A Gift of Love

Posted on Tuesday, 15, December, 2020Tuesday, 5, December, 2023 by Rabbi

A young father punished his three-year old daughter for wasting a whole roll of holiday wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box for a Chanukah gift. Still, the little girl proudly brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.” He was embarrassed by his earlier over-reaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty.

He yelled at her, “Don’t you know that when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside of the box?”

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses in the box. I filled it with my love. All for you, Daddy.”

The young father was crushed. He put his arms around his little daughter, and he begged her for forgiveness.

It has been some years and the little girl has grown up. That father kept that gold box from that Chanukah many years ago. Whenever he was sad or discouraged, he would take out one of the kisses and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us as parents has been given a container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

Each child carries its own blessing into the world

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown On December 7, 2023.

Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

Women and Chanukah

Posted on Friday, 11, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Many girls and women ask questions about everything about Jewish women and seek answers that are sometimes very elusive. They become frustrated over the apparent the double standards of many religious people. They feel it is hard to assert their individuality in a society with so many demands (how to dress, how to eat, how to communicate, etc.).

Who carried the Jewish tradition from generation to generation? Whose unwritten wisdom upholds it? An automatic first response might be “the Rabbis.” A more complete, more thoughtful answer would be “the women.”

It is hard to define aspects of Jewish tradition—the feel of it, the smells of a special foods and meals, the warmth of a gentle touch, the part that cannot be captured in words, that remain unwritten but enduring —were for generations the domain of Jewish women. Their wisdom finely guided and molded the character of Jewish life. We find this in food, stories and memories.

Women are special in the Jewish community, but many times the girls and women counter that all there is, is chauvinism and foolish limitations. It seems that the prevailing attitudes in our culture have replaced the long history of learning and teaching.

Chanukah is a holiday that is celebrated due to the sacrifices and deeds of women. Many don’t realize that Jewish law establishes that so long as the Chanukah lights burn, woman are exempt from work.

Jewish Women

As we eat the sizzling latkes let us realize that their wisdom has molded and defined the character of Jewish life. We find this throughout our history and teachings. We also find it in the Chanukah story, in the remarkable characters of Chana and Yehudis.

One of the major victories over the Syrian-Greeks came about through the heroism of a woman. Yehudis, daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, spoke to the people in her besieged city to have faith in the Holy One, blessed be H, but the people weakened by starvation and fear wanted to surrender the city. Yehudis left the city under the cover of night and went to the commanding general, Holofrenes, and first fed him cheese dishes which made him thirsty (the source for eating dairy foods on Chanukah). She then brought him wine to quench his thirst. When he became drunk and fell asleep, she beheaded him and hung it from the city walls. When the enemy soldiers saw the head of their decapitated leader, they fled.

The Syrian-Greeks and their supporters, tried to destroy the Jewish way of life by forcing people to abandon their Judaism. Chana had seven sons each were brought before Antiochus and told to bow to him and recognize his god. Each son refused. As the last of her sons was taken to be executed she told him, “My son, go and tell your father Abraham: You bound one son upon the altar; I bound seven children on seven altars.”

The legacy Jewish women represent continues wherever the Jewish tradition is guided, enriched, and uplifted by her daughters, the bearers of Judaism’s enduring legacy.

May your Chanukah lights burn bright and may all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Potato Latke Recipe

1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes)		1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered		1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg		1 egg, beaten
1 cup oil or chicken shmaltz, or a combination of both		2 tablespoons matzo meal
Applesauce and sour cream, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the potatoes. Scrub the potatoes well, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half crosswise.
Grate potatoes and onion with a food processor. Grate the potatoes and onion using the shredding disk of a food processor.
Make a cheesecloth tourniquet and squeeze liquid from potato and onion. Transfer the grated potato and onion onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie around the handle of a wooden spoon. Dangle the bundle over a large bowl, then twist and squeeze the potatoes and onion as hard as you can until no more liquid comes out of the potatoes and onion shreds.
Pour off the liquid, but keep the potato starch. Give the liquid a few minutes to allow the potato starch to settle and then pour off and discard the liquid but leave the potato starch.
Toss the latke ingredients together with your fingers. Add the potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper to the bowl of starch. Mix with your fingers, making sure that the potato starch breaks up and is evenly distributed with the rest of the ingredients. Set batter aside for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil. Place the oil or schmaltz (or a combination of the two) in a large skillet so that when melted there is a depth of 1/4 inch (for a 10-inch skillet you’ll need 1 cup of melted oil/schmaltz). Heat over medium-high heat until a piece of the latke mixture sizzles immediately.
Form latkes one at a time into a 2-4 inch patty. Using a spoon, slide the latkes into the hot oil. Repeat until the pan is full but the latkes aren’t crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary.
Drain the latkes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes.
Serve with applesauce if using schmaltz or with sour cream and apple sauce if using just oil.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more Jewish stories with recipes

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

The Mystery of the Vanishing Flame

Posted on Wednesday, 9, December, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

It was the first night of Chanukah. Outside a snowstorm raged, but inside it was tranquil and warm. The holy rabbi stood in front of the menorah, surrounded by a crowd of his students. He recited the blessings with great devotion, lit the single candle, placed the shammash (“attendant candle”) in its designated place, and began to sing HaNairos Halalu. His face radiated holiness and joy; the amazed students watch his every move.

The flame of the candle was burning bright and strong. The rabbi and his students sat nearby and sang Ma’oz Tzur and other Chanukah songs. All of a sudden, the flame began to flicker and leap wildly, even though there was no breeze in the house. It was as if it were dancing to the lively songs, and then it just disappeared,

It didn’t blow out, there was no smoke, it just was gone without a trace. The holy rabbi seemed lost in thought. One of the students went to re-light the wick on the candle, but the rabbi waved him off.

He reminded the students that Chanukah was a happy holiday and to continue their singing. Between the songs, the rabbi spoke such words of Torah that it seemed everyone was in a higher realm. The students were so caught up in celebrating Chanukah, they had all but forgotten about the disappearing flame.

It was almost midnight when they heard the sounds of a carriage stop at the house, the door burst open and in came a student who came from a distant village. His clothes were ripped and muddy, and his face was puffy and bleeding. Yet, his eyes were sparkling and his features shone with joy.

He sat down at the table, and with all eyes upon him, began to speak excitedly. “This isn’t the first time I came to visit the rabbi by traveling through the forest, and I know the way very well. But there was a terrible snow storm this week, which greatly slowed me down. I began to worry that I wouldn’t get here in time to be with the rabbi for the first night of Chanukah. The thought disturbed me so much, I decided not to wait out the storm and started out immediately.

“That was a foolish idea, I must admit, but I didn’t realize that until too late. Last night, I ran into a gang of bandits, who thought if I was out in this weather, at night, alone, I must be a wealthy merchant whose business could not be delayed. They demanded that I surrender to them all of my money.

“I pleaded with them and tried to explain that I was a student travelling to see my holy teacher. They absolutely refused to believe me. They wanted money or my blood. They took me to their leader so he could decide my fate.

“While they waited for the bandit chief to arrive, they questioned me in great detail, searched me and the wagon, and beat me, trying to get the secret of where I had hidden my money. I had nothing to tell them except the truth, and that they didn’t want to hear it.

“After hours of punishment, they tied me up and threw me into a dark cellar. I was hurt and bleeding, and my whole body ached in pain. I lay there for a long time, when the bandit chief came to speak with me.

“I tried to the best of my ability to describe to him the great joy of being in the rabbi’s presence, and how it was so important to me to get to the rabbi by the start of Chanukah and that it was worth it to endanger myself by traveling at night.

“It seems my words made an impression on him, and he untied and released me, saying:

“I sense that your faith in Holy One, blessed be He is strong and your wish to be with your teacher is genuine. Now we shall see if this is the truth. I am going to let you go, but you should know that the way is extremely dangerous. Even the most rugged people never venture into the heart of the forest alone, only in groups, and especially not in a storm and at night. You can leave and try your luck. I am telling you, if you get through the forest and the other terrible conditions safely, unharmed by the ferocious wild beasts or anything else, then I will break up my gang and reform my ways.

“If you actually reach the outskirts of the city, then throw your handkerchief into the ditch next to the road, behind the signpost there. One of my men will be waiting, and that is how I will know that you made it.

“I was very afraid of what might be ahead of me on my journey, but when I thought about how wonderful it is to be to watch my teacher, the holy rabbi light the menorah lighting, my fear seemed to fade away. I was determined to proceed without delay. My horse and carriage were returned to me and I set off on my way.

Chanukah

“There forest was dark and forbidding and I could hear the sounds of the night creatures. I feared that I might be surrounded by a pack of vicious wolves.

“I crouched down over my horse’s neck and spurred him on, but he wouldn’t move. He refused to move in the pitch blackness. I tried to get him to move with kind words, but he wouldn’t budge.

“I had no idea what to do. At that moment, a small light flickered in front of the carriage. The horse stepped eagerly towards it. The light moved and the horse followed. All along the way, the wild animals fled from us, as if the tiny dancing flame was driving them away.

“We followed that flame all the way here. I kept my end of the bargain and threw my handkerchief at the designated place. Who knows? Perhaps those cruel bandits will change their ways, all in the merit of that little light.”

It was only then that the students noticed that the holy rabbi’s Chanukah light had returned. There it was, burning in the simple menorah, its flame strong and pure as if it had just been lit.

As the students marveled at the small flame in all its brightness, the holy rabbi mysteriously commented, “The light of a candle is serviceable only when it precedes man on his way, useless when it trails behind.” (Kad haKemach 37, 14^th century)

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown

on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

A Special Chanukah Gift

Posted on Wednesday, 5, December, 2018Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

For this child I prayed; and the L-rd has granted me the petition that I made to him. (I Samuel 1:27)

Chanukah is a time to celebrate the freedom of faith. A war was fought to defend the right just to remain true to Judaism over 2100 years ago. Today we accept the basic story of Chanukah, but have forgotten the many miracles. The wonders and beauty of faith are many times overlooked, but they are present at all times.

On the third day of Hanukkah, there was a bris (circumcision) in the small wooden shul. The rabbi was the sandak—being honored to hold the baby on his lap—and he told a story at the bris.

A woman who was married for fifteen years and was not blessed with children. She went from rabbi to rabbi, from tzaddik to tzaddik, from one to the other to ask for a blessing, for them to pray for her, but still she had no child. She did not know what to do with herself.

She was very careful to light the Shabbos candles every week, welcoming the holiness of the day into her house. There was always food in her kitchen for those less fortunate. Her bright smile hid the pain and sadness that was deep in her heart.

Without children, she had a lot of time, and so she helped wherever she could. One day she discovered a woman who was sick and all alone, who had nobody in the world. She started to visit the sick woman, prepared food for her and talked to her for hours.

After two years, the sick woman left this world, and the woman without children was with her when she died. The dying woman said to her, “There’s no way for me to thank you in this lifetime for all the kindness and love you showed me. I promise you, the moment I go up to heaven and stand before the Holy One Blessed be He, I swear to you I will send you a baby.”

“That was almost a year ago and today we are gathered here for such a happy and holy occasion”, the rabbi continued, “The baby we just welcomed into the community is that baby. He is a gift from that woman.”

May your Chanukah lights shine bright with hope and blessings

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris or Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

The Blind Angel

Posted on Sunday, 2, December, 2018Monday, 11, December, 2023 by Rabbi

The holy rabbi was always collecting donations to help those less fortunate. In one village there was a very wealthy merchant who was a collector of rare and precious religious objects. The merchant was so wealthy that he even owned his own scroll of the Torah, which was prominently displayed in an Ark that had been built into a wall of his living room. The wealthy merchant’s name was Avram Moshe

Once the holy rabbi came to pay the wealthy merchant a visit, and Avram Moshe was beside himself with joy, proudly showing off his precious objects to the holy rabbi. Each time the holy rabbi seemed pleased by a particular object, Avram Moshe had it wrapped and placed in a crate for the rabbi to take back with him.

Before long the crate was almost filled with silver goblets, embroidered matzah and challah covers, and other precious treasures of Avram Moshe, and at last the rabbi rose to take his leave, thanking Avram Moshe for his generosity. At that moment the rabbi’s eye fell on a beautiful antique silver menorah, one of Avram Moshe’s most prized possessions. For a long time the rabbi stared at that menorah, and Avram Moshe and everyone else clearly saw that he desired it, yet Avram Moshe could not bring himself to offer it, for it was a priceless heirloom.

Finally the holy rabbi broke the silence, asking, as a special favor, for the silver menorah. Everyone watched Avram Moshe closely, for they knew how much he prized that menorah, and they saw that he was struggling with himself. At last Avram Moshe ordered his servant to wrap the menorah, place it with the other gifts, and carry the crate to the rabbi’s carriage.

When they returned home, the rabbi had the crate opened, and displayed all of the gifts he had received from Avram Moshe except for the silver menorah, which was put in a closet unopened. No one understood why the holy rabbi had asked for the silver menorah or why he did not display or use it, No one dared to question the holy rabbi.

Many years passed, and Avram Moshe left for the world of truth, and as it is with matters of time, eventually silver menorah in the closet was forgotten. Ten years went by and on the first night Chanukah, the holy rabbi had the menorah brought out of storage and prepared for lighting. As the flames burned brightly, reflected in the polished silver of the menorah, the holy rabbi shared a story:

“This menorah once belonged to a Jewish tailor, Chaim Tzvi, who was a rich man for most of his life but then fell upon hard times. Avram Moshe had desired this menorah for many years and often tried to purchase it, but no matter how much he offered, Chaim Tzvi refused to sell it, for this menorah had been in his family for many generations. However, when his situation grew desperate, Chaim Tzvi went to Avram Moshe for a loan. Avram Moshe agreed to give him a generous loan, with the silver menorah to serve as security. Sadly, when the loan was due, Chaim Tzvi could not repay it, and accordingly he had to abandon the menorah to Avram Moshe.

“Now, as we know, every good deed creates an angel, but if a deed is imperfect, it produces an imperfect angel. In giving Chaim Tzvi a loan, Avram Moshe did a good deed, and therefore an angel came into being. However, because his intentions were not completely pure, Avram Moshe’s angel was blind.

“After his death, Avram Moshe was brought before the Heavenly Court. His good deeds and bad deeds were weighed, and they balanced exactly. All at once the blind angel took its place on the right side of the scale, and it tipped in Avram Moshe’s favor. Seeing this, the Heavenly Court ruled that Avram Moshe might be permitted to enter Gan Eden (Paradise), but since his margin was so narrow, he would have to be led there by the blind angel.

“Ever since then, Avram Moshe and the blind angel have wandered, and his soul has found no rest. For the blind angel could not find the way to Gan Eden. Without some special merit, his soul would have continued to wander for many years to come. But tonight the light of this menorah reached all the way to the highest heavens, restoring the angel’s sight, and making it possible for the angel to lead Avram Moshe’s soul to its resting place in Gan Eden.

“Now you know why, long ago, I asked Avram Moshe for his menorah. For it was the merit of this gift that he needed in order to repair the eyesight of the angel. I never used it until now, as I was waiting for the right moment. Last night, I saw Avram Moshe, led by the blind angel, in a dream. From this I knew that they were close, and tonight, as the holy light from the menorah ascended, that they were passing over. Now Avram Moshe is basking in the sacred light of Gan Eden.”

May your Chanukah lights shine bright

and

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its rMeaders allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

A Chanukah Gift of Stories

Posted on Thursday, 7, December, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

What does a storyteller give as gifts for Chanukah?

Stories of course.

The Season of Lights – Chanukah begins at sundown tonight (December 2, 2018). Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

The age-old tradition of telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah is fading as people turn to their cell phone, computers and social media. The stories carry messages of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

Please read and enjoy the stories below aboutChanukah. Share them with others, comment, join in a discussion, or just “like” the stories and tell us which are your favorites.

Chanukah during the Holocaust, 20th Century Miracle – An Article from 1981

Chanukah and Passover are celbrations of freedom. What do they have in common?Chanukah – Egypt – Passover: Is There a Connection

The Jewish people have fought throughout history for faith, Chanuka and the Fighters

Chanukah is a celebration of Jewish Women, Chanukah: The Dedication of Jewish women

The flame of faith burns bright on Chanukah, The Chanukah Flame of Faith

Dreidel is more than just a game, The Mystery of the Dreidel

a short Chanukah story about growth and self improvement, A short Chanukah story, Can One Fix a Spirit on Chanukah

There is more to see than just the menorah, Chanukah Lights and the Blessings of Sight, allows one to see others in a special light.

The lights of the menorah warms people to their very soul and brings about Shalom Bayis, Torah and the Menorah of Peace

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.

Please share these gifts of wonderful stories with others and start or join a discussion on the Story Tour Blog about the stories.

The Story Tour Blog has grown to over 300 short stories about faith. Many visitors to the Story Tour Blog have requested that the stories be gathered together into a book. 72 of these special tales are now available in the new book that would make a special gift for Chanukah

ORDER YOURS TODAY

Story Tour: The Journey Begins

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Click here for the the new book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins filled with 72 stories from the Story Tour Blog

Can One Fix a Spirit on Chanukah

Posted on Tuesday, 8, December, 2009Sunday, 10, December, 2023 by Rabbi

“Kol z’man she’ha-ner dolek, efshar l’takain”

“As long as the candle is still lit, it is possible to fix…”

Chanukah, the celebration of lights iscelebrated by ;ighting the chanukah menoah and watching the flames. The chanukah story is often told and the hope for peace and blessing is shared. The conflict for religious freedom and the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem are remembered. Some may ask if amongst the many physical aspects (Chanukah menorahs, dreidels, latkes and Chanukah gelt) if there is a personal, internal meaning.

It was a cold, dark evening. Not a star glittered in the sky, nor did the moon light up with even the tiniest flicker. Clouds hung over the dusky sky, and a chill wind sliced through the thin walls of the simple houses. Men hurried home from Ma’ariv (evening prayer), their coats clutched about them.

The Rebbe in his long black coat, walked alone. He passed his students by hurrying out of shul through a side door before they realized it. He was lost in deep thought, and did not wish to be distracted.

“Ribono Shel Olam,” he sighed to himself. “I am getting older, yet there is still so much I have yet to accomplish. People come to me for advice, considering me a complete saint, but only You, Merciful One can clearly see my lackings – I am far from complete. What will be? There is so little time. So little time. It is said that it can take a lifetime to change a habit, and it is late. Oh, Ribono shel Olam, it is so late!”

Suddenly, a small flicker of light caught his attention. As if in a trance, he walked slowly toward the glow. He found himself before the shop of Yossele the tailor. The Rebbe entered slowly, not quite sure why he was driven to pursue the tiny ray of light that had penetrated his introspection.

Light of Hope

He stood in the doorway, fascinated. Yossele sat hunched over a tiny candle; a half finished garment in one hand and an almost invisible threaded needle in the other. In a gentle, rhythmic motion, he pushed the needle through the garment, and pulled it, drawing the thread tight. The small flame flickered to and fro as Yossele pushed the needle, and pulled it tight.

Push the needle and pull it tight…

The Rebbe stood silently for a moment, watching Yossele’s eyes squinting in concentration by the light of the candle stub.

Push the needle and pull it tight…

“Yossele,” the Rebbe spoke softly. “Yossele, why don’t you stop now? It is dark, and the night is cold.”

Yossele looked up at the Rebbe. His eyes seemed to glow with a gentle intensity that outshown the glow of the candle.

“But Rebbe,” he almost whispered, his hands never ceasing to push the needle through and pull it tight, “There is much to fix…”

The Rebbe’s eyes swept over the room, taking in the piles of clothing waiting to be mended.

“Rebbe,” the tailor repeated almost reproachfully, “As long as the candle is burning, one can sill fix . . .”

Push the needle and pull it tight…

The Rebbe’s eyes widened, He felt an all-encompassing lightness overtake him. He was free of his burden.

“Ribono shel Olam! Now I understand! As long as the candle is still burning, one can fix . . . and mend . . . his soul . . .

one . . .stitch . . .at a time…”

Push the needle and pull it tight…

Kol z’man she’haner dolek, efshar l’takain.

As lomg as the lights of the Chanukah menorh flicker and burn, a person can can fix, mend and repair their soul, Each person who sees the flames of the Chanukah menorah can rededicate and rediscover the beauty and wonder of faith.

May the lights of the Chanukah menorah burn bright and may the hope for peace warm the souls of everyone.

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

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

The Mystery of the Dreidel

Posted on Sunday, 28, December, 2008Tuesday, 5, December, 2023 by Rabbi

A 14-year-old in a religious school class was curious and asked about the dreidel, and the teacher merely explained it as a game played on Chanukah. The teacher went on to explain the letters nun, gimel, hay, shin were to remind us that Nes Gadol Haya Sham – A great miracle happened there. A remembrance of the miracles of the small army that turned over the massive, well-trained Syrian-Greek armies.

The student looked and asked, “What does this have to do with being Jewish?” He was truly looking for a spiritual meaning to the dreidel. He could not accept that this gambling game had anything to do with Yiddishkeit – Judaism.

Perhaps if the teacher had explained that the dreidel represents each Jewish person and the letters teach that though life spins about that all parts of a person must grow also. The nun is for nefesh – the soul – which strives for high and higher meaning, the gimmel is for guf – the body – which needs to be kept healthy and strong, the shin is for sechel – mind – that seeks and learns, and the hay is for Hakol – everything – together makes up each person.

Some rabbis connected the four letters with the four exiles of the Jewish people — Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome.

The Babylonians came and destroyed the Beis haMikdah (the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) and exiled the Jewish people. The Beis haMikdash represents a unique channel between Hashem (G-d) and Man. When it was destroyed, this flow of spiritual energy was severed. The level of this connection is linked to the word “nefesh” – soul (“When a soul will bring an offering”…Leviticus 2:1). Nefesh begins with the letter nun, and nun represents the kingdom of Babylon.

We learn from the story of Esther, that Haman wanted to physically destroy the Jewish people. The exile of Persia and Media represents the threat to the “guf” – the body of the Jewish People, the physical threat of annihilation. Guf begins with gimel which stands for the kingdom of Persia and Media.

Greece, on the other hand, represents the attack on the Torah itself – the sechel – the wisdom of Israel. The Syrian-Greeks weren’t interested in the physical destruction of the Jewish People; rather they wanted to destroy the spiritual basis of Judaism – the Torah – and leave a Hellenized shell that would agree with the Greek norms of aesthetics – drama, philosophy, and art. Sechel begins with the letter shin – that’s the letter of the kingdom of Greece.

The fourth kingdom, Rome, is a summation of all the other exiles. At the beginning of their domination, the Romans, like the Babylonians, stopped the bringing of offerings in the Temple. Then, they destroyed the second Holy Temple and inflicted unthinkable bloodshed on the “guf”, the body of Jewish People. Rome is all the exiles rolled into one and thus it is represented by the Hebrew word “HaKol which begins with hay” meaning “all”.

Let us all grow in wisdom, strong in spirit, and healthy in body.

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown On December 18, 2022.

Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

He yelled at her, “Don’t you know that when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside of the box?”

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses in the box. I filled it with my love. All for you, Daddy.”

The young father was crushed. He put his arms around his little daughter, and he begged her for forgiveness.

It has been some years and the little girl has grown up. That father kept that gold box from that Chanukah many years ago. Whenever he was sad or discouraged, he would take out one of the kisses and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us as parents has been given a container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

Each child carries its own blessing into the world

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown On December 7, 2023.

Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

Who carried the Jewish tradition from generation to generation? Whose unwritten wisdom upholds it? An automatic first response might be “the Rabbis.” A more complete, more thoughtful answer would be “the women.”

Women are special in the Jewish community, but many times the girls and women counter that all there is, is chauvinism and foolish limitations. It seems that the prevailing attitudes in our culture have replaced the long history of learning and teaching.

Chanukah is a holiday that is celebrated due to the sacrifices and deeds of women. Many don’t realize that Jewish law establishes that so long as the Chanukah lights burn, woman are exempt from work.

As we eat the sizzling latkes let us realize that their wisdom has molded and defined the character of Jewish life. We find this throughout our history and teachings. We also find it in the Chanukah story, in the remarkable characters of Chana and Yehudis.

The legacy Jewish women represent continues wherever the Jewish tradition is guided, enriched, and uplifted by her daughters, the bearers of Judaism’s enduring legacy.

May your Chanukah lights burn bright and may all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Potato Latke Recipe

1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg

1 egg, beaten

1 cup oil or chicken shmaltz, or a combination of both

2 tablespoons matzo meal

Applesauce and sour cream, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the potatoes. Scrub the potatoes well, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half crosswise.

Grate potatoes and onion with a food processor. Grate the potatoes and onion using the shredding disk of a food processor.

Pour off the liquid, but keep the potato starch. Give the liquid a few minutes to allow the potato starch to settle and then pour off and discard the liquid but leave the potato starch.

Toss the latke ingredients together with your fingers. Add the potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal, salt, and pepper to the bowl of starch. Mix with your fingers, making sure that the potato starch breaks up and is evenly distributed with the rest of the ingredients. Set batter aside for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil. Place the oil or schmaltz (or a combination of the two) in a large skillet so that when melted there is a depth of 1/4 inch (for a 10-inch skillet you’ll need 1 cup of melted oil/schmaltz). Heat over medium-high heat until a piece of the latke mixture sizzles immediately.

Form latkes one at a time into a 2-4 inch patty. Using a spoon, slide the latkes into the hot oil. Repeat until the pan is full but the latkes aren’t crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary.

Drain the latkes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes.

Serve with applesauce if using schmaltz or with sour cream and apple sauce if using just oil.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

It didn’t blow out, there was no smoke, it just was gone without a trace. The holy rabbi seemed lost in thought. One of the students went to re-light the wick on the candle, but the rabbi waved him off.

It was almost midnight when they heard the sounds of a carriage stop at the house, the door burst open and in came a student who came from a distant village. His clothes were ripped and muddy, and his face was puffy and bleeding. Yet, his eyes were sparkling and his features shone with joy.

“I pleaded with them and tried to explain that I was a student travelling to see my holy teacher. They absolutely refused to believe me. They wanted money or my blood. They took me to their leader so he could decide my fate.

“While they waited for the bandit chief to arrive, they questioned me in great detail, searched me and the wagon, and beat me, trying to get the secret of where I had hidden my money. I had nothing to tell them except the truth, and that they didn’t want to hear it.

“After hours of punishment, they tied me up and threw me into a dark cellar. I was hurt and bleeding, and my whole body ached in pain. I lay there for a long time, when the bandit chief came to speak with me.

“I tried to the best of my ability to describe to him the great joy of being in the rabbi’s presence, and how it was so important to me to get to the rabbi by the start of Chanukah and that it was worth it to endanger myself by traveling at night.

“It seems my words made an impression on him, and he untied and released me, saying:

“If you actually reach the outskirts of the city, then throw your handkerchief into the ditch next to the road, behind the signpost there. One of my men will be waiting, and that is how I will know that you made it.

“There forest was dark and forbidding and I could hear the sounds of the night creatures. I feared that I might be surrounded by a pack of vicious wolves.

“I crouched down over my horse’s neck and spurred him on, but he wouldn’t move. He refused to move in the pitch blackness. I tried to get him to move with kind words, but he wouldn’t budge.

“I had no idea what to do. At that moment, a small light flickered in front of the carriage. The horse stepped eagerly towards it. The light moved and the horse followed. All along the way, the wild animals fled from us, as if the tiny dancing flame was driving them away.

“We followed that flame all the way here. I kept my end of the bargain and threw my handkerchief at the designated place. Who knows? Perhaps those cruel bandits will change their ways, all in the merit of that little light.”

It was only then that the students noticed that the holy rabbi’s Chanukah light had returned. There it was, burning in the simple menorah, its flame strong and pure as if it had just been lit.

As the students marveled at the small flame in all its brightness, the holy rabbi mysteriously commented, “The light of a candle is serviceable only when it precedes man on his way, useless when it trails behind.” (Kad haKemach 37, 14th century)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown

on November 28, 2021. Most people in the Jewish communities throughout the world can rattle off a list of Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah each night; playing dreidel games; eating foods cooked in oil (latkes and Sufganiot); and exchanging gifts.

An age old tradition is telling stories in the glow of the Chanukah menorah. The stories tell of greatness, nobility, and wisdom while at the same time raising the hopes for a better tomorrow.

The very backdrop to the spiritual stories is attractive to its readers allowing one to peek into the beliefs, and lifestyles of a vanishing age of a faraway world and reminding them that the messages are eternal – just as strong today as they were yesterday.

The book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins will remind readers of forgotten stories of faith that strengthen and reaffirm hope for a better world.

Buy a copy of Story Tour: The Journey Begins as a gift for someone special today. Story Tour: The Journey Begins is available from the publisher, Xlibris, Booksamillion, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

As the students marveled at the small flame in all its brightness, the holy rabbi mysteriously commented, “The light of a candle is serviceable only when it precedes man on his way, useless when it trails behind.” (Kad haKemach 37, 14^th century)