A wicked shoot arose, the root of a serpent, from the land of France, from the city of Blois. His name was Sehok ben Esther Israeli.

He did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord, God of Israel, provoking Him through his actions. He abandoned God’s Torah, ordinances and testimonies, which He had commanded through Moses His servant. He worshipped the gods of the nations and the idols of the descendants of Esau, which neither see nor hear, neither eat nor smell. He attached himself to them, worshipped them and bowed before them, while failing to understand the God who is our strength. He acted more wickedly than all who had preceded him.

Afterward, he said in his heart: “I shall travel through the cities and learn about their communities, each nation and its god and every people.” He departed and came to the cities containing communities of Israel.

He deceived them, saying, “I am a Hebrew.” The house of Jacob took pity on him and supported him according to their custom in every town that he entered. After he committed repeated offenses and the wickedness hidden in his heart became known, they came to hate him. He turned his hand to theft, repaid companionship with deceit and filled his speech with insults.

Eventually, there was no secure place for him in any of the unwalled settlements of the land. Everyone who knew him or heard about his activities drove him away.

After these things, he came to the town of Le Mans, a small community of only a few people at the edge of France. His mother’s sisters lived there, one of whom was married to a gentile. He came to them and remained with them for many days. He took control of his maternal aunt’s household and became its master and judge.

His heart became proud. His malicious speech didn’t cease and neither did his wicked actions, until God’s anger rose against him because of the evil he had committed. He stole, murdered, committed adultery, swore falsely and offered incense to Baal. He perverted justice, stirred up conflicts, robbed the poor and suffering, placed burdens upon the upright and gave his support to the descendants of Esau. He acted more wickedly than all who had preceded him and all the people of the land.

A quarrel arose between him and a Levite who lived near his dwelling. The enemy attempted to take possession of the Levite’s house. When he saw that the Levite’s position was strong and that he couldn’t harm him through deceit, he became filled with destructive anger.

He invented accusations against the Levite and plotted against his life. He consulted twelve gentile men from his native city and hired them to destroy an innocent man. They rose and waited for the Levite at night, each man carrying his sword, although they had never previously been his enemies.

One morning, before sunrise and as dawn was breaking, the Levite arose to go to the house of God. This was his regular daily custom, but he didn’t know that men were waiting for him outside his house.

When he stepped through the doorway, the twelve men attacked and struck him with their swords. He cried out in a loud voice, and the city was shaken by the sound of his cry. The people awoke, came to him and found him wounded by the sword, with his body lying in the road.

They carried him into a house while breath was still within him. They asked, “Who stabbed you?” He told them the names of his attackers.

The attackers were residents of the enemy’s native city. They were his former acquaintances, friends, companions and advisers. After they fled, they repeatedly sent messengers to the enemy, saying:

“Thus says the murderer: Send him the payment you promised him for killing the man on your behalf. Send this amount of money and these garments. Otherwise, when someone travels from the city carrying letters and merchandise, he will seize him and take his goods as payment. Why should he be forced to remain outside the city because of you?”

The wicked man’s heart remained unmoved. He refused to respond to them, turned his face away, closed his ears so that he wouldn’t hear and shut his eyes so that he wouldn’t see. This came from God, who hardened his heart.

When the murderer heard that the enemy had ignored his demand, he seized several people who were travelling to his city. Even after this, the enemy didn’t turn away from his furious conduct. He continued to act wickedly, refused to abandon the paths of wrongdoing and became a source of conflict to the entire population, pursuing many people to their deaths.

The elders of the Jewish community rebuked him for his conduct. Their rebuke made him determined to destroy the entire community.

He fashioned a human figure from wax and secretly placed it inside the synagogue, within the ark. He then approached the lord of the land and told him:

“The Jews have made an image of you. Three times every year they pierce this image with a sharp instrument so that you will be destroyed, just as their ancestors killed Jesus.

“If you search their synagogue, you will find the image. You should then expel the Jews from your territory and confiscate their possessions. Divide their property among your servants and subjects.

“When other rulers hear what you have done, they too will act with zeal against this people, who continually blaspheme their rulers and their religion. The Jews also dishonor an image of Christ and recite curses against your name from writings composed for that purpose.”

The lord agreed to investigate the accusation. He promised that if Sehok’s statements proved true, he would appoint him to a position of authority. If the accusation proved false, Sehok would be put to death.

On the following Sabbath, the synagogue was searched. The wax figure was discovered with its hands at its sides, nails driven into its knees and its feet cut off.

The Jews present in the synagogue were accused of treason. They offered to swear that they were innocent and declared that Sehok had planted the figure.

Sehok challenged the Jews to appoint one of their people to fight him in single combat. The result of the combat would determine his fate and the fate of the Jewish community.

The lord accepted this proposal, but the Jews protested. They explained that trial by combat wasn’t their custom and offered money rather than allow the truth of their claims and the survival of their community to be decided in this manner.

The lord refused their offer. He also ordered the Jews’ houses to be searched for writings containing the alleged curses, but no such writings were found.

The Jews resolved to fast and pray on the following day. Many Christians believed that the time had arrived to destroy the Jews. A monk urged the lord to put them to death and to write to other rulers, encouraging them to do the same.

[The surviving manuscript breaks off here. Its original heading indicates that the Jewish community was ultimately saved.]