Shavuous: Seasonal Torah

Posted on Friday, 3, June, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

We tell stories of yesteryear of the assault of the maskillim (the “enlightened” ones) on the more traditional Orthodox Jewish communities. They frowned upon faith, but adopted a national culture to better to better “fit in”. Someone once suggested to one of the Torah authorities that modifications in halachah (Jewish law) are needed because the Torah was given thousands of years ago and is not relevant to modern times.

The rabbi replied calmly, “A while back I had to litigate a case. A merchant had ordered goods from a supplier, and specified that he wanted them delivered by November 1, in time for a special sale. That fall there were very heavy rains, and the roads were impassable, with the result that the order was not delivered when it should have been. The merchant sued the supplier, claiming that he had lost a great deal of money due to his failure to deliver on time. After studying all the facts, I ruled in favor of the merchant.

“The supplier protested, but I told him that I must apply the rules of the Torah, according to which the judgment was in favor of the merchant. Realizing the case was about to be closed, he made one final attempt to sway me.

“‘The Torah was given on Shavuos, wasn’t it?’ he pointed out. ‘Yes, of course’ I responded, eager to hear what argument he could have contrived.

‘There you have it!’ he exulted. ‘Shavuos does not occur in autumn, and that’s why the Torah law favors my opponent. If the Torah would have been given during the rainy season, the halachah would have favored my side.'”

After allowing the message to sink in for a second, the Rabbi added, “Don’t you recognize the simple truth that it is as absurd to restrict the Torah (Scriptures) to any one era as it is to make it seasonal?!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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One Small Tafetta

Posted on Sunday, 8, May, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

There was peace between Sultan Muhammad, king of the Turks, and his father-in-law Demetrius, king of the Morea. Sultan Muhammad sent many gifts of precious stones and pearls aplenty as befits a king to Demetrius his father-in-law because of his love for his daughter. Then Demetrius sent back to his son-in-law a certain fine golden chest that was closed and doubly sealed with his seals. And he ordered his messenger that nobody was to open the chest except the king himself. And he sent him a certain letter, saying, “Thank you, indeed. Your kindness and goodness have reached me and restore my soul; and now let my lord receive this blessing from your servant. So says Demetrius, who seeks your peace and well-being.”

The sultan was astonished at this closed and sealed golden chest and said to himself, “Maybe it contains precious stones and jewels which are few in number but of high quality and value.” So he opened the chest and in it he found one little taffeta.

The sultan was infuriated at this gift and said to his people, “Do you see how this unbelieving wretch repays me, mocking me and sending me this single herb!” And he showed the taffeta to all his ministers and attendants. They were astonished but feared to say anything; and the king instructed his people, “Prepare food and swords, for in seven days’ time we shall go to war against him, since he considers that I am worthless.”

Now the following day the holy Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi was seated and learning, as was his custom. And the sultan sent for him and told him what had happened and showed him the herb. The sage inspected it with his wondrous wisdom and saw that this matter was of Hashem. And he said unto the sultan, “My lord sultan, listen to me, for you are a wise man and a mighty ruler. He has not sent you this without reason. What have your ministers and attendants said of it?”

“They did not say anything,” said the king.

Then the rabbi explained, “This small amount here is worth more than all the silver and gold and precious stones and pearls in the world. For my lord the sultan has sent him money, but he has sent my lord something that can deliver you from evil. For when my lord goes to hunt or in some place where there are wild and savage beasts, take the taffeta with you. As soon as any evil beast smells it, they will fall apart limb from limb. And the way to test it is to take it to a place where there are evil beasts.”

So a man whom the king held to be his enemy went and slept with it beneath him in a dangerous place. When he and the others who were with him woke up in the morning, they found that the wild beasts were scattered limb from limb.

And when the sultan saw the wisdom of the rabbi, he gave praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. And it was a sign and a wonder.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Matzah and Shalom Bayis (Peace in the Family)

Posted on Monday, 11, April, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Pesach with all of its many preparations, is a holiday of peace. The seder conducted with shalom bayis (peace in the family) is the goal of every Jewish family.

The rabbi’s wife was busy in the kitchen with all the last-minute preparations for the Seder, when there was a knock at the door. A young girl who was helping prepare for the seder at the Holy Rabbi’s house answered the knock at the door. Someone had come to the home of the holy rabbi with a request for matzah for the seder. Seeing a stack of matzos wrapped up in a napkin, the young girl who opened the door innocently gave them away and hurried back to work.

A short time later, the rabbi’s wife realized the matzahs were none other than the special ones that which had been baked that same day with holy intentions. The matzahs were prepared with all manner of careful precautions against chometz. They were baked for the holy rabbi’s Seder. There was no way to get the special matzahs back. She felt her heart sag within her. How could she tell her husband of the mishap and cause him spiritual anguish? There was only one thing to do. She took a bundle of plain, ordinary matzos, deftly wrapped them up in the very same napkin, and pretended to know nothing of the whole affair. And that same evening, her husband conducted the Seder with the ordinary matzos.

Soon after Pesach (Passover) was over, a young couple visited the holy rabbi seeking a divorce.

“What makes you want to divorce your wife?” he asked the husband.

The young man answered that his wife had refused his request to cook for him during Pesach in separate utensils without shruyah — for it is the custom of certain pious folk to avoid allowing even baked matzah to come in contact with water throughout the festival.

Hearing this, the holy rabbi called for his wife and said, “Tell me the whole truth, please. What kind of matzos were placed before me at the Seder table?”

The rabbi’s wife was afraid to speak up, so she held her peace.

“Do tell me, please,” he reassured her; “have no fear.”

The rabbi’s wife mumbled the truth: “Ordinary matzos …” And she proceeded to to tell her husband the whole story.

The tzaddik now turned to the over-zealous young husband standing before him, “Look here, my son,” he said. “On the first night of Pesach I ate plain, ordinary matzah not the special ones that were prepared for the seder.” The holy rabbi continued, “I pretended not to know nor sense the difference, in order that I should not be brought to expressing hard feelings or harsh words to my beloved wife – G-d forbid — and you want to divorce your wife because of shruyah?!”

The holy rabbi then restored harmony between them, and they left him in peace.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Creating a Prayer – Shema and Pesach

Posted on Wednesday, 6, April, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

One prayer unites Jewish people around the world – the Shema. The words of the Shema – Hear O Israel, the L-rd is Our G-d, the Lord is One – are said everyday.

Many rabbis and many more people have thought about the first sentence of the Shema. The Shema is a declaration of the Jewish people. It is an affirmation of faith, a vital part of the prayer service, and a meditation.

Every Jewish person can have a relationship with G-d as it says in the Shema “our G-d”. Pesach is a time when Jewish people come together to read the Haggadah and celebrate this joyous holiday.

One year, before beginning his own Seder, the holy rabbi of the village wandered through the village. He listened as people conducted their own Seders. As he walked down the cobble stoned alleys he heard the voices of simple Jewish families singing and reciting the narrative of the Haggadah. He stopped near the wooden shutters of one of the cottages and heard a voice reading aloud:

The Torah speaks of four sons: one wise son, one wicked son, one simple son, and one who does not know how to ask questions.”

Every time the reader came to the word for “one” — echad — he would cry it out aloud with prolonged concentration, just as people do when they say Shema Yisrael.

The holy rabbi was delighted at this approach. He commented later that this simple villager made out of the Four Sons of the Haggadah — including even the wicked son — a beautiful prayer. A sacred prayer as the Shema Yisrael.

Every year we read the words of the Haggadah: “All who are hungry, let them come and eat. All who are needy, let them come and celebrate the Passover with us.”

Let all of our prayers come together so that all Jewish people can unite as one and say the Shema and bring peace so that we can all celebrate Pesach in the Holy City of Jerusalem next year.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

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The Rasha, the Chacham and the Snake

Posted on Thursday, 31, March, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

In one of the towns of Morocco there lived a wealthy Jewish merchant who was very wicked and had an evil heart. He did not want beggars and poor people to come to his house, so he built it outside the city. Around it he erected a high wall and at the only gate he placed wild dogs, who were as evil and wicked as their master. Without the walls he stationed two strong slaves who prevented the entry into the house of people whom the rich man did not like. Jewish people of the town said, “Since Haman haRasha there has been no one so wicked as he. Haman was not Jewish and this wealthy wicked man is Jewish.

One day a great chacham came to the town. He was a wandering messenger who collected money for the scholars in Eretz Yisrael who engaged in the study of the torah by day and by night. The chacham heard of the town and of the wealthy man who lived in it. However, when he came to the town he could only collect a small sum of money there. He was greatly astonished, and the people of the town told him, “It is true, among us lives a very rich Jewish merchant, but his house is surrounded by a wall and guarded by dogs and armed slaves, so that the owner of the house need not give alms to any man.”

“What is the name of this evil man?” asked the chacham. When he heard the name, he learned that sentence of death had been passed on the rich man and only he, the chacham, could save him.

The chacham told the people of the town nothing of what he had learned and went to the home of the wealthy Jewish merchant. By uttering Hashem’s holy name the road was shortened for him. When he reached the wealthy merchant’s home, he noted that together with him had come a giant snake, which was trying hard to out-distance him. What did the chacham do? He uttered Hashem’s holy name and the snake lay motionless, unable to move backwards or forwards.

The chacham from Eretz Israel came to the home of the wicked man, but the armed slaves tried to drive him away.

“I wish only to ask the master of the house one single question,” he said to them. But the guards refused to listen to him. Then once again the chacham uttered Hashem’s holy name and immediately he was within the house without the dogs even sensing that he had entered.

The wealthy man saw the chacham standing before him in the room and he uttered a cry, “Why have you entered this room in such plain and dirty clothes?” and he called to his dogs to set them on to the visitor. But the chacham seated himself on the floor and refused to move. He sat there unconcerned, while the dogs had been stricken with deafness and could not hear the call of their master. What could the rich man do? He was already weary of his own cries and he allowed the visitor to remain in the room and did not look at him.

Evening came. Out of his pocket the chacham took a prayer book and began to recite the mincha service. Just then the rich man’s servants began to set the table for the evening meal. The rich man, his wife and his children sat down at the table to eat. The holy man requested a piece of bread (of course he only pretended to be hungry for he was satisfied without eating), the size of what the rich man would give to his dogs. But the cruel rich man refused. The rich man’s family finished their meal and the chacham remained seated on the floor, his hand stretched out to ask for some morsel to eat. But the rich man forbade even his wife and children to give the chacham anything to eat.

When the remnants of the meal were gathered up from the table, the chacham once again asked for a piece of bread. The rich man threw some crumbs to the floor and said with contempt: “Take it before the dog gets it!” But the chacham persisted: “I shall accept it only from your hand.”

The woman and the children pleaded with the evil man until at last he gave the chacham a slice of bread.

The chacham rose to his feet, washed his hands, made the blessing over the bread, placed a morsel the size of an olive into his mouth and said to the rich man: “There is something I wish to reveal to you.”

The rich man became alarmed and the chacham said to him, “Send your wife and your children quickly away to a distant place, for they are in great danger tonight. And you, too, are not to sleep tonight. You must be awake throughout the night and you must not open the door.”

The frightened man did all that the chacham commanded him to do. The chacham remained seated on the floor reciting Psalms.

The giant snake began to crawl closer and closer to the house. Suddenly the rich man came up to the chacham and said: “My wife is crying out, asking me to open the door, for someone wishes to kill her.”

“Go back to your room,” the chacham commanded him. “Do not open the door.”

The rich man did as he was bidden. In a few minutes, however, he was back again, saying: “My children are crying out, ‘have mercy upon us for bandits wish to slay us!’ I shall open the door.”

“Do not open the door! Stay where you are!” commanded the chacham. The rich man obeyed, but soon he was back again. “My mother and all my other relatives have come and are pleading for mercy. I shall open the door.”

The chacham uttered a great shout and the rich man desisted, weeping all the time and asking for permission to open the door, otherwise they would all be killed.

And thus he pleaded throughout the night.

Dawn came at last. Then the chacham turned to the rich man and said, “Come and see what awaited you outside the house!”

The rich man looked upon a huge snake whose head was as big as a cask and which was as long as the entire wall encircling the house. But the snake was dead. Then the chacham told him: “The voices that you heard during the night were uttered by the snake. He spoke in the voice of your wife and he spoke in the voice of your children, for he had come to kill you all. But I foresaw all this and came here to save you. Had you not given me the piece of bread with your own hand then your end would have been bitter indeed, and the end of the members of your house would have been likewise.”

The rich man sent his slaves to bring back his wife and his children. When they returned he showed them the snake cut into pieces and told all that had come to pass during the night. The woman and the children had been so far away, that they could not know what had happened in the night.

From that night the wealthy rich man was a changed man. He gave alms generously to the poor and contributed large sums of money for Eretz Israel and for the scholars who engaged in the study of the torah.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Wisdom and Partnership

Posted on Wednesday, 9, March, 2011Wednesday, 26, July, 2023 by Rabbi

Three close friends lived in a particular city. Together they decided that each one of them would travel to a different land and study a particular wisdom of that land. They agreed that they would reunite and demonstrate what they had learned upon concluding their studies.

They did exactly that. Each one traveled to a distant land and pursued a different field of study.

After several years, the designated time arrived, and the three friends came to the appointed meeting place. They were ecstatic to see each other once again, and once the initial joy had passed, they began to show off what they had learned.

“In the land that I was in,” said one of the friends, “I met an expert craftsman who taught me how to fashion powerful binoculars that enable one to see extremely far distances…”

“I,” said the second friend, “met a remarkable coachman who taught me how to construct a wagon capable of traveling at great speeds. It can travel the lengthy distance of several parsaos in the blink of an eye!”

“And I,” said the third friend, “met an elderly doctor who taught me how to concoct an amazing medication capable of healing every type of illness!”

As they admired each other’s wisdom, the first friend displayed the binoculars he had made.

The friends took turns gazing through the powerful binoculars. Amazingly, they could see the capital city, which was a very long distance away. Looking inside the city, they observed a great commotion taking place. People were running through the streets in a panic, expressions of anguish and suffering etched upon their faces.

Adjusting the binoculars slightly, the friends were able to discern the reason behind the commotion: The king’s daughter had taken ill, and the doctors had given up hope of finding a remedy. A proclamation, therefore, went out calling upon anyone capable of lending assistance. In addition, whoever succeeded in curing the king’s daughter would receive an enormous sum of money as a reward.

“It is a pity that I am not in the capital right now,” said the friend who had been taught the art of healing. “Had I been there, I would have presented the king’s daughter with a remedy that would cure her instantly. However, I am too far away…”

“That is not a problem in the least,” remarked the second friend. “Why, the coach that I built could get you to the capital in a matter of minutes.”

The three friends boarded the remarkable coach, and, indeed, they arrived in the capital in the blink of an eye. They stopped at the palace gates and immediately presented the king’s daughter with the amazing remedy.

Lo and behold, upon tasting the medicine, her condition improved considerably. Before long, she underwent a total recovery!

At that point, however, the friends began to argue as to which one of them was entitled to the hefty reward that the king had offered.

“If not for my binoculars,” said the first friend, “you would never have known that the king’s daughter was sick.”

“So what?” answered the second friend. “If not for my coach, it would have taken you a month to get to the capital city.”

“You are both correct,” said the third friend. “But what good would it have done you to know that the king’s daughter was sick? And once you would have gotten to the capital — what would you have done then? Truthfully, it was only my medication that made all the difference!”

The king listened to their claims and, after consulting with his sagacious advisors, turned to the men and exclaimed, “It is certainly true that if we are to judge based on what transpired in the past, it would be rather difficult to determine which one of you deserves the reward. But if we take the future into account…Let us see,” continued the king, “From now on, we will have absolutely no use for your wondrous binoculars. The same thing applies to the spectacular coach. We may very well require more of this unique medicine, however. Therefore, the reward shall be granted to the provider of the medicine!”

From this story, one can gain a very powerful insight. There are three partners in the creation of a person: G-d, a father, and a mother. Yet when one wants to know which one of the three a man must obey and respect the most, one must realize that once a child is born, his parents have fulfilled their part of the partnership. Yet one is forever dependent on G-d, as He continuously to provides us with life!

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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The Holy Water Carrier

Posted on Wednesday, 16, February, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

The first friendly rays of sunlight would sneak through a missing slat in the faded shutters to announce a new day to the rugged boards that lined his tumbledown cottage — and Itzik the water-carrier knew it was time to be up. First, he would settle down next to his simple table and study a page or two of Torah. He said his morning prayers with all his heart and would then leave his simple home to go down to the bank of the river that twisted and turned through the fields surrounding his village. He would fill his two homemade pails, hoist them up to the long bar borne on his broad shoulders, trek uphill, and then down again. He did this for hours on end, bringing a day’s supply to his regular customers. He was not a wealthy man, but at least he earned enough to feed his family. He was content with his life, and loved by almost everyone.

Then one day, quite suddenly, everything changed. Itzik, the self-respecting water-carrier, was asking for tzedakah (charity) in his spare time. The quiet village quickly filled with whispers and curious looks. This did not prevent those same generous people from filling his little charity box — except for one very angry merchant. That someone who could support himself by his own efforts should decide one fine morning to grow fat at the expense of the hard work of others, was nothing less than shameful. He would inform the local rabbi in person!

A few days later, sure enough, a messenger of the rabbi sternly tapped his cane three times on Itzik”s creaking door, and summoned him to appear before the rabbi. Itzik set out at once, and was greeted warmly.

“Tell me, Itzik,” asked the rabbi, “are you managing to make a living?”

“Thanks be to G-d, day by day,” said Itzik, echoing the words of the Psalmist, “I’m happy with my lot, and manage with what I have.”

“Then why, may I ask, do you collect donations?”

Silence.

“Why don’t you answer my question?” The rabbi asked irritated; Itzik remained silent.

“Listen to me,” said the rabbi. “I must ask you to give me your word that you will stop collecting donations in the marketplace.”

Silence still.

The rabbi’s patience ran out and he raised his voice: “Has it occurred to you that it is disrespectful for you not to answer the questions of the rabbi of this village?”

Itzik blurted out three quiet words: “I can’t promise,” and looked at the floor in silence.

Now Itzik was not the only person in town to visit the rabbi that day. While their tense conversation was taking place, the richest man in town — “Moshe the Nagid,” the locals called him affectionately — calmly took a seat in the waiting room. He wanted to consult the rabbi on some important business matter. Surprised to hear the rabbi raising his voice, and what he overheard made him very upset. He became sick to his stomach and began to tremble until he was driven by his emotions and he burst uninvited into the rabbi’s study.

“Rebbe!” he exclaimed. “This man here is taddik nistar (hidden saint)!”

For a moment, the three stood in amazed silence. The rabbi, confused, looked first at the one, then at the other. This tightlipped water- carrier — a tzaddik nistar?

Moshe burst into bitter tears.

“Itzik,” he sobbed, “you’ve got nothing to hide. Tell the rabbi the whole story.” And with that, he slipped out of the room, leaving the rabbi the task of ordering Itzik to speak up.

Itzik took a deep breath. “I suppose you know,” he said, “that every day I visit the houses of all those who can afford the luxury; and bring them water right to the door. One of my old customers is Moshe the Nagid. One day, unexpectedly, he stops paying me, and says that when the account reaches a sizeable sum, he’ll pay me all at once. That’s fine by me — except that for two whole months he didn’t give me as much as one little kopek. Then one day Moshe wasn’t at home. So his good wife, begging your pardon, takes me aside and says: ‘Itzik,’ she says, ‘I want to tell you something, but on condition that you don’t breathe a word to a soul.’

“Okay, I won’t tell anyone”, I answered, and she told me her story.

“‘You know our big fancy business?’ she says.”Well, the bottom’s suddenly fallen out of it, and now we’re as poor as the poorest paupers in town. My husband is too ashamed to speak of it, but I can’t hide the truth any more. Our debt to you is growing, and I don’t know what’s going to come of us.’

“The tears of that poor soul broke my heart, and I decided there and then that I would do whatever I could to help them out — though without giving away their secret, of course. The next day I started collecting donations. Let people talk behind my back! Let people make fun of me! I wasn’t going to let that family go hungry!”

Itzik paused for breath, then added bashfully, “So I ask you
now, Rebbe, could I possibly have promised you to stop collecting:

The rabbi was in a daze. Before him stood the familiar brawny frame of a simple water-carrier who could barely translate the daily prayers or a simple chapter of Torah. Through the rabbi’s tears, he saw before him, in all his glory, the true love of a neighbour. Here was a man who had always held his head erect, yet was prepared to lower it in humiliation — so long as his fellow’s honor would be spared!

He sprang out of his chair, and embraced the embarrassed water-carrier.

“Would that there were many like you among Israel!” he exclaimed. “I pray to G-d that in the World of Truth I be allowed to share your lot in the inheritance that awaits the righteous!”

And with warm tears he kissed that suntanned brow.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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The Treasure of the Heart

Posted on Sunday, 30, January, 2011Tuesday, 20, February, 2024 by Rabbi

A wealthy man was set to embark on a lengthy journey to a distant land. He therefore packed many belongings, as well as food for the way, piling everything into his magnificent stagecoach.

Prior to his journey, he summoned his loyal servant and exclaimed, “I am leaving my home for an extended period of time, and I am appointing you to faithfully watch over it. I have but one request: that you take extraordinary care of my private office, as its contents are very dear to me. Please take extra-special care of it!” The servant agreed, and the wealthy man boarded his stagecoach and set off.

When the clouds of dust that the stagecoach had generated had settled, the servant entered the house and thought, “I am extremely curious as to why my master was so adamant that I guard his private office; an item of great value must be hidden inside.”

The servant entered the wealthy man’s office and a huge wooden chest sitting in the corner immediately caught his eye.

The servant opened the chest and beheld a most fabulous treasure consisting of silver and gold vessels, precious gems, and pearls. But much to his bewilderment, the entire treasure was covered with mud.

“How odd,” the servant thought to himself. “On one hand, my master cautioned me to take special care of his precious treasure, yet on the other hand, he himself is so careless with it that he allows it to become filthy with mud.”

So it is with man when the time comes to stand in judgment before the Heavenly Court, the innermost chambers of his heart are examined: Were the thoughts in his heart pure, and did he serve G-d with reverence and honesty? For the heart is the most precious treasure contained within man’s body, and if it is revealed that his heart is covered with filth and mud, it is a clue to the common thoughts that fill it.

How terrible will his humiliation and shame be at that moment.

Therefore, one should ask the Holy One, blessed be He each and every day, ” Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the L-rd rejoice. (1 Chronicles 16:10) May He turn our hearts to Him, to walk in obedience to Him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. (1 Kings 8:58) My shield is G-d Most High, who saves the upright in heart. (Psalm 7:10) But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. (Psalm 13:5)”

“Master of the World, please make our hearts contain only love and a feeling of service for You and not any alien thoughts!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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A Woman of Valor Who can Find?

Posted on Friday, 21, January, 2011Saturday, 24, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Once there were two brothers, one of them rich and the other poor. The poor man was married to a very beautiful wife.

One day the poor brother came to his brother to ask him for a loan. The rich man refused to help him. Even when strangers tried to persuade the rich man to help his poor brother, he would say that he had no brother.

One day the rich man went out for a walk in the town, and in the course of his wanderings came to the poor quarter of the town. Through the window of one of the buildings he saw the face of a beautiful woman. “Whose wife is that?” he asked the people there.

“That is your brother’s wife,” he was told.

And the rich man fell in love with the woman and desired her greatly. By day and by night he thought of how he could get her.

One day the rich man sent for his poor brother. He gave him money and said to him: “Why do you not ask rue for anything?” And he flattered his poor brother and invited him and his wife to his house, and did them many favours. After sonic time he gave his brother goods to trade with in a far country, to earn sonic money. At first the poor man refused to leave his wife, but the rich brother promised him that she would remain under his protection. And so the poor brother set out on his journey with a quiet heart.

On the following day the rich man sent his sister-in-law vegetables, fruit and meat and told her that he would come to eat dinner at her house. She could not tell him not to come, but while he was in the house she conducted herself in the most proper manner. Every day the rich man used to bother her and send her gifts but she remained unimpressed. One day the woman decided to end matters with the rich man. She invited him to her house, but left before he came. He waited for her for a long time and then rose and left the house in anger. He nursed the insult in his heart and decided that he would revenge himself on the woman who had offended him.

One day, early in the morning, the rich man left his house and on his way met a poor man. He gave him money and said to him: “In return for the money that I have given you I want you to steal into the hall of such and such a house and remain there.” Needless to say, this house was no other than the house of his sister-in-law. Then the rich man went to one of the synagogues in the city and invited the men he found there to a bris milah which, he said, was taking place in that same building. The men opened the door and there in the hall they saw a man standing. “What are you doing here?” they asked him. “Since the departure of this woman’s husband I have always been here,” the poor man answered. For this was what the rich man had ordered him to say, in return for the money that he had given him.

The men believed the poor man, and they dragged the woman and drove her out of the town to be stoned. The townspeople showered her with curses, taunts and stones.

All the woman’s pleadings were in vain as she was pelted with stones. She wished to explain to the men and her rich brother-in-law that she was not guilty of what they suspected, but they refused to listen to her stoned her. She was a righteous woman and out of the depths she cried[2] to the heaven for help. She stood tall as she was indeed innocent of the shameful deed she was accused of. Her brother-in-law asked: “are you so brazen that you stand before us with pride?” The woman looked at the people around her with tears in her eyes and answered: “All my life I wondered when I could love G-d “with all my soul”[3], even if He take my life. Now the opportunity has come and I will fulfill it with joy.”[4] Her brother-in-law and the people buried her with the stones they threw.

Sometime later, a rabbi and his wife were traveling towards the town. They were childless. They heard the sound of moaning from beneath the pile of stones and began to dig until they found the poor woman lying on the ground with bleeding wounds.

They helped her up, bandaged her wounds and decided to take her with them. In their hearts they thought: “Perhaps the deed we did today will merit our prayers for a child to be answered.

After some time the couple was blessed with a child and they asked the woman to be the child’s nurse. The woman, of course, was very grateful to the couple, for they had rescued her and she was a faithful nurse.

In the house of this rabbi there was a student who fell in love with the beautiful woman. He asked her to marry him but she refused, for she was faithful to her husband. The student became angry at her refusal to marry him and decided to punish her. He killed the baby while everyone was asleep, and then ran away.

In the morning the parents were very angry with the woman they had trusted. The rabbi who drew his strength from Heaven, told his wife that the woman should not be punished. “It is the will of G-d,” he said. “We must let her go, bearing the dead child.”

The woman was sad and hopeless. She had been driven from every place because of false accusations. She wandered into the desert, hungry and thirsty, and in her arms she carried the dead child. Suddenly she saw an old man with a long beard and flowing robes, who told her that he was the Prophet Elijah, may his memory be a blessing, and that she had nothing to fear. He gave her a vial water that revived the child, for the water was from the Garden of Eden and, indeed, the child came stirred and again breathed as life renewed in him. He gave her another potion that could cure all ills. He also gave her some advice: she must disguise herself as a man, establish a big place for travelers to rest and cure the sick who came to her. She asked when she could return to living a normal and proper life, and the prophet told her that woman was endowed with more intelligence than men[5] and she would know the right time when it came.

The woman took the advice of the Prophet Elijah, may his memory be a blessing, and put on men’s clothes and set up a rest stop for travelers. Soon, travelers with all sorts of problems were cured at the rest stop and they paid her well and she became very wealthy. The rabbi’s son, helped the woman with all she did. The woman made sure that the young man studied all the Hoy Writings.

Some of the sick who came to her she knew, but never once did she let anyone see through her disguise. One day, she was surprised at who came to the rest stop. One was her wicked brother-in-law, another was her husband who had become heartsick after he had been told that his wife had died. He never believed the tales of her being unfaithful. There was the poor man who had stood in the hall of the woman’s house and who falsely about her, and the rabbi and his wife also came, and lastly, there was the student who had wanted to marry her and whom she had refused. All were stricken with different sicknesses and hope that she could heal them.

The woman placed these patients in different rooms so that they should not see each other but they could hear each other. One condition the woman laid down to all those who came to be treated by her was that before receiving treatment they must confess and reveal all their sins.

First among those who confessed was her rich brother-in-law who told what he had not been honest in his business dealings. She looked at him and reminded him that unless he was completely honest, he could not be cured. He then admitted to his evil scheme. Then the poor man who had stood in the hall told his story admitted he was paid by the rich man to falsely testify against her. The husband heard these things and he was very angry with those who had slandered his wife. The couple who had driven out the woman after the death of their only child, and the student who had killed the child, all confessed their actions. The rabbi and his wife, when they heard the tale of the student, deeply regretted their hasty action in blaming their nurse who was really blameless.

When they had all confessed, the woman made herself known to them. She cured her husband who had returned to her, and to the old couple she restored their son who had in the meantime grown up and was a promising scholar.

She did not cure the three others for it is written: “Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate”[6] and they remained sickly to the end of their days.

[1] A Woman of Valor Who can Find? Proverbs 31:10

[2] Psalm 130:1

[3] Deuteronomy 6:5

[4] T.Berachos 61b

[5] T. Niddah 45b

[6] Psalm 101:5

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Who Was the Guest?

Posted on Wednesday, 5, January, 2011Monday, 19, September, 2022 by Rabbi

A Jewish innkeeper earned his living managing a small inn that stood on the crossroads leading to the big city. Every so often, a lone traveler or caravan would lodge at the inn; there they would eat to the heart’s content, rest from the long journey, and then continue on their way.

On one occasion, the Jewish innkeeper was falsely accused of committing a terrible crime against the state. While he was waiting for his trial, he was informed by reliable sources that if he were found guilty, he would spend the rest of his life in prison.

His loved ones advised him to travel to the capital where the king lived. There he would try his best to gain an audience with the king and present his case before him. The innkeeper’s friends reassured him, “The king is a man of truth and will certainly see that justice is served.

“But who will permit me to even approach the palace to begin with?” asked the innkeeper. “Why, the king’s guards have the palace surrounded.”

“You must try, nonetheless,” answered his friends.

The king had a habit every so often of putting on simple farmer’s clothing and travel around his kingdom seeing and listening carefully. In this way, he would get a sense of the mood and would know what the people were thinking.

On one such occasion, the king arrived at the inn managed by the Jewish innkeeper. There he received food and drink and slept on the floor like an ordinary person.

Sometime later, the innkeeper was told who his guest had been. Upon hearing that the king had stayed in his inn, the innkeeper took his head in his hands and cried, “Woe is me! The king was in my house, and I could have begged him to save my life…”

Every person can draw close to the Holy One Blessed, be He, the King above all kings, in this world, for here He is always within reach. One must seize the moment and draw as close to the Holy One Blessed, be He as he possibly can, for he will not have the opportunity to do so in the World to Come.

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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

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“The supplier protested, but I told him that I must apply the rules of the Torah, according to which the judgment was in favor of the merchant. Realizing the case was about to be closed, he made one final attempt to sway me.

“‘The Torah was given on Shavuos, wasn’t it?’ he pointed out. ‘Yes, of course’ I responded, eager to hear what argument he could have contrived.

‘There you have it!’ he exulted. ‘Shavuos does not occur in autumn, and that’s why the Torah law favors my opponent. If the Torah would have been given during the rainy season, the halachah would have favored my side.'”

After allowing the message to sink in for a second, the Rabbi added, “Don’t you recognize the simple truth that it is as absurd to restrict the Torah (Scriptures) to any one era as it is to make it seasonal?!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

The sultan was astonished at this closed and sealed golden chest and said to himself, “Maybe it contains precious stones and jewels which are few in number but of high quality and value.” So he opened the chest and in it he found one little taffeta.

“They did not say anything,” said the king.

So a man whom the king held to be his enemy went and slept with it beneath him in a dangerous place. When he and the others who were with him woke up in the morning, they found that the wild beasts were scattered limb from limb.

And when the sultan saw the wisdom of the rabbi, he gave praises to the Holy One, blessed be He. And it was a sign and a wonder.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Pesach with all of its many preparations, is a holiday of peace. The seder conducted with shalom bayis (peace in the family) is the goal of every Jewish family.

Soon after Pesach (Passover) was over, a young couple visited the holy rabbi seeking a divorce.

“What makes you want to divorce your wife?” he asked the husband.

The young man answered that his wife had refused his request to cook for him during Pesach in separate uten­sils without shruyah — for it is the custom of certain pious folk to avoid allowing even baked matzah to come in contact with water throughout the festival.

Hearing this, the holy rabbi called for his wife and said, “Tell me the whole truth, please. What kind of matzos were placed before me at the Seder table?”

The rabbi’s wife was afraid to speak up, so she held her peace.

“Do tell me, please,” he reassured her; “have no fear.”

The rabbi’s wife mumbled the truth: “Ordinary matzos …” And she proceeded to to tell her husband the whole story.

The holy rabbi then restored harmony between them, and they left him in peace.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

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One prayer unites Jewish people around the world – the Shema. The words of the Shema – Hear O Israel, the L-rd is Our G-d, the Lord is One – are said everyday.

Many rabbis and many more people have thought about the first sentence of the Shema. The Shema is a declaration of the Jewish people. It is an affirmation of faith, a vital part of the prayer service, and a meditation.

Every Jewish person can have a relationship with G-d as it says in the Shema “our G-d”. Pesach is a time when Jewish people come together to read the Haggadah and celebrate this joyous holiday.

The Torah speaks of four sons: one wise son, one wicked son, one simple son, and one who does not know how to ask questions.”

Every time the reader came to the word for “one” — echad — he would cry it out aloud with prolonged concentration, just as people do when they say Shema Yisrael.

The holy rabbi was delighted at this approach. He commented later that this simple villager made out of the Four Sons of the Haggadah — including even the wicked son — a beautiful prayer. A sacred prayer as the Shema Yisrael.

Every year we read the words of the Haggadah: “All who are hungry, let them come and eat. All who are needy, let them come and celebrate the Passover with us.”

Let all of our prayers come together so that all Jewish people can unite as one and say the Shema and bring peace so that we can all celebrate Pesach in the Holy City of Jerusalem next year.

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“What is the name of this evil man?” asked the chacham. When he heard the name, he learned that sentence of death had been passed on the rich man and only he, the chacham, could save him.

The chacham from Eretz Israel came to the home of the wicked man, but the armed slaves tried to drive him away.

“I wish only to ask the master of the house one single question,” he said to them. But the guards refused to listen to him. Then once again the chacham uttered Hashem’s holy name and immediately he was within the house without the dogs even sensing that he had entered.

When the remnants of the meal were gathered up from the table, the chacham once again asked for a piece of bread. The rich man threw some crumbs to the floor and said with contempt: “Take it before the dog gets it!” But the chacham persisted: “I shall accept it only from your hand.”

The woman and the children pleaded with the evil man until at last he gave the chacham a slice of bread.

The chacham rose to his feet, washed his hands, made the blessing over the bread, placed a morsel the size of an olive into his mouth and said to the rich man: “There is something I wish to reveal to you.”

The rich man became alarmed and the chacham said to him, “Send your wife and your children quickly away to a distant place, for they are in great danger tonight. And you, too, are not to sleep tonight. You must be awake throughout the night and you must not open the door.”

The frightened man did all that the chacham commanded him to do. The chacham remained seated on the floor reciting Psalms.

The giant snake began to crawl closer and closer to the house. Suddenly the rich man came up to the chacham and said: “My wife is crying out, asking me to open the door, for someone wishes to kill her.”

“Go back to your room,” the chacham commanded him. “Do not open the door.”

The rich man did as he was bidden. In a few minutes, however, he was back again, saying: “My children are crying out, ‘have mercy upon us for bandits wish to slay us!’ I shall open the door.”

“Do not open the door! Stay where you are!” commanded the chacham. The rich man obeyed, but soon he was back again. “My mother and all my other relatives have come and are pleading for mercy. I shall open the door.”

The chacham uttered a great shout and the rich man desisted, weeping all the time and asking for permission to open the door, otherwise they would all be killed.

And thus he pleaded throughout the night.

Dawn came at last. Then the chacham turned to the rich man and said, “Come and see what awaited you outside the house!”

The rich man sent his slaves to bring back his wife and his children. When they returned he showed them the snake cut into pieces and told all that had come to pass during the night. The woman and the children had been so far away, that they could not know what had happened in the night.

From that night the wealthy rich man was a changed man. He gave alms generously to the poor and contributed large sums of money for Eretz Israel and for the scholars who engaged in the study of the torah.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Three close friends lived in a particular city. Together they decided that each one of them would travel to a different land and study a particular wisdom of that land. They agreed that they would reunite and demonstrate what they had learned upon concluding their studies.

They did exactly that. Each one traveled to a distant land and pursued a different field of study.

After several years, the designated time arrived, and the three friends came to the appointed meeting place. They were ecstatic to see each other once again, and once the initial joy had passed, they began to show off what they had learned.

“In the land that I was in,” said one of the friends, “I met an ex­pert craftsman who taught me how to fashion powerful binoculars that enable one to see extremely far distances…”

“I,” said the second friend, “met a remarkable coachman who taught me how to construct a wagon capable of traveling at great speeds. It can travel the lengthy distance of several parsaos in the blink of an eye!”

“And I,” said the third friend, “met an elderly doctor who taught me how to concoct an amazing medication capable of healing every type of illness!”

As they admired each other’s wisdom, the first friend dis­played the binoculars he had made.

“It is a pity that I am not in the capital right now,” said the friend who had been taught the art of healing. “Had I been there, I would have presented the king’s daughter with a remedy that would cure her instantly. However, I am too far away…”

“That is not a problem in the least,” remarked the second friend. “Why, the coach that I built could get you to the capital in a matter of minutes.”

The three friends boarded the remarkable coach, and, indeed, they arrived in the capital in the blink of an eye. They stopped at the palace gates and immediately presented the king’s daughter with the amazing remedy.

Lo and behold, upon tasting the medicine, her condition im­proved considerably. Before long, she underwent a total recovery!

At that point, however, the friends began to argue as to which one of them was entitled to the hefty reward that the king had offered.

“If not for my binoculars,” said the first friend, “you would never have known that the king’s daughter was sick.”

“So what?” answered the second friend. “If not for my coach, it would have taken you a month to get to the capital city.”

“You are both correct,” said the third friend. “But what good would it have done you to know that the king’s daughter was sick? And once you would have gotten to the capital — what would you have done then? Truthfully, it was only my medication that made all the difference!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)

Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us

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A few days later, sure enough, a messenger of the rabbi sternly tapped his cane three times on Itzik”s creaking door, and sum­moned him to appear before the rabbi. Itzik set out at once, and was greeted warmly.

“Tell me, Itzik,” asked the rabbi, “are you managing to make a living?”

“Thanks be to G-d, day by day,” said Itzik, echoing the words of the Psalmist, “I’m happy with my lot, and manage with what I have.”

The young man answered that his wife had refused his request to cook for him during Pesach in separate utensils without shruyah — for it is the custom of certain pious folk to avoid allowing even baked matzah to come in contact with water throughout the festival.

“In the land that I was in,” said one of the friends, “I met an expert craftsman who taught me how to fashion powerful binoculars that enable one to see extremely far distances…”

As they admired each other’s wisdom, the first friend displayed the binoculars he had made.

Lo and behold, upon tasting the medicine, her condition improved considerably. Before long, she underwent a total recovery!

A few days later, sure enough, a messenger of the rabbi sternly tapped his cane three times on Itzik”s creaking door, and summoned him to appear before the rabbi. Itzik set out at once, and was greeted warmly.