Too Much – Part I The Promise

Posted on Sunday, 29, March, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Part II The Reward will be posted Tuesday 31 March

All around them was the beauty and splendor of the valley. At their feet stood the mighty Euphrates River, majestically stretching from horizon to horizon. There they stood, Mr. Parnas and his ever faithful servant, Yosef. “Yosef, my dear man, you have served faithfully in my family for many years now. Over the years you have worked hard and long on our behalf. I know that many times you had to set aside your own wants and needs because your help was necessary on the estate.

“Yosef, I know too that the great wealth which this family possesses has at times overwhelmed you. Perhaps it was difficult to continue working to protect our wealth when your family was not gaining equally from your efforts. I believe you quickly chased away the momentary envy that may have crossed your mind.

“That is why I have always trusted you, and that is why I wish to reward you today. Look around you, Yosef. Look at the beautiful fertile land that surrounds you: hills, valleys, lush green meadows. I would like to share this wealth with you, Yosef; however, I want you to earn the land that will be yours. You will determine how much or how little is sufficient and, therefore, will not have cause to question it in the future. Rather the land will be more precious to you, as it will be acquired through your efforts.”

There was a glisten in Yosef’s eyes. He loved Mr. Parnas. Mr. Parnas had always been so kind, and now Yosef realized with a tinge of embarrassment that Mr. Parnas even understood his secret feelings. It was true. Sometimes it was difficult to continue working for what was not his, even though Mr. Parnas would hint at a reward that would come some day.

“Yosef,” continued Mr. Parnas, “we stand here, the two of us alone, at the great Euphrates River. I want you to look north. What do you see?”

“Why, Master, I see beautiful hills and valleys just like you spoke of.”

“And to the south, what do you see there?”

“I see flowing streams and fields, golden with harvest.”

“And east and west?”

“There I see orchards, heavy with fruit, and gardens, well- tended, yielding delicious produce.”

“Yes, Yosef, and you shall have part of all that. We possess thousands and thousands of acres in almost every direction. Today I will share it with you. Here is what I suggest, Yosef. It’s early in the morning now, just after sunrise, and I brought you here with one purpose in mind. I want you to begin walking, or running if you like, but go as far as you want. Every step that you take will be a step that will represent permanent ownership of that land.

“If you travel one half mile north, then all of the land from here, the foot of this river, until one half mile north will be yours; its boundaries east and west will be as far as your eye can see. If you choose to travel further in this short day, then more land will be yours.”

Then Mr. Parnas reached for a little pole which had a red handkerchief tied to the end of it. “This, Yosef,” he said, “is your flag. I want you to take this and run with it and go as far as you desire; and when you reach that place, put the flag in the ground and then come back to me. All that land will be yours.

“But there is one thing, Yosef, I want you to think about before you begin. When you pass through all this beautiful land, I want you to think carefully about how far you want to go. Then just before midday, I want you to put the pole in the ground and come back to me. You have only until sundown to report back to me here, at the foot of this mountain, and tell me where the flag is. Then we will go out the next day and mark off the boundaries, and all the land will be yours. But you must come back before sundown. Do you understand?”

“Yes, of course, Master, I understand.”

“Wait, just one minute,” said Mr. Parnas. And like a loving parent who wants to ensure his child’s success, he repeated, “I want you to take this very seriously. This will affect the rest of your life. Remember, you are to put the flag in the ground and then turn around and come back before sundown! I wish you the best of luck.”

What a moment! Yosef looked all about, almost embarrassed to run. He took a few tentative steps, ever so carefully and slowly at first. Then he turned around again to look at Mr. Parnas who was shooing him on.

Suddenly, Yosef began to sprint. Thirty yards away, Yosef suddenly tripped. He looked back, chuckled at his master, wiped himself off and then continued to run.

Within a short while, Yosef was out of sight. When he reached the top of a large hill, he looked back, but his master was only a dot on the horizon. The beautiful valley that lay ahead of him seemed to stretch on forever.

“I’ve come so far; look what is now mine! How can I ever thank Mr. Parnas,” thought Yosef. “I could stop here and live with my family on this beautiful spot of land forever. There I could plant fields of my own crops, build a beautiful, little house .”

But then a nagging thought crossed Yosef’s mind, a thought that was going to pester and gnaw away at his better judgment. “But there is so much more yet ahead of me. I could be even wealthier,” he reasoned.

Yosef picked up the flag, held it high and decided that he would run a little further. Ahead of him was a whole array of hills. Yosef’s head was spinning with new ideas. “Why at the top of that hill, I could have my lookout tower; that very next hill could be the site of my windmill!” The possibilities seemed endless.

Finally, when it seemed that three quarters of the morning had passed, Yosef stopped to rest at one of the beautiful creeks and took a drink. “One day,” he envisioned, “I will sit here with my children and grandchildren and fish at my creek. It would be nice to own the land on both sides of this creek so that I could build a little summer hideaway for my grandchildren on the other side of the river.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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A Purim Gilgul

Posted on Monday, 9, March, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

A young couple lived in a small village. The husband learned every night when he returned from the yeshiva, his wife enjoyed the melodies of his learning many time late in the night.

Some years went by and the needs for a home and food made the man think about earning a living. He went into business opening a small shop, using his wife’s dowry for his start-up costs. He worked hard and was successful, and within a few years he became very wealthy. As the young man became richer, he spent more and more time in his shop and less and less time learning. His wife missed hearing him learn Torah (Scriptures) late at night. His business was the only thing that was important to him and all that mattered to him was amassing more and more wealth.

The people of the village were hard-working, but sadly there were many who were in great need. Some of the villagers had to beg just keep the body and soul together. There were others in the village who collected money and food to be distributed to the many poor people.

The young wife was very generous, and no one asking for help left the house empty-handed. The husband, on the other hand, became very hardhearted and stingy. The richer he got, the more his wife’s charity bothered him. Eventually, he commanded his wife not to give anything to the needy people of the village.

Of all the Jewish holidays throughout the year, Purim was the hardest for him. On Purim Jewish people are commanded to give gifts of food and charity to the poor (mishloach manos and matanos la’evyonim). He had no interest in giving away his money or any of his delicacies to the poor who knocked on his door. No one sent anything to him—they all shunned him and he didn’t see why he should have to give them anything either. After suffering with these requirements for Purim for a year or two, he found an novel solution. He sent a simple mishloach Manos consisting of a baked potato and a hamantash to his business manager, and he tossed a few pennies to some beggars sitting in the doorway of the synagogue when he came to hear the Megillah reading. In this way, he considered his religious obligation fulfilled.

As he sat at a table that was overflowing with all types of food and delicacies, about to begin his eight-course Purim feast, he heard knocking at the door. He was extremely surprised. It had been a long time since anyone had approached him for money. He sent his wife to see who it was, and as soon as she opened the door he heard, “A Freilechen Purim (Happy Purim!) We’re looking for donations in honor of Purim.”

At the door was a group of masked charity collectors. They were going from house to house collecting money for “Passover wheat (Ma’os Chitim),” the charitable fund that provides Passover supplies for the poor. (Making “Passover wheat” contributions is an ancient tradition that still takes place today.) There is only one short month from Purim to Pesach (Passover), and the needs of the poor at this time of year were great. The village’s young Torah scholars would dress up in costumes and collect money for the poor. No one in the village refused them.

Well, almost no one. When this man’s wife returned to the table and asked her husband to give at least a small donation, he yelled at her and told her to send them away empty-handed. Bowing her head in humiliation, she was forced to turn them away and close the door.

The next day, when the rich man returned to work, he discovered that he had suffered a large loss from an investment that had gone bad. Within a few short weeks, this loss was followed by another sizeable loss, and his fortunes continued to plummet until he was forced to sell everything he had, even his wife’s jewelry. One day, he finally had to admit to his wife that he had no choice but to beg for charity. He gave her a stark choice: either put on the beggar’s cloak and walking stick to collect with him, or accept a divorce and free him of his financial obligations to her. His wife, who had suffered from his stinginess for years, decided to accept a divorce.

In time, she married a young widower, a man with a pleasant personality who was well liked by his neighbors, and they lived a quiet, peaceful life together. They made their home in a nearby village and were known as kind decent, honest people. Her new husband didn’t stop her from inviting guests into their home and even encouraged her, inviting the poor of the village in himself after he saw that she didn’t mind. He was very generous and gave money to charity whenever he could.

Perhaps it was in her merit, or perhaps in his, but his business prospered, and they were also blessed with two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. It was a warm Jewish home, and they lived a happy life together.

The festival of Purim came around one year, and as the family was sitting down to their holiday meal they heard knocking at the door. The wife got up to see who it was and saw a poor stranger standing there. His clothing was tattered, and she could tell just by looking at him that he was starving. She invited him in, and her husband set an extra place at the table.

The beggar could barely keep himself from wolfing down the food. He ate from all the different dishes and delicacies until he couldn’t eat anymore. As he finally put down his fork, there were tears in his eyes. It is unclear whether these were tears of gratitude or tears of sadness at the contrast between this family’s happiness and his own dreadful condition. His hosts did everything they could to cheer him up so that he could be joyful on the happy festival. They also gave him money so that he could buy new clothes for himself.

After Purim, when they had finished cleaning up and putting their children to bed, the husband and wife sat down and talked about the events of the day.

“I really feel for that poor man,” the husband told his wife. “I remember when I used to be poor like that. There was this one Purim when I was starving, and I was going to this rich man, not so far from here, in the hope of getting something to eat. He was supposed to be a real miser, but I figured that he might at least give me something to eat in honor of Purim, even if he wouldn’t give me any money. As I was approaching the house, I met a group of collectors who had been sent away. He didn’t even agree to talk to them. I lost hope of getting anything from him and didn’t bother knocking.

“How wonderful the world is. Now, not only do I have plenty to eat and a happy life with you, but we’re actually able to invite guests and give food and charity to others. At the same time, we should never forget that everything we have comes from above, and is only ours for as long as He wants it to be. He gave it to us as a present so that we can use it to help others, but if He wants He could take it from us and leave us as destitute as that poor man. Who knows? Maybe that man once had money, maybe he was even rich. G d lowers the proud and raises the lowly. G d turns the wheel of wealth, bringing people high and low.”

“You’re right on target, my dear husband,” his wife said, wiping tears from her eyes. “That beggar was not only rich, he was the same miser you wanted to approach that Purim, the one who sent those charity collectors away in such disgrace.”

“How on earth can you know this?” her husband asked in surprise.

“I know because I was there,” she said softly. “As that man left our house today, it struck me. Our guest was none other than my first husband.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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

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Part II The Right Approach – Finding the Solution

Posted on Thursday, 27, February, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

That night Akiva could hardly sleep. His mother came in to check on him several times and said, “Akiva, now stop with that contest. You know we have much work to do. You have not been taking care of your chores, and you know I can’t do everything by myself. Now go to sleep Akiva.”

When Akiva’s mother came to wake him the next morning, she found his bed empty. Akiva had left for the town square at the crack of dawn, not wanting to waste a minute of the contest’s final day.

“No harm in letting him try. He’ll soon learn that troubles and disappointment are a usual part of life,” she thought to herself with a sigh.

Akiva had more determination that day than anyone in the crowd. He stood there, hour after hour, gathering the courage for the moment when he would step forward and become one of the many who tried. He was sure he was to become the one who succeeded.

When there was only about an hour left in the day, Akiva realized that it was now or never. So many people had tried, and many had been badly hurt. He waited until one of the opponents had been cleared away from the floor badly bruised, and summoned up his courage.

He stepped forward, knowing with great confidence that his plan was very different than any other scheme he had watched for days now. Akiva smiled confidently and thought to himself,” No one has tried this yet. It has to be the answer.”

A hush came over the crowd. No one talked as they watched a boy, barely as high as the waist of the bodyguard, walk ever so slowly towards the bottle. The bodyguard himself, who had seen so many schemes in the past few day, stood there confused.

Remembering his obligation, the bodyguard stiffened, his muscles clenched like steel. He saw many tricks throughout each days and knew this too could be a scheme. He watched the boy with a piercing stare, until ten yards apart, the giant and the boy locked eyes.

Deep down inside, Akiva was shaking and shivering. But he was determined, and calmly returned a wide-eyed stare in the direction of the bodyguard. The townspeople watched with bated breath as Akiva continued walking slowly, until he stood in the long, wide shadow of the bodyguard.

It seemed as if the bodyguard himself let his guard down. He almost relaxed in the presence of the boy. The boy obviously had no weapons, or knives, no plots or schemes. The bodyguard looked over his opponent very carefully and decided that the boy was not even going to attack him.

Akiva knew it was his moment. He cleared his throat and began to speak to the bodyguard. The crowd inched forward, intent upon hearing what was being said. The bodyguard himself bent down to the boy so that he could hear.

Words tumbled off Akiva’s lips, “Dear Sir, I’m very afraid of you. I’ve stood here for a few days now watching you, and I would not dream of attacking you. I’m too scared. Please don’t hurt me. I’m not going to throw anything at you, and I have no weapons up my sleeve. All I would like to say is that my mother and I live alone in a very small house. The roof leaks when it rains, and we usually can’t afford firewood. It’s just the two of us, and she has to work day and night for us to afford food. I know that the gem that is inside of the container is more valuable than anything I’ve ever seen in my life. I could use it to support my mother and me, so we wouldn’t have to struggle anymore. My mother works much too hard, and she deserves a warm house and a few pretty things. And therefore, I would like to ask you, with all of my heart, could you please . . . .”

A tear ran down his cheek, and he started his sentence again, “Could you please open up the jug and reach inside? You are the only one in the kingdom who could open it. Could you please open up the jug, reach inside, take out the gem and please give it to me?”

A long, long silence followed, as the stunned crowd took in the boy’s request. People began to shout, “That is ridiculous. It’s preposterous. So many brave people have stepped forward, tried so many intelligent schemes, so many noble acts of courage; and now a young boy comes up to the bodyguard and says, Please can you open up the jug?’ That’s absurd!”

But a strange thing began to happen as a side of the man of steel revealed itself. Tears–at first only a few but then more and more–came rolling down his cheeks and fell onto his armor.

He kneeled down, took the young boy in his hands and kissed him on the forehead. Then he took the boy’s hand into his own, and the two of them walked together towards the jug. All of the people of the town watched spellbound as the great, strong bodyguard of the king took the jug in his hands and began to twist with all of his might.

Moments later, the lid came off of the jug. The bodyguard reached deep inside the container and pulled out the most spectacular gem that anyone had ever seen. With a smile of satisfaction, he put the gem inside of the boy’s hand.

So many people approach everyday challenges with plans, schemes, tricks and raw force. They look for complicated solutions when in truth the answer is quite simple. Just communicating with another can change the situation. Sometimes the best way to get what one needs is to stand before the Holy One, blessed be He and sincerely ask — not fight, not scheme, not plan, but just ask for your needs from your heart. Believe it or not, as mystical and impossible as it seems, the Holy One Blessed be He hears the sincere words of prayer; and they penetrate the highest of places and He listens. All you have to do is ask with all of your heart.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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

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Part I The Right Approach – A Challenge

Posted on Tuesday, 25, February, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Part II will be posted on Thursday, 27 February

A huge crowd had gathered in the town square. People were everywhere, cheering, screaming, and clapping. Akiva approached the crowd and wondered what could possibly be at the center of such a huge spectacle. So many people had gathered. Bit by bit, Akiva started to push his way through the growing crowd.

“Whatever’s going on in there must sure be interesting,” thought Akiva. “There are so many people here. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

As Akiva made his way through the crowd, the cheering became louder and louder. The louder the cheering became, the more determined Akiva was to get to the center. Finally, after much squeezing and crawling, he made his way to the front row.

At first glance he did not understand what it was he was seeing. At the center of the crowd was a huge, huge man – the strongest man Akiva had ever seen in his life.

Right behind the man was a strange looking bottle with a strange kind of lid on it. The bottle was surrounded by a circle of mats and carpets. Whatever it was, it certainly looked very valuable.

As Akiva stood there fascinated, a young man stepped out from the crowd and started to walk towards the bottle. The very strong man stood with his arms folded squarely across his chest. He stared unblinkingly at the young man who was approaching.

The air was thick with the tension between them. Neither one dared to break the vicious stare. Akiva was certain that a fight was about to break out. He was not dismayed. Neither were the hundreds of onlookers. They were about to find out that yet another contest would take place.

The young man came forward and began to run right towards the bottle. In a matter of seconds, the huge, strong man lifted him up, almost as if he were a light bale of hay, and threw him twenty feet away from the bottle. The man picked himself up again towards the bottle, trying to grab it. Laughingly, the huge strong man picked him up once more and threw him even further this time around. All the people watching, cheered loudly. He was truly a strong man.

Akiva was puzzled. “What’s going on here? Who is that strong man? Why are all the people watching?” he asked of the elderly man next to him.

“Haven’t you heard? The king has proclaimed that whoever can get into the bottle can keep the beautiful gem inside,” replied the man.

“Any tactic or trick is considered fair,” he continued. “But the catch is to get past the king’s private bodyguard, and no one can get past him! If you could, by some miracle, it was the king’s body guard who tightly closed the lid. There is probably no one in the kingdom but he who can open it!”

“Another ridiculous contest from the king,” said Akiva. “Doesn’t he have anything better to do than think up these things? What’s the gem worth anyway?”

“They say it is worth ten thousand gold coins. It’s a gem so large that it would not even fit on a ring finger. They say it fills up your whole hand when you hold it. No one has ever seen it, but it is inside of that container,” responded a young boy in the crowd.

“Well, no one is ever going to get it. That huge bodyguard could break every bone in a man’s body. And besides, who will ever be able to open it? The material is strong as steel. The lid was tightened by that monster of a man who stands there. No one is ever going to be able to get that gem. No one!” said the old man.

Another man then approached, appearing to have a trick up his sleeve. He had some type of whip; and as he approached the huge guard, he swung and cracked it, making a huge crashing noise that caused everyone to shudder, except the bodyguard.

As the whip came closer and closer, the people cheered. Fearlessly, the bodyguard caught the leather strap with his own hand and tugged at it so hard that the man went flying through the air. And the crowd cheered again.

Next came another man who ran at the bodyguard with a sword. “This is amazing,” thought Akiva. “These people are crazy. They’ll do anything just to get that gem.” As the man came charging towards the bodyguard with the sword, the people waited with bated breath. Nobody knew what would happen next. As the man lunged towards the bodyguard with one very swift movement, the bodyguard ducked, leaned under the attacker and threw him way, way into the air, as the sword went crashing to the ground.

The bodyguard quickly picked up the sword himself and began to wield it in the direction of his attacker. The man scurried away, thankful to still be alive. Again, the crowd roared.

The show went on for hours. The bodyguard seemed to have an endless amount of energy. His attackers came at him with anything one could possibly imagine: little daggers, swords, whips, poisonous snakes, axes, nets, hammers, slippery oil. But nobody was getting past the strong man.

“And that is only the first part of the difficult task,” thought Akiva. “Anyone who got by him would certainly never be able to open that container.”

In the late afternoon, one of the dignitaries of the king stepped out into the town square and blew on a large horn. He then proclaimed in a loud voice, “The contest has now ended for the day. Anyone who would like to participate in this challenge from His Majesty the King is invited to this very same spot tomorrow at sun up. The contest will go on throughout the week. At the end of the week, the contest will be closed forever. The jewel will remain in the possession of the king until the end of time. Until tomorrow then, ladies and gentlemen, the contest is now closed for the evening.”

The crowd cheered as they all began to disperse happily, talking about the great sport they had seen through the day. Akiva overheard many people talking about new ideas to be tried on the next day. Most people were talking, only the very brave, and only a very few, actually had the courage to step forward and challenge the king’s bodyguard. Everyone else just laughed and chuckled and dreamt about ways to open that container.

That night at the dinner table, Akiva sat alone with his mother thinking, “Just think, if I could only get past that bodyguard and open that container, that gem would be enough for us to be secure. We could afford the things we need. We wouldn’t have to worry about holes in the roof or where tomorrow’s meal will come from. We could get a nice place to live. Mom, do you think there is any way that I could get by the bodyguard?”

His mother laughed and said, “Akiva, you are a brave young man, and I really appreciate all of your courage, but it is no use. There is no quick fix to our problems. The strongest people in the land can’t find a way to get to the bottle and you think you can?”

In spite of his mother’s words, Akiva could not stop thinking about the bottle and the gem. After his father died when he was only a little baby, his mother and he always struggled to survive. She worked day and night, and he did odd jobs for local townspeople and farmers. If only he could figure out a way to get to the bottle and open it, their lives would be changed forever.

Throughout the night, Akiva dreamed after dream. He saw in his dreams how hundreds of people saw him overcoming the great powerful bodyguard. He would take the little jug, pop the cork off with one hand and take out the beautiful gem. Everyone would cheer, and the bodyguard would lift him onto his shoulders and carry him victorious throughout the town. He awoke in the morning and realized sadly that it was all a dream.

“I know there is a way I can do it,” he thought. “I just have to figure out what it is that everyone else is missing.”

By the middle of the next day, Akiva had found his way back to the center of the town square to watch the spectacle again. In a panic Akiva realized he had less than a week. Then the contest would be over forever, and his chance to capture the gem, lost.

He decided that he would watch ever so carefully everyday to see all the tricks and watch for the weaknesses of the bodyguard. Perhaps there was a weak spot, a way to get around him. “I know I can do it. Every puzzle has a solution,” thought Akiva determinedly.

So he sat there all day and watched one brave young man after another, one cunning trick after another. No one even came near to the jug. Akiva returned day after day until there was only one day left.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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

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Charity, the Miser and the Trial

Posted on Monday, 3, February, 2020Monday, 3, February, 2020 by Rabbi

Pinchas was a humble lumber merchant. He worked hard each day and with time, he became a wealthy man. At first, the community was pleased with his success, as his wealth was also good for the financial needs of the community. Sadly, little by little, Pinchas began to distance himself from the community and their needs.

The time came when Pinchas no longer felt comfortable living in the Jewish community, and he moved to the other side of town where he built himself a large, well-guarded mansion.

His new choice of residence curtailed his giving of charity even more. At first, if someone knocked on the door, they’d receive a small sum. But soon enough, his donations became less and less, until they stopped completely. The administrators of the community funds removed his name from their lists of potential benefactors.

It happened one wintery night when the cold winds blew hard that a traveler noticed the mezuzah on Pinchas’s door and knocked. Luckily for the traveler, Pinchas was not home and the butler, feeling sorry for him, let him in.

The guest soon recovered from the cold, and the butler promptly told him about his boss’s history and character. He suggested that he find other accommodations, as his master did not like guests.

As they were talking, they heard a carriage pull up, and in walked Pinchas, wrapped in his fur coat. His reaction to the guest was quick. “What is this? A way station for beggars? Get out of here now!” he shouted.

The next day, news spread that a stranger had died on the streets not far from Pinchas’s mansion. The story did not move Pinchas in the slightest. He knew who the person was, but he did not let it bother him.

That night, he had a dream. Two strong men broke into his house and began dragging him, saying, and “Come with us.”

Pinchas asked in surprise, “Where are we going?”

“To a court case held by the holy rabbi of the region.”

“But why?” Pinchas asked.

“Everything will be known to you at the right time,” they answered bluntly.

He soon found himself in a large yard surrounding a beautiful house. At first he was fascinated by the scene, but when he was brought inside to a packed room, fear began to overtake him as he heard the masses call out that a path be made for the chief judge, the holy rabbi of the region. The holy rabbi entered and took his seat in between two other judges who were already waiting.

Pinchas immediately recognized the plaintiff; it was the poor traveler from the previous night. The dead man began his accusation by recounting how hungry and weak he was when he stood at the door of the mansion, while Pinchas stood there still as a stone and ignored his pleading. The man outlined the last few minutes of his life after he was thrown out, including all the grim details. “My last ounce of energy left me, and there was no rescue for me. After many days of living on an empty stomach, my hunger and the bitter cold claimed the last of my strength.”

“Do you have anything to say in your defense?” asked the holy rabbi.

Pinchas was silent. For the first time he felt ashamed and was embarrassed by his actions.

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After deliberating with the other judges, the holy rabbi of the region turned to Pinchas and said, “We are taught that ‘If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community … do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor.’ (Deuteronomy 15:7) Your actions are very serious and your punishment is severe. You should sell your property and divide it in two. One half you should give to the widow of the poor man, and the other half you should keep for your family. If you agree to this sentence, change your ways and open your doors to anyone who is poor, your soul will have a tikkun (restoration).”

Pinchas woke up soaked in a sweat. He tried to ignore the dream, pushing it out of his mind. But it kept coming back. It gave him no rest until he decided to travel to speak to the holy rabbi of the region.

When he arrived at the holy rabbi’s house, his heart started pounding. He remembered the courtyard and the house from his dream! His knees were shaking as he walked into the study hall; it looked exactly like the courtroom from his dream.

A large crowd was listening to a Torah (Scripture) lesson that was being given by the holy rabbi of the region. Under the cover of the crowd, Pinchas became more confident, and he tried to get a peek at the holy rabbi. He tried to ignore the dream, but it kept coming back. There was no doubt this was the chief judge from his dream.

Suddenly, a narrow path cleared. Pinchas didn’t understand the movement of the holy rabbi’s finger, gesturing for him to come forward. Those standing near him said, “The holy rabbi is summoning you.”

Pinchas felt faint. With shaky legs, he made his way up to the holy rabbi and came face to face with the holy rabbi of the region who said sharply, “almsgiving delivers from death, and it will purge away every sin. Those who perform deeds of charity and of righteousness will have fullness of life (Tobit 12:9). Remember to follow the verdict and you will merit a tikkun.”

At that moment, Pinchas passed out. And when he came to, he was a changed man. Pinchas knew with absolute certainty that he would do as he was told. He was filled with deep regret and wanted to correct his wicked ways and return to his community.

Based on Sichas haShavuah 607

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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The Kind Noble and the Charlatans

Posted on Tuesday, 26, November, 2019Tuesday, 2, July, 2024 by Rabbi

A poor man was walking along the road, miserable and sad. It had been years since his wife had smiled. The Holy One, blessed be He had blessed them with a house full of girls, beautiful, wise and resourceful — each one a treasure. From the moment his eldest had come of age, matchmakers began knocking on their door with suggestions of fine young men, learned and pious.

Sadly, when they heard that there was no money for a dowry, they turned away. “Your daughters are wonderful,” they would say, “but how can we expect a young man to join a family that cannot even contribute a few coins toward the wedding celebration and settling the young couple in a new home?”

As a last resort, he set out to beg, hopeful that his neighbors — “merciful ones, the children of merciful ones”— would have pity on his family and help him in his time of need.

He hoped to collect enough money to marry off his daughters, but he was unsuccessful. It wasn’t that the people were stingy or uncaring. It was just that they, too, were poverty-stricken and had barely enough to support their own families. The few who had more were overextended, constantly trying to respond to requests for assistance from far and near.

Now, on his way home, his mind was on his empty pocket and his wife’s disappointment. He lost track of his surroundings and found himself in a grove of trees. Tired, he leaned against a large tree, massaging his back against its ample trunk.

“Hey, you!” he heard. “What are you doing here? Don’t you know that you’re trespassing?”

Looking up, he suddenly realized that he had apparently wandered onto the grounds of a grand manor and was face to face with the poritz, the feudal lord who had almost unlimited power over his property.

“Oh, I am so sorry, Your Lordship,” he was quick to say. “I was simply wandering around, feeling so alone and sad about my sorry state of affairs, and I stopped to comfort my aching back against your tree. Please forgive me for taking that simple pleasure, and I will be on my way.”

“Wait a moment,” the feudal lord said gently. “You look like a man who has suffered in life. Please tell me more. Perhaps I can help you . . .”

“Oh, Your Lordship is too kind,” said the down-and-out man. “I was feeling so alone. I am a father of daughters, and I desperately seek means with which to help them get married, but why should you care about a poor old father and his problems?”

“Dear man,” said the feudal lord, “please take this purse of coins and marry your daughters in gladness. I am an old man and have all the money I can ever need — it’s the joy of giving that I could use in life. After all, ‘Who gives to the poor shall not lack.’ “(Proverbs 28:27)

The wealthy poritz thought for a moment and then continued, “I learned many years ago. ‘Turn not away your face from any poor man, and the face of G-d will not turn away from you’ (Tobit 4:7) Now go in peace.”

Still doubting whether it had all been a dream, the poor man stumbled home. It was not long before word of the generosity of the feudal lord spread through the village.

“What good fortune,” said one man to another. “Here’s our chance to get rich. Let’s go to that same estate and try our luck.”

Making their way to the grove, they promptly located a well-suited tree and began to rub with vigor.

Sure enough, the master of the property soon came to question them.

“Oh, Sire,” they said, “Please have pity! We were feeling so sad, so alone and so hopeless that we decided to lean against your tree for a while, taking advantage of the opportunity to massage our backs.”

“You’re charlatans, both of you,” thundered the lord, who had once been a general and still knew how to bark an order. “Leave at once!”

As they humbly left the garden, one of them summoned up the nerve to question the feudal lord. “How is it,” he asked, “that when our friend was here, you greeted him so kindly, but when we came and told you a similar story, you called our bluff?”

“It’s very simple. When a man is truly alone, and he needs to scratch his back, he has no choice but to lean against a tree trunk. There are two of you. You could have rubbed each other’s backs. That told me that you weren’t really as needy as you made yourselves out to be.”

As long as one has faith and a friend, no situation is ever hopeless.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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

ST18 The Son of Esau and the Son of Jacob

Posted on Wednesday, 31, October, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

listen to the short story, The Son of Esau and the Son of Jacob, Though we have many faiths and indeed our differences, we have more in common than differences. We share to ability to love, brotherhood and fellowship.

ST14 The Wedding Dress

Posted on Thursday, 4, October, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Listen to a short story

The Wedding Dress

about the wisdom, kindness and generosity of a wealthy woman

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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The rabbi has tried to add at least one or two new stories and a podcast each week, with the hope of strengthening faith and understanding through the many readers and communities. Due to rising expenses and the need to work longer hours and harder, his stories have slowed down a bit.

What was originally started as a way to share old and forgotten tales of faith costing almost nothing and representing a few hours a week of time commitment has evolved into a project demanding a lot of time and expense. The highest cost is the time cost – working on this site many hours a week. This is all very good, and we’re delighted at the steady growth in popularity of the Story Tour Blog, but please don’t let us become victims of our own ‘success’!

No income from the Story Tour Blog has been realized, but expenses have grown such as web-hosting, software and other web-based development costs. The computer used now is a very old one and needs to be replaced. Our goal is to raise $5,000.00 which would allow us to improve the Story Tour Blog. If you feel you’ve received some value, or would like to help support the site’s ongoing presence, please share. Any donation would be much appreciated and will help to keep the site online and growing.

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Stories Should Never Come To An End Page

ST3 The Copper Coin

Posted on Wednesday, 18, July, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Listen to a short story, The Copper Coin, about how an old copper coin strengthened tzedakah (Charity), faith and led to many blessings.

ST2 The Rich Man, His Gold and Hope

Posted on Wednesday, 11, July, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Listen to a short story – The Rich Man, His Gold and Hope – about a man who wanted only to Thelp someone, but lost his own faith and despaired of this world until he met a beggar.