The word makes me think of the substance placed in one’s ears to block out unwanted sounds. No, this is not the stuff of Homeric myths – as in the ideal method of blocking out the song of the sirens – but actual Jewish history.
It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when Jews had to place wax in their ears – it is said that this came from their wives’ candles – in order to prevent them from hearing Christian sermons. This was so common, in fact, that one nineteenth century scholar tells us that Jews’ ears were examined by Church authorities in Rome, in order to prevent them from obstructing the sound of the sermon.
No doubt, as a result, scholars have noted that Jews having wax in their ears becomes an artistic trope. Considering how much of the preaching would have been directly attacking the Jews, it is fair to say that the wax went to good use.
