the Pope.

The Rabbi answered "Oh, that... from here, it's a local call!"