The Power of Prayer and Holy Names

Posted on Sunday, 18, February, 2018Wednesday, 26, July, 2023 by Rabbi

There was once a very educated man who studied the sciences and the art of debate. He believed that science held the answers to everything that could be asked. Many times he would make fun of religious people. He felt their belief in something that could not be defined by numbers of the laws of science were foolish and superstitious. He felt prayer was a waste of breath and amounted to nothing. It was very clear that he doubted the value of prayer and Holy Names, and many thought he did not believe in them at all.

Now it came about toward the end of his life that a certain man from a faraway land was possessed by a daemon. This very educated man mocked at those who alleged that a daemon had possessed that man, and thought them superstitious fools who would believe anything. He declared: “This is a natural illness, a form of a medical disorder of the brain.”

In order to make the truth clear to him, he was told: “Indeed, you will see a remarkable thing.” This man was lying on his bed without any sensation and in his hand people placed many things and various written documents; and he did not move or feel anything at all.

Then they placed in his hand a certain paper on which the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He was written. This is a Name which is not known to those who interpret the Bible text literally, since they recognize only the ten divine Names that are found there. As soon as this paper was placed in his hand the man cried aloud and flung the paper away with great force, though his eyes were closed and he could see nothing.

Then they placed in his hand an herb which is called

the beauty of the mountain

No sooner did the herb touch his hand, he flung away forcibly, and a voice could be heard, but not like the first time. They placed the paper on which the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He was written and the herb in the hand of the possessed man as they constantly prayed many times during the next 6 days, on the eve of the seventh day which was the Holy Sabbath Day, the man opened his eyes and asked for the blessed wine and hallowed bread. The daemon that possessed him was gone.

The very educated man could not respond at all, and he admitted that none of his knowledge of science could explain what had happened. Then the very educated man admitted the power of prayer and Holy Names and was not ashamed to do so.

A Medieval Tale from Lombardi

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Why the People Screamed When They Prayed

Posted on Sunday, 14, January, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Two men were good friends from the time they were children. When they grew older, one became a Rosh Yeshiva (headmaster/rabbi at a Jewish school) and the other became a very successful merchant. At one point, the Rosh Yeshiva had to go on a trip to collect money for his yeshiva. During his trip, he visited the city where his friend the merchant lived. The merchant was delighted to see his old friend, and he invited him to spend Shabbos at his house.

The Rosh Yeshiva gladly accepted the invitation. Before Shabbos, he gave his friend the money he had collected during his travels so far, asking him to safeguard it until his departure.

Friday night, the two friends went to pray in the local shul (synagogue). The Rosh Yeshiva was surprised to see that the people in the shul screamed loudly when they prayed.

Later, when they were eating the Friday-night meal, the merchant asked his guest what he thought of the community. “I am very impressed with the community,” the Rosh Yeshiva responded, “but can you explain to me why the people here shout so loudly when they pray? Where does this custom come from?”

The merchant declined to give an answer as his wife brought out the Shabbos food. The question was soon forgotten as the two friends began discussing Torah matters and remembering things from their childhood.

In shul the next morning, the strange behavior of people screaming loudly when they prayed repeated itself, and the Rosh Yeshiva was very bothered by the loud shouting of the congregants.

At the day meal, he again asked his friend for an explanation of this unusual custom, but again the merchant avoided the question. The same thing happened at shalosh seudos, after the two returned from a noisy Minchah.

Immediately after Havdalah that night, the Rosh Yeshiva got ready to leave, and he parted warmly from his friend who had hosted him so graciously. As he was about to leave the house, he asked his friend to return the money he had given him for safekeep¬ing on Friday.

“What money?” the merchant asked in surprise.

“The money that I collected on this trip,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I gave it to you before Shabbos, don’t you remember?”

“I’m sorry,” the merchant said, “but I don’t remember you giving me anything for safekeeping.”

“What?” the Rosh Yeshiva sputtered. “How can you not remember? I gave you a thick wad of money!”

“I don’t recall anything of the sort,” the merchant said calmly.

The Rosh Yeshiva realized that he was in deep trouble. He had given his friend tens of thousands of crowns, all of the money he had worked so hard to raise during his trip, thinking that his friend would hide it away in his safe until Shabbos was over. It hadn’t occurred to him to ask his old friend to sign a paper stating that he had received the money. Who would have ever thought that his friend would dream of taking the money for himself?

But now, to his dismay, he realized that he had been naïve in trusting his friend, for his friend valued money far more than friendship.

Seeing that his friend had no intention of returning the money, he raised his voice and shouted at him, “You rasha (wicked man)! Where’s all the money I gave you? How can you dare to do such a thing? This is money that was collected for the yeshiva!”

The Rosh Yeshiva’s shouts were loud enough to be heard out¬side on the street, but the host just listened impassively.

“Excuse me,” he said, “why are you shouting? Can’t you talk calmly and quietly?”

“How can I talk quietly after you hurt me so deeply?” the Rosh Yeshiva continued to yell.

Suddenly, a broad smile spread over the host’s face. He walked over to his safe, removed the money, and handed it to his stunned friend the Rosh Yeshiva.

“Listen to what you are saying,” he told him. “When someone is in pain, troubled or upset, they raise their voice and scream. Is has been this way since ancient times when Samuel wrote: ‘In my distress I called upon the L-rd, and cried to my G-d; and he heard my voice from his temple, and my cry entered into his ears.’ (II Samuel 22:7) So why are you so surprised that the members of our community raised their voices and shout when they pray? They are in pain, and they know that through prayer they can be healed from all of their pain and suffering. And that’s why they scream!”

This is how every Jewish person should approach prayer. He should feel that he has the opportunity to pour out his heart to his Father in Heaven, tell him everything that is hurting him, and ask him to take pity on him and save him.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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New Year’s Day – Rosh Hashanah and Blessings

Posted on Thursday, 28, December, 2017Sunday, 31, December, 2023 by Rabbi

The snow and wind blew while sounds of celebration were heard from outside the wooden synagogue. It was the eve of the secular New Year. Many men were gathered around tables studying the holy words of Torah.

Suddenly, the door to the holy rabbi’s private study opened and the holy rabbi himself came out and greeted everyone:

“L’Shana Tovah Tikasevu v’Techasemu!”(May you all be inscribed and sealed for a good year!)

With that the holy rabbi went back into his room and closed the door. Everyone who was studying the holy words of Torah were very surprised. Surely the holy rabbi knew that this was not Rosh haShanah (the Jewish New Year), but the secular New Year? Why then did he extend such a greeting.

Some time later, the door opened and the holy rabbi again greeted the men studying the holy words of Torah. Hours passed and the holy rabbi offered the greeting a third time.

Puzzled by the holy rabbi’s behavior, the men went to one of the holy rabbi’s students and asked him to go to his master’s room and ask about the meaning of his strange actions through the night.

The student went and knocked on the door of his teacher, the holy rabbi and entered. The holy rabbi looked up from his studies and greeted his student: “Shalom Aleichem (Peace be unto you)” the student answered: “Aleichem Shalom (Unto you peace).” The Rabbi continued: “what brings you to my study at such a late hour?”

The student looked at his teacher, cleared his throat and asked: “many have been studying Torah tonight and you greeted them as though it was Rosh haShanah. This seems a little out of the ordinary. What is the holy reason for your greetings, this night of all times?”

The holy rabbi thought for a moment, smiled and explained:

“Last Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment for all the Jewish people and the world, the Jewish people prayed with intensity in their synagogues. Their prayers and the sounds of the shofar ascended to the heavens. Moved by the waves of heartfelt pleas, the Holy One, blessed be He, left his Throne of Justice to ascend the Throne of Mercy. There He wrote a decree which stated that the coming year would be a year of health and happiness for all Jewish people and peoples of the world.

When Yom Kippur, the fearful Day of Atonement, came and He saw how all of the Jewish people fasted and wept and poured out their hearts in prayer as “all are judged on Rosh haShanah and the verdicts is sealed on the Day of Atonement.” (Rosh haShanah 16a) The Holy One, blessed be He lifted the pen to sign the decree of blessings for all of the people in the world.

At that moment, the Dark Accusing One approached to protest: “yes, O L-rd, on Yom Kippur they fast and have remorse, dressed in white as the angels in heaven. What of all the rest of the year when they are filled with sins and wickedness?”

The decree was not signed.

When the Jewish people gathered together boards and scraps of wood to build succas for the holiday of Succos (the Feast of Tabernacles), prepared to eat and sleep in the succas, the defending angel appealed:

“Ribbono Shel Olam, Master of the Universe, You see these succas which even the poorest of Your children are building with so much joy, according to Your command “You shall dwell in booths for seven days” (Leviticus 23:42) and in the days of old “on the Festival of Tabernacles Israel would offer up seventy bullocks, one for each of the seventy nations of the world, and prayed that they might live in peace.” (Pisikta Kahana 175b). Have You heard them pray, ufros aleinu succas sh’lomecha (spread over us the shelter of Your peace). Please sign the decree now.

And so it would have been, had not the Dark Accusing One not objected: “yes, for the boards, which are here today and gone tomorrow. But for themselves – for their homes, their businesses, their entertainment – they erect strong buildings of brick and stone and glass that last forever!”

Then came Simchas Torah, the Jewish people embraced the Torah and danced with it in their synagogues in boundless joy. Again, the Defending Angel argued that the Holy One, blessed be He, should sign the decree: “See, oh G-d, how your children are happy with Your Holy Word, the Torah!”

The Dark Accusing One intervened: “yes, for one night they dance merrily with your Torah, their heads turned and their spirits lifted by a drop of schnapps. But in a more sober mood when their minds are clear, do they fulfill the mitzvahs, which are written in the Torah?”

The decree was not signed.

Every window was filled with light during Chanukah. It seemed as though the light of the first day touched every soul. The words of the morning prayer, “v’chol ayin lecha tetzapeh” (every eye longs for you) were realized.

The Defending Angel argued that the Holy One, blessed be He, should sign the decree:

“Look, and see how Your children are bringing Your holy light into the world. For indeed ‘the spirit of man is the candle of the L-rd.’ ” (Proverbs 20:27)

The dark accusing one interjected: “true, they kindle lights and may touch the soul with holiness, but are they honest and holy in the marketplace or with other people?”

The decree was not signed.

And so it is that the judgment written in favor of the Jewish people and all the peoples of the world on Rosh haShanah has remained unsigned all these many weeks until tonight. For when the New Year began and with it started all of the drunkenness, the shouting and brawls that usually occur on that night, the Defending Angel approached G-d and said: “O Lord, see how they begin the New Year tonight. Listen to the screams and noise as well as the sounds of discord, look at the shamelessness and the corruption – and remember how Your children began the New Year on Rosh haShanah, with prayer, with repentance, and with holiness.”

To this, the Dark Accusing One could not say single word.

And so it was that, after some four months of delay, the Holy One, blessed be He, at last signed the good decree for the Jewish people and all the peoples of the world.

“Therefore,” the holy rabbi concluded, “I greet you tonight with L’Shana Tovah Tikasevu v’Techasemu!,” (May you all be inscribed and sealed for a good year!)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

And May the tales you live in the coming year be filled with blessings

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The Silent Princess – The Tale of the Tailor, the Carpenter and the Maggid

Posted on Thursday, 28, September, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

This is part 2 of 4

Three men — a carpenter, a tailor, and a maggid — were traveling together and came to a desolate wilderness, and when night fell they made a campfire and prepared to sleep. But for safety’s sake they decided that each one of them would stand guard for a third of the night. The carpenter would take the first shift, the tailor the second, and the maggid the third.

“So it was that the carpenter stood watch while his companions slept. In order to pass the time, he took a piece of wood from a nearby tree, and carved a statue of a girl. By the time he finished the carving, his shift was over, and he woke the tailor to take over while he slept.”

“The tailor awoke and rubbed his eyes, and when he had wiped the sleep away he saw the lovely statue the carpenter had made. And because he liked it very much, he decided to dress it in suitable garb. So he did. He took out his work tools and some pieces of cloth, made a dress, and put it on the statue, and the clothes gave the statue the appearance of life. When he had finished his work, he saw that it was time to wake the maggid. He woke him and went back to sleep. The maggid arose and saw the statue of the girl and was startled, for it had been carved so well, it seemed to be alive. But after he touched it he understood it was the workmanship of his two companions. He said to himself: ‘The statue is so perfect, it would be fit for G-d to breathe the breath of life into it.”‘

Tailor, the Carpenter and the Maggid Tale

“Then the maggid stood and prayed, and called upon the Creator of all to bless the girl with the breath of life. And the Creator of the universe heard his prayer, and turned the statue into a living, life-size human being.”

“When the carpenter and the tailor awoke the next morning, and saw that the statue had become a living girl, each man said: ‘She belongs to me.”

“The carpenter said: “I made her and molded her and gave her shape, therefore I have the greatest right to her.”

“The tailor said: “I dressed her, and my contribution to her human appearance is greater than yours.”

“The maggid said: “I prayed and asked for life to be breathed into her, and that is the main thing; therefore, she belongs to me.”‘

Then the prince who had told this story to the witness said: “So, the question is, who do you think has the greatest right to the girl?”

“It is a difficult question, and I can’t decide it now,” said the witness. “Tomorrow I will put it before our men of judgment, and they will decide.”

“You forget,” said the prince, “that tomorrow I will no longer be alive. For I will be hanged before I hear the verdict.”

Then the princess, who had listened to the tale with great interest, could no longer remain indifferent to this matter of justice. She spoke up and said: “The right of the maggid is the greatest, and therefore the girl should go with him, for it is he who caused her to be given life, and that was decisive in her creation.”

“Thank you, princess,” said the prince, bowing to her. “I am persuaded that your verdict is the just one.”

The next morning the executioner came at dawn and started to drag the prince to the gallows despite his protests, for the executioner assumed that the princess had remained silent, as she always did. It was only when the witness intervened and confirmed that the princess had indeed spoken that the execution was put off, and the young man brought before the king.

“I find it difficult to believe that my daughter has broken her silence after all this time,” said the king. “But we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, and allow you to spend another night with her, in the presence of two reliable witnesses, and we’ll see what happens.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Healing and Comforting Words

Posted on Wednesday, 27, September, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

It was the practice of Tam and Chacham to walk together in the late afternoon. One day they were approached by a sick man during their walk. The sick man asked the two holy rabbis what he should do to be cured.

Chacham advised the sick man to pray to Av haRachaman (Father of Mercy) for a recovery from his pain and sickness as it is written: “Heal me, O L-rd, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise. “ (Jeremiah 17:14)

The sick man looked at Chacham and quietly explained, I cannot pray very well and my voice is but a very small voice becxause of my pain and sickness.

Tam saw the pain of the sick man and comforted him by reminding him that the Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses Our Teacher) taught us in the Torah (Scriptures), “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Tam continued, “Be strong and of good courage; have no fear . . . for the Eternal One, your G-d, is the One who goes with you, never failing you or forsaking you. (Deuteronomy 31:5) and always remember that the words of the Holy One, blessed be He ‘I see your journey, and I bring healing. I will guide you and bring solace to you. Says the Eternal G-d: I will heal you!’ ” (Isaiah 57:18-19)

Tam and Chacham spoke for a long time with the sick man when a farmer, who had been listening said to them, said, “You’re interfering in something that’s none of your business! G-d afflicted him with illness and you want to heal him?”

Chacham answered, “Don’t you as a farmer do the same?” Tam added, “The Master of the Universe created the earth, but you have to plow, till, fertilize and cultivate it if you want the land to produce a harvest. ‘As for man, his days are as grass’ (Psalms 103:15). The human body is the tree, the medicine is the fertilizer and the physician is the tiller of the earth. Besides ‘The L-rd created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible man will not despise them.’ “ (ben Sira/ Sirach 38:4)

Based on Midrash Shmuel 52a

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Hineni – Different Kinds of Prayer

Posted on Tuesday, 19, September, 2017Monday, 19, September, 2022 by Rabbi

During the High Holy Days, the chazzan (cantor) begins the Musaf service with the Hineni prayer (here I am), which is a very moving and private prayer. Serving as the Shaliach Tzibbur (emissary of the congregation), the chazzan, a man of great humility, pleads with the Almighty that he be worthy to represent the people of his congregation and all the people of Israel.

Shaliach Tzibbur literally means the messenger of a congregation in a public prayer, is a Jewish prayer leader in the Synagogue also known as Chazzan (Cantor). It is a weighty responsibility and not everyone is suited to the position.

In a village there lived a very wealthy man who thought that he should be chosen to lead the congregation in prayer because of his importance to everyone in the village. No one in the village was pleased with the idea, but on the other hand they were afraid of what might happen to them if they were to challenge the powerful wealthy man. So they put their troubled heads together and decided to send a delegation to ask the holy rabbi who lived in a nearby town for some advice. The holy rabbi suggested that the wealthy man, the self-appointed prayer leader should come to him for a blessing.

When in due course the self-appointed baal tefillah (prayer leader) of the village came to the holy rabbi to receive his blessing before under¬taking the weighty responsibility of leading his community in prayer, the holy rabbi asked him’ “why should you lead the community in prayer?” The wealthy man took a deep breath and began to explain how he gave a lot of tzedakah (charity), he had built many homes in the village and that he employed most of the villagers.

The holy rabbi listened and then explained, “As you know, the Torah speaks of three kinds of prayer.

There is

‘the prayer of Moshe Rabbeinu’ (Moses our Teacher);

There is

‘the prayer of King David’; and

There is

‘the prayer of a poor man.’

Now Moshe Rabbeinu was indeed ‘slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ (Exodus 4: 10) — but he was the father of the prophets and the teacher of all Israel. King David — why, he is called ‘the sweet singer of Israel.’ (2 Samuel 23:1) And as for the poor man, his heart is humble, and we know from Psalms that ‘a broken and contrite heart, O G-d, You will not despise.’ (Psalm 51:17)

“Now the baalei tefillah of our days who lead their congregations in prayer likewise fall into these same three categories. There are those who are not very musical, but they are righteous — so their prayers are ac¬cepted like ‘the prayer of Moshe.’ Then there are those who are perhaps not quite so righteous, but in their melodiousness they ‘exalt God with their throats’ — so their prayers are accepted like ‘the prayer of David.’ Finally, there are those who are neither righteous nor musical, but since they are poor and their hearts are humble, their prayers are accepted like ‘the prayer of a poor man.’

“Now as for you,” concluded the tzaddik, “we cannot say that you are especially righteous; nor can we say that you are musical; and neither (thank G-d) are you a poor man. So if you want to lead your community in prayer. I will have to pray that you merit to fit into one of these three levels. There is no need for me to explain to you that to ask heaven to make you a tzaddik a sweet singer all of a sudden would be a vain prayer. The only way I can help you, therefore, is by asking heaven to make you poor, and then at least your prayer ‘the prayer of a poor man’…”

The wealthy man thought for sometime about what the holy rabbi had said and became intensely aware of his great pride in the many sins he had committed in his arrogance caused by his great wealth. He began to cry and asked that the holy rabbi tell them how to do teshuvah in order to be forgiven. The wealthy man was at a loss on what to do.

Holy rabbi sensed the sincerity of the wealthy man and with a gentle voice asked him, “do you really want to pray on behalf of the community?”

The wealthy man, in a broken voice, answered, “I am not a particularly holy man like Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher} and I don’t have an exceptionally good singing voice like Dovid haMelech (King David), but I am a man of a poor broken spirit because of the many sins I have committed in my pride and arrogance. If I could, I still would like to lead the prayer on Rosh Hashanah so that I could be heard by the heavenly court.”

The holy rabbi took the wealthy’s man’s hand and in a soothing voice said, “you have a gift that many people do not have is that you are very educated and cannot only say the words of the prayers of the holy and awesome Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashanah), but you can understand them also. Read for me the Hineni.”

The wealthy man took a deep breath and began, “hineni he’oni mimaas” and than he began to cry, “go on” encouraged the holy rabbi and slowly the words came from the wealthy man:

hineni he’oni mimaas – Here am I that am poor in meritorious deeds, trembling and in awe of the One who sits enthroned upon the praises of Israel, standing and pleading before Him on behalf of His people Israel who have sent me, though I am unworthy and unqualified for the task.

Therefore I ask you G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d of Jacob, L-rd, L-rd, benevolent G-d, compassionate and gracious, G-d of Israel, Omnipotent, fearful and awesome, grant success to the mission which I am undertaking. To stand and plead for mercy for myself and those who sent me.

Please do not hold them to blame for my sins and do not find them guilty of my iniquities, for I am a careless and willful sinner. Let them not feel humiliated by my willful sins. Let them not be ashamed of me and let me not be ashamed of them. Accept my prayer like the prayers of a man advanced in years and experienced in prayer, whose conduct in his youth was unblemished, whose beard is fully grown, whose voice is sweet, and who is friendly with other people.

May you denounce the Adversary, that he may not bring charges against me. They are congregation be cherished by you, and they you cover our transgressions with love. Please transform all suffering and distress, for us and for all Israel, to gladness and joy, to life and peace (for the people who) love truth and peace. May there be no stumbling in my prayer.

May be your will, L-rd, G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac and G-d of Jacob, the great, mighty and awesome G-d, exalted G-d, “I will be what I will be,” that all the angels who occupy themselves with our prayers bring my prayer before the throne of your glory and spread it before you for the sake of all the righteous, the pious, the perfect and the upright, and for the sake of your glorious, great and awesome name; for you hear the prayer of your people Israel with mercy.

Blessed are you who hears prayer.

It took the wealthy man over an hour to be able to say the prayer of the shliach tzibbur (leader of the prayers), but it seemed his heart had changed in his sins had been washed away by his tears. A very humble wealthy man turned to the holy rabbi and asked, “Rabbi, holy rabbi can you bless me that when I pray with everyone else that I can truly not feel any urges to ‘take revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but love my neighbor as myself’ (Leviticus 19:18), bless me that all of my prayers should come from the inside of me.’ ”

The wealthy man left the holy rabbi that day a different person who came. On the way back to his home he gave away huge amounts of coins to all who needed and prepared himself to pray with the people and not in front of them on Rosh Hashanah that year.

May all of your prayers and the prayers of all the people this Rosh Hashanah ascend to the very throne of mercy and may hush M shower the world with health, happiness and peace. On Yom Kippur may you be sealed for a year of plenty, sweetness and love.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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How Much Remorse?

Posted on Monday, 18, September, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Tam and Chacham were visited by many people as they prepared for Yom haDin – Day of Judgment, another name for Rosh Hashanah. The requests for prayer and blessings from people were steady. Life was hard with uncertain livelihood and the constant barrage of “modern” thought that challenged the age old wisdom. This was the season of hope and people were seeking advice and direction from Tam and Chacham.

An old man came to Tam and Chacham and requested, “I have reached a ripe old age, and thank Baruch Hashem am lacking nothing. Only one thing I want and that is that you should promise me that I will be granted forgiveness for the sins of my youth.”

Chacham thought for a moment and instructed the old man, “The RaMBaM (Maimonides) taught that ‘If a man transgresses, wittingly or unwittingly, any precept of the Torah, whether a positive precept or a negative, and repents and turns away from his wrongdoing, he is obliged to confess his sins to the Holy One, blessed be He. How does a man confess his sins? He says: ‘O G-d! I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed before You by doing such-and–such. Behold now I am sorry for what I have done and am ashamed and I shall never do it again.’ “ (Mishneh Torah: Hilchos. Teshuvah Chapter 1, Law 2)

Chacham continued, “You must light two candles – One for the heart and the other for the soul. Take upon yourself to fast for three days, during which you should pray with a broken heart:

Our G-d and G-d of our ancestors! Let our prayers come before You and do not hide Yourself from our supplication. For neither are we so arrogant nor hardened to say, “We are righteous and have not sinned,” for truly, truly, we have sinned. May it be Your will, O Lord our God, to forgive all our sins, and pardon all our iniquities.” (Ma’ariv l’Yom Kippur Service)

The old man looked at Chacham with tears in his eyes and said, “I will do the best I can to follow your directions, but I am a weak old man and am afraid I will not be able to complete all that you have told me.”

Tam saw the look in the old man’s eyes and asked, “do you truly regret the sins of your youth?”

“I am ashamed of what I did and now wish I could undo my sins. I wish I could ask for forgiveness, but there is no one to ask as many have gone on to the World of Truth.” Answered the old man.

Tam reminded the old man, “Yom Kippur does not forgive transgressions between a man and his fellow — until (or unless) he seeks forgiveness from him” (Mishnah Yoma 8:9), but the first step is to forgive yourself. Only then can you truly express regret and seek forgiveness.”

The old man, his face streaked with tears whispered, “I really regret my foolish acts and wish I could take them back.”

“If you regret the sins of your youth completely, then that secures their forgiveness.” Tam responded.

“And what in your eyes is the required measure of remorse?” asked the old man.

Tam thought for some time and then began, “”Let me tell you a story, there once was a wealthy merchant who was in a rush to arrive at the big fair in the city before all the other merchants, and the wagonloads of goods that he brought with him were very much in demand.

The day he arrived in the city it began to rain. The rain and wind was so bad, that for a number of days no other merchant was able to bring his merchandise to the fair. All the prospective customers therefore milled around his stand. Seeing how intense was the demand, he decided to keep them all waiting for a few days so that the price would rise. And indeed, from day to day the rain fell harder and day by day the price rose higher. Then in the middle of the night the rain stopped. Before dawn the marketplace was clattering with all the wagons that were trundling in from all over the land and the price of his goods dropped instantly.

“Now, then,” concluded Tam. “if you find that your remorse over the sins of your youth is as intense as the regret of that merchant when he realized how much his greed had cost him, then you may be sure that your regret is sufficient to secure you forgiveness.”

The old man asked, “I am really sorry for the pain caused by the sins of my youth, but wonder can I surely be forgiven? How can I be sure that I can be forgiven?”

Tam answered, “As soon as one repents, one is forgiven. (Chagigah 5a) This is why we sing the ancient words:

אבנו מלכנו חננו ועננו כי אין בנו עשים עשה עשה עמנו צדקה וחסד והשענו

Avinu Malkeinu Choneinu Vaaneinu Ki ein Banu Maasim Ase Imanu Tzdaka Vahesed Vehoshieinu

Our Father, our King! be gracious unto us and answer us, for we have no good works of our own; deal with us in charity and kindness, and save us.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more Rosh Hashanah stories see below:

A Prescription for Life

Philmont, Horses and Rosh haShanah

Rosh haHashanah: Forgiving A Debt

The Deaf Man of the Shul

The Dirty Treasure

How to be Forgiven of Sin

Repentance and the Captive Prince

Repentance Out of Love

The Humble Request of the King’s Son

The King, the Thief the True Penitant

A Rock and the King’s Greatness

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

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The Tzaddik of the Forest

Posted on Sunday, 23, July, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

In the holy city of Sfas (Safed) there lived a holy rabbi who was said to know all of the revealed and hidden Torah, all the holy writings, and the Zohar by heart. A wealthy and educated merchant in Sfas owned a large orchard, several fields, and two ancient forests. Now this wealthy merchant had a beautiful he had great difficulty in finding a worthy groom for her. No one was a fine enough scholar. Then it happened that he heard of the holy rabbi, and he was determined that such a learned man would be his son-in-law. With the help of a shadchan (a person who arranges marriages) the betrothal was made.

So it was that the holy rabbi met both his bride and his father-in-law for the first time on the day he was married. Under the chupah (wedding canopy) the holy rabbi took the hand of his bride and said, “And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy.” (Hosea 2:19) The love between the holy rabbi and his bride was a deep one, which had been ordained in heaven.

Every day after the morning prayers, the holy rabbi rode a horse into one of the forests, and he was not seen again until the sun was about to set and it was time for the afternoon prayers. What he did in that forest was a mystery. The wealthy merchant saw that the holy rabbi treated his daughter well and that she always appeared to be happy, so he never questioned his ways of his son-in-law.

Now the wealthy merchant hired two Jewish men to serve as the foresters of the two ancient forests he owned. Each had a cabin in one of the forests, and there they watched for those who sought to poach, illegally hunt or cut down the trees. They would walk through the forests as they patrolled for trespassers. One day, one of the foresters saw a horse tied to a tree and when he went closer, he saw the merchant’s son-in-law lowering himself into the dark, putrid insect-infested waters. What kind of mikveh (ritual bath) was this?

The holy rabbi spent a long time in those waters, and when he came out of the water, he dressed, untied the horse, and rode out of the forest. Then the forester came out of hiding and saw, to his amazement, that those waters had turned completely pure. He bent down and drank from them, and the waters were clear and sweet. And he realized that he had witnessed a miracle of one of the hidden saints.

So it was that the forester secretly observed the holy rabbi as he made his way through the forest, and he saw many other kinds of miracles take place. Whatever barren tree he sat beneath soon had blossoms appear on it, and whatever path he walked on had flowers spring up overnight. All of nature welcomed his presence as if he were an angel. He quietly went on his way hidden from the eyes of people, healing whatever was sick or dying with a power that seemed to spring from his very being. The holy rabbi searched for the scattered sparks in that holy forest, so that he could gather them so he could repair the world.

Now that forester was childless, and when he told his wife about the miracles he had witnessed in the forest, and then told her husband that the holy rabbi was a tzaddik nistar (righteous hidden holy man). She begged him to go to the hidden tzaddik and ask for his blessing so they could have a child of their own. One day, when he could not hold himself back any longer, the forester approached the holy rabbi and said, “I know that you are a tzaddik nistar, who hides his ways from the world. There is only one thing I would ask of you, and if you help me, I promise never to reveal your secret. All I ask is that you pray for my wife and me to have a son.” The tzaddik saw that his secret had been discovered, and he blessed the forester, “Ribonno shel Olam, Master of the Universe look down on the sadness of your children, and remember them, and grant them a child.” He then promised the man that within a year he and his wife would be blessed with a baby boy. At the end of the year the forester’s wife gave birth to a healthy son.

The forester was overjoyed at the birth of his son and kept his word and never revealed the secret of the holy rabbi. Then one day his friend forester, who watched over the other ancient forest, came to visit him. This forester’s life had been tragic, for each of his sons had died before reaching the eighth day. He said: “I see that G-d has blessed you and you have had a son. May there be many more blessings. Tell me, was there anything you did to make this possible? Perhaps you can help me so that I can be blessed as well.”

Now the forester had no intention of breaking his promise, but at the same time he wanted to help his friend, the other forester. He thought for some time and answered: “I will help you on one condition—that you not ask any questions but do whatever I tell you to do.” The other forester quickly agreed to these terms, and the first one explained: “What we have to do is to switch places, so that you will patrol my forest, and I will patrol yours. Then everything will be all right.”

So it was that the foresters switched places, and after a while the second forester observed the ways of the holy rabbi, who brought miracles to pass wherever he went. When he saw these miracles, the forester understood why the other had advised him to switch places. One day he slowly approached the tzaddik of the forest and told him of the disaster that had haunted the birth of every one of his sons, and he asked for his blessing, that his future sons would live.

The tzaddik was silent for a long time, and at last he said: “Do you remember that when you were young you went with some friends to swim in the river and to wash in its waters? There was a large tree near the shore of that river, and at the bottom of the trunk, near the roots, there was engraved the image of a hand. And you had the urge to laugh and play around. So you took a ring and placed it on the finger of the hand and said Haray at mekudeshes….Behold you are consecrated to me, the wedding vows.”

The forester grew pale when he heard this, for he himself had forgotten about that foolish thing. He lowered his eyes and admitted that it was true, and the holy rabbi explained: “At that moment an evil spirit that lived in that place was wed to you. And since you married someone else, this evil spirit comes and kills your sons because you betrayed her and didn’t fulfill the wedding vow”

The forester was staggered by these words, and he said: “I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Afterward I was ashamed of what I had done, and I put it out of my mind until now. Please, tell me, what must I do in order to free myself of that evil spirit?”

The holy rabbi told the forester that he had to say a special teffilah (prayer):

“Av haRachaman…Father of Mercy, I have done so much damage in this world through my many indiscretions, sins and wrong-doing from my earliest days until today. I have so abused my mouth, my eyes and ears – at times because of my carelessness, at times intentionally, sometimes through outside pressures and sometimes quite deliberately. Kind, loving and forgiving Master of Compassion: pardon and forgive me for everything. Repair all the damage until not a trace is left. You know that I need your help to make amends for all the wrong I have done.”

The holy rabbi continued, “I will write the get, the bill of divorce, for you, and you must take it to the same place, and put the get into the hand engraved there, and you must say: ‘The holy rabbi commands you to divorce me.’ “

The forester went there, found the place where the hand was engraved, and he did as the holy rabbi told him to do, and at last he was freed of that spirit. And the sons who were born to him after that all thrived.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

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The Ladder of Prayers

Posted on Friday, 2, June, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

A Holy rabbi once began praying with his students:

“Y’hi ratzon milphanecha…May it be your will G-d to allow me to pray to You with the devotion of my heart, soul and strength. Help me focus on the meaning of every word I say, and may no other thoughts interfere with the holy words I speak to you.

Let me find the holiness hidden in the words of my prayers and may my prayers rise up to You and you hear them with mercy. May my prayer form a beautiful crown for You and be a delight.”

Then he continued to pray very slowly and with great kavannah (intensity). Not word by word as others, but letter by letter. So deep was his concentration on his prayer that that he appeared to be in another world to the students who surrounded him. The holy rabbi’s prayer was slow and very strong. At first his students waited for him, but after some time, they slowly left left the holy rabbi to his prayers.

Much later the holy rabbi came to them and said:

“While I was praying, I ascended the ladder of your prayers. As I climbed higher and higher, I heard a song of great beauty, it was sorrowful, but full of hope. I had no idea where it came from. At last I found myself outside the palace of Moshiach (Messiah), in the highest of the heavens. There I saw Moshiach himself standing by his window, and I saw the brilliant light that radiated from his face. He was looking at something behind me, but I could not see what it was. So I turned around and there I saw an enormous tree, whose branches reached into every corner of the heavens. T the very top of that tree there was a nest, and in that nest there was a golden dove. It was the song of that dove I had heard as I ascended on high. Then I understood that the Messiah could not bear to be without that dove and its song for as much as a minute. And it occurred to me that if I could capture that dove, and bring it back to this world, Moshiach would be sure to follow.

So I ascended higher, until I was within arm’s reach of the golden dove. But just as I was about to reach for it, the ladder of your prayers collapsed.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

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A Father’s Wish and a Secret Note

Posted on Monday, 8, May, 2017Monday, 22, January, 2024 by Rabbi

The Western Wall (Kosel haMa’aravi) is the remaining wall of the Beis haMikdash (Holy Temple) from 2,000 years ago. When Shlomo haMelech (King Solomon) dedicated the First Jewish Temple, Hashem said His eyes and heart would always be there.

According to the Torah, Holy writings and mystical teachings, the Western Wall in Jerusalem is the holiest place on earth and currently the best place to send prayers because the divine presence of the Holy One, blessed be He (the Shechina) dwells there.

That is why the Western Wall (Kosel haMa’aravi) is very famous for Jewish people and people of many other faiths to come and pray and to put requests even in writing to the Hoy One, blessed be He, and this is a tradition for thousands and thousands of years.

An old man called his children to him and told them, “I always wanted to travel to Yerushalayim Ir haKodesh (Jerusalem the Holy City), but now I am too old. Promise me that you will one day go there and pray by the Kosel haMa’aravi (Western Wall).” Not long after, the old man went onto the World of Truth.

The years went by and the old man’s son became a successful merchant and was always busy. Many times his sister asked him to travel with her to the Hoy City, but her brother always told her he could not leave his business. One day she asked her brother if she could travel on one of his ships to the port of Yafo and from there she would travel by foot to Yerushalayim.

Seeing how determined his sister was to make the long journey, he made arrangements for her to travel on one of his merchant ships and he told her that he instructed all the ship hands saying, “I have ordered the young men not to bother you.” (Ruth 2:9) The wealthy merchant then blessed his sister: “May God in heaven bring you safely there and return you in good health to me; and may his angel, my son, accompany you both for your safety.” (Tobit 5:17)

The young woman left the ship and immediately set out to fulfill her father’s request on the ancient road, which was reasonably paved, through the orchards of the Plain of Sharon, the towns of Lydda, Ramle, the Ayalon valley, Bab-el-Wad and Abu Gosh to the outskirts of Jerusalem and through the Jaffa Gate. This journey took her a day.

She trembled as she walked the ancient streets and the winding alleyways to the holy Kosel haMa’aravi (Western Wall) and gazed up at the ancient stones before her. She had dreamed of this day, when she would be able to stand and pray before the Kosel in Yerushalayim and fulfill the wishes of her father.

She slowly prepared to pray when she noticed a woman approaching, carrying a patched sack. The woman held her hand out and looked at the young woman with sad eyes, and she understood that she penniless pilgrim, completely dependent on the goodwill of other travelers. The young woman reached into her purse and gave the poor women some gold coins, which she accepted with a smile as she continued on her way.

The time for afternoon prayer came, and the young woman decided to daven Minchah (afternoon prayer). Shortly after she began, the young woman noticed that the poor woman had also begun to daven Minchah. When she had finished praying the afternoon prayer, the young woman stood there for a few moments, watching the poor woman, who was just completing her prayer.

The poor woman searched through her sack and took out a small piece of charcoal. She then ripped a page out of her prayer book and began to write. After finishing, she folded the paper and wedged into a small crevice between the holy stones of the Kosel.

As the poor woman turned to go, the page she had wedged in the wall fell out onto the ground. The young woman saw the folded page fall, and she bent down to put it back. As she held it in her hand and lifted it towards the stones, the paper suddenly unfolded.

The young woman stared. The handwriting was shaky and ill-formed, but what shocked her the most were the words on the page. This poor, penniless woman, who owned almost nothing, had scrawled on the paper, “Hashem, I love you.”

She may have had very little in the way of material possessions, but she was nevertheless completely content in her relationship with Hashem.

The young woman stood there in the shadow of the Kosel and realized that she had honoured her father, merited to do the mitzvah of tzedakkah (charity) and shared a blessing with a stranger. All this she did in the merit of her father. She stood there for some time as the sun set on the Kosel, smiled and said, “I love you taty” (Father/Papa)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

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

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