Too Much – Part II The Reward

Posted on Tuesday, 31, March, 2020Tuesday, 31, March, 2020 by Rabbi

“There is no time to rest now. I will have the rest of my life for that, but today I must run. What I work for now will be mine to keep forever.”

Yosef jumped up and began again to run, driven to cover more of the lush, green land. Finally, he stood on top of a beautiful hill and realized he was very hot. Straight overhead the warm afternoon sun was beating down upon his head. He had been working very hard all morning, too busy to notice the sun’s steady progress across the sky.

With the sun high in the sky, he realized, “High noon! It’s midday. I’ve got to turn back. Why I’ve already spent half a day on my journey, and I must be back before sundown. It’s time to turn around. I haven’t a moment to lose!”

Yosef looked ahead of him at what was probably the most beautiful sight he had seen yet. A meadow greener than any he had ever seen lay below him. Surrounded by trees of all types, it seemed a magical place, as animals played in the tall grass and birds flew majestically overhead, singing pleasant songs.

“How can I give up this valley?” said Yosef, looking worriedly over his shoulder at the sun high overhead. “I know I have more time than this. After all, I didn’t leave in the morning until the sun had been up for at least a while. I probably still have more time before I must turn back.”

Greed and envy pushed him on, and Yosef continued through what was truly a splendid meadow. Half an hour later, he stood on the other side and saw sights even more beautiful. This time Yosef admonished himself, “No, I must not be persuaded by thoughts of greed and envy. The hour is well past noon, the sun is past the high point in the sky. I must turn back now, otherwise I will never be back before sundown.”

Yosef took the stick he had been carrying, plunged it deep into the ground, and made sure it held fast. The red handkerchief waved in the wind. He had finally marked off his spot.

Yosef knew that it was definitely time to turn around. He took one last, longing look at the valleys and hills ahead of him, but in a panic said, “No, I can’t have it. I already have hundreds of acres, and now I must stop.”

With a great sigh, Yosef began to run home, one firm purpose guiding him, one goal he could not fail to attain: he must be back before sundown. His heart raced, his blood pulsed quickly, and his legs covered the miles in leaps and bounds. Whereas before he was too preoccupied to look at the sun, now he was almost obsessed by it. He checked its progress constantly.

It seemed to Yosef that he was running with even greater speed than in the morning. No longer distracted by the delightful sights he passed, he sprinted across the grass in the hot summer afternoon. He did not even notice how his body was becoming parched and dry. He had not eaten anything all day, but was unaware of the fatigue that overwhelmed his body. He began to stumble and fall often now, and that could not escape his notice.

“What is happening to me? Am I losing my strength? I can’t slow down now!” Yosef continued ahead. He fell again, harder this time. Yosef picked himself up and felt a stab of pain in his leg. “I’ll have time to deal with the pain later,” he assured himself. “I’ll have the best doctors. I’ll have anything that I could possibly desire. Right now I must work harder than I ever have!”

Yosef reached way down into the storehouses of energy and strength that lay deep within him. He began to recognize where he was. It was just a few miles from his final destination. He looked towards the horizon to check if he could see the Euphrates River in the distance. How sweet a sight it would be to see his master, Mr. Parnas, standing just ahead of him!

“He can’t be far off now,” Yosef consoled himself as he squinted to catch sight of him. The sun was setting and it was quite late already, and Yosef was becoming frantic. His mind vividly played out a terrible scenario over and over: his master stood waiting for him as day turned into night and the sun hid itself from the moon; yet Yosef never returned!

Confusion overcame him. “Perhaps I’ve been running in the wrong direction. But that’s impossible. The sun is behind me. I must be going in the right direction. Or am I?”

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Yosef could not take time to stop and decide. He continued to run in desperation, tripping and falling all the while.

At long last Yosef spotted the welcome sight of the Euphrates River off in the distance. He thought he could make out the shape of Mr. Parnas standing there. But how much time was left?

Yosef was aching, every muscle and joint screamed out in pain. His head throbbed and his breathing was erratic as he fought for control. Yosef was in deep trouble. With still a mile or two to go, the sun began to touch the horizon, only minutes left before sundown.

Yosef shrieked, “No, this can’t be happening.” He ran more frenzied than ever towards the little dot on the horizon that stood on the bank of the Euphrates River. Sadly, the inevitable happened, and Yosef fell. Only this time he had not tripped; his body had given out. This time Yosef did not get up. On that very spot, early the next morning, the people gathered for Yosef’s burial.

We learn that “envy, lust and [the desire for] honor can put a man out of the world” (Pirkei Avos 4:21). The chase after material wealth and the respect that we assume comes with being wealthy can actually destroy a person. Some people spend endless amounts of energy wishing and dreaming about how wonderful it would be to be rich. Some actually spend lifetimes in the pursuit of the riches they think will make them happy. However, the truth is that no matter how much a person already has, there is always more to be gotten, and if we always look for more wealth, honour and fame, we will never be satisfied with what we have. If we can learn to see the good in what we already have and appreciate it, then we will be happy and feel wealthy as well. As we are taught, “Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: “You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper” (Psalms 128:2).” (Pirkei Avos 4:1)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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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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)

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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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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)

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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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Katanya – A Jewish Folk Tale from Turkey

Posted on Sunday, 26, January, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Once upon a time there was a poor old woman. All her life she had wished for a child of her own. But though she wished and wished, she never had any children. Her husband died, and still she wanted a child. “Oh, how wonderful it would be if only I had a little boy or girl,” she said. So she prayed ‘with all her heart, with all her soul, and with all her might. (see Deuteronomy 6:5)

Heaven saw how lonely the old woman was and sent Eliyahu haNovi (Elijah the prophet), may his memory be a blessing, to visit her. He came to her as a merchant in the market. Now this old woman had worked hard all of her life, but she had no money left and nothing to sell for food. So each day she went to the market to ask the merchants for what they could spare and many they took pity on her and gave her some fruit. Some days that was all she had to eat.

One day all the merchants were in a bad mood because the king had raised their taxes. When the old woman begged for fruit, each and every one of them turned her away. She did not get anything from them and she was very sad, for it looked as if she would go hungry all day long.

Just as she was about to leave the market, she noticed a merchant she had never seen before, an old man who looked as poor as she was. As she walked over to the old man, she saw that all he had left were six brown dates, dry¬ing in the sun.

“Could you spare just one?” she asked.

“Surely,” said the old man (who was really Eliyahu haNovi). “Take the one you want.”

Now five of the dates were very little, but one was big, and that is the one she chose. “Thank you, kind sir,” she said, and went on her way.

When she got home, the old woman placed the date on the windowsill, where sunlight shone on it. “You know, the old woman said to herself, this is such a beautiful date, I don’t have the heart to eat it.” So she left it there, even though she was hungry, and went out to see if she could find some¬thing else to eat.

The sun continued to shine on the date until it was quite warm. Soon the date began to stir, as if something were inside it. All at once it broke open and out popped a little girl. She was no bigger than a little finger, and she wore a pretty red dress. The little girl stood up on the windowsill and looked around. The house was quite bare. Only a bed and a table and a chair stood in the room and it needed cleaning, for the old woman’s broom had only a few straws left.

The first thing the little girl did was to climb out the window. She saw a ball of string hanging on the wall and, grabbing one end of the string, she lowered herself down to the ground. There she picked some of the short grasses, because she was very short herself, and she tied the bundle together with another piece of straw. “Oh, what a perfect broom for me!” she cried.

Back up the string and onto the windowsill she climbed, and then she started to clean the house. She swept from corner to corner, until the floor sparkled like new.

Meanwhile, the old woman was still walking on the road, searching for some food, when whom should she meet but the old man who had given her the date! The old man smiled and this time he gave her a large shiny olive. She thanked him and he continued on his way. When the old woman bit into the olive, what did she find inside but a golden coin! She hurried after the old man to give it back, but he was nowhere to be found. The golden coin was hers to keep. What a lucky day for me! she thought.

She was even more surprised when she got home, for there was her house, all neat and clean! She couldn’t believe her eyes. “Who did this?” she asked out loud.

“I did, Mother,” said a tiny voice.

The old woman looked around. There on the windowsill, where the old woman had left the date, was the tiniest girl in the world, no bigger than the woman’s little finger. The old woman blinked to see if she was dreaming. “Did you call me Mother?”

“Yes, Mother,” said the girl. And that is when the old woman understood that the kind old man must have been Elijah the prophet. And she hugged the tiny girl very carefully, so as not to hurt her.

Then she asked the girl her name. But the girl did not answer. “No one has given me a name,” she said at last.

“Then I will name you!” said the old woman. She thought and thought. “I will call you Katanya – the little one,” she said.

Katanya and the old woman lived together happily in that little hut. With the help of the golden coin they never had to go hungry. And the first thing the old woman did with the money was to pay back every merchant who had given her fruit to eat.

The old woman loved Katanya with all her heart. She made a little bed for her inside a teacup. She fashioned a fur hat for her from lamb’s wool, shoes out of tiny nutshells, and dresses made of rose petals. Of all her clothes, Katanya loved her red dress the most. It was the one she had been wearing when she first popped out of the date.

Katanya helped her mother by sweeping out the house with her tiny broom. She even cleaned between the boards of the floor, an easy task for her, since she was so small. While she did her chores, Katanya sang. She had a beautiful voice that sounded as if a full grown girl were singing. Katanya’s voice brought joy to everyone who heard it.

One day the prince was riding down the street, when he heard a lovely song drifting from an open window. The voice was so beautiful that he fell instantly in love. When he returned to the palace, he told his father, the king: “Father, I have found a lovely bride, and I wish to be married.”

“Very well, my son,” said the king in surprise, “but who is the bride?” “I wish to marry the girl whose beautiful singing I heard today,” said the prince.

The king sent a servant at once to the house of the old woman and invited her to come with her daughter to the palace. The servant told the woman: “I have brought a tailor with me who will sew dresses for you both.”

But when the old woman told Katanya this, the girl shook her head. “No, no, no! I love my dress of many colors, and that’s what I will wear.” So the tailor fitted the old woman, but when he asked to see the girl, he was told that she already had a pretty dress.

A few days later, the old woman put on her new dress and went to the palace, with Katanya hiding inside the pocket. The king welcomed her, but the prince was very sad. “Your daughter was invited to join us too,” he said.

“Why has she not come?”

All at once a tiny voice came from the pocket: “Here I am!” Then Katanya’s head peeked out.

“Is it you I heard singing?” asked the prince, much amazed.

“Perhaps,” she answered.

“In that case,” said the prince, “could you sing for us now? If you are the girl I heard, then it is you I want to marry, even though you are small.”

Katanya smiled, for what the prince said was very nice indeed. She sang a song more beautiful than any he had ever heard.

So it was that Katanya married the prince and became Princess Katanya. At her wedding she wore her favorite dress of many colors. The blessing at the hand of Eliyahu haNovi was fully realized that “Though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great (Job 8:7). After the wedding the old woman came to live at the palace along with her. And all of them lived hap¬pily ever after.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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 Mystical Melody Part II – The Search

Posted on Friday, 17, January, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

“Your Majesty, there was an attempt to take over your throne by that jealous Duke Maskil!”

Your Majesty, war has broken out in the kingdom of Tsumisht due to the squabbles of the two lords who rule there!”

The king laughed and thought to himself, “I’ve just returned, but it’s as though I’d never left. What a welcome!”

The king was back into numerous meetings, conferences and consultations. Many documents and papers needed urgent review by the king. Many dignitaries and officials waited anxiously to speak to him. His advisors busied themselves giving him advice he didn’t ask for. After several hours of a grueling schedule, food was brought before him. Doctors surrounded the king, telling him what to eat and what not to eat, what to drink and what not to drink.

Later that night, when he had a few quiet moments to himself in his throne room, the king thought, “It is the perfect time to hum the very special melody.” He leaned back, closed his eyes, relaxed, and imagined that he was in the valley. He began to hum. The melody didn’t sound right. He tried several times, but the king could not remember the song.

The king tried again and again to hum, to remember some piece of the melody, but he could not do it. He couldn’t remember one note of the melody that had that had no beginning and no end; gone too were the feelings, tremors and shivers that it had inspired.

There was pounding at the door now. “Your Majesty, the Duke of the Northern Kingdom has arrived. He must speak with you instantly. He has very important news. He may be able to settle the dispute among his lords.”

“Alright. Bring him in,” said the exhausted, tired king.

The king found himself in endless meetings, trying to make peace among his advisors. Sadly, the king thought to himself, “Life in the palace is so hectic and stressful. If only I could remember that melody.”

All through the meetings the king’s eyes kept drifting off into the distance. He heard almost nothing that was being said. He kept thinking, “The valley, the melody . . . if only I could remember that melody.”

That night the king tossed and turned in his bed. He could not console himself on the loss of the melody, and it seemed to be affecting his health.

In the wee hours of the night, the king’s private doctor was called in. The king looked pale and worn. He would not respond to any of his servants and only moaned, “If only I could remember the song.”The doctor looked into the king’s eyes and said, “Your Majesty, I have an idea. Why don’t we take you back to the valley? Why don’t we find the shepherd who played that melody? The shepherd can be brought right here to the palace, and he can play the melody for you. You can find peace and regain your health.”

The king looked at the doctor, and a smile spread across his face. “You are brilliant. Why that is the simplest idea. Let’s do that immediately.”

“Your Majesty, it is still night. Why don’t you get some rest and early in the morning, we will send our fastest couriers to the valley to find that shepherd and bring him here. I am confident that you will then be cured.”

The king relieved by the advice of the doctor, relaxed and fell asleep within minutes. He slept soundly until the sun rose in the sky.

As soon as the early light of morning allowed a safe journey, the king was up and waiting at his coach. “I must go off to the valley.”

“But, Your Majesty, the meetings . . . .”

“They’ll have to wait. This is much more important.”

It was only hours later that the king, along with twenty of his best soldiers, was standing at the foot of the valley. All they had to do now was wait for the shepherd. They waited for a long time, but the shepherd never came.

The king ordered his soldiers to go to the nearby village and ask, “Does anyone know a shepherd who plays a beautiful melody on the flute? Has anyone seen the shepherd who grazes his sheep in the valley?” they asked of anyone they met.

Sadly, no one knew, no one heard. The king decided to wait another day, hoping the shepherd would come then. The king and his soldiers waited in the valley. Everyone hoped that the morning would bring the shepherd and his melody.

Morning came but still no shepherd. The waiting began again. By now some of the king’s advisors seriously doubted whether the king had not made a mistake. Some began to question in a hushed whisper, “Is our king’s mind still sound?” The doctor believed that the king had indeed heard the shepherd’s melody in this place.

At the end of the third day, the sad king his coach and left with his soldier escort. His dream was crushed.

As soon as he got to the palace, the king shut himself in his throne room. No one was allowed to see him except his trusted doctor. The servants tiptoed through the hallways, and a sense of sadness hung over the palace.

The king’s advisors called meetings to determine what should be done for the king. They all agreed that he was getting sicker each day and that the shepherd must be found at all costs. They decided that a royal proclamation that would be heard throughout the land.

“Hear ye, hear ye…let it be known throughout the kingdom that any shepherd who can play the amazing melody that has no beginning and no end must make his way to the palace at once. He who can play the melody that the king remembers shall be handsomely rewarded.”

The word spread, and within a few days, a long line of shepherds formed at the palace gates. Hundreds of shepherds of all shapes and sizes, flutes in hand, waited for their chance to play their song before the king.

The king, hearing the commotion looked out, and was surprised to see the long line of shepherds.”What has happened here? Who are all these people?” he asked.

“Shepherds, Your Majesty,” said one of the advisors. “They have come here to try to play your song for you.”

“So many of them? Why, they are a bunch of imposters! Only one can know the melody for which I long.”

“That may be so, Your Majesty, but only you know right melody.

The first shepherd was brought before the king. He had only played three or four notes of his song when the king slammed his fist angrily on the table and said, “No! You are an impostor!” Quickly, the shepherd was left the throne room.

The same thing happened with the next shepherd and the next. Every shepherd began to play but was stopped almost immediately by the king and sent out. The king lost his patience. “The next impostor who steps across the threshold of my throne room will be put to death!” he thundered.

Afraid for their lives, the remaining shepherds quickly disappeared. The king sank back into sadness, and the advisors and the doctor were beside themselves with worry.

Days later, it finally happened! From a faraway valley, a shepherd appeared at the palace gates. The shepherd was brought immediately before the king. He bowed and humbly said, “Your Majesty, I am the shepherd that you await. My melody certainly has no beginning and no end, and I know the valley of which you speak. I would be honored to play my melody for you.”

The king looked pleased. He liked the look of this shepherd. As a matter of fact, although he could no longer remember exactly what his shepherd had looked like, this shepherd had a familiar look about him. He motioned to him, “Do sit down. Do play the melody for me.”

The shepherd sat himself down on the floor and said, “Your Majesty, please close your eyes and imagine that you are in the valley. All around you, you see the grass, the blue sky, the sheep, and you hear the echo of this melody.”

The king smiled. He threw his head back in anticipation and listened. The shepherd began to play a mystical song, a song that sounded like a gift from heaven, and the king listened very intently. The shepherd played about five minutes and then he stopped to rest. He looked up at the king. The king’s eyes were tightly closed, and for a long moment he did not say anything. When he opened his eyes, the king took a very long look at the shepherd. There was a deep furrow in his forehead. Softly, he said, “Please, will you play that melody one more time?”

“Certainly, Your Majesty. It would be my pleasure, but remember, lean back, relax and empty your mind of its worries, just as you did when you lay in the valley. Then concentrate on the sounds that come from this flute.”

“Yes, yes,” said the king, “go ahead.”

Again, the shepherd played his soulful melody. Tears streamed down from the eyes of the king.

When the music stopped, the king looked as if he had been shaken from a dream. The king started in his chair and said, “I’m not sure. This might be it. Please, shepherd, play it one more time.”

One more time, the shepherd lifted the flute to his mouth, and the
gentle notes filled the room with a sense of peace.

For a long time, the shepherd played. The king swayed back and forth, listening with great intensity to every note. The tears were all over his cheeks now.

At the end the king blinked several times. He then opened his eyes. It was hard to see clearly through all the tears. He patted his eyes dry and in a small voice said, “Thank you very much. You may go now.”

Excuse me, Your Majesty. Do you mean that I should wait outside?”

“No, I’m sorry,” said the king. “I’m afraid that it’s the wrong song after all. Your song is truly wonderful, and you play the flute masterfully, but still your song is not the right song. For a while there, I thought I had a glimmer of hope that it was, but I’m sorry, it is not.”

The shepherd sat down quietly for a moment. Then he looked deep into the eyes of the king and said, “Your Majesty, would you be so kind as to allow me to ask you one question?”

“Go ahead,” said the king. “You have been most helpful. You may ask your question.”

“Your Majesty,” said the shepherd, “if you do not remember the melody that you heard in the valley, how do you know that this is not it? Perhaps this is the melody that you have forgotten, Your Majesty.”

The king nodded several times. “That is a very good question. How do I know? How will I ever know when I finally hear the song for which I am yearning?”

“My dear shepherd, when I will hear the right melody, my soul will shake. My body will tremble. You see, that is what happened when I heard the song for the first time, and that is what happened each time I heard it again.”

“Today as I listened to your beautiful music, no tingles, no shivers and no trembling overtook me. That’s how I know that it is the wrong song. When the day comes and I hear the right song, I am certain that I will again experience the same feelings that I did every other time that I heard it. But until then, I cannot settle for a substitute. I must wait for the song that reaches my soul.”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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The Mystical Melody Part I – The Escape

Posted on Monday, 13, January, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

The full moon was in the night sky, and the palace was silent. The guard who stood watch over the palace gates looked out into the darkness. Everything was quiet and still.

The calm of the night was disturbed by a loud noise. The night watchman spun around in his position at the gate and looked toward the palace. Strangely, it seemed like the noise was coming from within the palace doors themselves. The night watchman pulled out his bow, nocked an arrow, and within seconds, and had it ready to strike.

“Halt! Who goes there?” cried the night watchman.

Whoever it was, continued on with a slow yet steady step. “Halt or I’ll shoot! In the name of the king, stop!”

The warning was ignored, and the steps came closer and closer towards the palace gate.

With very shaky hands, the watchman pulled on the string of his bow. It was taut, and the arrow was ready to be sent into flight. He pointed the arrow-as steadily as he could in the direction of the stranger.

“I give you three seconds,and then you die. Three, two, one…”

He was just about to let go of the string when suddenly, there stood the king. In the light of the moon, the watchman could see the king’s face clearly. He met the king and begged, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I could have killed you. I was following my orders. Please your Majesty understand.”

Strangely enough, there was a calm look on the king’s face as he looked at his guard and said, “You have done well and have served me well. You have nothing to fear. You will not be punished. But please move out of my way so that I may escape.”

The guard was completely confused. “Escape, your Majesty? From whom do you need to escape? Your Majesty, I will call the rest of the guards, and within moments we will have a strong force ready to protect you. Do not worry.”

“No, no, that is not necessary” the king interrupted. “Look, I don’t have much time to explain. All I can tell you is that I must escape from my palace.”

“I can tell you are surprised. I know exactly what you think; you probably imagine that the life of a king is wonderful. When I was a young prince, I also thought it would be wonderful to be king. I was looked forward to assume the role of king and lead my people. I felt sure that I could use my wealth and power to help the poor and needy, and to negotiate peace with all our neighbors. These are truly important matters, and I wanted to occupy myself with them. But lo and behold when I ascended to the throne, I discovered that the king’s day is filled with a lot of meaningless formalities.

Instead of negotiating peace among countries, I am kept busy keeping peace among my jealous advisors. The palace staff feels that every small detail regarding menus and protocols are more important than state matters. It is assumed that I must have a personal dresser and advisor, who constantly are concerned how I look, who I see and where I stand or sit. I cannot reach my subjects or do the important work I want to do.

“True, the food is delicious, and the grounds are beautiful. The furniture and decorations in the palace are pleasing to the eye, but there is an emptiness in my heart that just won’t let me enjoy them.” The king took a deep breath and sighed, “Please open the gates quietly and don’t make another sound so I can slip out into the darkness.”

“Your Majesty,” questioned the guard. “Who will run the kingdom? Without you on the throne there will be problems. Your Majesty, we all love you and trust you to run the affairs of the state.”

The king smiled, “You are an honourable guard, and I appreciate your loyalty. Don’t worry. I will be back. I am just going away for a short time. I must get away for just a few days. It is my chance to free myself from all these silly details and ponder over what my country really needs.”

Noting the concern still apparent in the watchman’s eyes, the king added, “I am touched by your dedication, my man. Take this purse full of gold coins and spend them well. This is my way of thanking you for keeping my secret. You are a faithful servant, and I know I can trust you.”

“Yes, your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty,” was the response of the guard, as he quietly opened the gates. The king slipped out into the dark night.

Moments later in a clearing, the king reached into a hollow of one of the old trees and pulled out a bag of plain peasant’s clothing. The king quietly changed his clothes, and was almost unrecognizable.

The king ran through the darkness, sometimes tripping over the tree roots, but always quickly getting up, running farther and farther away from the palace. After many hours, the king stopped to rest, miles from his palace.

It was a cold and very uncomfortable night for the king, who slept on the bare ground of the forest. As the dawn broke, the king woke in a good mood even though his neck hurt, and his muscles were sore. He was not accustomed to the ways of the woods; yet, he was happy just to breathe the country air, to hear the birds singing and to be surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Here in the forest there were no advisors standing over him; no servants hovering to satisfy his requests or needs. The king was glad he successfully escaped from the palace. He took a few moments to enjoy the forest’s sights and sounds. The birds and small animals were also just rising, and everywhere was the excitement and anticipation that a new day brings.

His thoughts turned to the palace. “They are probably just waking up, and noticing that I am not in the palace. There must be quite a commotion. The guards are probably searching everywhere for me.” Sighing, he reminded himself that he was not yet where he wanted to be. He stood up, stretched, and began walking.

He continued to walk until finally he found himself in a beautiful valley. The grass was a deep, dark green, lush and tall. Flowers of all shades were scattered everywhere making the valley look like a giant rainbow. Here and there grew apple trees whose shade created lovely canopies, and whose fruit seemed as though it would melt in one’s mouth. A small stream trickled over the rocks at one end, and around it grew honeysuckle, filling the valley with a sweet perfume. The king was overcome by the beauty around him. He dropped to the ground, and like a little boy, rolled around and around in the grass. When he finally came to a stop, he lay there lazily, staring up at the deep blue sky and enjoying the view.

He watched the clouds drift across the sky and said, “This is truly a peaceful place. I have waited years for this—a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature alone and to think.” Soon, from the other end of the valley, he heard the sounds of sheep. “What a beautiful sight,” he said, watching at the hundreds of sheep walking aimlessly through the grass, grazing.

“Could there be anything more wonderful than this?” thought the king. Almost as an answer to his question, he heard a soft melody the shepherd played on his flute. “I hope he doesn’t see me,” thought the king, as he hid behind a tree and listened to the beautiful song that the shepherd was playing.

It was an enchanting melody. The king had never heard anything like it in all of his life. It seemed to have no beginning or end. It was a soulful tune, and as it echoed all across the valley, his body began to tremble with the beauty of the song. The melody touched the very core of his being.

The king was astonished. “It seemed that the shepherd wanted to ‘Sing to him, sing praises to him, and tell of all his wonderful works.’ (I Chronicles 16:9) Who could have written such beautiful music with such mystical depth and meaning? I want to listen to this melody forever,” he thought.

Every once in a while, the shepherd rested, and the king waited eagerly for another chance to hear the melody. Then it would start again, and again the king would tremble, shake and shiver. The majestic glory of the melody seemed to have been sent to him from heaven.

The king wanted to thank the shepherd for these moments of peace and rare pleasure, but he was afraid. “No one can know I am here,” he reminded himself and remained still.

Throughout the day, the shepherd played the haunting melody on his flute, and the king listened with rapture. As the sun slowly set, the shepherd put away his flute and herded the sheep out of the pasture.

That night the king slept a deep, restful sleep. He had not enjoyed such a sleep in many months. He heard the shepherd’s melody in his head as he slept. When he woke up, the king felt more rested than he had ever felt in his life.

The next morning, the shepherd returned and played the melody on his flute as he watched the sheep. The king decided, “I must learn this melody and take this song back with me to the palace. When I feel troubled with the pettiness of the palace, I will sing the melody. I will hum it to myself, and I will be instantly transported to the beauty of this valley. That will give me the patience to solve the many problems. I wish I could hold onto this peace forever.”

For three days the king spent his time in the valley in happiness, listening carefully to every note. As the sun set, he realized it was time to return to the palace and take charge of the kingdom’s affairs.

The king began his journey back to his palace and tried to hum the melody to himself. It was very difficult, but the king thought, “I will always remember it, the melody with no beginning and no end. And most of all, I’ll always feel the peace of the melody that came to me from heaven.”

Hours later, the king was back at the palace gates. Instantly, the commotion began. His servants were everywhere, the guards surrounded him, and everyone demanded his full attention. “Your Majesty, where were you? We were searching everywhere!”

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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Distant Relatives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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The Beggar King

Posted on Wednesday, 13, November, 2019Wednesday, 10, January, 2024 by Rabbi

Proud King Hagag sat on his magnificent throne, and a holy man reading from the Holy Book, as was his daily custom. The holy man read these words: “for riches do not last forever, nor a crown for all generations” (Proverbs 27:24).

“Cease!” cried the king. “Who wrote those words?”

“They are the words of the Wisest of Kings,” answered the holy man.

“Give me the book,” commanded the king.

With trembling hands, the holy man placed it before his majesty. King Hagag gazed earnestly at the words that had been read, and he frowned. Raising his hand, he tore the page from the book and threw it to the ground.

“I, Hagag, am king,” he said, “and all such passages that offend me shall be torn out.”

He flung the volume angrily from him while the holy man and all his courtiers looked on in astonishment.

“I have heard enough for today,” he said. “Too long have I delayed my hunting. Prepare the horses immediately.”

He came down from the throne, stalked angrily past the trembling figure of the holy man, and went out to hunt. Soon he was galloping across an open plain toward a forest when a wild stag darted across the field. A trumpet sounded and the hunt began. The king urged his horse forward to be the first in the chase. His steed was the swiftest in the whole kingdom.

In his excitement of the chase, the king vanished from the sight of his nobles and attendants. The deer was surprisingly swift and the king could not catch up with it. Coming to a river, the animal plunged in and swam across. Scrambling up the opposite bank its antlers caught in the branch of a tree, and the king, arriving at the river, gave a cry of joy.

“Now I have you,” he said. Springing from his horse and stripping off his clothes, he swam across with nothing but a sword.

As he reached the opposite bank, the deer freed itself from the tree and plunged into a brush. The king, with his sword in his hand, followed quickly, but could not find the deer. Instead, he found, lying on the ground beyond the thicket, a beautiful youth clad in a deerskin. He was panting as if after a long run. The king stood still in surprise and the youth sprang to his feet.

“I am the deer,” he said. “I am a messenger and I have lured you to this spot, proud king, to teach you a lesson for your words this morning.”

Before King Hagag could recover from his surprise, the youth ran back to the river and swam across. Quickly he dressed himself in the king’s clothes and mounted the horse just as the other hunters came up. They thought the messenger was King Hagag and they halted before him.

“Let us return,” said the messenger. “The deer has crossed the river and has escaped.”

King Hagag from behind a tree on the opposite side watched them ride away and then flung himself on the ground and wept bitterly. There he lay until a woodcutter found him.

“What do you here?” asked the man.

“I am King Hagag,” answered the king.

“You are a fool,” said the woodcutter. “You are a lazy good-for-nothing to say such things. Come, carry my bundle of sticks and I will give you food and an old garment.”

Unsuccessfully the king protested. The woodcutter only laughed the more, and at last, losing patience, he beat him and drove him away. Tired and hungry, and clad only in the rags that the woodcutter had given him, King Hagag reached the palace late at night.

“I am King Hagag,” he said to the guards, but told him to go away. The king spent a terrible sleepless night in the streets of the city. The next morning, he was glad to accept some bread and milk offered to him by a poor old woman who took pity on him. He stood at a street corner not knowing what to do. Little children teased him; others took him for a beggar and offered him money. Later in the day, he saw the messenger ride through the streets on his horse. All the people bowed down before him and cried, “Long live the king!”

“Woe is me,” cried Hagag, in his unhappiness. “I am punished for my sin in scoffing at the words of the Holy Book.”

He saw that it would be useless for him to go to the palace again, and he went into the fields and tried to earn his bread as a laborer. He was not used to work, however, and but for the kindness of the very poorest he would have died of starvation. He wandered miserably from place to place until he fell in with some blind beggars who had been deserted by their guide. Joyfully he accepted their offer to take the guide’s place.

Months rolled by, and one morning the royal heralds went forth and announced that “Good King Hagag” would give a feast in one week and all the beggars in the land were invited to attend.

From all over the kingdom, beggars came to enjoy the feast, and Hagag stood among them, with his blind companions, in the courtyard of the palace waiting for his majesty to appear. He knew the palace well, and he hung his head and wept.

“His majesty will speak to each one of you who are his guests today,” cried a herald, and one by one they passed into the palace and stood before the throne. When it came to Hagag’s turn, he trembled so much that he had to be supported by the guards.

The messenger on the throne and Hagag looked long at each other.

“Are you a beggar also?” said the messenger.

“No, gracious majesty,” answered Hagag with bent head. “I have sinned seriously and have been punished. I am but the servant of a troop of blind beggars to whom I act as guide.”

The messenger king signed to his courtiers that he desired to be left alone with Hagag. Then he said, “Hagag, I know you. I see that you have repented. It is well. Now you can take your rightful place upon the throne.”

“Gracious majesty,” said Hagag, “I have learned humility and wisdom. The throne is not for me. The blind beggars need me. Let me remain in their service.”

“It cannot be,” said the messenger. “I see that you truly regret you past actions. Your lesson is learned and my task is done. I will see that the blind beggars lack nothing.”

With his own hands he placed the royal robes on Hagag and himself donned those of the beggar. When the courtiers returned they saw no difference. King Hagag sat on the throne again, and nowhere in the whole world was there a king who ruled more wisely or showed more kindness and sympathy to all his subjects.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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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 Beshert’s Forest: Part II The Underground Kingdom

Posted on Monday, 11, November, 2019Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

When the robbers awoke in the morning, Chaim Dovid watched them drink the wine. Then, one after another, they began to choke from the poison, and soon they all lay dead.

Now Chaim Dovid carefully lowered himself from the tree and checked every one of the robbers and they were all dead. Then he looked for something to eat. In one of the robbers’ bags he found a loaf of bread, but the others were crammed with stolen riches of every kind. Chaim Dovid emptied bag after bag onto the ground and was amazed at all they had carried away. But when he shook out the last bag, he found it had a false bottom. He took a knife and cut it open, and a shining object came tumbling out—a round, glowing jewel. He held it up and turned it around, but try as he might, Chaim Dovid could not see the source of the light inside it. Surely, he thought, that was a priceless treasure. He recognized that such a precious object could only be owned by a king.

Now this student cared little for material goods. His concerns were those of the spirit. He would not have minded leaving all the gold and silver behind, but he could not abandon that glowing jewel, so he put it into his own bag. Then he buried the robbers and said a prayer over their souls, for surely they had found terrible punishments for their evil deeds. He then packed his bag and went on his way, going in the direction the robbers had come from, in the hope that he would find a city or town of some kind. He prayed and thanked to G-d for letting him survive that dangerous night.

Little by little, the faint path he followed became well worn, and that, in turn, led him to a wide road. Soon he reached the gates of that underground city.

There Chaim Dovid saw that the people of the city were dressed for mourning, and he asked a young man passing by what had happened. “Two tragedies have struck our kingdom at the same time. First, our king died without leaving any heir except for his daughter, the princess. And second, the king’s enchanted jewel was stolen by thieves. Now this glow¬ing jewel has always revealed who will succeed the king. But now no one knows where it is. Even so, the princess has declared that she will marry whoever brings that glowing jewel to her, for the jewel has always suc¬ceeded in reaching the one who was destined to be king. For it is guided by the hand of fate.”

Now Chaim Dovid shivered when he heard this, for he was carrying the glowing jewel in his pack. He took his leave of the young man and set off for the palace. when he reached the royal palace, he asked to see the princess, saying that he had news of the glowing jewel.

When the guards heard this, they took him to the princess at once, and he was overwhelmed by her great beauty and by the wisdom and radiance of her eyes. “Tell me,” she said, “what you know about the jewel?” Chaim Dovid was speechless, but he pulled the jewel out of his pack and gave it to her. The princess looked at him with amazement and said, “Then it is you who is destined to be my husband, and you who are destined to rule. But how did you come into possession of the jewel?”

So, the young man told her of his night in the forest and all that he had witnessed. He offered to lead guards to that very place, to confirm his account and to recover the other items the robbers had stolen. This was done, and the guards confirmed everything he had said. So it was that the wedding soon took place, and the young man, who had been a poor student, now found himself a great king in that underground country.

Now the young man ruled using the principles of the rabbis, as he had learned in his studies of the Talmud, and the kingdom flourished. So too did the young man fall in love with the princess, now his queen. Together they had three children, two boys and a girl, and he loved all of them as much as life itself.

Then one day there was a sudden storm that grew into a great tor¬rent. A great wave washed through the palace and carried the king out an open window and away from that world forever. The current carried him further and further downstream, and suddenly thrust him into a great whirlpool. As he was pulled down, the young man was certain that his life had come to an end. Then, all at once, he found himself standing in a mikveh. Then he recalled having descended the stairs in search of the mikveh just before reaching the underground forest. Now he looked up and saw a short stairway nearby, with no more than ten steps. He climbed out, greatly confused, and stumbled back to the home of the holy rabbi. The moment the rabbi opened the door, Chaim Dovid burst into tears and asked the rabbi how long he had been gone. “Why, no more than an hour,” holy rabbi answered. Then Chaim Dovid told the rabbi of all the years that he had lived through since he had gone into the mikveh, and he poured out his heart and begged the rabbi to explain how such things had happened to him. For it seemed to him that the world had been turned upside down.

The holy rabbi said, “Let me first introduce you to my daughter, and then I will explain.” He called forth his daughter, and when Chaim Dovid saw her, he almost fainted. For she was the very princess he had wed in the underground city! The rabbi saw that the young man was overwhelmed, and he quickly said: “Listen carefully to what I tell you. I learned from a heavenly voice that it was you who were destined to marry my daughter. And when you arrived here, I recognized you at once. That is why I sent you to the mikveh, for in this way you traveled the path of your own des-tiny, and now you can understand that you are indeed destined for my daughter.”

So it was that the young man married the daughter of the holy rabbi, and they loved each other as if they had already been married in another life. They had three children, two boys and a girl, who were identical to the children he had when he was king. Chaim Dovid loved all of them with all his heart and thanked G-d for restoring his family to him. He always held them dear to him, for he remembered well how quickly they had been lost.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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A Beshert’s Forest: Part I The Journey to the Forest

Posted on Sunday, 10, November, 2019Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

On the eve of the Yahrzeit (third anniversary) of his father’s death, Chaim Dovid dreamed that his father came to him and told him to go to a faraway town. The next morning Chaim Dovid was amazed how real his father had seemed to him in the dream. He thought for a long time about the strange message: to go to a place where he didn’t know anyone. Chaim Dovid wondered if he could leave the safe halls of study because of a dream. Surely his teachers would forbid him to go because of a dream.

All day Chaim Dovid strongly felt his father’s presence and realized how intensely he missed him. The next night he had the dream again. It was a little different in that his father told him to see the holy rabbi in a faraway town for Rosh Hodesh, the celebration of the new month. Chaim Dovid knew that he had to decide whether to act on the dream or not.

The problem resolved itself the third night, when the dream was repeated, except that this time Chaim Dovid’s father told him to go to the faraway town for Rosh Chodesh and seek out the holy rabbi who lived there.

Chaim Dovid decided that he must travel to the faraway town, no matter what. His father convinced him that he must go. He wrote a letter to teachers explaining that he had left the halls of study to claim an inheritance in in a faraway town. This, he reasoned, would be more acceptable to him than his father’s command in a dream.

Chaim Dovid took a carriage to the faraway town. In the carriage were two merchants. As Chaim Dovid listened, they spoke about the holy rabbi. “It is said,” said one merchant, “that the holy rabbi understood the written and hidden mysteries and wonders of the Torah (Scriptures).” “That is very true,” said the other, “for I myself have heard of a man who came to the holy rabbi when he was full of doubts about G-d and faith. When he knocked on the door, the holy rabbi opened it and said: ‘Young man, I myself know what you are thinking. And if I know, should not G-d know?’ ” And Chaim Dovid wondered what kind of man he had been sent to, who could read the thoughts of men.

Chaim Dovid arrived only a few hours before the eve of Rosh Chodesh, the Feast of the New Moon. The holy rabbi greeted him and welcomed him to use the mikveh (ritual bath) before Rosh Hodesh. A servant showed him to the mikveh in a shed behind the holy rabbi’s house. The young man walked to the small shed and stepped inside. He saw a stairway, but from the top of the stairs he could not see the water below. Instead, he heard a deep whisper, like the wind rustling through trees. How strange, he thought to himself, that this whispering should come from within the mikveh.

Curious to see for himself, Chaim Dovid slowly walked down the stairs. Surprisingly, the stairway was very long, much longer than he expected. After a few moments. He found that he could see the top of the stairs nor the bottom from where he stood. He feared that something strange was taking place, as if he were descending from one world into another. Surely, he thought, no stairway could be this long.

With each step along the way, the whispering from below grew louder. Soon he could make out a lot of forest sounds — owls calling out, wolves howling, and the gurgling of a stream. Chaim Dovid was afraid and uncertain and wanted to turn back, but he willed himself to continue on. He hoped that he was almost there.

At last Chaim Dovid reached the bottom of the long stairs, but he found no sign of a mikveh. Instead, he found himself standing in a dense forest. He was confused and wanted to turn back. But when he turned around, the stairs were gone. There was no sign of them at all. How would he ever return to the world above?

With no other choice, Chaim Dovid looked around and saw that it was growing dark. He knew it was unsafe to stay where he was and looked for a tree to safely spend the night. He found one in a nearby clearing and pulled himself up into the branches. He was comfortable, but he knew he must not fall asleep or he might fall to the ground.

When it was completely dark, a band of robbers came into that clearing and made a campfire not far from the very tree into which Chaim Dovid had climbed. He was well hidden in the branches, but he was terrified that the robbers would find him and everything he had and then kill him. The robbers gathered around a fire and bragged about their adventures, how many men they had killed, and who among them was the strongest and most skilled. They shared stories half the night, until they fell into a drunken sleep. When they were asleep at last, Chaim Dovid was very tired. He would have loved to sleep himself, but he knew that his life depended on remaining awake.

From his perch in the tree, Chaim Dovid saw a snake slither toward the branch where the robbers left their wineskin hung, still open. The snake slid inside the wineskin and stayed there a long time. The snake spit up the wine, mixed with its own poison, crawled out of the wineskin and disappeared into the forest.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Read Part II tomorrow

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