Listen to the short story, The Students Who Wanted to See Moshiach (Messiah), about how words and pride can prevent the coming of the Messiah
ST15 The Students Who Wanted to See Moshiach (Messiah)
To See the King
The two men were invited to the palace to see the king. Each prepared for the special meeting.
When the special day came, the first man came to the palace; but as soon as he entered the hall outside of the throne room he froze, amazed. A wealthy man himself, he truly appreciated the fine artwork, sculptures and tapestries which surrounded him. For hours the wealthy man stood, marveling at the beautiful paintings, statues and fine wall hangings. All the beauty and wonders filled the rich-man’s soul with a sense of awe. For hours he stood, and the king… he never did quite see the king.
The second man also arrived at the same entrance hall, but he was a simple farmer unaccustomed to wealth and finery. His impoverished taste failed to appreciate what so fascinated the wealthy man. Much to the wealthy man’s disappointment, the poor man met the king right away.
Every day people have the opportunity to approach the King. Many try, but few succeed as many are distracted by the finery and sophistication. A great man once said: “I pray with the mind of a child.” A child’s perception of the Holy One, blessed be He is in a way, truer and purer than the accomplished scholar’s or mystic’s deepest understanding of the Divine attributes and manifestations.
The person who approaches G‑d through prayer with an eye to the “experience” of this or spirituality, can lose sight of what the point of it all is. Only by recognizing our basic spiritual illiteracy can we truly relate to the all-encompassing concept of the Holy One, blessed be He,
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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ST14 The Wedding Dress
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)
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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 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
Memories, Teshuvah and Chicken Soup
The sun was setting and Rivka looked out the window at the different colours on the horizon, but to her it was all muted. She reluctantly looked at the shiva candle that she set on the table wondering what to do next.
Slowly she mumbled a prayer that the rabbi recommended:
L-rd of spirit and flesh, we have turned to You for comfort in these days of grief.
When the cup of sorrow passed into our hands, your presence consoled us. Now we rise up to face the tasks of life once more. There will be moments of woe and hours of loneliness, for a loved one has passed from our sight.
In our times of weakness may her (his) memory strengthen our spirit.
Teach us, O G-d, to give thanks for all that was deathless in the life of our dear companion and friend, and which now is revealed to us in all its beauty.
Be our support when our own strength fails us.
For the love that death cannot sever; for the friendship we shared along life’s path; for those gifts of heart and mind which now become a precious heritage; for all these and more, we are grateful.
Now help us L-rd, not to dwell on sorrow and pain, but to honor our beloved by the quality of our lives.
Gray light entered through the faded curtains of the wooden house as Rivka slowly got up. Sadly, she looked at the empty bed beside her – Yosef Simcha was gone.
She put on her warm robe, and then passed by the yahrzeit candle still burning from the night before on the dining room table next to Yosef Simcha’s siddur and tefillin. The flame gave off such a cold light in the small glass. The rabbi had said she could let the candle burn out by itself. Rivka felt like she was as burnt out as the candle.
Slowly she made her way to the kitchen and set a kettle up to boil on the stove. A nice cup of instant coffee like she used only on Shabbos was fine for every day now. Nothing tasted good these days, not even coffee.
Yesterday, shiva over, the rabbi had said, “It’s time for you to go out.” Time was so unforgiving; Rivka was not ready. Especially not ready to see her face in the mirror: her hair grayer, the skin underneath her green eyes darker, face color nonexistent.
Today being Friday, she had to buy food for Shabbos. That’s if she wanted to eat. Rivka forced herself to eat a boiled egg and bagel after the funeral. Then everyone else could eat. For the next few days, she’d eaten to keep up her strength for the visitors.
Today, coffee was all she wanted. Then Rivka put on her black raincoat with a hood. It was only last year Yosef Simcha had said, “Great—a hood, in case of rain.” He put down the paper to admire Rivka as she showed off her new raincoat.
Rivka wondered, had he started to look pale then?
Pulling the hood over her head, Rivka forced herself out the door. Once outside, she was not sure if raindrops or tears were sliding down her cheeks.
No need to get eggless challahs, fresh fish and vegetables which was all Yosef Simcha could eat after his heart surgery. The rain matched Rivka’s mood as she walked up the street, busy with other shoppers scurrying to get what they needed for Shabbos.
she took off her hood and grabbed a small cart as she entered the market. As soon as she entered the first aisle, someone shoved into her with a large wagon.
“Pardon me,” Rivka said, then turned to see Shira, Yosef Simcha’s first wife, surrounded by potatoes, onions and carrots.
Shira whined, “You could at least say hello.”
“Hello.” Picking up some celery, Rivka smelled them. They reminded her of spring, and fresh air, and her mother’s chicken soup bubbling on the stove before Shabbos.
Since Shira had not shown up for the funeral, Rivka hadn’t minded the twin boys standing together, yet apart from everyone else at the graveside. They stood by as Yosef Simcha was lowered into the ground, then escaped without saying a word to Rivka.
How she wished they had said some word of kindness, or an acknowledgment that Rivka existed. How she wished they acted like Yosef Simcha, not just looked like him.
Was it her fault, what happened between Yosef Simcha and Shira? Rivka never really wanted to know. She had such wonderful memories of her husband.
It was still painful that she and Yosef Simcha had no children. No one to whom she could pass on his precious siddur and tefillin. No one to help her through the mourning process.
“I didn’t come to the funeral, because I thought it would bother you.” Shira flung her thick finger, adorned with a huge flashy diamond, into Rivka’s face. “I’m happy now, as you can see.”
Happy was not a word Rivka could even imagine using now. Looking down at her own tastefully small ring, she never would have worn such a flashy piece of jewelry.
Cart filled with chicken and other special food, Shira said, “I told my boys to go, out of respect for their father.”
“It would also have been respectful if they paid their condolences to me.”
“They never forgave their father for abandoning them.”
Abandoning them! After all the weekends we invited the boys and Shira had said no. Shira had no case.
Yosef Simcha was heartbroken so many times, Rivka suspected it added to his strain.
She bought candles to bring in Shabbos by herself.
Thinking about which kind of frozen dinner she should buy, Rivka heard Shira brag about her ring to someone else.
When would Rivka be happy? She pictured her mother lighting candles, white lace scarf covering her head, small hands circling the warm orange flames reflecting off her round face.
Rivka ran around the store, buying chicken, onions and spices, her mother’s secret ingredients to add to the celery hearts and carrots for soup. Smelling the aroma while the soup was bubbling will make a sweet Shabbos.
Looking out the large window, the sun inched out through the clouds, as if it forgave them.
She noticed Shira by the checkout counter. Maybe Rivka should forgive Shira for all her bad behavior. “After all,” the rabbi had said, “not forgiving someone is bad for your heart.”
She stepped over to Susan and said, “A gut’n Shabbos to you and your family.”
Rivka left the store with a heart that felt less heavy. Tonight, when lighting the candles, she would thank G-d for all she had.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
Click here for more storytelling resources
Grief and Mourning resources for adults and children including thoughts and meditations, stories, and crafts
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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ST13 A Journey to the Tree of Life
Listen to a short story
A Journey to the Tree of Life
The spiritual journey is filled with wonder and mysteries. Not every one who begins the journey follows the path to the very end. Some get lost along the way and never find their way back.
To read the short story click the title
A Journey to the Tree of Life
The Patriarchs – Admire or Aspire
Tam and Chacham were in the forest where they were learning together. A young man sat down by a tree and listened to them hoping to ask them a question. Everyday the young man would pray, but did not understand the beginning of the Shemonah Esrei:
My L-rd, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.
Blessed. are You L-rd our G-d:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d and G-d of our fathers, G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac and G-d of Jacob, the great, mighty and awesome G-d, exalted G-d, who bestows bountiful kindness, who creates all things, who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and who, in love, brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His Name.
O King, (You are) a helper, a savior and a shield. Blessed are You L-rd, Shield of Abraham.
The young man approached them and asked, “I see that you are indeed wise and know all manor of knowledge can you explain why we begin the ShemonahEsrei do we speak of the forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?”
Chacham invited the young man to come closer and then explained:
“The reason we use the Forefathers as the basis for the first blessing in given in Genesis 12:2. When the Holy One, blessed be He said to Abraham (then still called Abram), “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
We learn that “Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said with regard to G-d’s blessing of Avraham: says that “I will make you a great nation” corresponds to the phrase “G-d of Abraham,” “I will bless you” corresponds to “G-d of Isaac,” and “I will make your name great” corresponds to “and G-d of Jacob.” One might think that all three of the Forefathers should be mentioned in the blessing’s conclusion, therefore the Torah says, “and you (that is, Abraham) will be a blessing.” For this reason, the blessing concludes “shield of Abraham,” naming him alone.” (Pesachim 117b)
The young man looked confused, so Tam asked him to take a deep breath and not get discouraged and gently began:
“We mention the Patriarchs at the beginning of the Shemoneh Esrai not only to praise their merits but also to challenge ourselves to try to be like them.
You see there once was a holy rabbi learning with his students in the study hall just before the time for afternoon prayers. Suddenly a stranger appeared. From the way he was dressed, it was obvious that he was a very wealthy merchant. After sitting down, he asked one of the students to point out their teacher, the holy rabbi. When the student did so, the merchant’s face suddenly went pale.
After the prayers were over, the man approached the holy rabbi and greeted him. The holy rabbi politely returned the greeting, assuming the man was a stranger. The merchant became very sad and looked straight into the holy rabbi’s eyes and asked him “Don’t you recognize me? I am your chavrusa (study partner) from thirty years ago.”
The holy rabbi looked at him closely and said, “Of course I do. And I am eternally grateful to you, because you are the one who helped me develop my potential in learning.”
After they chatted for a while, the merchant said, “I feel devastated. Look at you, you are now a holy rabbi, respected by all and held in high esteem as a talmid chacham – a great scholar. Yet we both know that when we were students, I was the one who helped you and explained the finer points of the lessons in the school we attended. How can you explain why you developed so much in learning, while I just fell behind?”
The holy rabbi thought for a few moments and replied, “Do you remember that when we were students, there was a reading room next to the study hall? In that reading room was a biography of the MaHaRal of Prague. When you read that biography, I remember how impressed you were. You came out of the reading room with your eyes shining and declared, `He was so far ahead of his time and a brilliant rabbi!’ When I finished reading that biography, however, I said to myself that the life of this man was proof of the great heights a person can reach. I decided right then and there that I, too, would aspire to emulate him and try to become a illuy (Jewish scholar of extraordinary ability). This strong drive helped me to realize my potential and develop beyond my greatest expectations. That is the difference between us. I was not satisfied to simply acknowledge that he was an illuy, but I wanted to become one myself.”
Similarly, when we come to the point in our prayers when we mention the merits of our Patriarchs, it is not enough to simply acknowledge their greatness. We must also take upon ourselves the challenge and try to emulate them. For this reason we say, “When will my deeds reach the level of the Avos?” Even though we may not ever reach their level, we can consider it a great accomplishment to at least try to follow in their footsteps.
The young man smiled and thanked Tam and Chacham and followed a new path out of the forest and in his everyday prayer and studies.
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 King’s Messengers
The king’s messenger summoned a person to come to the palace at once. When the man saw that the messenger was wearing black garments and had an angry look on his face, he was immediately gripped by a feeling of terror, for perhaps he was destined to receive a harsh punishment from the king.
There was a wise man standing nearby who soothed the man’s anxiety “What do you have to fear from the messenger?” he said. “He cannot do anything to you without a direct command from the king. Therefore, instead of being fearful and worrying, examine your deeds. If you know that you are free of any transgression, you would do well to hurry to the palace as the king commanded and hear what he has to say”
On another occasion, the king’s messenger summoned a different person to appear before the king. This time, however, the messenger was dressed in bright-colored clothes and was very happy as well as smiling. The man was overjoyed and he began to dance.
A wise man turned to him and said, “What do you have to dance about? Who really knows if this messenger is the bearer of good news or not? Do not be misled by the happy expression on his face; rather, think about whether you are truly loyal to the king. If you are, then the messenger is bringing you good tidings, but if you have sinned against the king, Heaven forbid, then evil has been determined against you…”
A person should not judge himself according to whether an event which befalls him is good or bad. Rather, he must constantly examine himself in order to know whether he is loyal to the King or, Heaven forbid, has sinned against Him.
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 Cantonist’s Prayer
The Jewish citizens of Russia were thrust into a state of anxiety in the Fall of 1827 when Tsar Nickolas I signed the “Statute on Conscription Duty”. Tsar Nickolas I was planning to issue many laws intending to make everyone Russian. The laws included a ban on chadarim (Jewish elementary schools). The Jewish community immediately took action by sending a delegation of prominent rabbanim to Petersberg, which included Tam and Chacham.
Everyone hoped to return home to be with their families in time for Yom Kippur, but it was not to be. The meetings seemed to take forever lasting day after day. Tam and Chacham sadly realized that they would be forced to spend the holiest day of the year in the capital city of Russia.
In their search to find a place where they could daven (pray) on Yom Kippur, the Tam and Chacham learned about a group of Cantonists who would be conducting a secret Yom Kippur service and decided to join them.
Cantonists were Jewish soldiers who had been abducted from their homes and drafted into the Russian army at a very young age. The Cantonist soldiers knew very little about Torah and Jewish beliefs and ways of living, relying only on the distant memories from their few short years at home. When they would finally be released from army service at the age of forty-three, many of them would find that their parents had already died, leaving them no where to go or call home. The passage of time had dulled their memory of the Yiddish language, and many would no longer be able to communicate with their any of their relatives.
This group of Cantonists, whose service Tam and Chacham had joined on that memorable Yom Kippur, clung to their Jewish traditions and identity in the face of severe torture. In spite of all the suffering that they continued to bear because of their religion, these Jewish soldiers felt isolated from the Jewish community and completely alone in the world.
Tam and Chacham participated in the outpouring of emotion as they davened the prayers of Yom Kippur in the Cantonist service. Ma’ariv was followed the next day by Shacharis, Mussaf, and Minchah. Finally, it was time for Ne’ilah, the most important prayer of the year. In many communities, it is customary for the most prominent member of the minyan to lead this sacred prayer.
Shortly before Ne’ilah was scheduled to begin, a Cantonist, who was the spokesman for the group, approached Tam and Chacham saying, “Although you are certainly worthy of leading the tefillos, we would like to ask permission for one of our fellow Cantonists to lead the Ne’ilah service in your stead.” Then he turned to the Cantonist who was to serve as chazzan (leader of Jewish prayer) and asked show his back. The man’s back and muscular arms were covered with terrible wounds and gashes.
“Do you see this?” asked the spokesman. “They are whip-marks. As a young boy he resisted. Every morning he was placed on a bench and given at least 100 strokes of a birch, leaving him bleeding and reeling in agony. After each birching, he was sent to the infirmary where he was treated and then soon beaten again. He absorbed the abuse, did not cry out, and did not relent. You must understand that during our friend’s entire time in the army, he never once ate non-kosher food or desecrated the Shabbos. As a result, he sustained many beatings, but he never gave in. Therefore, we request that he be the one to daven Ne’ilah, since we consider him to be our worthy representative.”
Tam and Chacham were totally astounded at the tremendous self-sacrifice of the seemingly simple man standing before them, and of course, they agreed.
The Cantonist chazan began leading the tefillah and chanted ashrei, followed by uva l’Tzion. When it came time for Kaddish, he paused. Walking up to the Aron Kodesh, he began to speak in a powerful voice, baring his heart as a child speaks to his father:
“Ribbono shel Olam, Master of the Universe It is now the holiest time of the year. What do Jewish people throughout the world ask for at this time?” Answering his own question, he continued, “They ask for three crucial things:
Banai – Children Chayei – life
and M’zonei – sustenance.
we Cantonists don’t need to bother You to ask for these things.
Banai – Children: we’ll never have. When we will finally be released from army service, there will be no one to marry us! No Jewish woman will agree to marry us because we know little to nothing of Your Torah. Of course, we can’t marry non-Jewish women either. We know that we will never get married and so unfortunately, we will never be blessed with children.”
With tears filling his eyes, the Cantonist continued,
Chayei – life: what kind of life is this to live, so estranged from the rest of the Jewish People? We don’t desire a long life.
M’zonei – sustenance: sustenance: we don’t need to ask You for food. As soldiers in the Russian army, the tzar supports us and provides us with our needs. So what do we ask for at this auspicious time?”
As tears streamed down his cheeks, the Cantonist cried out:
“There is only one thing that we ask for!” Then, in the traditional tune that is recognized in shuls throughout the world, he called out, “Yisgadal v’yiskadash sh’mei raba – We ask that the Name of Hashem be sanctified and that His name be recognized throughout the world.”
With tears freely flowing, he continued to recite the rest of the Kaddish.
After Yom Kippur, Tam and Chacham learned from that the Cantonist’s moving words what a person should truly pray for. Instead of focusing only on one’s own personal needs, we should pray that the Name of the Holy One blessed be He should be sanctified and that we should constantly bring about a kiddush HaShem in the world.
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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Trust and Faith
Throughout the Torah and our studies, we learn that Hashem does not have to prove anything to us. Every day as we say the Shema, “Hear O Israel. The L-rd our G-d is One”, we firmly believe in all that the Torah teaches and need no other proof that it is true. However, we continue by saying, “to your name give honor.” To those who would challenge you, please answer them, in order that Your great Name be glorified by all. Even though we don’t need proof of Hashem’s greatness, the nonbelievers do, and we trust that He will reveal Himself to them — in His own time and way.
Tam and Chacham used to travel to faraway places to encourage people to bind themselves to Torah and mitzvos. During such journey, they stayed with an observant Jewish innkeeper and noticed that something was troubling the man and asked him about it.
The distraught innkeeper explained: “Yesterday a man came into the inn and ordered a drink. He then reached into his bag and took out some food and put it on the table. To my amazement, I saw that it was a piece of pork! Then he turned to me and said ‘It says in the Torah that one is forbidden to eat pork. Well, if there is a G-d, let him make me choke on this pork that I’m now going to eat.’ With that he swallowed the pork, and nothing at all happened to him! This incident has shaken my faith and has caused me to have doubts”
As soon as he finished speaking, the innkeeper’s son burst through the door and proudly announced that he had received his degree with honors in his major, music, and that he was qualified to enter a higher institution or even apply for a position in the symphony orchestra.
After his father told him how proud he was. Tam and Chacham wished him a hearty mazel tov and wished him much success. Chacham asked the young musician if he could test him. The young man proudly responded, “Yes by all means!” Chacham asked the young man to play Avinu Malkeinu so he could offer his opinion of the young man’s ability. The proud musician was highly offended at this request, and stormed out of the room. The father was embarrassed by his son’s disrespectful behavior, and ran after him to make him come back and apologize to Tam and Chacham. The young man apologized but then tried to explain why he had been so angry. “The degree I just received is proof of my proficiency. There should be no further need of tests to prove my ability. And so I felt hurt and angry that you wanted to test me with such a simple song – A song known and played by every child.”
“Absolutely,” agreed Chacham to everyone’s surprise. “I simply wanted to make a point, to stress how absurd it is for someone to try to test G-d. His Torah is the only ‘degree’ we need, and for this reason there is no need for further tests.”
We say to Hashem You do not have to prove anything to us. We firmly believe in everything Your Torah teaches. It is taught, “reason has long since decided that the Holy One, blessed be He needs nothing, but all things need Him,” (Emunos v’Deos 3:10 933 ce)
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)
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ST12 The Merchant and the Scales
Listen to a short Jewish story about simple faith and prayer during a drought and a simple merchant’s scales.
