Prayers of a Man throughout His Life

Posted on Monday, 18, January, 2021Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

An old man sat with some of his friends around a fire and began to reflect upon his life.

He began, “All blessings begin with “Blessed are You – as though man was addressing a close friend. (Sefer Raziel haGadol 8b, 13th cent). The glory of youths is their strength, but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair. ‘ (Proverbs 20:29) When I was young I was full of fire. I studied and learned the most marvelous things. ‘Blessed be the L-rd…who alone does wondrous things.’ (Psalms 72:18) I would ‘Recite a hundred blessings a day.’ (Menachos 43b) I wanted to share with everyone. I prayed to The Holy One, blessed be He to give me the strength to change the world. Every day was a struggle, but I had the strength of youth and the energy to spare.’ ”

“Years went by and on day I woke up and realized my life was half over and I had changed no one. I was not as strong as I was nor was I able to move around easily. The distractions of the world no longer appealed to me. ‘Blessed are You…who distinguishes between holy and profane.’ (Berachos 29a) So I prayed to The Holy One, blessed be He to give me the strength to change those close around me who so much needed it.’ “

Alas, now I am old and I am unable to stand and travel, my joints ache and I have little to no energy. Please ‘Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent.’ (Psalms 71:9) Now my prayer is simple, I ask the Holy One, blessed be He, to please give me the strength to at least change myself. ‘ “

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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 Blessed Shalom Bayis Kugel

Posted on Thursday, 14, January, 2021Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

The holy rabbi’s wife was extremely thrifty, but very spiritual. When she davened (prayed), she was transported into another world.

The rebbetzin would put the bare minimum of schmaltz (chicken fat) into the kugel. The holy rabbi would always ask her to increase the amount of schmaltz in the kugel. His requests went unheeded.

One Friday, when the rebbetzin was davening, The holy rabbi removed the keys from her apron pocket, unlocked the pantry, and put several spoonfuls of schmaltz into the kugel. He then returned the keys, and the rebbetzin was completely unaware to all of this.

Shabbos morning, when she served the kugel, the rebbetzin said, “See! You always criticize me for not putting enough schmaltz into the kugel. But look at the Divine blessing. The kugel is dripping with schmaltz!”

The holy rabbi nodded. “It is indeed a Divine blessing,” he said. “We merited this blessing by virtue of deine shtark tefillos un meine maasim tovim — your fervent davening and my good deeds.”

Potato kugel

Overnight Potato Kugel

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup schmaltz or oil		1-2 medium onion, grated
8 extra large eggs		1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
5 lbs. potatoes, grated		¼ – ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in pan on medium heat (do not allow oil to get real hot)

Grate potatoes and onion (or use a food processor, process the potatoes and onions until almost smooth but not liquidy). Add to the eggs along with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Pour the hot oil into potato-egg mixture and mix until fully mixed.

Pour mixture into the pan and bake at 400° until the top is brown, about 1 hour.

Remove from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 200°. Cover the kugel tightly with foil.

Return pan to the oven. Place a pan of water (cold) on the rack underneath the kugel and continue baking at least 4 hours or overnight.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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 Secret of the Yarmulkes

Posted on Thursday, 31, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Many years ago in a simple house in the holy city of Jerusalem there lived a Jewish woman. Special people live in Jerusalem and are so steeped in holiness and spirituality that they have few physical needs. Their prayers and actions are an exceptional treasure.

One woman knew how to knit beautiful yarmulkes, and she was able to support her family. How were her yarmulkes different from others that were

sold in the market, so that the mothers of Jerusalem ran to buy hers?

She would knit the yarmulkes with the intent of hiddur mitzvah – to beautify a mitzvah. One may ask why? It says in the Torah, “This is my G-d and I will glorify them. (Exodus 15:2)”

The pious women saw that pious woman’s children were well behaved and succeeded in their Torah studies more than other children. They were truly pious and always tried to please their parents and teachers, and all the other women of course envied her. This was not the bad envy but the good kind, which the rabbis call “envy among scribes” and which leads a person to strive for greater piety. What mother would not want her children to be so sincere and pure like the holy woman’s children?

When the other women would ask her, “Please tell us, what is your secret? How did you succeed so well with your children baruch Hashem (bless G-d)) that they’re so good?” The holy woman would answer humbly, “My children are like all children. Are there any children that don’t sometimes misbehave?”

Possibly, her secret and the secret of her children’s piety and goodness would have remained concealed, except for a particular incident that happened. One of her children was playing with a friend in the common courtyard. The mother of the other boy was sitting nearby, cleaning beans and inspecting them for insects, when she overheard the holy woman’s son say to her son, “Exchange yarmulkes? No! Why should I do that? I don’t want to exchange my yarmulke for one bought in a store, even for a minute!”

“What makes your yarmulke so special that you don’t want to trade with me?” asked the neighbor’s son.

“Of course, my yarmulke’s special!” said the boy innocently, his big eyes flashing. “Do you know what my mother told me when she gave it to me? She said that every yarmulke she makes has many rows of knitting. And for every row she knits, she recites a psalm. And when she finishes knitting the yarmulke, she sheds tears into it and prays, ‘In the merit of the psalms that I recited while knitting, may my children and all Jewish children be pious!’”

The neighbor took in every word that this exceptional boy spoke. In just a few hours, every woman in the Jerusalem neighborhoods knew the holy woman’s secret, and they ran to her to buy her yarmulkes for their children. What mother wouldn’t give her last few coins for her child to be pious?

According to the Jewish tradition, all work should be holy work in the service of G-d. A devout person has divine intentions as he labors. How much more should that be true for people producing religious articles. Religious objects are not like ordinary objects. A yarmulke, for example, has a vibration that affects its wearer. There is a difference between a yarmulke made by a pious person who has prayerful, holy thoughts while making it and a machine-made object or an object created by a person without pious thoughts and motives. Religious people who want the true benefit of a yarmulke, mezuzah, or any other holy item are willing to pay for the careful labor of pious people, for what they create radiates holiness. The holy woman’s yarmulkes were actually holy vessels to transmit her prayers and her tears for the spiritual growth of Jewish children.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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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In A Forgotten Age

Posted on Thursday, 24, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

People were created in the image of G-d. (Genesis 1:27) and as such, must act in holy ways, to treat others with dignity and respect, to behave with moral and ethical character as an essential part of everyone’s life.

It has been noted by those who study the Bible that that the Hebrew term “derech eretz” (literally “way of the land”) is used to describe the behavior of courtesy and respect. It has been said that courtesy as the rule of people existed twenty-six generations before the Revelation at Mount Sinai. “This is the meaning of what is written: ‘To guard the way to the Tree of Life.’ (Gen 3:24) “The way” (derech) refers to derech eretz; afterwards “the Tree of Life’, which is Torah/Scriptures.;’ ” (Vayikra Rabbah 9:3)

In the age when life on earth was full no one paid any special attention to worthy men, nor did they single out the man of ability. Rulers were simply the highest branches on the trees and the people were like deer in the woods. They were honest and righteous without realizing that they were “doing their duty.” They loved each other and did not know this was “love of neighbor.” They deceived no one yet did not know they were “men to be trusted.” They were reliable and did not know that this was “good faith.” They lived freely together giving and taking and did not know they were generous. For this reason their deeds have not been narrated. They made no history. They made and lived in peace.

Derech Eretz

If one presents themselves as religious and learned but does not conduct themselves in an acceptable manner in public, many people will attribute the negative conduct to the faith promoted by the person. About such a person people will say:

We are keenly aware of the impressions of people when they see a “holy/religious” person act without respect and civility showing arrogance, elitism and discourtesy. The Scriptures teaches: “And when they came to the nations, to which they came, they profaned My Holy Name, in that it was said of them, these are the people of the L-rd, and they are gone out from his land!” (Ezekiel 36:20)

One of the important lessons one can learn is before doing the many religious commandments and deeds found in the Holy Books, a person must pave the path with derech eretz, meaning decent, polite, respectful, thoughtful, civilized behaviour and good personality traits.

Derech eretz/courtesy and holy teachings go together, for each is necessary for success in the other. Success in the study and practice of faith requires a firm base just as a building must have a foundation to endure. Conversely, Courtesy, respect and civility without Torah/Scriptures is as pointless as a foundation with no building.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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 Delayed Dinner and Shalom Bayis

Posted on Thursday, 17, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

“A man comes home from work at the end of the day, very hungry. He sits down at the table, expecting his dinner. His wife appears and tells him that he should be patient because dinner is delayed. So he waits.

“After waiting for what seems like an eternity, she places a plate before him. He takes a look, and all he sees is a hard-boiled egg and a potato. Needless to say, he is quite perturbed. Here he waited patiently although he was so hungry, and all he gets is just plain old food, nothing special. Had he gotten something special, then he would have understood the delay. He leaves the table disappointed.

“Every morning, G‑d waits for His people to say their prayers” The diligent are quick to pray, aware of the immense privilege it is to be able to address the King above All kings.

“If one prays on time, then even if the prayers are not recited with the greatest concentration, the fact that they are recited on time makes them desirable to G‑d. When the prayers are said a bit late, but with great concentration, G‑d desires them as well, the extra devotion making it ‘worth the wait.’ However, if the prayers are late and without proper concentration, they are like the simple meal that the husband in the parable received. G‑d can be expected to look skeptically at such an offering!”

An old Jewish man who listened very carefully as the story was told. “With all due respect, holy rabbi,” he countered, “the husband’s reaction would be a harsh one if there wasn’t true harmony in the home. However, when a husband and wife really love each other, they understand when the other has a hard day. Perhaps the end of the parable should be that the husband graciously thanks his wife for the simple meal, and asks her to tell him about her day. In this way, G‑d is always ready to hear our prayers . . .”

Kugel

Vegetable Kugel

Ingredients:

2 large onions, diced		6 eggs
3-4 Tablespoons oil or shmaltz		1 Tablespoon salt
4 stalks celery, diced		½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green peppers, diced		1 Tablespoon of Italian spices
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced or chopped (optional)		1/8 – ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)
4 carrots, shredded		8 large potatoes (4-5 lbs.), grated

Directions

1.		Preheat oven to 375°.
2.		Sauté the onions in oil until golden. Add the celery, peppers, mushrooms (if using), and carrots. Sauté until soft.
3.		Place the eggs into a mixing bowl. Beat by hand and add salt and pepper to taste.
4.		Continue beating and add spices.
5.		In a food processor or by hand using a box grater, grate the potatoes using the fine shredder. Transfer to the egg mixture. Add the sautéed vegetables. Mix thoroughly.
6.		Pour into a 9″x13″ pan. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until browned and crusty.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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 Gift of Love

Posted on Tuesday, 15, December, 2020Tuesday, 5, December, 2023 by Rabbi

A young father punished his three-year old daughter for wasting a whole roll of holiday wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box for a Chanukah gift. Still, the little girl proudly brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.” He was embarrassed by his earlier over-reaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty.

He yelled at her, “Don’t you know that when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside of the box?”

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses in the box. I filled it with my love. All for you, Daddy.”

The young father was crushed. He put his arms around his little daughter, and he begged her for forgiveness.

It has been some years and the little girl has grown up. That father kept that gold box from that Chanukah many years ago. Whenever he was sad or discouraged, he would take out one of the kisses and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us as parents has been given a container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

Each child carries its own blessing into the world

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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 Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown On December 7, 2023.

Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

A Special Chanukah Gift

Posted on Sunday, 13, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

For this child I prayed; and the L-rd has granted me the petition that I made to him. (I Samuel 1:27)

Chanukah is a time to celebrate the freedom of faith. A war was fought to defend the right just to remain true to Judaism over 2100 years ago. Today we accept the basic story of Chanukah, but have forgotten the many miracles. The wonders and beauty of faith are many times overlooked, but they are present at all times.

On the third day of Hanukkah, there was a bris (circumcision) in the small wooden shul. The rabbi was the sandak—being honored to hold the baby on his lap—and he told a story at the bris:

A woman who was married for fifteen years and was not blessed with children. She went from rabbi to rabbi, from tzaddik to tzaddik, from one to the other to ask for a blessing, for them to pray for her, but still she had no child. She did not know what to do with herself.

She was very careful to light the Shabbos candles every week, welcoming the holiness of the day into her house. There was always food in her kitchen for those less fortunate. Her bright smile hid the pain and sadness that was deep in her heart.

Without children, she had a lot of time, and so she helped wherever she could. One day she discovered a woman who was sick and all alone, who had nobody in the world. She started to visit the sick woman, prepared food for her and talked to her for hours.

After two years, the sick woman left this world, and the woman without children was with her when she died. The dying woman said to her, “There’s no way for me to thank you in this lifetime for all the kindness and love you showed me. I promise you, the moment I go up to heaven and stand before the Holy One Blessed be He, I pray on your behalf that Heaven bless you with a baby.”

“That was almost a year ago and today we are gathered here for such a happy and holy occasion”, the rabbi continued, “The baby we just welcomed into the community is that baby. He is a gift from that woman.”

Al haNissim - Miracles

Al hanissim, v’al hapurkan, v’al hag’vurot v’al hat’tshuot v’al hamilchamot sh’asita lavoteinu bayamim hahem baz’man hazeh.

We thank You for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the saving acts, and for the wonders which You have wrought for our fathers (ancestors) in the days of old, at this time.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

Please share this story with family and friends and let us know what you think or feel about the stories in a comment or two. Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

Please share this story with others

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

Women and Chanukah

Posted on Friday, 11, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Many girls and women ask questions about everything about Jewish women and seek answers that are sometimes very elusive. They become frustrated over the apparent the double standards of many religious people. They feel it is hard to assert their individuality in a society with so many demands (how to dress, how to eat, how to communicate, etc.).

Who carried the Jewish tradition from generation to generation? Whose unwritten wisdom upholds it? An automatic first response might be “the Rabbis.” A more complete, more thoughtful answer would be “the women.”

It is hard to define aspects of Jewish tradition—the feel of it, the smells of a special foods and meals, the warmth of a gentle touch, the part that cannot be captured in words, that remain unwritten but enduring —were for generations the domain of Jewish women. Their wisdom finely guided and molded the character of Jewish life. We find this in food, stories and memories.

Women are special in the Jewish community, but many times the girls and women counter that all there is, is chauvinism and foolish limitations. It seems that the prevailing attitudes in our culture have replaced the long history of learning and teaching.

Chanukah is a holiday that is celebrated due to the sacrifices and deeds of women. Many don’t realize that Jewish law establishes that so long as the Chanukah lights burn, woman are exempt from work.

Jewish Women

As we eat the sizzling latkes let us realize that their wisdom has molded and defined the character of Jewish life. We find this throughout our history and teachings. We also find it in the Chanukah story, in the remarkable characters of Chana and Yehudis.

One of the major victories over the Syrian-Greeks came about through the heroism of a woman. Yehudis, daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, spoke to the people in her besieged city to have faith in the Holy One, blessed be H, but the people weakened by starvation and fear wanted to surrender the city. Yehudis left the city under the cover of night and went to the commanding general, Holofrenes, and first fed him cheese dishes which made him thirsty (the source for eating dairy foods on Chanukah). She then brought him wine to quench his thirst. When he became drunk and fell asleep, she beheaded him and hung it from the city walls. When the enemy soldiers saw the head of their decapitated leader, they fled.

The Syrian-Greeks and their supporters, tried to destroy the Jewish way of life by forcing people to abandon their Judaism. Chana had seven sons each were brought before Antiochus and told to bow to him and recognize his god. Each son refused. As the last of her sons was taken to be executed she told him, “My son, go and tell your father Abraham: You bound one son upon the altar; I bound seven children on seven altars.”

The legacy Jewish women represent continues wherever the Jewish tradition is guided, enriched, and uplifted by her daughters, the bearers of Judaism’s enduring legacy.

May your Chanukah lights burn bright and may all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Potato Latke Recipe

1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes)		1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered		1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg		1 egg, beaten
1 cup oil or chicken shmaltz, or a combination of both		2 tablespoons matzo meal
Applesauce and sour cream, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the potatoes. Scrub the potatoes well, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half crosswise.
Grate potatoes and onion with a food processor. Grate the potatoes and onion using the shredding disk of a food processor.
Make a cheesecloth tourniquet and squeeze liquid from potato and onion. Transfer the grated potato and onion onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie around the handle of a wooden spoon. Dangle the bundle over a large bowl, then twist and squeeze the potatoes and onion as hard as you can until no more liquid comes out of the potatoes and onion shreds.
Pour off the liquid, but keep the potato starch. Give the liquid a few minutes to allow the potato starch to settle and then pour off and discard the liquid but leave the potato starch.
Toss the latke ingredients together with your fingers. Add the potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper to the bowl of starch. Mix with your fingers, making sure that the potato starch breaks up and is evenly distributed with the rest of the ingredients. Set batter aside for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil. Place the oil or schmaltz (or a combination of the two) in a large skillet so that when melted there is a depth of 1/4 inch (for a 10-inch skillet you’ll need 1 cup of melted oil/schmaltz). Heat over medium-high heat until a piece of the latke mixture sizzles immediately.
Form latkes one at a time into a 2-4 inch patty. Using a spoon, slide the latkes into the hot oil. Repeat until the pan is full but the latkes aren’t crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary.
Drain the latkes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes.
Serve with applesauce if using schmaltz or with sour cream and apple sauce if using just oil.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more Jewish stories with recipes

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

Please share this story with family and friends and let us know what you think or feel about the stories in a comment or two. Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

Please share this story with others

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

The Mystery of the Vanishing Flame

Posted on Wednesday, 9, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

It was the first night of Chanukah. Outside a snowstorm raged, but inside it was tranquil and warm. The holy rabbi stood in front of the menorah, surrounded by a crowd of his students. He recited the blessings with great devotion, lit the single candle, placed the shammash (“attendant candle”) in its designated place, and began to sing HaNairos Halalu. His face radiated holiness and joy; the amazed students watch his every move.

The flame of the candle was burning bright and strong. The rabbi and his students sat nearby and sang Ma’oz Tzur and other Chanukah songs. All of a sudden, the flame began to flicker and leap wildly, even though there was no breeze in the house. It was as if it were dancing to the lively songs, and then it just disappeared,

It didn’t blow out, there was no smoke, it just was gone without a trace. The holy rabbi seemed lost in thought. One of the students went to re-light the wick on the candle, but the rabbi waved him off.

He reminded the students that Chanukah was a happy holiday and to continue their singing. Between the songs, the rabbi spoke such words of Torah that it seemed everyone was in a higher realm. The students were so caught up in celebrating Chanukah, they had all but forgotten about the disappearing flame.

It was almost midnight when they heard the sounds of a carriage stop at the house, the door burst open and in came a student who came from a distant village. His clothes were ripped and muddy, and his face was puffy and bleeding. Yet, his eyes were sparkling and his features shone with joy.

He sat down at the table, and with all eyes upon him, began to speak excitedly. “This isn’t the first time I came to visit the rabbi by traveling through the forest, and I know the way very well. But there was a terrible snow storm this week, which greatly slowed me down. I began to worry that I wouldn’t get here in time to be with the rabbi for the first night of Chanukah. The thought disturbed me so much, I decided not to wait out the storm and started out immediately.

“That was a foolish idea, I must admit, but I didn’t realize that until too late. Last night, I ran into a gang of bandits, who thought if I was out in this weather, at night, alone, I must be a wealthy merchant whose business could not be delayed. They demanded that I surrender to them all of my money.

“I pleaded with them and tried to explain that I was a student travelling to see my holy teacher. They absolutely refused to believe me. They wanted money or my blood. They took me to their leader so he could decide my fate.

“While they waited for the bandit chief to arrive, they questioned me in great detail, searched me and the wagon, and beat me, trying to get the secret of where I had hidden my money. I had nothing to tell them except the truth, and that they didn’t want to hear it.

“After hours of punishment, they tied me up and threw me into a dark cellar. I was hurt and bleeding, and my whole body ached in pain. I lay there for a long time, when the bandit chief came to speak with me.

“I tried to the best of my ability to describe to him the great joy of being in the rabbi’s presence, and how it was so important to me to get to the rabbi by the start of Chanukah and that it was worth it to endanger myself by traveling at night.

“It seems my words made an impression on him, and he untied and released me, saying:

“If you actually reach the outskirts of the city, then throw your handkerchief into the ditch next to the road, behind the signpost there. One of my men will be waiting, and that is how I will know that you made it.

“I was very afraid of what might be ahead of me on my journey, but when I thought about how wonderful it is to be to watch my teacher, the holy rabbi light the menorah lighting, my fear seemed to fade away. I was determined to proceed without delay. My horse and carriage were returned to me and I set off on my way.

Chanukah

“There forest was dark and forbidding and I could hear the sounds of the night creatures. I feared that I might be surrounded by a pack of vicious wolves.

“I crouched down over my horse’s neck and spurred him on, but he wouldn’t move. He refused to move in the pitch blackness. I tried to get him to move with kind words, but he wouldn’t budge.

“I had no idea what to do. At that moment, a small light flickered in front of the carriage. The horse stepped eagerly towards it. The light moved and the horse followed. All along the way, the wild animals fled from us, as if the tiny dancing flame was driving them away.

“We followed that flame all the way here. I kept my end of the bargain and threw my handkerchief at the designated place. Who knows? Perhaps those cruel bandits will change their ways, all in the merit of that little light.”

It was only then that the students noticed that the holy rabbi’s Chanukah light had returned. There it was, burning in the simple menorah, its flame strong and pure as if it had just been lit.

As the students marveled at the small flame in all its brightness, the holy rabbi mysteriously commented, “The light of a candle is serviceable only when it precedes man on his way, useless when it trails behind.” (Kad haKemach 37, 14^th century)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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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If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown

on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

The Sin That Was Sold

Posted on Tuesday, 24, November, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

There were two Jewish merchants who were good friends. They used to purchase all kinds of goods, and one of them was a very handsome man indeed. One day they heard that a certain noblewoman had many goods, which she had inherited, to sell. They went to her place to purchase whatever she had. Now she had never seen a Jewish person, and her family had told her only bad things about them. When she asked her servant about these visitors, he laughed at her, saying: “Your family were not honest with you. They are like other men and lack for nothing except that they have no homeland now.” When she heard this, she wished to see the visitors and went to the entrance. There she was very surprised seeing the handsome merchant, whose face seemed to brighten the whole room. So she sent for him and spoke to him, and she was amazed that he could speak her language. She thoroughly enjoyed talking to him, and the flame of desire for him burned within her.

Their business was concluded, the other merchant went to the neighboring villages in order to hire wagons for transporting the goods, while the handsome one with the noblewoman. That night she sent for him to dine with her. He came and enjoyed the food, wine and conversation. The noblewoman told him how she loved him, and gave him all his share of the goods as a gift. With the desires for wealth and for the noblewoman joined, and he could not resist them.

In the morning, his friend returned with the wagons, they loaded up the goods and went their way. While on the road the handsome merchant recalled what he had done and was very ashamed of himself. His friend asked him what was troubling him, but he put him off with various excuses. He wanted to ease the burden of his friend so he insisted on knowing the real reason his friend was troubled and at last, under his pressure the handsome man told the other what had happened. The friend tried to comfort him, but he was not prepared for consolation and wept for what he had done. When his friend saw that he refused to be comforted, he offered to purchase the transgressions from him. They shook hands on the sale and returned home; and the man who had purchased the transgression grew very wealthy and was prosperous in all he did.

In due course the wealthy merchant died; and when he appeared before the Heavenly Court to give a reckoning for his deeds, they included the sin of his friend among his own. The dead man appeared to his friend in a dream and summoned him for trial before a very holy rabbi.

The man was terrified and did not know what to answer; and the dead man appeared in his dreams nightly until he became very sick. Then the sick person begged his family to carry him in his bed to the holy rabbi. They did so, and he told the rabbi of the dreams.

The rabbi said to him: “Have no fear! When he comes to you again, tell him that the Torah ‘is not in heaven’ (Deut. 30:12), and if he wishes for a trial, let him come before me together with you.” The rabbi set a special time for this trial according to the Torah.

When that time came, he sent the synagogue attendant to the grave¬yard to summon the dead merchant. The dead man came together with the living; and a minyan (a group of ten men) gathered in the synagogue.

Then both the dead man and the living stated their arguments. The holy rabbi listened to both ever mindful. The holy rabbi spoke to the living man saying,” A sin’s beginning is sweet, but its end is bitter. (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 2:2) One must always remember that ‘No sin is so light that it may be overlooked; no sin is so heavy that it may not be repented of.’ (Shiras Yisrael, 12c) The matters before us today are indeed great, for the wealthy merchant only wanted to ease his friend’s pain.”

After a moment or two the holy rabbi continued, “Those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies. (Tobit 12:10) For this reason the living man was troubled down to his very core by his sinful behavior.” After listening to the two before him, the holy rabbi found that the words of the living man to be sincere and ruled against the dead merchant.

The holy rabbi concluded that, “Happy is he who repents while still a man (Avodah Zarah 19a) for had the living man carried his own sin, he would have repented it long ago.” The holy rabbi consoled the dead merchant saying that he would perform reparation for his soul and lighten his punishment.

When the rabbi had declared his judgment, the sound of loud weeping was heard; and in the spot where the dead man had stood there now appeared a large cloud of smoke.

Based on Adas Tzadikkim 41-5

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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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An old man sat with some of his friends around a fire and began to reflect upon his life.

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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The holy rabbi’s wife was extremely thrifty, but very spiritual. When she davened (prayed), she was transported into another world.

The rebbetzin would put the bare minimum of schmaltz (chicken fat) into the kugel. The holy rabbi would always ask her to increase the amount of schmaltz in the kugel. His requests went unheeded.

One Friday, when the rebbetzin was davening, The holy rabbi removed the keys from her apron pocket, unlocked the pantry, and put several spoonfuls of schmaltz into the kugel. He then returned the keys, and the rebbetzin was completely unaware to all of this.

Shabbos morning, when she served the kugel, the rebbetzin said, “See! You always criticize me for not putting enough schmaltz into the kugel. But look at the Divine blessing. The kugel is dripping with schmaltz!”

The holy rabbi nodded. “It is indeed a Divine blessing,” he said. “We merited this blessing by virtue of deine shtark tefillos un meine maasim tovim — your fervent davening and my good deeds.”

Overnight Potato Kugel

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup schmaltz or oil

1-2 medium onion, grated

8 extra large eggs

1 Tablespoon Kosher salt

5 lbs. potatoes, grated

¼ – ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in pan on medium heat (do not allow oil to get real hot)

Grate potatoes and onion (or use a food processor, process the potatoes and onions until almost smooth but not liquidy). Add to the eggs along with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Pour the hot oil into potato-egg mixture and mix until fully mixed.

Pour mixture into the pan and bake at 400° until the top is brown, about 1 hour.

Remove from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 200°. Cover the kugel tightly with foil.

Return pan to the oven. Place a pan of water (cold) on the rack underneath the kugel and continue baking at least 4 hours or overnight.

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

Please share this story with family and friends and let us know what you think or feel about the stories in a comment or two. Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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Many years ago in a simple house in the holy city of Jerusalem there lived a Jewish woman. Special people live in Jerusalem and are so steeped in holiness and spirituality that they have few physical needs. Their prayers and actions are an exceptional treasure.

One woman knew how to knit beautiful yarmulkes, and she was able to support her family. How were her yarmulkes different from others that were

sold in the market, so that the mothers of Jerusalem ran to buy hers?

She would knit the yarmulkes with the intent of hiddur mitzvah – to beautify a mitzvah. One may ask why? It says in the Torah, “This is my G-d and I will glorify them. (Exodus 15:2)”

“What makes your yarmulke so special that you don’t want to trade with me?” asked the neighbor’s son.

The neighbor took in every word that this exceptional boy spoke. In just a few hours, every woman in the Jerusalem neighborhoods knew the holy woman’s secret, and they ran to her to buy her yarmulkes for their children. What mother wouldn’t give her last few coins for her child to be pious?

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

Please share this story with family and friends and let us know what you think or feel about the stories in a comment or two. Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

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People were created in the image of G-d. (Genesis 1:27) and as such, must act in holy ways, to treat others with dignity and respect, to behave with moral and ethical character as an essential part of everyone’s life.

If one presents themselves as religious and learned but does not conduct themselves in an acceptable manner in public, many people will attribute the negative conduct to the faith promoted by the person. About such a person people will say:

“woe to that person who studied Torah, woe to his father who taught him Torah, woe to the teacher who taught him Torah. This person who has studied Torah, see how perverse are his ways, how ugly are his deeds.” (Yoma 86a)

One of the important lessons one can learn is before doing the many religious commandments and deeds found in the Holy Books, a person must pave the path with derech eretz, meaning decent, polite, respectful, thoughtful, civilized behaviour and good personality traits.

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

Please share this story with family and friends and let us know what you think or feel about the stories in a comment or two. Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

Please share this story with others

“A man comes home from work at the end of the day, very hungry. He sits down at the table, expecting his dinner. His wife appears and tells him that he should be patient because dinner is delayed. So he waits.

“Every morning, G‑d waits for His people to say their prayers” The diligent are quick to pray, aware of the immense privilege it is to be able to address the King above All kings.

Vegetable Kugel

Ingredients:

2 large onions, diced

6 eggs

3-4 Tablespoons oil or shmaltz

1 Tablespoon salt

4 stalks celery, diced

½ Teaspoon ground black pepper

2 green peppers, diced

1 Tablespoon of Italian spices

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced or chopped (optional)

1/8 – ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)

4 carrots, shredded

8 large potatoes (4-5 lbs.), grated

Directions

1.

Preheat oven to 375°.

2.

Sauté the onions in oil until golden. Add the celery, peppers, mushrooms (if using), and carrots. Sauté until soft.

3.

Place the eggs into a mixing bowl. Beat by hand and add salt and pepper to taste.

4.

Continue beating and add spices.