A True Derech – Way

Posted on Tuesday, 12, October, 2021Friday, 28, June, 2024 by Rabbi

Two students of Tam and Chacham were arguing about the true path to spirituality in the world. One student said that the path was built on effort and energy, “You must completely devote yourself with all your effort to follow the way of the Torah (Scriptures). To pray, to pay attention, and to live rightly”

The second student strongly disagreed. “It is not effort at all. That is only based on ego. It is pure surrender. To follow the way to do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, to awaken is to let go of all things and live the teaching. One’s path should be not of religion, but a way of life.”

Since the students could not agree on who was right, they went to Tam and Chacham. They listened as the first student praised the path of wholehearted effort and when asked by this student, “Is this the true path?” Chacham answered, “You’re. right.” The second student was quite upset and responded powerfully that the path of living one’s faith is the natural way to realize spirituality. When he finished, he asked, “Is this not the true path?” and then Tam replied, “You’re right.” A third student who was sitting there observed, “But masters, they can’t both be right,” and Tam and Chacham smiled and said, “You’re right too!”

You see, there are different paths people follow. For the many, it may be one way for others another. We say, “And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart and all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) at different times of the day, and the very words encompass all aspects of the community. Every person has different merits and resources and can find a path to serve the Holy One, blessed be He.

Deuteronomy 6:5

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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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Susan and the Fruit Seller

Posted on Tuesday, 27, October, 2020Tuesday, 12, March, 2024 by Rabbi

So many people today search for meaning in the world. Sadly, too many feel betrayed by faith and really question the validity of age old beliefs. In the hopes of finding spirituality or holiness, many turn to mysticism. People become lost in the lofty ideas and practice of the mystical teachings without realizing that everyday life is filled with the light of holiness and meaning. There are times when people open themselves to their souls, to the Holy One, blessed be He and reveal the holiness that surrounds us.

A young woman named Susan was trying to rediscover her faith through intensive study of the Holy books and mysticism. After one class, she listened to a simple story about the importance of greeting people. The discussion centered around the teaching, “Be first to greet everyone, whatever their faith.” (Pirkei Avos 4:15) Who would have thought that greeting another person was such a powerful act of faith that the ancient sages taught, “To welcome another person is to welcome the Shechinah (Divine Presence).” (Mekilta Shemos 18:12) After some thought, Susan shared something that had happened to her earlier that day.

Susan, who is a lawyer, sees that people have very little interaction with one another. They seem to always be preoccupied with their own lives. She decided she did not want to live that way and tried to be open and friendly whenever possible, as part of her spiritual practice. Every day on the way to her office, she would pass a fruit stand, and although she never bought any fruit, she always made it a point to say hello to the fruit seller.

While she on her way to her office earlier that day, she was thinking about her spiritual life and became discouraged, thinking that she had accomplished very little. As she approached the fruit stand, she realized she had forgotten her lunch and decided to buy something.

She selected an orange and then took out her wallet to pay, but the seller said, “Oh, no! I’m not going to take money from you. Every day you say hello to me, and I feel so good, it makes my day. Please take this fruit as a gift.”

Susan was so moved by the man’s gesture but also by the Divine intervention: that the moment when she had felt discouraged about her spiritual life—and thinking she was not making any progress at all — the Holy One, blessed be He had given her a clear sign: “Don’t be discouraged, Susan! You are accomplishing something for yourself and for others!”

She explained that she realized from this incident that it takes very little to make a difference in the world by lifting someone’s else’s spirits— a simple greeting can be so important.

About a week later, Susan was shocked when she went to the fruit stand to buy some fruit for her lunch, but changed her mind at the last minute. But as she walked by, the fruit seller, he had an orange already in a bag and gave it to her with a big smile. She was so touched that she began to cry because that simple gesture touched her so deeply.

Susan was so profoundly touched, that in a world so filled with mistrust and fear, a simple greeting could make a deep impression. She realized that belief and faith is not found in mysticism, but in the everyday living and interactions. A greeting can create moments of giving and taking, of being sincere and open to the world are the very meaning of life.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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A Lesson of a Patch

Posted on Sunday, 18, October, 2020Tuesday, 9, January, 2024 by Rabbi

So much has changed in what is taught to youth today. So often domestic skills such as cooking and sewing are overlooked. Many view these skills in a negative way, often saying that they are demeaning. Sadly, much has been lost in our throw-away society and acute gender identification. The question of the ethical and spiritual lessons that were learned are never addressed.

An old grandmother, Bubbie Feiga, taught her grand-daughter, Sarah Rachel, how to patch a worn garment. At the same time, she taught her beloved grand-daughter a lesson in mussar (religious values).

“One should not be ashamed to wear patched clothes,” Bubbie Feiga explained. “On the contrary, one should feel good about it. Do you know why? Because Hashem (G-d) gives us everything we have. But all these wonderful things are not presents forever. No! He entrusts them to us for safekeeping only. At any moment, without warning, He may take them all back. So it’s a shame, even a sin, to show neglect for anything Hashem Himself entrusts to us. A patch, Sarah Rachel, not only prolongs the life of a garment, but the patching demonstrates how much we appreciate everything that the Holy One, blessed be He entrusts to our keeping!”

Few people today wear patches on their garments. Patches have largely disappeared in our wealthy society. Bubbie Feiga’s lesson still applies. G-d gives us everything we have. Every object that comes into our possession is a gift from G-d and should be treated with reverence. The mystics teach that a spark of divinity is in each thing in the world, and therefore every object, every possession, should be properly honored. By prematurely discarding an old item to replace it with a new one, we show disrespect for the holy spark that resides in that object. How long should we keep a garment or other item? Each of us should decide with wisdom; there is no rule. The only rule — which we can learn from Bubbie Feiga—is to show proper care and respect for your possessions.

Years went by and Sarah Rachel went off to college. She missed her Bubbie Feiga, who was now very old. Sarah became very active in the Jewish group at her college and one Friday night she went with some friends to a rabbi’s house for a Shabbos (Sabbath) meal.

The rabbi was a bit old fashioned, and at first Sarah felt very uncomfortable. After the fish and soup were served. The rabbi began telling stories. Sarah thought, “We’re not children. Why is he telling us stories? We are college students and the stories are not appropriate for college students.”

After one particular story, there was a lively discussion around the table. Everyone heard the same story, but there were so many opinions as to the meanings of the story.

The rabbi sat back and listened to the young voices around the table for a long time and then asked, “we learn in the TaNaCH (Torah, Nevi’im, Kasuvim – Scriptures) that ‘Hashem blessed them, and He said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ (Genesis 1:28) and he continued, ‘You have given them dominion over the works of your hands’ (Psalm 8:6) and added that the Torah says, ‘Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because G-d has dealt graciously with me’ (Genesis 33:11) and ended with, ‘But above all bless your Maker, who fills you with his good gifts.’ (ben Sira (Sirach) 32:13). The rabbi took a long breath and asked what do all these verses have in common.

The college students around the table rose to the challenge and offered a lot of opinions and ideas, but the rabbi sadly shook his head. “You are all over thinking”, he said.

Sarah sat and listened and a tear formed and rolled down her cheek. As the room fell quiet, she said, “My Bubbie Feiga taught me a long time ago that everything that comes into our possession is a gift from G-d and should be treated special. She taught me that a spark of holiness is in each thing in the world, for that reason should be treated with respect.”

One of the young men, retorted, “You really believe in this G-d stuff?” Sarah answered, “You really don’t understand do you?” “Aw come on how can you believe in these stories. All this religious stuff is mythology,” the young man countered.

Sarah took a deep breath and said, “We talk about diminishing resources, environmental issues, growing pollution and non-renewable resources, but the Torah clearly teaches that we are the stewards of everything in creation. When things are destroyed, who will repair it?”

The young man responded, “Science will find the answers.” Sarah immediately answered, “Very well science has told us what the foundation of life is, so take four test tubes each filled with each of the elements of life, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and have the scientist make life.” They can’t only G-d can do that!”

Sarah Rachel spoke to the rabbi several times and visited him during Jewish holidays. One day she came to the rabbi with tears in her eyes, Bubbie Feiga died. “Rabbi” she began, “the stories you told me over the years helped me to understand my Bubbie Feiga and helped me to appreciate and grow in my beliefs. In honor of my Bubbie Feiga please call me Sora Rochel”

Many years have passed, and Sora Rochel teaches her daughter about patches.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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The Blessing of Kasha

Posted on Friday, 26, June, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

The widow had custom to personally distribute kasha—buckwheat groats—to students who spent the day studying the Holy Writings. She even served this simple food during meals on Shabbos (the holy Sabbath day). Her motive was undoubtedly spiritual, and indeed, holy power may be “transmitted” through food.

Once, when she was serving the kasha, she saw a young man who ate it hurriedly, in a gluttonous manner unbefitting a student learning the Holy Writings. The widow called him over and said to him, “Do you know how many prayers were sent into heaven on behalf of this food?

At seed time, the seeds were praying that they be received into the earth and sprout. Then they pray that if heaven decrees a blight to afflict the sprouts, they be spared. Later, at threshing time, when many grains are simply lost and others carried off by the wind, they pray that nothing be lost. Still later, the grains pray that they come into the possession of a spiritual person — who will elevate them by making a blessing before eating them. Then they pray that they will become a food to be eaten on Shabbos, for this will cause their fixing (their tikkun) and elevation. Sadly if, after all this, one eats in a lowly way, one spoils everything, for a grain of kasha can only receive a fixing when eaten in a way befitting a human being!”

Holy, meditative eating is an important spiritual practice whereby both the person and the food are elevated spiritually. The widow’s words to the student encouraged him to eat with sanctity and dignity. She described the kasha seeds and grains as praying. Just as she also prayed a great deal while making the kasha and while distributing it to the students to fulfill the goal that the students and the food they ate be elevated by their eating.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Work and Use of Time

Posted on Thursday, 11, June, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

A man complained to the holy rabbi of the village that his father had left him a store as an inheritance, but where the business had provided a large profit for his father, it was not doing well for him at all. Hours could go by without a single customer coming into the store.

“What do you do with all that empty time?” the holy rabbi asked.

“Sometimes I just sit around doing nothing, sometimes I’ll read a book or clean and straighten up the store” the man answered, with a shrug.

“There is your solution” the holy rabbi nodded understand¬ingly. “You see, the Dark One has been given extensive powers. When your father had a free moment, he would learn a portion of the Talmud, some Pirke Avos (Ethics of the Fathers), or the Scriptures, or perhaps read the Tehillim (Psalms). This greatly irritated the Dark One, who would direct customers to the store, to interrupt your father’s holy study or prayer. With you, however, the Dark One is very satisfied to allow you to go without customers, since you waste away your time anyway. When you abuse the gift of time, you are doing exactly what he wishes. Not only does he not direct people to your store, but he uses his vast authority over circumstances to prevent would-be customers from going there, so that you will continue to misuse your time. Unfortunately, as long as you are content with following his path, he will be comfortable with yours and will try not to disturb you.”

Many may think they know how to earn money, but they are often way off course in their ways. The Torah says, “Remember the L-rd your G-d, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors…” (Deuteronomy 8:18) The rabbis taught that one should “strive to acquire wealth honestly, that you may benefit from it in this world and to the world to come…Wealth is a gift from G-d” (Maalos haMiddos Ch 23, 13 C)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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The Confused Student

Posted on Wednesday, 6, May, 2020Monday, 15, January, 2024 by Rabbi

Tam and Chacham taught many students and listened to all who came to them for guidance. One student left his studies to help his struggling family.

Some time passed and no one heard from the student. In time he was forgotten. One day the student came to visit his old teachers Tam and Chacham.

He explained how hard it was to leave his studies, but he found a well paying job in a field that involved mixing freely with men and women in a relaxed atmosphere. He went on to say, “You would be proud of me, I think of your lessons all through my working hours, and never once had any inappropriate thoughts.”

Chacham thought for a moment and said, “From a woman did sin originate, and because of her we must all die. (ben Sira 25:24) By preventing yourself from getting involved with the people at your job, you may actually live longer.”

The student added, “I don’t talk to the women nor notice what they wear. The men ask me all the time to eat with them, but their food and what they talk about is not kosher.” The student noticed that Tam shook his head.

Chacham responded,” we learn that ’whoever engages in too much conversation with women, brings evil on himself, neglects the study of Torah and in the end will inherit gehennom’ (Pirke Avos 1:5). I’d say you learned your lessons well.”

Tam quietly asked the student for his name. The student was taken aback. His rabbi and teacher certainly must remember his name. Tam waited a moment and then said, “You have listened, but not learned ’The Holy One, Blessed be He created all things in accordance with His wisdom and whatever He created cannot possibly be shameful or ugly’ (Iggeres haKodesh 13th cent.) Please give me your mother’s name so I can make a proper Mi Shebeirach (a prayer for healing) for you.’ “

The student was confused. He felt well and he thought to himself why would his teacher want to make a Mi Shebeirach for him?

Tam saw the confusion in the face of his student and answered, “I am an old man. Yet, I can hardly walk down the street from my house without fighting off some unwanted thought. You claim that as a young man in the prime of life, you entertain no unholy thoughts. Surely there must be something wrong with you! I will make a Mi Shebeirach for you to have a refuah sheleima (complete recovery)!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Truth Is Before Peace

Posted on Tuesday, 21, April, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

In the last two hundred or more years there has been an element in the Jewish community that has strongly advocated for modernization with an emphasis on secular education, science and technology. So many have left faith and traditions behind to blend in with the greater society.

They called their movement Haskalah (wisdom) and referred to themselves as maskilim (followers of wisdom – Haskalah). They tried to assimilate into the greater society in dress, language, manners and loyalty to the ruling power.

Religiously observant Jewish communities were against the Haskalah from the start because it went against traditional Judaism and challenged both the teachings of the rabbis and the role of Torah and mitzvos in education. The Maskilim sided with the worldly powers in plans to increase secular education among the Jewish masses, bringing them into intense conflict with the religiously observant who believed this threatened Jewish life.

The maskilim once approached one of the leading orthodox rabbis seeking to make peace between their two factions. “As you know, our sages teach that peace is the most important thing of all…” they said. “Why should there be arguments between the maskilim and the frum (as the G-d fearing Jewish people were then called)?”

In response, the holy rabbi referred to a verse in Zecharia (8:19): “‘Love truth and peace.’ Why does the verse first mention truth and then peace? This is to teach us that truth is a condition that leads to peace. True, peace is extremely important, but we are only to make peace with truth. From falsehood we must run far away.”

This is also the meaning of the prayer we recite daily, “He Who makes peace in His high places (Job 25:2), may He make peace upon us…”(Kadish) We ask HaKadosh Boruch Hu, the Holy One, blessed be He to bless us with the same peace that He makes in His heavens. We do not want a peace based on falsehood, but only the kind of peace that the One Above makes in heaven – the peace of truth.

The maskilim pride themselves on their many efforts to “modernize Judaism, but this effort is ancient. The prophet wrote, “Because, in truth, because they have misled my people, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace; and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear whitewash on it. (Ezekiel 13:10)

Sadly, that is why the terms to describe Jewish people, frum contrasts with frei (Yiddish). Frum describes the Jewish people who maintain and live by their faith, customs and traditions of Judaism. Frei (free) are those who have become secular or have developed modern observances, or “free from keeping the … commandments.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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The Groom Who Vanished – A Jewish Ghost Story

Posted on Monday, 20, January, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

It is said that “Olam Haba is a guta zach (the World to Come is a good thing) Lernen Toirah is a besser zach (learning Torah is a better thing)” and so the study of Torah in the Jewish community never stops. Long ago in a Jewish village there were two young men who loved to learn together and they were good friends. They spent all of their days in the Beis Medresh (House of Study) and immersed themselves in the revealed and hidden Torah (Scriptures). They even spent their spare time together and were seldom separated. For they were as close as brothers.

Then it happened that one of the young men became sick, his friend visited him each day. The sickness attacked the young man so strongly that he weakened and died. This unexpected event grieved his friend greatly. He continued to study the Torah even more in honour of his lost friend.

In time his grieving lessened, and when he thought of his friend he was able to smile at the memories of how close they had been. After a few years he became known throughout the region for his great knowledge of the Torah. Men of wealth and distinction began to visit his poor dwelling, hoping to bring him home as a groom for one of their daughters.

According to the direction, “marry your daughter to a scholar (Pesachim 49a) a match was made. The wedding day arrived and everyone was occupied with preparations for the wedding feast. As for the bridegroom, he was isolated in a room, waiting for the ceremony to begin. After a few hours he became restless, and he decided to step outside for a moment. Empty fields stretched before him, and on the horizon he saw a figure walking his way.

When the young man first observed him, he was barely curious to know who it was. But as the figure drew closer, it looked strangely familiar. All at once the young man recognized who it was—his friend, who had left this world. A long chill ran down his spine, but at the same time he felt a terrible longing. All the affection he held for his friend returned and overwhelmed him, and he stood rooted, waiting for the other to arrive. When he did, the two friends embraced, and the young groom saw that his friend looked exactly as he used to, as if he had never aged.

It was then that his long-lost friend spoke for the first time, his voice exactly as it had been.”Tell me,” he said, “do you remember what was the last thing in the Torah we were learning?” It had been ten years, and the young man had completely forgotten. His friend reminded him, and suddenly the whole discussion came back to him. He had not thought of it since then, but now it mattered to him as much as before. And they launched into a long debate, like those they had had in the Beis Medresh, sitting at the same table, studying the pages of the Holy Books together.

As they spoke, lost in their words, the two friends wandered from the field to the nearby forest. The young groom, only hours before standing beneath the bridal canopy, forgot all about his wedding. Indeed, he forgot about everything, except for the fact that he was immersed in the Torah once more with his friend. How such a thing was possible did not occur to him at that time, so natural did it seem.

As they were walking,they came upon a little hut deep in the forest. They went inside and there the Torah lay open to the very passage that they were discussing. The young man and his friend read it out loud together, as they had done so often in the Beis Medresh. And almost at once they were lost in the warp and weft that make up the weave of the fine points of the revealed and hidden Torah. One idea led to another, and yet another and still others beckoned as a tapestry of learning grew between them.

Time flew past. The young man forgot whether it was day or night. The Holy Word, after all, was
infinite, and he was lost in its complexity, as he had been in the happiest days of his life, sharing insights with his friend. Their rambling discussion led them, by one route or another, to the laws concerning the obligations of the bridegroom to the bride. At that moment the young man remembered that it was his wedding day. He looked outside and saw that it had grown dark, and the time of the wedding was at hand. Then he embraced his friend and hurried off as fast as he could, hoping that he would not provoke the fury of his new father-in-law or the disdain of his bride.

When he reached the town, he found himself confused, for it seemed changed from what he remembered. Nor could he find his father-in-law’s house, and he began to grow fearful that he would be late to his own wedding. At last he asked an old woman he met about where the house could be found, and she said, “I have lived here all my life, and there is no family by that name who lives here.”

The young groom pleaded with her, saying, “Please understand that this is the day of my wedding. I just left the house of my father-in-law a few hours ago. I took a little walk and lost track of time.

Please tell me where their house can be found.”

The old woman replied, “When I was a girl I heard a story about a groom who left the house a few hours before the wedding and was never seen again.” “And how long ago was that?” he asked.

And she said, “That was a hundred and twenty years ago.”

And he asked, “And what was the name of the groom?”

The old woman thought long and hard, and at last she remembered it, and she told him. And the name she recalled was his own.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Distant Relatives

Posted on Thursday, 28, November, 2019Wednesday, 11, October, 2023 by Rabbi

An old hermit lived deep in the forests where very few people ever saw him. He would study the holy books. wisdom and had a very special student. The student learned how to recognize the holy aspects of the world around him and the spiritual elements of the plainest of things. Every day the old hermit and his student studied ancient wisdom together and, after a time, became friends.

When the old hermit died, relatives who hadn’t seen or spoken to him for years came to collect his valuables. When the relatives arrived, they saw the old shack the old hermit lived in. Inside the shack, next to the rock fireplace, was a cracked table with an old tree stump that served as a chair, and two brass candlesticks that served as the centerpiece for the table. In a dark corner of the little room was a rundown cot with a threadbare bedroll on it and an old wooden chest.

The relatives took a quick look around, looked into the old wooden chest and saw nothing but old books and paper. They picked up the candlesticks and started to leave. As they were leaving, an old friend and student of the old hermit, flagged them down. “Do you mind if I help myself to what’s left in my friend’s cabin?” he asked. “Go right ahead,” they replied. After all, they thought, what inside that shack could be worth anything?

The old student and friend entered the shack and walked directly over to the old wooden chest. He opened the lid and then took out one of the old books and began to study after some time he began to look at the papers in the old chest. Each page was filled with mysteries that touched the heart and soul. The words in the books and papers were filled with holy writing by the old hermit.

The first page he took began with, “This book of the law – Torah (Scriptures) shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.” (Joshua 1:8) It was filled with so many holy words and wisdom that the student/friend’s heart was filled with so much joy. The last words on the page, “Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18), encouraged him to read more of the mysteries in the old wooden chest.

The old hermit died with only his student and friend knowing his true worth. As he looked out of the little window and watched the cloud of dust behind the relative’s departure disappear, he said, “They should have gotten to know him better.”

People go about their whole lives so caught up in the physical world, they never take time to explore the spirituality that surrounds them. Never once realizing how special and holy they are.

It is written, “then the L-rd G-d formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) The Holy One, blessed be He “formed man from the dust of the ground” means that man was created of this world and realm – the physical world. The verse goes on and says “and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” This means that man was created also from the spiritual realm. Man has the ability to live in the physical and spiritual realm at the same time.

It is the spiritual part of man that allows us to see the beauty, wonder and mystery of the world around us. Since we are made up of the spiritual and physical worlds, we can raise the most mudane and common aspect and actions up to the spiritual and holy level.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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