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The Right Medicine
About a sick merchant and his doctor learn there is no stronger prescription than hope and faith
ST22 The Right Medicine
Tag: Rachmiel Tobesman
The Funeral of Yossele di Shiker Shneider of Częstochowa
Why was the holy temple in Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans? The answer is quite simple, the Jewish people hated each other without reason.
Why do we hate other people? Because we think we know everything about them — who they are, why they do what they do. Parents think, “These are my children, so I know what’s going on with them.” But sadly enough, much of the time we’re totally wrong…
We so misjudge each other. That’s why the Torah says that if we hate people, or even if we’re only angry — we have to try to find a way to tell them, to talk to them about it. Because really, it might only be a misunderstanding.
Sometimes we meet people who seem to us a little bit crude, a little bit impure — certainly not holy. So we want to ignore and shun them. Sadly, the truth is, we have no idea what a person might be doing when we’re not looking. The rabbis teach us that, even when we see others doing wrong, we have to believe that in the inside of their insides they’re really the holy and deserving of the gifts of heaven.
Everybody is created in G-d’s Image. What does this mean? That just as G-d is so hidden and mysterious — just as we can’t see G-d — so too we can’t really know what’s going on in the depths of other people. And unless we love them with all our hearts, we’ll never know…So we have to remember: don’t ever judge. Because you never know…
Many years ago, in the city of Częstochowa, the Jewish people were good and tried their best to keep Shabbos (the Sabbath day) and ate only kosher food. They all prayed three times a day. The tailor, the schneider Yossele never went to the synagogue or to buy kosher meat. He never joined others in their community gatherings. The only place people ever saw him was in the local inn late at night, drunk. So Yossele was a total outcast.
Sadly, if people’s clothes were torn they had to go to him; after all, he was the only tailor in town. Other than that, nobody ever spoke to him. And nobody cared about him at all.
One day, after the morning prayers, the holy rabbi of Częstochowa saw that a crowd of people had gathered in a corner of the shul. The chevra kadisha (burial society) was trying to gather some people together for something, but nobody wanted to join. The holy rabbi hurried over: “What’s going on here?”
The leader of the chevra kadisha looked embarrassed. “It’s nothing, holy rabbi. Don’t bother yourself about it.”
The rabbi insisted: “Tell me. I want to know.”
“Well … it’s just that that disgusting Shiker Shneider (drunken Jewish tailor), and he was really the lowest of the low — died today, and nobody wants to go to the funeral.”
The holy rabbi stared at the chevra kadisha. “I didn’t know there were any disgusting Jewish people in Częstochowa,” he said coldly. “Just who in our city is considered so unworthy that no one will do the mitzvah of accompanying him to his final resting place?”
So they told him, “Yossele the di Shiker Shneider…”
The holy rabbi turned very pale. The people around him were afraid he might faint. To everybody’s amazement, he started crying from the deepest depths of his heart. “I can’t believe it,” he sobbed. .. My dearest friend, the tailor, has left the world!
What time is his funeral? I, for one, will certainly be there…”
Word quickly spread throughout Częstochowa that the holy rabbi was going to the funeral of Yossele the schneider Now, everybody knew that the rabbi never went to a funeral unless it was for a tzaddik, a holy man. So many began to think maybe Yossele hadn’t been just a tailor; he had been a lamed-vov tzaddik, one of the thirty-six hidden holy people. And suddenly everybody wanted to go to his funeral.
So the Jewish community of Częstochowa turned out for Yossele’s funeral. Everybody was praying, “Tailor, please forgive us for the way we talked about you. We didn’t know you were so holy… Schneider, please bless us…” The mothers were begging, “Holy Yossele, please pray for our children … please bless my daughter so she can get married to a good husband…” Everyone was crying. The holy rabbi walked right behind the casket, with big tears rolling down his holy cheeks.
Many young students of the holy rabbi also went to the funeral. They remained quiet and paid their respects, but after the funeral was over he went up to their holy teacher and asked, “Rabbi, what’s going on here? The tailor was just a simple man, maybe even a little bit sinful. So tell us the truth. Why did you mourn him so much? What did he do to deserve such a funeral?”
“My students, we know so little about other people. Let me tell you the story…”
Do you remember the orphan girl, Feigele, who grew up in my house? My wife and I adopted her when she was only a baby, and took care of her like she was our own daughter. Well, six months ago she was ready to get married. So we arranged a match for her with another orphan — a good boy, from a nearby city. We borrowed money from every single person we know to make her a beautiful wedding. The wedding was a few weeks ago. And just minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, Feigele’s groom came running up to me and said, “Rabbi, there’s something you forgot! You didn’t buy me a new tallis, a new prayer shawl.” You know, it’s the custom for the bride to give her groom a new prayer shawl.
I said, “You’re right. But please have mercy! I just can’t get you a new prayer shawl right now. A tallis costs ten rubles, and not only don’t I have a single kopek left — I don’t even know anybody I can borrow the money from. Let me get it for you in a few weeks.”
The groom began to cry. “Rabbi,” he begged. “Everybody will laugh at me if I don’t have a new tallis.”
I knew he was right. And he had nobody else in the world but me. How could I refuse him? So I said, “Okay, I’ll do my best. Wait here, maybe G-d will open the gates for me.”
I started walking down the street, trying to think of someone — anyone — from whom I could get the money for the tallis. I didn’t know where to go or what to do, so I decided that I’d just go up to the first house with a light on and ask for the money. As I walked, I saw a light in a window, so I just went right up to the house and knocked on the door. It was the tailor’s house.
When Yossele opened the door and saw me standing there, his face lit up with joy. “Rabbi, I never dreamed you’d come to visit me. It’s such an honor … I know I don’t deserve it … thank you for coming. You know, I’d do anything for you…”
“Gentle tailor, You know, the orphan Feigele is getting married tonight. And I need ten rubles to buy a new prayer shawl for her groom.”
The tailor’s face fell. “Oy, Rabbi,” he almost whispered. “I wish I could help you, but you know how poor I am.” And I did know. Then he said slowly “But, I think I could give you one ruble.”
I smiled at him. “Schneider,” I said. “Thank you so much for whatever you can do. May the Master of the World bless you with everything.”
The tailor gave me the one ruble, and I left. I still didn’t know where to get the rest of the money but somehow I felt lighter. I had so much more hope. I was walking slowly down the street, wondering where else to go, when suddenly I heard someone running after me. I stopped and waited. It was the tailor. And as he came up beside me, I saw that he was crying like his heart was broken.
“Yossele!,” I exclaimed. “What hurts you so much? How can I help you?”
“Rabbi, G-d knows how poor I am. But from time to time I’ve managed to save a few kopeks, and now I have nine rubles that I have saved. Holy Master, it’s my whole life’s savings. But if I gave it all to you … if I gave you all of my money now … do you think…” and he started crying so hard he could hardly speak. “… Do you think that I might … that maybe I could … have a place in the World to Come?”
I put my hands on Yossele’s head, and I said, “Holy Tailor, I know how poor you are, I really do. But Feigele is waiting, her groom is waiting — for them every minute is an eternity. If you do this great mitzvah and give all your money to me now, it will be because of you that their wedding will take place. And I swear to you by the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, by the G-d of our Four Holy Mothers, that you will have a place in the World to Come…”
“And so, I went to Yossele’s funeral. And I cried as I walked behind his coffin. Because I could see that his soul was wrapped in the tallis he had bought with his last ten rubles for the groom of the orphan Feigele.”
You know, we think we’re so observant. We trust so much in what we see. But the truth is, if we only see with our eyes, we’re sometimes totally blind. Because we can’t penetrate to the deepest depths. Can we ever see in what kind of prayer shawl other people’s souls are wrapped?
We need to look at each other in a different way, not only with our eyes, but also with our hearts. And most of all we have to remember: no matter how wise we think we are, we never know.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Bo-ee Kallah Bo-ee Shabbat Malka Come O Bride Come O Shabbat Queen
There was once a little town called Sabat hidden deep in the mountains of Gilboa in the northern part of the Holy Land. The people of the town loved Shabbat, the holy Sabbath so deeply that they named their town after the Day of Rest. Every Erev Shabbat (Shabbat Eve – Friday), the people would march to the end of the town singing praise to the Holy One, blessed be He, and welcome the Sabbath Queen with “ Bo-ee Kallah Bo-ee Shabbat Malka.”
In the town of Sabat lived a beautiful blind girl named Rachel who would walk slowly on Erev Shabbat, strewing sweet-smelling roses, singing “Shalom Aleichem.” It was a time of fear and horror for the people of in the Holy Land, for the powerful Roman Legions invaded their land. One Friday afternoon, word came that the invaders were on their way to Sabat. The town rabbi called a gathering of the townsfolk.
“My people,” cried the rabbi. “Do not lose courage. Remember that the Holy One, blessed be He is with us. Let us bow and welcome our Shabbat Malka (Sabbath Queen).”
At that moment the Roman army, led by a centurion mounted on a white stallion, marched into Sabat. The sun shined off his armour, his red cape billowed in the breeze and his red plumed helmet as he slowly dismounted his horse.
The centurion looked around, grinned and said, “I am pleased to see an obedient village. More of your people should bow to us.”
“Roman fool!” shouted a villager. “We were not kneeling to you. We were welcoming our beautiful Sabbath Queen.”
The streets of Sabat were empty. The Roman leader drew his sword and said : “Seize that man and bring him to me.”
Two Roman soldiers dragged the protesting villager and forced him to his knees before their commander. The Roman’s face was red with anger. “I see no Queen. Are you making a fool of me, telling me about a Queen I cannot see?”
“She does exist,” interrupted the town rabbi. “We see her in all the beauty of our Sabbath. We see her in our prayers. We see her in our special Sabbath food. With true faith one can see many wonderful things.”
“You are an odd people,” mocked the Roman. “You can see this Queen, you say. Very well. Produce her at once, or I rip this worthless town apart house by house. I will spare no one and then plow this town’s ruins under with salt!”
There was a sudden cry from the Roman ranks. The soldiers were pointing wildly towards the road they had just marched into the town of Sabat.
Walking with graceful steps was a girl, beautiful to behold, clothed in a flowing white robe. Her long black hair shone in the light of the setting sun, and a happy smile played on her lips. She looked neither right nor left as she cast small red and white roses along the road, touching her lips to them first and saying, “Shalom, Shalom.”
“She looks like an angel of heaven,” whispered a Roman soldier.
“Or a majestic Queen,” another nodded.
“I know !” cried a soldier. “She must be their Sabbath Queen. She could come only from heaven !”
The Roman centurion walked slowly towards the girl, repeating to himself, “Her eyes ; they see us not. She looks right through us towards the white mountains and heaven.”
Trembling with fear the Centurion bowed before Rachel, the blind girl of Sabat, who dropped her last rose gently before him. “Forgive me, O Queen, for the wrong I have done this village,” he said. “We will depart at once and leave your people in peace.”
As the last soldier of the Roman legion marched out of Sabat, the villagers surrounded Rachel and cheered the bravery of the beautiful blind girl. The people of Sabat danced into the night, singing Ayshet Chayil, “A Woman of Valor.”
It happened in the year 70 of the common era, in the little town of Sabat hidden deep in the mountains of Gilboa.
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 Exiled Princess – Di Oysvorf Bas Melech
Long ago there were a king and queen who had only one child, a daughter. They were very wealthy, as befits royalty, and lived in a great palace. The king concerned himself with the details of ruling his kingdom, and the queen, who was very kindhearted, concerned herself with charity, to which she gave generously. She taught her daughter, the princess, the importance of being generous.
Time passed and the queen died. Eventually the king remarried, and the stepmother disliked the princess, and especially did not like her generosity, for the new queen was very selfish, and wanted to keep her riches for herself. The princess continued to be kind to poor people and the stepmother went to the king and complained that if the girl did not stop, they would end up impoverished. Now the king did not really mind that his daughter was so generous, but he could not bear the nagging of his wife. So he told the princess to give less to others, but the princess could not bear to see poverty, and she ended up giving more rather than less. The stepmother was quick to notice this, and she threatened to leave the king unless he put an end to it. The king again warned the princess, and told her that if she disobeyed him, she would be expelled from the palace. Still, the girl insisted on giving even more to charity than before.
When the king learned this, he grew very angry and called in his servants and told them to blindfold and tie the hands of the princess, lead her into the forest, and return without her. So it was that the reluctant servants, who loved the kind princess but were afraid to disobey the king, packed up all her dearest belongings, including her crown and the bridal gown of her mother, and left her in the forest. Before they left her, they loosened the ropes that held her hands and hurried off, believing that in any case she would lose her life to the beasts of the forest.
When the servants had gone, the princess freed her hands from her bonds, loosened her blindfold, and began to weep bitterly. She remained standing throughout the night, terrified at every noise she heard. She was still weeping as the sun began to rise when she saw an old man who was walking through the forest. The old man approached her and said: “Why do you weep so bitterly, my child?”
The princess told him everything that had happened, and he said: “Come with me, child, and I will lead you out of this forest to a road. Take your belongings and follow this road and you will come to a town. When you arrive, ask for the way to the almshouse, and you will have a place to stay.”
The old man led the princess out of that forest, to the road leading to and returned to the forest, where he lived. The princess followed the road until she came to a town. When she arrived there it was already Friday evening, and the night was beginning to grow dark. She noticed tight in the distance, and followed it until she reached a small house. She was very hungry and thirsty, and sat down on the steps of that house and wept. Now in that house lived a rabbi and his wife, who had an only son. And when the wife had finished saying the blessing over the Shabbos candles, and had said “Amen,” she heard the sound of crying from outside the window. The rabbi’s wife went to the window and called out: “Who is there? If you are a demon, go away; if you are human, come in.” Then she opened the door and found a girl sitting on the steps and asked her: “Why are you crying, my child?” And the girl replied that she was an orphan with no one in the world, and that she had been traveling alone when she had met an old man who had told her there was an almshouse in that town where she could find a place to stay.
When the rabbi’s wife heard this, she said: “Where will you go on Friday night after the candles have already been lit? Come, spend Shabbos with us, and I will take you to the almshouse at the end of Shabbos.” And so it was—the girl spent Shabbos in the rabbi’s house. when three stars were seen in the sky, Shabbos was over and it was time for her to be taken to the almshouse. She pleaded with the rabbi’s wife: “Please let me stay here and let me be your servant. I ask only for food and drink.” The wife replied: “I would not mind if you were here, but I have nowhere to keep you.” Then the girl continued to plead: “Let me stay here. I can sleep on the floor next to the stove, it is good enough for me. Please, just not the almshouse.” The rabbi’s wife considered the matter, and decided that it might be worthwhile, after all, to have a servant for the mere price of food and drink, and she agreed to let the girl stay. So it was that the princess remained there, and served them well. Even though her portion was small, the girl always saved a part of it for the beggars who wandered through the town.
Now the rabbi was highly respected, and when the wealthy landowners held a wedding for one of their children, or some other celebration, they invited him to attend with his family. A certain wealthy man held a wedding for his daughter and the rabbi, his wife and son were invited. The girl remained alone in the house even though she really wanted to attend, for she had never been to a Jewish wedding. So she took out the parcel of her belongings, which the king’s servants had packed for her and chose one of her beautiful gowns, put it on, and went to the wedding.
When she got there, everyone stared at her, for she was very beautiful in her royal gown. But no one knew where she came from, and if she belonged to the guests of the groom or those of the bride. She was soon asked to dance, and she danced with everyone. The rabbi’s son did not recognize her and spoke with her many times throughout the night. The princess did not reveal who she was. Finally she noticed that it was getting late, and she pulled herself away from him and ran home. There she quickly put away her fine gown, changed into her old dress, and crawled back beside the stove, just as the rabbi and his wife and son returned.
Time passed, but the rabbi’s son could not stop thinking of the beautiful girl with whom he had spoken, although he did not even know who she was. Then there was another wedding, and again the rabbi and his wife and son were invited. When they had all left for the wedding, the girl again decided to go, and she put on an even more beautiful dress. This time the rabbi’s son saw her at once, and asked her to dance. They danced and danced all evening, until she saw that it was getting late. Then she tore herself away from him and ran home. Because of her great haste, she broke an earring, and part of it fell into the wash basin and lay there, although she did not notice it. Then she put on her old dress and pretended to be sleeping by the stove.
Now when the rabbi’s son returned home with his parents, he was still under the spell of the beautiful girl who had danced with him all night. And when he took the wash basin, he recognized the earring he found in it, and he wondered from where it had come. Then he first became suspicious that it might belong to the servant girl who lived in their house, for he knew that the mysterious girl with whom he had danced at the wedding must live somewhere. He could not stop thinking of her, for he was in love with her.
Sometime later there was again a celebration held by one of the town’s landowners, and again the rabbi’s family was invited. As they were about to leave the house, the rabbi’s son told his parents that he did not feel well, and would join them later. Meanwhile he waited in his room, although the servant girl thought that he had left with his parents. Then she dressed in an even more beautiful gown, and left for the celebration. When the rabbi’s son came out of his room and saw that she had gone, he too went to the celebration, and spent the evening dancing with the beautiful girl. While dancing with her he noticed that she was wearing only one earring, and he knew that the part of the earring he had found in the basin belonged to her. Then he whispered to her that he had learned her secret, and when she saw it was true, she tore herself away from him and ran back to the house. There she quickly changed her clothes and crawled back beside the stove.
So it was that the rabbi and his wife soon learned that their son wanted to marry the servant girl. Such a match was not fitting. They said: “A rabbi’s son should not marry a servant. We will find you a girl deserving of your learning and status.” The son was heartbroken, and so was the girl. He loved and respected his parents and would not go against their wishes.
Then one night, while the family slept, a fire started in the chimney of their house. The servant girl was awakened by the smoke and hurried to wake all the others. Since she was so alert, they were able to bring the fire under control, and the house was saved, as well as their lives. Then the rabbi and his wife were very grateful to the girl, and they realized that even though she was poor she was a fine, trustworthy person filled with goodness, and so they agreed to let their son marry her after all. A wedding was planned, and the rabbi’s wife told the girl that she would sew a wedding dress for her, but the girl told her that she already had a dress of her own to wear. Then she took out her mother’s bridal gown, and a crown, which the king’s servants had packed for her, and she put them on, and the gown was embroidered with precious stones, which were also set in the crown, and the rabbi and his wife and son were amazed when they saw them. Then she told them the whole story of how she had been cast out by her father, the king, because she had insisted on giving charity. It was at that moment that the rabbi and his wife fully recognized what a pure soul she was, and they were also very proud to learn that their son was marrying such a fine young woman.
The king greatly regretted that he sent his daughter, the princess, into exile, and his terrible mistake haunted him day and night. Each day he became sadder and sadder, until his sorrow became so great that he decided to go and search of her. He swore that he would not return to the throne until she had been found. He divorced the evil wife who had insisted he cast out his beloved daughter, and banished her from the kingdom til the end of her days.
The king searched for the princess for more than a year, but could not find her anywhere.
The princess like the princess Ruth (Ruth Rabbah 2:9) became a true daughter of Israel and married the rabbi’s son. They were blessed with great happiness together, for their love was very strong. After a time, the princess found that she was with child. Shortly before she gave birth she had a dream in which she saw the old man who had led her out of the forest. He told her that her father had set out alone to search for her throughout the world, and that he was the town where she lived with her husband.
Her father traveled disguised as a beggar in order not to draw attention to himself. The old man tell her to invite all the poor of the town to the bris milah (circumcision), and in this way her father would also come. When she saw him, she should give him all the kinds of food found at the feast but nothing should contain any salt.
The princess gave birth to a handsome son, and the bris milah was held on the eighth day, to which all of the town’s poor were invited. Among them the princess recognized one of the men as her father, but he did not recognize her.
The princess called to a servant and told him to seat the beggar who was her father at a separate table, and to give him a fine variety of food, but all without salt. So it was that her father was served soup, fish and fine meat, which had a wonderful smell, but after he had tasted only a morsel from each dish, he did not touch them anymore.
After the dinner each of the poor guests went to greet the princess and each received from her a silver coin. At last the old beggar also went to her to thank her, and she asked him how he had liked the food. He replied: “The food was very good, but I couldn’t eat any of it.” Then the princess looked into his eyes and said: “Know that I felt an even more bitter taste when you ordered me taken to the forest and left there alone.” Now the old king could not believe his ears, and he suddenly realized that the young mother who stood before him was none other than his lost daughter, the princess. The king fell down at her feet and begged her to forgive him for the great wrong he had done her. When she saw his tears, the princess too began to cry, and she embraced her father, and they were reunited at last.
The king returned to his capital city and sat upon his throne and brought with him his daughter, whom he now realized that he loved more than life itself, and her newborn son and husband, the rabbi’s son. The king also invited the rabbi and his wife to the palace. The king appointed the rabbi and his son to be his ministers, and valued their advice more than any other. They spent their time immersed in the study of the Torah, and were steeped in its wisdom.
The princess saw to it that the needs of the poor of the kingdom were amply met, and that charity was the rule and not the exception. So they all lived happily in the palace for the rest of their lives.
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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The Third Leg
When the new rabbi came to Prague, he spoke to the every Shabbos on the same subject: the severe distress of the city’s needy. Everyone expected to hear well reasoned lessons of Torah (Scriptures) and wonderful stories of faith, but he spoke each Shabbos to remind them of the plight of the poverty-stricken. The numbers of poor and needy grew each week, spreading rapidly throughout the city, even in their own neighborhood; on this very street where they were attending services. “Help them!” he cried again and again. “Help! This very night go out and help!” But the people regarded his appeal as merely a sermon and they grew annoyed at constantly hearing the rabbi talk about the poor and needy.
Something strange happened one week in the market on the busiest day. In the center thickest crowds of the market the rabbi appeared and stood motionless as if he had merchandise for sale and was waiting for customers. To those who knew him his conduct became more and more confusing, while from everywhere merchants and shoppers gathered around him and stared at him. Nobody, however, dared to question him. After some time an onlooker broke the silence:
“What is the holy rabbi of Prague doing here ?”
The rabbi took a deep breath and answered:
“When a table has three legs and a piece of one of them is broken off, what does one do ? One props up the leg as well as one can and the table stands again. When, however, a second leg breaks, another support will not make the table stand. What does one do in that case? One shortens the third leg and the table stands again.”
“Our sages say, ‘The world stands on three things: Torah, on the service and on acts of lovingkindness.’ (Pirke Avos 1:2) When a school is destroyed, then the leg of Torah is broken. Our sages provide a support for it in the dictum: ‘By prayer is meant service of the heart.’ (Ta’anis 2a) When, however, Acts of Loving Kindness vanish and the second leg is impaired, how shall the world continue? That is why I left my study and came to the market. We must shorten the leg of Learning so that the table of the world will stand firmly.”
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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ST20 Rabbi Akiva, the Pearl and the Merchant
Listen to the short story
Rabbi Akiva, the Pearl and the Merchant
about charity – tzedakah, humility and wisdom
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)
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Chanukah begins on December 3rd – Special Gift
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 is available from:
the publisher, Xlibris
Barnes & Noble
Booksamillion
and
Amazon
Shabbos is Mekor haBrocha and a Refuah
Shabbos (the Sabbath) is a Wellspring of Blessing and a Healing
It was early winter and the cold winds were blowing, a young mother took her feverish child to the doctor at the other end of the village.
She waited until called in and the doctor checked the child who seemed to be very sick. After some time the doctor explained to the young mother, “I am sorry, there is nothing I can do for your child. He is very sick.”
The woman left the doctor’s office and was crying softly as she made her way back to her home. “Why are you crying?” asked an older woman. The young mother explained that her child was very sick and the doctor had given up on healing him. The young mother’s heart was broken and she hoped and prayed that her child would get better.
“Why don’t you go to the holy rabbi that lives in the nearby forest? If you leave now, and follow the path, you’ll find him soon.” The young mother thanked the older woman and listened to her advice.
The trees grew tall and the forest was filled with many strange and frightening things. The young mother held her child tight and began to walk the path. She heard the sounds of animals and it frightened her. She kept walking until she saw in a clearing a small shack. She ran towards it and knocked on the door.
The holy rabbi answered the door and invited the young mother to sit by a table. He brought her a cup of hot tea and asked her if she was hungry. The young mother politely declined the holy rabbi’s offer of food. The young mother broke down crying and with a pleading voice she said, “Please, my baby is ill can you give a bracha (blessing) that he will recover?”
She stood before the great holy rabbi holding her baby in her hands. The holy rabbi took the baby into his arms and comforted the mother:
“Vein nisht mein tuchteral, (don’t cry my daughter), if you agree to always have your Shabbos table set with fresh challah and Kiddush wine early and light your Shabbos neiros (Sabbath candles) early as well, Shabbos which brings bracha will most definitely heal your child.”
The young mother thanked the holy rabbi and accepted upon herself to honor Shabbos by greeting it early and lighting the candles early as well.
Some months later when she brought the child back to the doctor for another visit, the doctor exclaimed: “This cannot be the same child that I saw a few months ago, he is a healthy boy, while the other child was ill.”
Shabbos which brings bracha (blessing) had indeed brought bracha and a refuah shleima (complete healing) to the child.
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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If the stories are not shared they will be lost.
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ST19 Was the Man’s Rib Stolen?
The Holy One, blessed be He has endowed women with a special sense of wisdom which man which lacks. (Niddah 45a) A rabbi’s daughter addressed accusations by the Roman Emperor.
Listen to an old Jewish tale about the creation of Woman
Click here to read, Was the Man’s Rib Stolen ?
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 this story with others
Chanukah begins on December 3rd this year
Give the Gift of 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 is available from:
the publisher, Xlibris
Barnes & Noble
Booksamillion
and
Amazon
The Jewel of Speech
There is gold and an abundance of costly stones, but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel. (Proverbs 20:15)
A poor man was gathering sticks in the forest to sell in the village. He walked along and his eyes showed misery and suffering. He came to an uprooted tree when something caught his eye. Something shined on the ground. He walked over and bent down to see what it was. There lay a large jewel sparkling in front of him. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life, and knew in his heart that it must be worth a great deal of money.
He put it in his pocket and went home to show it to his wife. His wife agreed that it must be very valuable, but they could not imagine how much it was worth. Everyone he showed the jewel to was amazed by its beauty, but no one knew its true value. No jeweler was prepared to buy it either, for each one said that it was worth far more than he could pay.
The king heard about the poor man’s magnificent jewel and traveled all the way to his hut. Although accustomed to precious things, even he was stunned by this gem. “this stone is fit for a royal crown!” he exclaimed with wonder.
The poor man could not have imagined how this find would change his entire life. The king showered him with gifts; and money and invited him to his court. Yet the poor man never did find out the exact value of his find, though he reaped much benefit from it.
The power and value of speech is often beyond measure. A person who uses his gift of speech for what it was created possesses a very precious gem. Such speech enhances the word and action of Torah (Scriptures) It reveals the holiness and spirituality of the everything around us, and in that way, such speech has value beyond imagination.
By studying the Holy Books and then putting the lessons of faith into practice it raises the level of holiness and spirituality of life. Most people lack the deep piety found in great religious leaders and teachers of the past, but that the world is improved by the positive speech of everyday people. They are a treasure whose value no one can rightly estimate or appreciate!
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
Where Can One Find a True Treasure?
The world is filled with wonders and treasures. Some search a lifetime and never find treasure while others stumble upon it.
A son looked to his father and asked, “Have you ever found a treasure?” The father got a faraway look in his eye and smiled as he took a deep breath and began:
A long time ago I had heard stories of a treasure hidden somewhere in the mountains. I spoke to a friend and he agreed to join me in looking for the treasure. We met at the foot of a mountain one morning and began to follow the trail. It wound ever upward through thick forest. The sun rose steadily until it was directly overhead, and we stopped to eat. The peace and beauty was so strong, one could not help but to pray.
After sometime we gathered up our packs and started up the mountain trail again. We hiked for two or three hours and then found a strange growth of brush. Being curious, we went over for a closer look and discovered that the brush covered the mouth of a cave.
My friend and I decided to explore the cave. It was very dark but we fashioned a torch from some Bracket fungus found on an old tree stump and pine resin and we went deep into the cave. Soon we came into a large chamber and were shocked to see that there was an old large wooden chest covered in dust sitting by the far wall.
We ran to the old chest tried to open it, but the hinges were rusted as well as the lock. My friend hit the rusted lock with a rock, once…twice…three times the lock fell to the ground. We slowly opened the old chest and found it filled with silver and gold coins. I started to count them but my friend told me to stop. He reminded me that we learned that “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the L-rd of Hosts.” (Haggai 2:8). This is only money he said. This is not a real treasure. If you want money all you have to do is work for it.
I was going to argue with him when we suddenly noticed a big metal chest on the other side of the chamber. “Now that might be the real treasure.” My friend suggested we both ran over to the metal chest. This chest was very hard to open and we were very excited when we finally opened it.
The chest was filled with statues of men and animals. Some of the statues were made of ivory, some were made of marble with diamonds for eyes and rubies for lips, and some were made of gold. My friend took one of the gold statues out of the chest and stood it up. Since he was knelling it almost reached his chin. “Don’t do that!” I yelled. “This is only beauty and art. It is not a real treasure. There must be something better here.”
We searched and searched but found nothing else in the cave. The only thing we found was the two old chests. Then the flame on our torch started to die. The light grew dim. We got scared and crawled back through the cave. I wiggled through but my friend somehow got stuck in the small mouth of the cave. I tried to pull him. I didn’t know what to do so I sat down and prayed. I went over to my friend and talked to him and then we began to pray together. My friend gave me his hands and asked me to pull as he tried once again to get out of the cave. I pulled as hard as I could and slowly my friend squeezed out of the cave.
We sat down by the mountain trail, offered a prayer of thanks giving and then realized we were very hungry and thirsty. We ate, talked and laughed together for a long time. After a time we continued our trek up that mountain trail until we reached the peak and looked out at the magnificent sights below the mountain.
I learned from that mountain trek that wealth and beautiful art are nice but are very shallow and without meaning. The true treasures are faith and friendship. The time my friend and I shared on that trek that was filled with adventure, prayer and gladness.
I found the old lesson that says “make not gold your hope; it is the first step to idolatry” (Hanhagah c. 1320 ce) true as many people become so involved in gaining gold (wealth), that they will do almost anything to get it. Friendship and faith are the most valuable treasures, because “two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9) Everything that friend does and share strengthens each other and sharpens their awareness. For “wisdom leads to tranquility, gold and silver to anxiety” (Mibhar haPeninim #10, c. 1050 ce) and the wisdom of friendship is beyond value.
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)