A Chanukah Gift of Stories

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

What does a storyteller give as gifts for Chanukah?

Stories of course.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

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

ORDER YOURS TODAY

Story Tour: The Journey Begins

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

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

Shalom Bayis, Torah and the Menorah of Peace

Posted on Sunday, 6, December, 2015Tuesday, 12, December, 2023 by Rabbi

The RaMBaM (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon – Maimonides) makes the following fascinating observation upon his conclusion of the halachos of Chanukah, in his Mishneh Torah.

If one has insufficient funds for both Shabbos candles and for Chanukah candles, or for Shabbos candles and wine for Kiddush, Shabbos candles take precedence, because of Shalom Bayis— peace and domestic tranquility within the home and family, which the Shabbos candles bring into the home. The peace within the home is so important that only in the case of a Sota (Trial of the Bitter Waters – Numbers 5: 18-27) the holy name of G-d is erased, in order to foster peace between a man and his wife.

At which point, the RaMBaM concludes with the following beautiful words:

Peace is exceedingly great, for the entire Torah was given in order to foster peace in the world. As it says:

Her ways are ways of beauty, and all her paths are peace. (Proverbs 3:17)

One Chanukah eve, a holy rabbi waited a long time in lighting his Menorah, even though the preferable time for lighting the Menorah had already passed. His students became impatient and wondered why was there such a delay.

It was not until his wife arrived that the holy rabbi lit his Menorah with great joy and happiness.

Later, the holy rabbi was asked why he had waited for his wife, since, according to the Halacha (Jewish law), a man can light the Menorah on behalf of his wife, even in her absence. The holy rabbi explained to his anxious students that he was aware of that halacha. However, he knew that his wife always looked forward eagerly to this mitzvah, and she would be deeply hurt if he kindled the Menorah without her. Afterall was not Chanukah miracles brought about by the greatness of women? He therefore waited for her to return.

The ways of Torah are, indeed, ways of beauty and of peace.

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 Mystery of the Dreidel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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

Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

Please share this story with others

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chanuka and the Fighters

Posted on Tuesday, 23, December, 2008Wednesday, 10, November, 2021 by shana

When my father was younger he wrote for a lot of newspapers throughout the country. I think his articles are pretty good and makes one think. Here’s an excerpt from an article from 1984 that was in the Jewish Press.

Chanukah and the Fighters

The celebration of Chanukah each year holds a message for the Jewish people throughout the world. A small group of Jewish rebels led by the Maccabees rose up against the superior Hellenistic armies. The military victories of the Jewish people against the threats of religious suppression ensured the freedom to practice Judaism and the rededication of the Holy Temple in Yerushelayim.

The threat of Roman tyranny and paganism was challenged by Judea. The revolt against Rome lasted well over one hundred years before the Jewish fighters of Masada and Beitar fell in battle and the Jewish people forced into. exile.

Many believe that the Jewish fighting spirit disappeared at. Betar. Some believe that with exile the Jewish people became fatalistic, and had no spirit. Religious martyrdom, flight and going like sheep to the slaughter commonly describe the reaction of the Jewish people to persecution until the twentieth century.

The Jewish fighter survived the Roman onslaught and championed Jewish causes many times throughout history. (the article talks about fights against Persia, Spain, and Crusaders. My father told about Jewish soldiers of the Khazar Empire, Berbers, Babylon and others)

And so the mighty tradition continues up until our own days. Yehuda HaMaccabee and his brothers fought the Hellenistic threat to the Jewish people over twenty one centuries ago. Whenever the Jewish people have been threatened the fighters have risen. The Jewish people have never been a fatalistic people who went like sheep to the slaughter.

On Chanuka, while we celebrate the victories of the Maccabees let us remember other heroes who rose to the threat of prejudice and hatred against the Jewish people.

The complete article is powerful and I wish he would write articles again.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

Click here for more storytelling resources

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

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

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

The Story Tour Blog has grown to over 400 short stories about faith. Many visitors to the Story Tour Blog have requested that the stories be gathered together into a book. 72 of these special tales are now available in the new book, Story Tour: The Journey Begins that would make a special gift for Chanukah

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown on November 28, 2021.

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

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

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

What does a storyteller give as gifts for Chanukah?

Stories of course.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

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

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

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

ORDER YOURS TODAY

Story Tour: The Journey Begins

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

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

The RaMBaM (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon – Maimonides) makes the following fascinating observation upon his conclusion of the halachos of Chanukah, in his Mishneh Torah.

At which point, the RaMBaM concludes with the following beautiful words:

Peace is exceedingly great, for the entire Torah was given in order to foster peace in the world. As it says:

Her ways are ways of beauty, and all her paths are peace. (Proverbs 3:17)

One Chanukah eve, a holy rabbi waited a long time in lighting his Menorah, even though the preferable time for lighting the Menorah had already passed. His students became impatient and wondered why was there such a delay.

It was not until his wife arrived that the holy rabbi lit his Menorah with great joy and happiness.

The ways of Torah are, indeed, ways of beauty and of peace.

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

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

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

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

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

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

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

Like us on Facebook or tweet us on Twitter

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

Please share this story with others

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

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

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

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

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

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

When my father was younger he wrote for a lot of newspapers throughout the country. I think his articles are pretty good and makes one think. Here’s an excerpt from an article from 1984 that was in the Jewish Press.

Chanukah and the Fighters

The threat of Roman tyranny and paganism was challenged by Judea. The revolt against Rome lasted well over one hundred years before the Jewish fighters of Masada and Beitar fell in battle and the Jewish people forced into. exile.

The Jewish fighter sur­vived the Roman onslaught and championed Jewish causes many times throughout history. (the article talks about fights against Persia, Spain, and Crusaders. My father told about Jewish soldiers of the Khazar Empire, Berbers, Babylon and others)

On Chanuka, while we celebrate the victories of the Maccabees let us remember other heroes who rose to the threat of prejudice and hatred against the Jewish people.

The complete article is powerful and I wish he would write articles again.

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

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

The Season of Lights – Chanukah is coming very quickly as it begins at Sundown on November 28, 2021.

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

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

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

The Jewish fighter survived the Roman onslaught and championed Jewish causes many times throughout history. (the article talks about fights against Persia, Spain, and Crusaders. My father told about Jewish soldiers of the Khazar Empire, Berbers, Babylon and others)