A Search Without Direction

Posted on Monday, 24, October, 2022Sunday, 7, April, 2024 by Rabbi

The distractions of the world often interferes with the spiritual journey one would like to take. Science and technology further confuses people. Yet so many seek a way to find faith and answers to spiritual questions.

It seems that there are few who can talk to and teach the simple ways of faith. So many seek the light of peace in their daily lives so that they can see the wonders that surround them and find meaning in things around them.

Many have wealth, success and health thinking that is almost everything in the life but still they lack satisfaction and contentment. This unsatisfied state leads to a quest inside oneself to find something eternal, unseen, unknown – a spiritual journey.

The spiritual path is filled with beautiful and amazing things. Along the way one meets extraordinary people who show them the simple wonders of life and faith.

With guidance from loving leaders and teachers one can find their spiritual center and grow in faith. Sadly, without guidance one can become lost and discouraged.

There was once a man who was not very knowledgeable. When he got up in the morning it was so hard for him to find his clothes that at night he hesitated to go to bed for thinking of the trouble he would have on waking.

One evening he finally made a great effort, took paper and pencil and as he undressed noted down exactly where he put everything he had on.

The next morning, very well pleased with himself, he took the slip of paper in hand and read: `pants’ — there they lay as he put them on one leg at a time, ‘shirt’ – there it was neatly folded and he slipped it on, ‘cap’—there it was, he set it on his head; and so it went until he was fully dressed.

“That’s all very well, but now where am I myself?” he asked in great confusion. “Where in the world am I?” He looked and looked, but it was a vain search he could not find himself.

Those who embark on a spiritual journey should be blessed and “a good angel will accompany him; his journey will be successful, and he will come back in good health. (Tobit 5:22) And may the G-d of heaven prosper your journey with his peace.” (Tobit 7:12)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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Holy Challah – a Story, Some Prayers and a Recipe

Posted on Thursday, 20, January, 2022Sunday, 10, September, 2023 by Rabbi

Every Shabbos and Yom Tov (holiday), except Pesach (Passover), Jewish women prepare and bake challahs. It is a a holy task filled with love and tradition. Every ingredient is gathered with the intent of elevating the festival meal to a higher level.

Women through the many generations in their preparations of bread/challah have elevated the Shabbos and Yom Tov tables to the level of the mizbeach (alter) in the Bais haMikdash (Holy Temple). With the destruction of the Bais haMikdash, the altar became the table at which the family gathered to eat its meals. We learn that “In the days of the Temple, the altar served to atone for us; now it is our table that atones for us.” (Chagiga 27a).

So one may ask, how is making challah holy?

Prayers and rituals have come down to us from countless women. Every step in the preparation of challah elevates plain bread into a holy source of spiritual nourishment. The Torah (Scriptures) speaks of the creation of mankind saying, “then the L-rd G-d formed man from the dust of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) It is important to realize that when the Holy One, blessed be He “formed man from the dust of the earth”, He created people from the physical world. When He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” He created people from elements of the spiritual realm. At this point something truly amazing happened, “and the man became a living being.”

In other words people exist in the physical world and the spiritual world and have the ability to take the mundane everyday stuff from the physical world and elevate it to a spiritual and holy level.

Challah

Challah, Prayers and Meditation

INGREDIENTS

4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting		1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon yeast		3-6 tablespoons sugar or honey
2 teaspoons salt		4 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup lukewarm water		1 egg yolk, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS AND PRAYERS

Before Beginning to prepare the challah say:

Thank you Hashem for all the blessings you have given me and my family. Thank-you for always protecting us and doing what is best for us.

Please Hashem help me prepare this challah with holiness and love.

Pour 4 1/4 cups of flour into a large bowl and say:

Please Hashem help me to separate the good from the bad, help me to get rid of my negative character traits and my Yetzer Hara, help me to focus on the positive and incorporate positive character traits so that I may be an example to my family.

Combine 2 teaspoons of salt with the flour

In a separate bowl wisk together 4 eggs, ½ cup of water and ¼ cup olive oil until well blended.

Add sugar or honey to taste and say:

Please Hashem, help me to have a sweet din(judgement) help me to have Ayin Tova ( a good eye) help me and my family to have a sweet life, to always be able to love. Help me to help others and to do chesed (acts of loving kindness).

Mix well and then add 1 tablespoon of yeast and say:

Help me to have simcha and nachas (happiness and joy) in my home and in my life. Grant us your protection (as yeast in Hebrew is called shimarim which translates to protection) now and always. Please Hashem, allow me to feel joy for others as well. Bless me with an inner peace so I can continue doing mitzvos for those around me.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead until you have a sticky dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, (5 to 7 minutes). The dough may seem a bit wet and sticky but have faith—it’s supposed to be.

Dust your hands generously with flour, then scrape the sticky, elastic dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour and knead briefly into a soft, smooth ball. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, flip it over once so the top is lightly oiled, and then cover the bowl with a damp dish towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it’s puffy and doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours. (see note below)

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and dust with flour. It will deflate.

Pinch off a piece of dough the size of a large olive and set aside.

Cut the dough into four even pieces, and then stretch and roll each piece into a rope about 16 – 20-inches long. Lay the ropes parallel to one another (vertically). Pinch them tightly together at the top, and then fan them out. If the ropes shrink a bit, just work them back into their original length.

Begin by taking the strand farthest to the right and weave it toward the left through the other strands using this pattern: over, under, over. Take the strand furthest to the right and repeat the weaving pattern again: over, under, over. Repeat this pattern, always starting with the strand farthest to the right, until the whole loaf is braided. Tuck the ends under to give the loaf a finished look.

Carefully transfer the braided loaf to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover the loaf loosely with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until about 1 1/2 times the size (1 to 2 hours). Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. (Note that the loaf will continue to rise significantly in the oven.)

Take the small piece of challah dough and say:

Baruch ata adonoy eloheinu Melech haOlam asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah.

Blessed are You O L-rd our G-d King of the Universe who has made us holy with His commandments, and commanded us to separate challah.

“May it be Your Will, Eternal, our G-d, that the commandment of separating challah be considered as if I had performed it with all its details and ramifications. May my elevation of the challah be comparable to the sacrifice that was offered on the altar, which was acceptable and pleasing. Just as giving the challah to the Kohein in former times served to atone for sins, so may it atone for mine and my family, and make me like a person reborn without sins. May it enable me to observe the holy Sabbath (or Festival of…) with my husband (and our children) and to become imbued with its holiness. May the spiritual influence of the mitzvah of challah enable our children to be constantly sustained by the hands of the Holy One, blessed is He, with His abundant mercy, loving-kindness, and love. Consider the mitzvah of challah as if I have given the tithe. And just as I am fulfilling this mitzvah with all my heart, so may Your compassion be aroused to keep me from sorrow and pain, always.

Wrap it in a piece of foil and set in the oven.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and brush the beaten egg generously over the risen dough. (Note: If you like, sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds onto the challah before putting it in the oven.) Place the baking sheet atop another baking sheet; this will prevent the bottom crust from browning too much. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is a rich brown color and the internal temperature is between 190°F and 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Challah is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep for a few days in a sealed plastic bag.

Note: When baking yeast breads, rising times are only a guide; the temperature in your kitchen, the humidity level outdoors, and how you knead the dough will all affect the rising time.

While the Challah is baking add a short prayer:

Ribbono shel olam, Master of the Universe. I beg You that when the (husband or man of the house) says the blessing over these challahs, he has the same holy intentions I have now when I’m kneading and baking them!

Husband and wife are partners in the Jewish spiritual quest of becoming holy. Traditionally, the woman bakes the challahs for Shabbos and Yom Tov, and the man makes the blessing over them at the table. If both have holy intentions, in the baking and the blessing, the bread flies up to heaven as it is eaten.

May your prayers ascend to the highest levels and be answered with joy and happiness

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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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)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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A Treasured Heirloom

Posted on Tuesday, 8, October, 2019Tuesday, 9, April, 2024 by Rabbi

It had belonged to Great-grandmother and he knew he must be very careful. The vase was one of mother’s dearest treasures. She had told him so many times.

The vase was taken down for holidays and important family dinners. It would be filled with beautiful flowers and set out for everyone to see.

When not in use, the vase was placed on a high shelf. It was well out of the reach of little hands, but somehow he managed. He just wanted to see if the birds and flowers went all around the back. He didn’t realize that a boy’s five-year-old hands are sometimes clumsy and not meant to hold delicate porcelain treasures. It shattered when it hit the floor, and he began to cry. That cry soon became a sobbing wail, growing louder and louder. From the kitchen his mother heard her son crying and she came running. Her footsteps hurried down the hall and came around the corner. She stopped then, looked at him, and saw what he had done.

Genesis 2;7

All he could do was say, “I broke…the vase. I didn’t mean too.” The boy could not stop crying and he felt bad because the vase was his mother’s most favorite thing.

His mother looked around and saw the shattered vase and heard the cries of her son.

With a look of relief, his mother said “Oh, thank goodness, I thought you were hurt!” And then she held him tenderly until his sobbing stopped.

She made it very clear — he was the treasure. As he grew into a man he realized that “Wealth and wages make life sweet, but better than either is finding a treasure.” (ben Sirach 40:18) Though now a grown man, it is a gift from his mother who treasured him that he still carries in his heart.

So it is with people for the Holy One, blessed be He “formed mankind from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7) All people are a treasured heirloom since they were created with elements of the physical and spiritual worlds.

May this tale help you be successful in this world as you grow in the spiritual realm.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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A Workman’s Tools

Posted on Wednesday, 28, August, 2019Tuesday, 25, June, 2024 by Rabbi

Every craftsman has his own tools of the trade: the carpenter, his saw, chisel, and hammer; the painter, his paints and brushes; the tailor, his scissors, tape measure, and needles. Without tools, even the best craftsman cannot produce a thing.

The tool of trade for a person is their speech. Through words, a person can build whole worlds! Through prayer and Torah (Scripture) study, he can create angels and work wonders.

No artist or craftsman would dream of damaging or misusing their tools. Each keeps them in excellent working condition and does not use them for any other purpose. A tailor would not dream of cutting paper with his scissors, and a carpenter would never use his hammer and chisel to cut stone. Sadly, people often willfully damage the tools of their trade, their power of speech.

How does this happen? — through forbidden speech. A person misuses his tongue when he speaks and uses profanity, gossip, or insults a person. The sages of old taught that “a man accustomed to disgraceful speech will never learn wisdom.” (ben Sira 23:15). In effect, he is ruining his own work tool, his power of speech.

How can a person safeguard this precious tool?

First, one should “put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.” (Proverbs 4:24) The next step is to work to “accustom yourself to always speak all of your words calmly, to every man and at every time.” (Iggeres haRamban.1168 ce) Consider the words of the sage “Before I speak I am master of the word, after I speak, the word is master of me”. (Mibhar haPeninim #338 c.1050 ce)

Remember that by using speech only for things of holiness — Torah (Scripture), prayer, and deeds of kindness that involve speech — one can change the world. Holy speech brings divine life force into the world. When a person speaks good words, the speech, which is the life force of a person and the life force from the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up and arouses the supernal words.

On the verse: “Then the L-rd, G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7), the Targum Onkelos translates: “and man became a ‘speaking spirit.'” A person’s speech is an expression of the very soul that G-d breathes into him.

In a certain city, a carpenter who was well-known for his fine craftsmanship lived. Merchants, noblemen, and other wealthy people visited him regularly, asking him to build fine furniture for them. The carpenter never disappointed anyone. Time and time again, he consistently created beautiful cabinets and graceful bookcases that were amazing to look at. His fame as a craftsman spread throughout the land until word of his skills reached the king.

The king summoned the carpenter and told him that he would be employed in the king’s palace from then on. He would be personally responsible for building furniture for the royal family. The king invited him to live in special quarters and assured the carpenter that he would provide for both him and his family. In addition, he would pay the carpenter handsomely, guaranteeing him a generous monthly salary.

Excited, the carpenter packed up his tools, family, and belongings and moved into his new home, palace grounds.

Some time afterwards, the carpenter became sick and lost his eyesight, leaving him unable to work. He went to many doctors, and they gave him all kinds of medicines. The treatments slowly took effect, but after spending so much money on the doctors, he was in time left penniless.

The carpenter needed more medication but was unable to pay for it. His wife suggested that he sell his tools to buy the medicines that he needed.

“Absolutely not!” shouted the carpenter. “I may not presently be able to work, but the king, nonetheless, acts kindly towards me and displays understanding for my situation as he realizes that I will soon be able to work again. However, if I sell my tools, it is a sign that I am no longer a carpenter.., What will I do then?”

The same thing applies to the tools a person has – their speech. Through words, a person can build whole worlds!

While we may no longer serve the Holy One, blessed be he in the ways of earlier generations, we nevertheless trust in Him with all our hearts – for the divine essence is within each person.

The opportunity to clean our tools and re-calibrate them is always possible. The world can be changed by speech. It can be used so that the words of the prophet, “At that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call on the name of the L-rd and serve him with one accord” (Zephaniah 3:9) will be realized.

May we see this in our lifetime.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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Flame, Clay, Glass and Breath

Posted on Monday, 27, June, 2016Sunday, 3, March, 2024 by Rabbi

Once upon a time there was a man who lived in the ancient city of Tzipori whose son had died. A man of no belief sat by his side. Rabbi Jose ben Chalafta came to visit the grieving father. The man of no belief saw that he was smiling and heard him greet the grieving father “Baruch dayan ha-emes” (Blessed is the True Judge.) The man of no belief asked, “Rabbi, How can you be so insensitive and why are you smiling?”

The rabbi replied, “I trust in G-d and believe that the man will see his son again in the World to Come.”

The man of no belief then said, “Is not his sorrow enough for the man that you should come and sadden him even more? Can broken shards be made to fit together again? Is it not written, “you will dash them to pieces like pottery (Psalms 2:9) And further it is not taught in your books, “just as this potter’s jar is smashed and cannot be repaired. They will bury the dead” (Jeremiah 19:11)?

The rabbi replied, “Earthen vessels are made by water and perfected by fire. Vessels of glass are both made by fire and perfected by fire. Earthen ones, if broken, cannot be repaired, but glass ones, if broken, can be repaired.”

The man of no belief accused, “How silly are you. Everyone knows that once glass is broken it shatters into thousands of shards, never to be repaired. What you say is impossible.”

The rabbi replied, “Glass vessels are made by blowing. If the glass vessel that is made by the blowing air, and when shattered can be heated by fire and again blown with air and be repaired. Then a soul and life can be blown into a mortal person by the Holy One, blessed be He. For are we not taught ‘Then G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul’ (Genesis 2:7)

The man of no belief replied, “your thoughts are not the way of the world and your ways are strange for you choose not to see or believe the wisdom of the world.”

The rabbi looked upon the man of no belief and sadly shook his head and answered, “The wonders of creation and all that is in this world and the next are gifts from G-d. We learn about people like you where it is written, ‘Fools mock at sin, but the upright enjoy God’s favor.’ (Proverbs 14:9)”

Based on Bereishis Rabbah 14:7

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.

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The distractions of the world often interferes with the spiritual journey one would like to take. Science and technology further confuses people. Yet so many seek a way to find faith and answers to spiritual questions.

It seems that there are few who can talk to and teach the simple ways of faith. So many seek the light of peace in their daily lives so that they can see the wonders that surround them and find meaning in things around them.

Many have wealth, success and health thinking that is almost everything in the life but still they lack satisfaction and contentment. This unsatisfied state leads to a quest inside oneself to find something eternal, unseen, unknown – a spiritual journey.

The spiritual path is filled with beautiful and amazing things. Along the way one meets extraordinary people who show them the simple wonders of life and faith.

With guidance from loving leaders and teachers one can find their spiritual center and grow in faith. Sadly, without guidance one can become lost and discouraged.

There was once a man who was not very knowledgeable. When he got up in the morning it was so hard for him to find his clothes that at night he hesitated to go to bed for thinking of the trouble he would have on waking.

One evening he finally made a great effort, took paper and pencil and as he undressed noted down exactly where he put everything he had on.

“That’s all very well, but now where am I myself?” he asked in great confusion. “Where in the world am I?” He looked and looked, but it was a vain search he could not find himself.

Those who embark on a spiritual journey should be blessed and “a good angel will accompany him; his journey will be successful, and he will come back in good health. (Tobit 5:22) And may the G-d of heaven prosper your journey with his peace.” (Tobit 7:12)

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

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Please share this story with others

Every Shabbos and Yom Tov (holiday), except Pesach (Passover), Jewish women prepare and bake challahs. It is a a holy task filled with love and tradition. Every ingredient is gathered with the intent of elevating the festival meal to a higher level.

So one may ask, how is making challah holy?

In other words people exist in the physical world and the spiritual world and have the ability to take the mundane everyday stuff from the physical world and elevate it to a spiritual and holy level.

Challah, Prayers and Meditation

INGREDIENTS

4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon yeast

3-6 tablespoons sugar or honey

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS AND PRAYERS

Before Beginning to prepare the challah say:

Thank you Hashem for all the blessings you have given me and my family. Thank-you for always protecting us and doing what is best for us.

Please Hashem help me prepare this challah with holiness and love.

Pour 4 1/4 cups of flour into a large bowl and say:

Please Hashem help me to separate the good from the bad, help me to get rid of my negative character traits and my Yetzer Hara, help me to focus on the positive and incorporate positive character traits so that I may be an example to my family.

Combine 2 teaspoons of salt with the flour

In a separate bowl wisk together 4 eggs, ½ cup of water and ¼ cup olive oil until well blended.

Add sugar or honey to taste and say:

Please Hashem, help me to have a sweet din(judgement) help me to have Ayin Tova ( a good eye) help me and my family to have a sweet life, to always be able to love. Help me to help others and to do chesed (acts of loving kindness).

Mix well and then add 1 tablespoon of yeast and say:

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead until you have a sticky dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, (5 to 7 minutes). The dough may seem a bit wet and sticky but have faith—it’s supposed to be.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and dust with flour. It will deflate.

Pinch off a piece of dough the size of a large olive and set aside.

Take the small piece of challah dough and say:

Baruch ata adonoy eloheinu Melech haOlam asher kideshanu b’mitzvosav v’tzivanu l’hafrish challah.

Blessed are You O L-rd our G-d King of the Universe who has made us holy with His commandments, and commanded us to separate challah.

Wrap it in a piece of foil and set in the oven.

Note: When baking yeast breads, rising times are only a guide; the temperature in your kitchen, the humidity level outdoors, and how you knead the dough will all affect the rising time.

While the Challah is baking add a short prayer:

Ribbono shel olam, Master of the Universe. I beg You that when the (husband or man of the house) says the blessing over these challahs, he has the same holy intentions I have now when I’m kneading and baking them!

May your prayers ascend to the highest levels and be answered with joy and happiness

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 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 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)

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

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It had belonged to Great-grandmother and he knew he must be very careful. The vase was one of mother’s dearest treasures. She had told him so many times.

The vase was taken down for holidays and important family dinners. It would be filled with beautiful flowers and set out for everyone to see.

All he could do was say, “I broke…the vase. I didn’t mean too.” The boy could not stop crying and he felt bad because the vase was his mother’s most favorite thing.

His mother looked around and saw the shattered vase and heard the cries of her son.

With a look of relief, his mother said “Oh, thank goodness, I thought you were hurt!” And then she held him tenderly until his sobbing stopped.

She made it very clear — he was the treasure. As he grew into a man he realized that “Wealth and wages make life sweet, but better than either is finding a treasure.” (ben Sirach 40:18) Though now a grown man, it is a gift from his mother who treasured him that he still carries in his heart.

May this tale help you be successful in this world as you grow in the spiritual realm.

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

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