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The Mystery of the Dreidel
Tag: Jewish Storytelling
The Gardener and the Bird of Wisdom
It is told that there was a man, who had a large garden in which he grew all that he needed. It was said that “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food” (Gen. 2:9) was found in his garden. One day as he was working in the garden he saw a bird eating the fruit, and he caught the bird in a trap. He was so angry and furious with the bird that he took his knife in hand and prepared to slaughter it.
Suddenly the bird opened its mouth and spoke: “I see that you wish to slay me though I am very small and my lean body is ugly and smelly. Nothing in me can give you strength or satisfy your hunger. If you could control your anger and your rage I will give you good counsel.” “And what may that be?” the gardener said; and the bird of wisdom answered: “Promise me that you will spare me from death and let me go when I tell you all my good counsel.” “Why should I make such an promise?” asked the gardener. “When a man becomes angry, even if greatness has been decreed for him by Heaven, he is reduced from his greatness. (Pesachim 66b) Do not be foolish and listen to my words.” The bird responded, and the gardener heard the words.
Then the bird said: “Accept these words which I share with you and keep them in your bosom deep within your heart, for they are more useful and precious than gold, and worth far more than treasure untold. If you study and understand them they will guard you, and if you guard them they will serve you. These are worthy and precious thoughts we have received from our forefathers and birds of good faith these thousand years and more, and we have preserved them in our heart and passed them on to one another, one generation to the next. I am the last of them all and it is my duty to pass them to the oldest and wisest and most faithful of our kind.”
Phoenix Renewal and Teshuvah by Shoshanah Tobesman
The gardener asked in disbelief: “If your words are true, how did you fall into my trap?”
The bird answered: “Be it known to you that the sages have said once there is a decree no wisdom can change it or turn it away. ‘A bird does not fall into a trap without the will of the Holy One, Blessed be He.’ (Y. Shevi’is 9:1) Indeed, it was decreed that I should be caught, and were it not for these words which cannot be bought you would have made an end of me at once. You wish to hear these words of wisdom for your benefit, and so you require that they should not be lost forever; such being the way of any wise man, and that will keep you from destroying me and save me from death and let me go free.’ ”
The words of the bird interested the gardener, and he believed the bird and wished very much to hear the words of wisdom. The gardener said “If what you say is true then speak these words of wisdom.”
The bird began and explained: “Listen and give ear, and pay attention to the words of our elders and guard them well as they commanded their children and their childrens’ children. The oldest of my kind blessed each generation and taught: ‘I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix’ (Job 29:18) ‘ Listen my children, you must know that the great kings and princes of long, long ago left their children a heritage of fortified cities for age upon age with treasures of jewels and silver and gold. Yet I can leave you no more than sayings three which no ruler, no matter how upright they may be or how much wealth they gather, can purchase. For these saying three are more precious than the light of day. If you follow this wisdom, you will eat your fill both morning and eve, and if you act according to them they will benefit you greatly.’ So now listen to me as I speak these words of wisdom.
“I have heard my grandsire sweetly say that he had heard from his grandsire in some bygone day that these three words were engraved on a tablet belonging to Shem the Prophet who took it with them into the ark, and engraved it was on greenest jade and these are the words that were written:
My son, do not sorrow for what you have lost.
My son, do not seek what you cannot obtain.
My son, do not believe what cannot be.
These three sayings are beyond all wealth and value. Follow these words and you will proper greatly. Now I have told you the ancient wisdom of my kind, Let me go free.’ ” and the gardener set him free.
The bird flew off and perched on a tree that was higher than all the other trees in the garden and laughed at the gardener, saying: “You set me free, and you did not know that in my heart I have a precious gem stone that is beyond worth, and it is the only thing that makes me wise.” Hearing this, the gardener regretted what he had done and ran to the foot of the tree and started to climb it. But when he had climbed halfway, he fell and greatly harmed himself.
Then the bird looked down upon him and said: “Foolish man, you did not act according to the wise sayings I taught you even for a few moments.”
“I told you do not sorrow for what you have lost — yet you regretted having let me go.”
“I told you do not seek what you cannot obtain — yet you believed that I a precious gem stone that is beyond worth. I am but only a bird that flies and seeks food all day long and depends on the gifts of the Holy One, blessed be He.”
“I told you do not believe what cannot be — yet you thought that in my heart I have a precious gem stone and so you had to run after me till you fell and greatly harmed yourself.”
Though you have chosen to act without wisdom I will remind you: ‘There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel. (Proverbs 20:15) The desire of the righteous ends only in good; the expectation of the wicked in anger.’ (Proverbs 11:23)
Then the bird went its way to seek its food.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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The Storyteller, the Scoffer and Wisdom
The people gathered in the forest around a fire waiting for the storyteller to begin. He walked slowly as he wove his tale, an ancient story forgotten by most.
As the storyteller told the stories, he would at times, close his eyes. It was as though he were in the story and telling it as it unfolded. The words were indeed old, but the message was eternal.
The words of the storyteller filled each listener with wonder, mystery, and life. As he spoke, the listeners saw beyond this world.
There was one who thought the stories were childish and the storyteller a fraud. “What do you see when you close your eyes?” demanded the listener.
“I see the stories, feel their messages, and sometimes get lost in their mysteries. Many times, the stories touch my very inner being, my heart and soul.” Answered the storyteller.”
“That’s ridiculous!” countered the listener. “The stories you tell are for children, they’re from a time of superstition and for people without knowledge. The stories were used to control people and have no place in today’s society where people are educated and understand much more than any time in history.” The listener proudly refuted.
The storyteller was silent for a moment or two and then he seemed to drift off into another place. “what people see is a matter of perspective. For you see there once was a man who had a magnificent vision and began pursuing it.”
“Two others saw the first man’s vision and began to follow him. Time passed as it always does and the children of those who followed asked what was in the vision.”
“Sadly, the parents described what they saw, but what they described was merely the coattails of the man in front of them. The children did not see the magic or wonder of their parents’ vision. They could not see the colours or feel the warmth in their parents’ words, so, alas, they turned away from their parents’ vision. They felt the vision was not worth following.”
The storyteller asked the listener who raised his challenge, “So what did you think of the story?”
The challenger was quiet, he had no answer.
The storyteller looked at the listener for a moment and then continued, “We see that children deny what they have not experienced. We find parents who believe in what they have not experienced.”
The storyteller paused to allow the challenging listener time to think on his words, then he explained, “The question is not, what do I see when me eyes are closed, but what do you see when you open your eyes?”
The listener thought for some time and then discounted, “When I closed my eyes, I don’t see anything. So, there is nothing to see when I open them.”
The storyteller sadly answered, “What you see is your ignorance. You can’t see what you don’t want to see. When one can not find their ignorance, they can be certain they have lost their wisdom.”
The listener became angry and demanded, “You can’t answer my question so you make fun at me?”
With a gentle voice the storyteller began a story:
Once there was a fool who traveled the highways and roads to the king’s palace. All along the way, people laughed and treated the fool badly. “Why should a pathetic fool like you be going to the king?”
The fool just puffed up his chest and answered, “I am going to be the king’s teacher!” His comments only brought more laughter from the people along the way. After some time the fool finally arrived at the king’s Palace. He demanded to see the king.
The king was very amused that a fool wanted to see him and decided to have some fun at the fool’s expense. So he had the fool brought to the throne room. The room was filled with important people. “Why do you come before the king?” asked the king.
“I have come to be the royal teacher,” answered the fool in a very assertive way. The king was indeed amused. He laughed so hard tears fell down his cheeks. “And what can a fool teach me?”
“You see,” countered the fool, “like a student, you ask me questions.” Silence fell through the room as the king composed himself as he stared at the fool. “You’ve answered me with wit, but you have not answered my questions!”
“Only a fool has all the answers.” Replied the fool with a slight smile. The king was caught off guard and did not know how to respond, but finally he asked, “What would others say if they knew the king had a fool for a teacher?”
“Better to have a fool for a teacher than a fool for a king.”
When he heard this, the king, who was a good man, confessed, “now I feel like a fool.” “Absolutely not,” answered the man, “it is only a fool who has never felt like one.”
The storyteller explained, “One needs to listen with an open mind and allow the stories to do their work. They can take you anywhere at any time. They prepare the listener to face the challenges of life, to learn wisdom and strength, and faith.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)
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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Love for the King
Faith and belief are very powerful yet in today’s society it is all too often challenged by science and technology. So many become lost amid the many theories and gadgets that they have a hard time believing in anything based upon faith.
In a society that that offers so many diversions it is very hard to stay on the path of one’s beliefs. The morals of society are often at odds with those of faith. Truth be said we never know how the Holy One, blessed be He will use our small acts of love for His great purposes
There was a wise and kind king who was loved and respected by everyone in his kingdom. Now there was a villager who felt a deep love for the king, and this villager wanted more than anything to draw close to the king and to serve him.
One day, villager heard king’s palace needed a skilled person to like the stoves in the palace every morning. The villager was very qualified for this position, and he applied and was accepted for the job.
The villager did his work with his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, devoting all his energies into his job to make sure the king’s palace would be warm and comfortable. He carried out his job faithfully for many years, driven by his intense desire to serve the king.
As the villager grew older, he began to worry about what would happen when he would pass on. He knew that even if another person was hired to do his job, the other person would not do it with the same devotion and love for the king that he had. He tried to train some of the king’s other servants to carry out his work, but he quickly learned that they were lazy and indifferent, and did not share his desire to bring joy and happiness to the king.
He thought and he thought, until he decided that the only way he could ensure that the king would be served properly was if he were to marry and have children, whom he would raise with the same love and devotion to the king as he had. That his children would be endowed with knowledge and insight, and be competent to serve in the king’s palace. (Daniel 1:4) Then, after his death, his children would take over his role as the lighter of the king’s stoves, and he could rest assured that the work would be done the way he wanted it to be done.
The greatest blessing that can be given is that you should serve the King with the same feeling as the villager, who sole desire was to bring up a new generation of servants who would do the King’s will fully and with boundless love.”
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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The Mother’s Prayer Book and a Boy’s Prayer
In a far away village there once lived a Jewish merchant who was held in high affection by the lord of the village. This Jewish merchant passed away and his wife followed him, leaving a little boy behind them. The lord of the village took pity on him and brought him up, treating him like a son. The lord always enjoyed the company of the child, and on one occasion he told him that his father and mother had been Jewish, but he had adopted him as his son and all his property and wealth would be the child’s. Meanwhile, he gave him the few belongings which his parents had left. Among them was the prayer book from which his mother had always prayed.
Now the Elul month came around, when it is the practice of the Jewish community in the village to gather together in order to say their prayers during the Days of Awe together with the congregation, since the splendor of the King is found in the multitude of the people. The boy asked some Jewish travelers where they were going, and they told him that they were going to the place where they could pray to G-d since their fate for the year would be decided on Rosh haShanah (New Year’s Day), which is a great and awesome occasion indeed. There they would pray with the whole community and G-d certainly would not reject their prayer. From that moment the spirit of the L-rd began to work within the boy.
That night the boy saw his father and mother in a dream, and they urged him to return to the faith of the Jewish people. This dream returned night after night. During the entire ten days of penitence he could not sleep and saw them both awake and in dreams, and they would not let him rest. The boy told all this to the lord, who tried to persuade him that dreams are meaningless.
When the eve of the holy Day of Atonement came, the boy saw wagon after wagon full of Jewish travelers proceeding to town and asked them what it was for. They told him this is the day we wait for, the day of pardon and forgiveness when our transgressions are atoned. The boy was very upset aria set out on foot to go to the old wooden shul (synagogue) in the village. He took his mother’s prayer book and came to synagogue while the Kol Nidre prayer was being sung. He saw all the people dressed in white garments, their prayer books in their hands, praying and asking for forgiveness for deeds of the past year, but he could not pray and began to cry aloud very bitterly; and there was a great commotion in heaven on high.
The boy, seeing that he could not pray, placed his mother’s prayer book on the shtender (bookstand) and cried: “Ribbono shel Olam, Master of the Universe, I do not know how to pray, I do not know what to say, here is the whole prayer book. Pick the right prayers and put them together so that I may grow to understand You.” The boy wept and his heart was broken, his prayer made an impact on the heavenly host and was accepted among the prayers of the upright and innocent; and his prayer opened the Gates of Mercy and blessings of life, peace and goodness showered down on the world.
May all be remembered and inscribed for a year of life, goodness and blessings
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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WHERE ARE THE BOOKS THAT WE WISH TO BE INSCRIBED IN?
And so that you will prolong your days (Dev0rim/Deuteronomy 11:9)
A young boy went with his father to the wooden shul (synagogue). At one point during the service, the boy turned to his father and asked” “When we say Avinu Malkeinu we ask the Holy One, blessed be He to inscribe us in the book of life, the book of redemption and salvation, the book of livelihood, the book of forgiveness and atonement, and the book of merits. Where are those book found and can we read them?”
The father looked at his son and answered: “My son, you ask a very good question, but I am at a loss on how to answer. Why don’t you go the rabbi and ask him your question?”
The boy took a deep breath and went up to the rabbi, who sat on a big chair in front of the synagogue. He stood a little afraid as he faced the rabbi and slowly asked his question. The rabbi looked at the young boy with kind eyes and remarked: “Such a big question from such a little boy, but a very good one.”
The rabbi began to explain:
The “book of life” is familiar to us from the Sages’ teaching that the book of life is opened during the Days of Awe. But where else do we find mention of any of the other books in which we hope to be inscribed?
With this idea, perhaps we can gain a better understanding of the teachings of
the holy rabbis that a person should always study Torah (Scripture) and not skip any part, for whoever completes such study merits that their days and years be lengthened. According to the parallel we noted between the fiveand the five “books,” we can suggest that by completing study of all of the Torah (Scriptures) a person acquires all the benefits that correspond to each of the Chumashim.
On the Talmud’s words, “his days and years are extended,” Ben Yehoyada notes that “days” refers to the quality of a person’s life, while “years” refers to the quantity or length of a person’s life. He uses this concept to explain the verse:
For through me your days will be increased, and they will increase years of life for you (Mishlei/Proverbs 9:11).
Your days will be increased is a promise to enhance a person’s quality of life, while and they will increase years of life for you is a promise to increase the length of a person’s life.
Those who talk during the reading of the Torah place themselves in the category of
And those who forsake Hashem will perish (Yeshayah/Isaiah 1:28).
If they were talking while the books of life, redemption, livelihood, forgiveness and merit were being read, how can they then come and pray to the Holy One, blessed be He to inscribe them in these very books?
May all be remembered and inscribed for a year of life, goodness and blessings
How to be Forgiven of Sin
You shall seek G-d, and you shall find Him, but you must search for Him wholeheartedly. In your distress, when all these things (sin) come upon you, in the end of days, you will return to the L-rd, your G-d, and listen to his voice. (Deuteronomy 4:29).
A man who had drifted away from faith came to a holy rabbi and gave him a long list of sins he had committed over the years, He told the holy rabbi that he had hoped by fasting frequently and punishing himself by sleeping on the ground and putting pebbles inside his shoes, he could be forgiven for his terrible deeds. He wondered whether all of his actions were sufficient to attain forgiveness for his sins.
The holy rabbi listened closely and studied the list of sins carefully. Then he remarked, “It appears that you have done a complete job. Truly a complete job.”
The young man was pleased that the rabbi appeared to have approved of his penance. “Then I am forgiven?” he asked.
“Not quite,” the holy rabbi said. “Is not the soul a guest in our body, deserving of our kind hospitality? Today it is here, tomorrow it is gone” (Leviticus Rabbah 34:3) The rabbi paused and thought for a moment then continued, “You began by committing sins to ruin your neshamah (soul). Having done that, you then directed your attention toward ruining your body as well. That is a complete job.”
The young man began to cry, “Rabbi, holy rabbi, I want to be forgiven of the terrible things I have done. I thought I was doing what is right, but now I see that I was wrong. What am I to do?”
The rabbi comforted the young man, “Begin a meal with words of Torah (Scriptures) and a benediction (blessing).” (Megillah 12b). The rabbi instructed the young man, “Eat three meals each day, pray from your heart and study the Holy Words. Remember that ‘through kindness and truth, sin is atoned’ (Proverbs 16:6) Do this and you will be forgiven by man and the Holy One, blessed be He.”
The young man looked upand asked, “how can this be?”
“We learn that ‘G-d created man in His own image’ (Genesis 1:27) Since man is created in the image of G-d, he has the ability to forgive and be divine in his deeds. For this reason we are taught, ‘Beloved is man who was created in the divine image.’ (Mishna Avos 3:14)” answered the holy rabbi.
According to many great rabbis, atonement does not require self-torment and punishment. Rather, one should understand the gravity of transgressing the Divine will, appreciate how injurious this is to oneself, and make a concerted effort to refine his character so that he is no longer likely to repeat the improper behavior. Self-punishment can mislead one to think that he has achieved atonement, whereas nothing in his character may have changed.
An old Jewish teaching tells us that “great is repentance: it brings healing to the world.” (Yoma 86a) Let us all hope that we can bring about a healing in the world.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)
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 Will, the Servant and Torah
Once a wealthy merchant traveled to a faraway land and left his son studying Torah (Scriptures) in a small wooden shul in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Before he left on his journey, the wealthy merchant reminded his son:
“This Book of the Torah (Scriptures) shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night. (Joshua 1:8) Study well my son.”
The merchant was very successful, but visiting a busy market, he fell sick. Each day he grew weaker and weaker until one day he called for a sofer (scribe) and told him, “write that all with which the Holy One, blessed be He has graced me I leave to my servant, but for my son, out of all the things I have left behind he may select whatever single valuable he desires.” The scribe wrote all that the wealthy merchant instructed him. A short time later the wealthy merchant died.
Once it became known that he was dead, the servant gathered all his property and took the will and came to the Holy City of Jerusalem. There he sought out the wealthy merchant’s son and said to him, “be it known to you that your father has passed away.” “Where is his wealth?” Asked the young man, the servant answered, “You have no share in his wealth for he left it all to me. Your father left you in his will to choose whatever object you desire out all of his belongings.”
When his son heard this, he told his rabbi, a wise and patient teacher:
“I have studied and engaged in the ways of Torah(Scriptures), assuming that if anything befell my father he would leave me his wealth. But now he has left all his wealth to his servant and wrote that I should choose any object I desire”
then the holy rabbi told him, “your father acted wisely. He did what he did in order that the servant should not simply take all his property. Now you to go to the judge’s court and he will tell you, “take whatever object you desire.” Then you place your hand on the servant can say I want this.””
When he did so, both the servant and all his property were the son’s, for whatever the servant has acquired the son had acquired. The wise King Solomon taught, “for to the man whom He considers good he gave wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He gave the affair of collecting and gathering and giving to the good one.” Ecclesiastes (2:26)
The servant smiled and said, “How wise was the merchant to be blessed with such a son. I shall manage his estates while he continues to study the Holy Word.” turning to the wealthy merchant’s son he continued, “I have one more message for you from your father. ‘Study from love and honor will follow’ (Chovos haLevavos) and you will indeed gather much more wealth than your father.’ “
May we all follow in the ways of Torah (Scriptures) and be blessed with wisdom and goodness.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Wolves and Prayer
Remove from your heart all worldly concerns when you stand to pray, carefully prepare your heart in the presence of the Holy One.
Iggeres haRamban 1268
A rabbi once stood in deep prayer, and a wolf came and took his son who stood beside him, but he went on praying. When he finished one of his students said to him, “Rabbi, did you not notice when the wolf came and took your son away?” “May all be well with my son,” said he, “as surely as I did not notice it.”
The rabbi began to teach, “Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.” (Zephaniah 3:3) This is justice without faith, those who live by what they believe are like the words,
“Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge. (Job 9:15)
For indeed, prayer, righteousness and repentance annul the evil decree. (J Tannis 2.1)
Before the rabbi finished his words, the wolf came and returned the child. “What did the wolf do to you?” Asked his father. The child answered, “he took me into a room and where I heard a kind of echo saying to him, “I did not send you for this one over the son of another””
Before the boy had finished, they heard people weeping and wailing, “Wolf has bitten the son who followed the ways of his father, a great sinner.”
The holy rabbi looked at his students and explained:
All living beings associate with their own kind, and a man will have fellowship with his kind. What fellowship shall wolf have with lamb? Such is the wicked to the righteous
Ben Sira 13:16-17
Blessed is he who alone performs great miracles!
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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An Apple from the Tree Of Life
The daughter of the sultan of Turkey had fallen ill. The finest doctors of the empire could not heal her. The sultan brought them together and asked them when she would recover. Sadly, the doctors admitted they could not help the sick princess. The oldest of the doctors told the sultan, “If an apple from the Tree of Life could be brought to you daughter, she would most definitely recover.”
“Where can this wonderous apple be found?” the sultan demanded to know.
The old doctor said, “I heard many many years ago that the apple can be found in the Garden of Eden. Two trees are said to grow in the center of the garden. The Tree of Life is one of them, and the Tree of Knowledge is the other. It is said that whoever tastes an apple from the Tree of Life, no matter how sick they may be, will recover their health.”
The eyes of the sultan grew wide. “I must have one of those healing apples, who knows where this garden can be found?” asked the sultan.
The old doctor stroked his beard and answered:
“If I remember right, the elders of the Jewish community know best about the garden. What we know about the garden is told told about in their holy books of wisdom.,”
The face of the sultan grew red. “Bring in the leaders of the Jewish community at once!” he shouted.
Before an hour had passed, three of the most respected rabbis of the capital city stood before the sultan, wondering why they had been summoned on such short notice. They were quickly taken to the sultan’s Chamber of Government as soon as they arrived. The sultan was seated on his throne looking very grim and he began.
“As you know my daughter is sick and death will take her soon. Her only hope is something that is in your power to provide, and provide it you must. For if you fail, my anger will fall upon you and your community.” “Your Majesty,” one of the rabbis said, “you know that we will gladly do whatever we can. Tell us what do you want us to do?”
“Know then,” the sultan said seriously, “that I need an apple from the Tree of Life delivered to me within three days. If I don’t have it by then, you and all of your people will be banished!” With that, the sultan dismissed the three rabbis with a wave of his hand.
The three rabbis discussed the matter among themselves, and they all agreed that what the sultan was asking for was extremely difficult if not possible. No one knew where the Garden of Eden could be found. And even if they did, how could anyone go there and come back within three days?
So the leaders gathered all the people into the synagogue and they went from one synagogue to another, telling them the terrible news. A great sadness spread through the Jewish community, for no one believed it would be possible to get an apple from the Tree of Life in such a short time.
Now one of the three rabbis who had met with the sultan had a daughter named Leah. How she wished that such a wondrous apple could be found, so that the sultan’s daughter could recover, and the danger to all the Jewish people in Turkey would disappear.
Leah saw that her father was deeply worried by the sultan’s demands, so she said, “Surely, father, we must not give up hope. Miracles have happened before. Let us pray for one to happen for us. Tell me, is there anyone who knows the way to the Garden of Eden?”
“Only one of the lamed vov tzaddikim (thirty-six hidden saints),” her father replied. “It is said that there are thirty-six righteous ones upon whose shoulders that fate of the world rests. But no one knows where they can be found.”
“But, Father,” Leah said, “I have heard of an old Jewish mystic who lives alone in the forest. It is whispered that he might be one of the lamed vov tzaddikim.”
Now the rabbi remembered that he, too, had heard such things said about this old hermit. So he and his daughter set out at once to look for him.
It was not easy to find their way through that dark forest, but everyone did their best to assist the rabbi and his daughter, and finally they reached the old hermit’s house. They knocked on his door, and when he opened it, Leah was astonished to see a light surrounding his face.
The old hermit listened carefully as the rabbi explained what the sultan had demanded of them. Then he went to a shelf, took down an ancient book, and opened it. There, pressed between its pages, was a green leaf, perfectly preserved.
The old hermit took the leaf in his hand.
“This leaf has been pressed between the pages of this book for many centuries. It is said to have been picked from one of the trees in the Garden of Eden. Let your daughter place this leaf on her pillow and she will dream of that glorious garden.”
“My daughter?” asked the astonished rabbi.
“Yes,” said the old hermit. “for she is the one destined to journey there.”
Neither Leah nor her father could believe their good fortune, yet they were mystified that the old hermit had given the precious leaf to Leah instead of to her father. Still, they both thanked the old hermit and set out to return to their home.
On their way, Leah and her father stopped at an inn, and before she went to sleep, Leah gently placed the ancient leaf on her pillow. Even though it was so very old, it looked as fresh as if it had been picked that very day. It also gave off a most wonderful aroma that filled the room.
Bathed in that beautiful scent, Leah closed her eyes, and soon she was sound asleep.
In her dream, Leah found herself in the most splendid garden she had ever seen. Every kind of fruit tree grew there, and the whole garden was filled with a beautiful, unforgettable scent. Leah suddenly realized that she had indeed traveled to the Garden of Eden. She knew that she must hurry, she must find the Tree of Life before it was too late. Tomorrow was the last day the sultan had given them to bring back the enchanted apple.
Leah looked up and saw that there was an angel sleeping in every tree. She called out to one, and when the angel opened its eyes, she asked for its help in finding the Tree of Life. The angel agreed to serve as her guide, but told her that it could take her only to the center of the garden. She would have to figure out for herself which of the two trees that grew there was the Tree of Life.
With the angel’s help, Leah soon found herself in the center of that wonderful garden. There two trees grew, each a mirror image of the other. Apples hung from the branches of both trees. She looked from one tree to the other for a clue as to which was the Tree of Life. But which one should she choose?
Then Leah happened to notice a serpent hidden in the branches of one of the trees, and she was certain that must be the Tree of Knowledge.
Without further hesitation, she plucked a ripe apple from the other tree, and in the same instant, she woke up.
Leah opened her eyes, surprised to find herself back in the inn. Then she saw it—a ripe and shining apple resting on her pillow right where the fragrant leaf had been. An apple from the Tree of Life! Somehow she had brought it back in her dream. Leah could barely believe her eyes. She realized that a miracle had truly taken place, and she jumped up, grabbed the apple, and showed it to her father, who had not slept a wink. His eyes opened wide when he saw it, and even wider when she told him her dream.
She shed tears of joy, for now she knew that they could still be saved.
Wasting not a moment, they set out for the sultan’s palace, and when they arrived, the rabbi presented the sultan with the apple. When the sultan saw the rabbi’s joy, he, too, was overjoyed. He himself brought the fragrant apple to his sick daughter, and held it under her nose. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The sultan then drew his knife and cut a small piece of the fruit and placed it between his daughter’s lips, and as soon as she began to eat it the color returned to her face, and she sat up. Within the hour she had indeed a miraculous recovery.
The sultan hugged his daughter and declared that day to be a holiday for all. Then the sultan publicly thanked the Jewish community for saving his beloved daughter, and never again did he threaten them.
As for Leah and her father, the sultan invited them to live in the palace, Leah and the sultan’s daughter became the best of friends. Leah never tired of telling her about her astonishing dream, and about the enchanted apple she had brought back. And the sultan’s daughter never tired of hearing this tale, for she, better than anyone else, knew that every word was true.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)