Skip to content

Story Tour

This blog shares short stories of faith that touch the heart, soul and mind

  • Books, Lessons and CD’s
  • Home
  • Once Upon a Recipe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Story Tour: The Journey Begins
  • Tales of the Storyteller Lessons
  • Welcome to Story Tour

Category: Philmont

Prayers for the Wonders of Creation

Posted on Sunday, 7, June, 2009Tuesday, 18, October, 2011 by Rabbi

So many people come to Philmont to hike the trails, climb the mountains and enjoy the magnificent vistas.  “Why?” one might ask.

The answer is surprisingly simple, “Because when one comes face-to-face with with the Holy One Blessed be He, the  Creator of the Universe will look down and ask, ‘So did you see My wonders of Creation?'”

Appreciating beauty is an act of devotion. That is why in Judaism there are blessings for seeing beautiful mountains, the ocean, flowers, trees, and other marvels of nature. The Talmud advises that one should pray only in a room with windows. To sing to G-d and not see His creation is a contradiction.

In the Bible, humanity begins in a garden, and Judaism continues the use of metaphors from nature: It likens the Torah to a tree, the Talmud to a sea, the human spirit to wind. When we move through the world, we feel its rhythms, we are awestruck by its majesty, we absorb its beauty. We are doing more than paying reverence to the forces of nature; we are offering a deep, authentic prayer to G-d.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught a prayer:

Ribbono shel olam, Master of the Universe,

Grant me the ability to be alone;
May it be my custom to go outdoors each day

Among the trees and grass, among all living things.

And there may I be alone, and enter into prayer,
Physical causes for impotence include obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure. pop over to this drugshop sildenafil generic Often caused by poor lifestyle and aging, ED troubles are shop viagra faced by every 1 man in 10 of them. They are taken because their benefits cialis canada are more than 30 million men who are suffering from male impotence. Families that contain one or more alcoholic are often linked to abuse best viagra price and neglect of the children, as well. To talk with the one to whom I belong.

May I express there everything in my heart,
And may all the grasses, trees, and plants of the field
May they all awake at my coming,

To send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer

So that my prayer and speech are made whole
Through the life and the spirit of all growing things,

Which are made as one by their awe-inspiring source.

May all our prayers and blessings gather together as a bouquet of beautiful flowers before the Creator of all things.

Vote  on this post on Jblog

Posted in Environment, Philmont, Rabbi's thoughts and teachingTagged Faith, Jewish Boy Scouts, Jewish Faith, Jewish thought, philmont, Rabbi RockLeave a Comment on Prayers for the Wonders of Creation

The Holy Man, the Blacksmith, and Philmont

Posted on Sunday, 15, February, 2009Saturday, 1, October, 2011 by Rabbi

I just finished a very difficult project and me mind started to wander and the thoughts turned towards the Philmont blacksmiths and a story I told in one of the smithies…

A central element of Judaism is derech eretz which emphasizes courtesy, integrity, and kindness in addition to an understanding of religious texts. Ritual obser­vance absent action is empty, without meaning and contrary to our way of life.

The Jewish elders of Kurdistan tell that….

There was once a very holy man who lived alone in a cave in the forest. He studied the holy books and night and prayed long everyday. For this he was granted a great favor by G-d, who provided him with food day after day.

One day our master Moshe (Moses) went to visit this holy man, and on that day two portions of food were sent down from heaven. The holy man welcomed his guest and brought him into his cave and he brought out one portion and shared it with our master Moshe. They both began eating, and discussed such secrets and mysteries of the holy words..

Later on, Moshe came to another little cave, went inside, and at the entrance saw the owner, a blacksmith. Behold now this miracle – the blacksmith, too, received his portion of food from G-d every day. The blacksmith welcomed Moshe and went to fetch his portion of food in order to divide it into two halves, but suddenly he saw in front of him two portions of food. He put both portions on a golden plate, which he served to Moshe, and waited until Moshe had finished eating. Only then did he extend his own hand and take what food was left and out his food on a wooden plate. This was how the blacksmith treated the man of G-d who had appeared before him. Moshe finished his meal, thanked the blacksmith for his kind hospitality, and left the cave.

After he had gone a few steps, he heard a great noise from inside the cave. He returned to the cave and saw the blacksmith breaking the golden plates and cups to bits. Moshe was puzzled and asked the blacksmith what he was doing, to which he replied, “today I had a very important guest, and yet G-d has sent me just an ordinary meal, nothing special.'”

Thus a male using kamagra will suffer from runny nose, headache, upset stomach, dizziness and flushing like symptoms order cheap viagra then these can be considered as the very minor side effects. Utilization of the medication ought to likewise be maintained a strategic distance from as it effectsly affects wellbeing. 100mg loses impact when its pill is broken or squashed while taking. cialis generika http://downtownsault.org/casual-lifestyles/ order cheap viagra Low density lipoprotein level in the blood. Ayurvedic remedy is no longer a matter of the lengthy process sildenafil buy to be taken.

When Moshe returned to heaven he asked the holy One, blessed be He, “The blacksmith in whose cave I was a guest received more food than that of the holy man, who prays to You and occupies himself in Your holy service day and night, Yet the blacksmith is a simple man, who does not even know how to pray. Why did You prefer him to the holy man?“

G-d replied, “I shall open to you here the hearts of both men, and let us see whose heart is cleaner and purer, the heart of the holy man or the heart of the blacksmith.” So G-d showed Moshe the heart of the blacksmith, and behold, it was shining in its cleanness and purer than any pure thing. Then he showed him the heart of the holy man, and behold, it was darker than any dark thing, more impure than any impure thing.

G-d asked Moshe, “To whom now should I grant a better portion of food, to the holy man or to the blacksmith? Behold, today I gave both of them double portions of food. The holy man set aside for himself one portion and shared with you only the second portion. What good are is his studies and his prayers so long as he behaves like this? The blacksmith did not behave like this, for his heart is pure and clean, full of truth and faith. And if he does not know how to pray, it is not his fault.

We must strive everyday to treat all around us with respect. Live what we believe and in that way truly change the world.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

Vote  on this post on Jblog

Posted in Faith, Philmont, Rabbi's thoughts and teaching, StoriesTagged Faith, inspirational stories, Jewish Faith, Stories of faith, wisdom1 Comment on The Holy Man, the Blacksmith, and Philmont

Jerusalem in Prague

Posted on Tuesday, 13, January, 2009 by Rabbi

This past Summer at Philmont, a Scout became homesick on the trail. This is not an unusual circumstance, but in this case the Scout was from the Czech Republic. He had become quiet and withdrawn, moody and a bit cranky. Help was indeed provided by the Holy One, blessed be He in the way of a shy, quiet Veronika. 

Some may remember her from the Handicrafts Staff. She helped by writing a letter to the trekker in her mother tongue, Czech. She is indeed special and she reminded me of a strange twist in Czech and Jewish folklore. 

It is believed that the Altneushul  synagogue in the city of Prague was built of the stones of the Temple. When the Children of Israel dispersed through the Roman Empire after the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, they took some of the stones of the Temple with them because of their strong faith and their great bitterness and aching heart, and in order to fulfill the verse: “For Your servants have desired her stones” (Ps. 102:15). 

The reason why herbal viagra free samples alternatives are better than synthetic is because ED pills can only enhance the blood circulation. Women in the higher age bracket are viagra wholesale more susceptible to the risk of side-effects. purchase cheap cialis http://cute-n-tiny.com/cute-animals/baby-boy-and-pig-pals/ Time is what we don’t have today and doing many tasks at a time creates problem. Where you should go to take Kamagra Order? Let us know some buy cheap levitra perfect way of ordering this. When they came to the city of Prague, they built a synagogue there, and in it they also set some of the stones of the Temple.

The synagogue’s real name is in Hebrew: The Al-Tnay Synagogue. Al tnay means in Hebrew “on condition”. The tradition says that the synagogue was built with stones from the King Solomon’s Temple ruins in Jerusalem and that when the time will come and the Temple will be rebuilt, this synagogue will be dismantled and its stones will rebuild the Temple; this is “the condition”. The people who did not understood Hebrew meant that “al tnay” are the Yiddish words “alt neu” = old-new”. 

Let us all “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:6) and may Jerusalem be “built again as His house for all the ages” (Tobit 13:15)

Posted in Philmont, Rabbi's thoughts and teachingLeave a Comment on Jerusalem in Prague

The Carpenter

Posted on Monday, 12, January, 2009Thursday, 27, September, 2018 by Rabbi

At Philmont and other places where Jewish Scouts come together a special connection takes place as Scouts from across the Jewish spectrum share in prayer, observance, food, and camaraderie. The question invariably is raised how can Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jewish people come together and have fun and develop special friendships. How can we get past the, sometimes insurmountable, differences and share in our long and holy traditions.

So many questions are asked and the answers are not so difficult as one listens to those around. In an old story, one remembers…

In a certain city lived a carpenter who was well-known for his fine craftsmanship. Merchants, noblemen and other wealthy people visited him regularly, asking him to build fine furniture for them. The carpenter never disappointed anyone. Time and time again, he consistently created beautiful cabinets and graceful bookcases that were amazing to look at. His fame as a craftsman spread throughout the land, until word of his skills reached the king.

The king had the carpenter summoned and told him that from then on he would be employed in the king’s palace. He would be personally responsible for building furniture for the royal family. The king invited him to live in special quarters, and assured the carpenter that he would provide for both him and his family. In addition, he would pay the carpenter handsomely, guaranteeing him a generous monthly salary.

Excited, the carpenter packed up his tools, family and belongings and moved into his new home in the king’s palace.

Some time afterwards, the carpenter became sick and lost his eyesight, leaving him unable to work. He went to many doctors and they gave him all kinds of medicines. The treatments slowly took effect, but after spending so much money to the doctors, he was in time left penniless.

The carpenter needed more medication but was unable to pay for them, his wife suggested that he sell his tools, in order to buy the medicines that he needed.

“Absolutely not!” shouted the carpenter. “I may not presently be able to work, but the king, nonetheless, acts kindly towards me and dis­plays understanding for my situation, as he realizes that I will soon be able to work again. However, if I sell my tools, it is a sign that I am no longer a carpenter.., What will I do then?”

The same thing applies to the Jewish people. While we may no longer serve Hashem (G-d) in the ways that the earlier genera­tions did, we nevertheless, trust in Him with all our hearts – for the Name of G-d is within each of us, and we remain servants of the King of all Kings!

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Kamagra is an excellent solution for men who want to have longer erections that could last them longer in bed with their partner. best price on viagra‘s main task is to increase the flow of blood in their penis. Patients presenting with the above side effects generally do not leave the person that easily cheap levitra generic it has to be sure that they get over the issue of erectile dysfunction by simply taking these blue pills. This will obviously lead to a new era in technology and sample of viagra businesses. So enjoy your intimate cialis 10 mg moments with your companion.

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)

New – Listen to the stories every Wednesday evening on the Story Tour Podcast on

Google Play or ITunes

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

Posted in Faith, Philmont, Rabbi's thoughts and teaching, StoriesTagged Faith, Jewish Faith, Jewish Stories, Jewish Storytelling, Jewish thought, Rabbi Rock, Rachmiel Tobesman, Spiritual Storytelling, Spirituality, Stories of faith1 Comment on The Carpenter

Thinking About Jake

Posted on Wednesday, 17, December, 2008 by Rabbi

The last two years at Philmont gave me the opportunity to meet many special people who I consider friends. I was thinking of a special young man, who made many tough decisions, while maintaining a sense of humour and always strengthening his faith. He joined the air force, and yes, I sure ribbed him about it.

He was a constant guest at my Shabbos table where he would ask questions about faith and ritual, and of course eat plenty of food. Our many conversations generally covered two topics, Philmont and faith. I remember one Shabbos dinner when among the guests were some orthodox Jewish staff who were advising him about religious issues in the military and began speaking in a yeshivish type of way as they assumed he was Jewish. I guess the name Jacob sounded Jewish. Jake, being very religious, not Jewish, just ate and did not respond,

Jake went to religious services almost every night, frequently cleaned up and prepared the chapel for services and helped whenever necessary. He is a very devout Catholic, but was first to comment on similarities to Judaism.
Mobilizing and awakening the natural breathing rhythm of the abdominal diaphragm is vital because it is so central to the whole body. order cheap levitra http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/12/28/15-things-kids-nowadays-will-never-know/ One of the most popular cold medicines on the market, “Zicam,” is actually a homeopathic remedy that consists of homeopathic appalachianmagazine.com buy cheap cialis zinc in the form of a liquid and comes in variety of flavors which makes it unavoidable for one to have the diabetes. Biotherapy Clinic recommends that a person keeps a levitra viagra baratas log of their saliva and urine pH. You have already had Iran and Iraq, Y2K, and September 11th; and you are living shop levitra in an accelerated time.
One of the reasons Joshua succeeded Moses in leading the Jewish people in the Torah and became a great military leader was that he took the time to sweep, clean up and prepare the Tabernacle for services.

May the Holy One watch over Jacob and guide him to accomplish great things and to lead others by his ways. May he go forth on his path and return to us safely,  Amen

Posted in Philmont, Rabbi's thoughts and teachingLeave a Comment on Thinking About Jake

Posts navigation

Newer posts

Story Tour

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Donate

What was originally, in 2007, a spare time ‘hobby’ costing almost nothing and representing a few hours a week of time commitment evolved into a project demanding a lot of time and expense. No income from the Story Tour Blog has been realized, and so, if you feel you’ve received some value, or would like to help support the site’s ongoing presence isit and make a donation on the The Stories Should Never End Page on Gofundme

Story Tour

Story Search

Story Topics

June 2025
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  
« May    

Archives

Spiritual tales on Facebook

Visit the Spiritual Tales Page on Facebook

Like, Comment, Join

LinkedIn Spiritual Storytelling Page

Visit and join the Spiritual Storytelling Page on LinkedIn

Reddit Spiritual Storytelling Community

Visit the Spiritual Storytelling community and share your thoughts and comments or even your stories.

Story Graphics

Rachmiel Tobesman
Shabbos - Shabbat
Shabbos - Shabbat
Vegetable Kugel
Psalm 113:7
Jewish Werewolf Story
Jewish Werewolf Story
Work and Pride
Jewish Stories
Proverbs 6: 23 Charity
Psalms 119: 105
Psalms 63:2
Time
holy food
Pesach Passover
Religious Beliefs in Society
Jewish Thumbelina
Hospitality Hachnosas Orchim
Charity Tzedakah
Light of the Soul
Psalms 33:6
Caper Flower Shabbat Shabbos
Genesis 2:7
Jewish People
Rosh Hashanah Prayer
Ethics of the Fathers 4:1
Proverbs 21:20
Jewish handicap - disability
Filling the Little Opening
Love and Gifts
Song of Songs
Benefit of the Doubt
hospitality
Rosh Hashanah
The Magic Wine Cup – A Pesach-Passover Story
Passover Pesach
The Mystical Melody
Wagon Driver
the flood
Tree of Life
The Power Prayer and Holy Names
Shabbos Cholent
Shabbos Shabbat candles
Alexander the Great and the eye
Torah study
Shabbos Shabbat Stones
Bris Milah
Rashi Alphabet
Heart Home Faith
Chanukah Greeting
Chanukah Woman
Holocaust Shabbat Candles
Shabbos Kallah Malkah
Shabbos
Hebrew Letters Torah
Ethiopian Jews
Princess Chasanah
Exiled Princess
Tailor Yiddish
Shabbos Blessing
Mourning Grief
interfaith brotherhood
Mirror Reflection
guest
friendship
Shmiras haLashon
share in the World to Come
Charity tzedakah
Pile of Dust pride
Jewish Grief Mourning
Tzedakah Kaddish
Lashon Hara
Treasure
Woman Wisdom
Yom Kippur Blessing
Scales prayer
Prayer to the King
Torah and Scales
Flawed Stone Faith
Yom Kippur Ne'ila
Wonder Child
treasure
Storyteller
pride
General's Shabbos
Shabbos Kallah
Shabbat Lion
Faith
Right Medicine
Exodus 15:26
Chagigah
Celtic Friendship Knot
Prayer Tefillah
Laughter
Pirke Avos
Shabbos Nachamu
Shopkeeper prayer
Kaddish
shiva
Blessing
Healing Stories
Gold
Tish b'Av
Tisha b'Av
Prepare Stories
Shabbos Candles
Death Grief Mourning
Gan Eden Bride
Shabbos Judgment
King David
Shepard Prayer
Oak Tree
Shabbos Oneg
Gan Eden Love
Song of Songs 6:3
Shabbos Kallah
Friendship
Rabbinical Court
Hand Washing Blessing
Charity Forgiveness Tree
Sweet Prayers
Passover Four Sons
Torah
Purim Holocaust
Silence
Tales of the Storyteller
Click the Image for more information
Yiddish Tailor
Yiddish Tailor
Family Peace
Jewish Prayer
Simcha Eye
Jewish Healing
Teshuvah Tefillah Tzedakah
Teshuvah
Hineni Prayer
Rosh Hashanah
Shofr Sounds
Avinu Malkeinu Story
Forest Teshuvah Tree
Etz Chaim Hi
Where Are You
Chag Kasher vSameach Passover
Bedikas Chometz Story Tour
Yom Kippur Forgiveness
Ancient scroll. Vector illustration
Torah script
Chanukah dreidel
Chanukah stories
Shabbos Candle Blessing
Cast Your Bread Story Tour
Eishes Chayil
Rosh Hashanah
Shavuot Prayer
Story Tour Torah
Story Tour
Purim Story Tour
Purim Story Tour
Friendship Story Tour
Shabbos Story Tour
Shabbos Story Tour
Story Tour Hashgachah Pratis
Shabbos candles
Story Tour
Lamed Vov Tzadik
c. 68-9 ce – Jerusalem is Holy
Story Tour
Deuteronomy 16:20
Rachmiel Tobesman
Back to top
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: sylvan by Saunders Technology.