Mottel the Vassertreyger

Posted on Wednesday, 8, June, 2016Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Mottel the Vassertreyger worked all day carrying water to all his customers. He was not very learned and tried to study the holy books, but he just couldn’t understand the words. He had a big heart and tried to live according to the traditions of the Jewish people. Sadly, there were those who made fun of him because he didn’t know a lot of Torah, he stumbled through his prayers and never learned Talmud.

If anyone needed water for Shabbos, Yom Tov or for any holy purpose, Mottel would bring them all they needed without charge. There was alte Chaya Sora who always had her fill of water and Mottel refused to accept even the smallest coin from her. Mottel always made sure the two barrels at the shul were always full.

Rarely was he called up to the Torah on Shabbos as he would stumble through the blessings. But when a strong person would be needed for hagbah, he’d open the holy Torah on the bimah (reading table), spread his arms and lift the Sacred Scroll as high as he could. When he would hold the wooden handles and the congregation would sing “Ve-zos ha-torah asher sam mosheh lifnei benei yisrael, al pi Adoshem b’yad mosheh” (And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Israel, according to the commandment of the L-rd by the hand of Moses.) the words would wrap around his heart. A tear would form in his eye as he felt the parchment feel his joy and Mottel could almost see each word, sometimes each letter of the Law rise off the holy Torah scroll to dance around him.

Mottel came to the shul for Leil Tikkun Shavuous (the custom of engaging in all-night Torah study the first night of Shavuous) but could not understand the studies, but waited patiently for the stories and songs of the night. Each story and song touched Mottel’s heart. He knew that the words to the Torah song “etz chayim hi lamachazikim ba, Vesomecheha me’ushar. Deracheha – darechei noam, Vechol nesivosecha shalom (It is a tree of life to them that grasp it, and of them that uphold it every one is rendered happy. (Proverbs 3:18) Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.) was about him.

The Ten Commandments were read from the Torah on Shavuous and Mottel felt the holy words deep inside. Then someone called him for hagbah, he was chosen to hold the Torah high so everyone could see it, just like Moshe did on Mount Sinai.

Mottel the Vassertreyger can feel the fire of G-d’s Word. Mottel didn’t know a lot of Torah, he stumbled through his prayers and never learned Talmud. Mottel doesn’t need to. The words know him.

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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Shavuous, Mount Sinai and Pride

Posted on Monday, 26, May, 2014Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Shavuous is a time we remember receiving the holy Torah at Mount Sinai. It is said in the holiday prayers, Chag Hashavuous hazeh, z’man matan toraseinu (the Feast of Weeks, the season of the Giving of our Torah), yet this is not a time of pride.

It is written: “With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit (Isa. 57:15)…. for behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, ignored all the mountains and heights and caused His Shechinah to abide upon Mount Sinai, but did not elevate Mount Sinai up to Himself.” (Sotah 5a)

There was excitement in the town, as a holy rabbi came to visit. The holy rabbi went into the old wooden shul (synagogue), pulled a holy book from the shelf and began to study. Slowly the holy rabbi pushed the book aside, stood up and walked to the window and began to stare at the mountains.

It seemed as though the whole town turned out to catch a glimpse of the holy rabbi. All of the important people and the most learned of the scholars came into the shul (synagogue) just to meet the holy rabbi hoping to grasp his hand and wish him shalom (peace) and maybe get a blessing from him.

The holy rabbi did not turn to face them. He just stood looking through the window at the high mountains in the distance. Everyone who had gathered in the old wooden shul had hoped to hear some lessons or wisdom from his holy lips, but the rabbi remained gazing out the window in deep meditation.

Among all those who came into the old wooden shul was a young man whose learning and prominent family were equaled only by his pride and self-importance. He was very rigid in his approach to study and prayer and as he looked at the holy rabbi he assumed that the rabbi was not showing the proper honor and respect due to the many dignitaries and scholars who had come out to meet him.

The longer the young man stood, the angrier he became. The young man could see no reason for the rabbi’s behavior and so he began: “Rabbi, would you please explain why you are gazing so intensely at that hill, which is, after all, only a pile of dust?”

The holy rabbi took a deep breath and then slowly answered: “that is indeed what amazes me, how can a plain pile of dust blow itself up so mightily until it becomes a proud mountain?…”

The young proud and conceited man had learned his lesson as he prayed:

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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Enlightenment, Faith and Torah/Scriptures

Posted on Sunday, 12, May, 2013Thursday, 22, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Today, many try to modernize various aspects of the basic beliefs of religion. They claim that the Torah/Scriptures is antiquated and needs to be reviewed and updated to be relevant in today’s society. It is indeed sad that the timeless values that have been the cornerstone of countless communities and societies have come under attack by those who claim to be enlightened.

We tell stories of yesteryear of the assault of the maskillim (the “enlightened” ones) on the more traditional Orthodox Jewish communities. They frowned upon faith, but adopted the national culture of the countries where they lived to better “fit in”.

A maskil (elightened one) once suggested to one of the great rabbis of his generation that modifications in halachah (Jewish law) are needed because the Torah/Scriptures was given thousands of years ago and is not relevant to modern times.

The rabbi replied calmly, “A while back I had to litigate a case. A merchant had ordered goods from a supplier, and specified that he wanted them delivered by November 1, in time for a special sale. That fall there were very heavy rains, and the roads were impassable, with the result that the order was not delivered when it should have been. The merchant sued the supplier, claiming that he had lost a great deal of money due to his failure to deliver on time. After studying all the facts, I ruled in favor of the merchant.

“The supplier protested, but I told him that I must apply the rules of the Torah, according to which the judgment was in favor of the merchant. Realizing the case was about to be closed, he made one final attempt to sway me.

“‘The Torah was given on Shavuos, wasn’t it?’ he pointed out. ‘Yes, of course’ I responded, eager to hear what argument he could have contrived.

‘There you have it!’ he exulted. ‘Shavuos does not occur in autumn, and that’s why the Torah law favors my opponent. If the Torah would have been given during the rainy season, the halachah would have favored my side.'”

After allowing the message to sink in for a second, the Rabbi added, “Don’t you recognize the simple truth that it is as absurd to restrict the Torah (Scriptures) to any one era as it is to make it seasonal?”

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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Shavuous: How Do We Ignite a Mind?

Posted on Thursday, 28, May, 2009Monday, 31, July, 2023 by Rabbi

Shavuous is coming tonight. We celebrate the receiving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments, and many will learn throughout the night in preparation for this awesome holiday. On Shavuous we read the Megillas Ruth, which tells the beautiful story of the conversion of the Moabite princess to Judaism.

Learning carries its own seduction. Ruth learned from her mother-in-law and found beauty in the Jewish way of life that when asked to leave by her mother-in-law, Naomi, she responded:

“Do not ask me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go; where you live, I shall live; your people are my people; and your G-d is my G-d; where you die, I will die, and there be buried. In this way, may G-d do to me – and more! – if anything but death separates me from you.”

Ruth 1:16-18

There was another convert many years later, Onkelos, who became famous for his learning; his translation of the Torah into Aramaic is found in many printed texts of the Torah to this day. Converting to Judaism was considered an insult to the Roman authorities, and soldiers were sent to carry Onkelos back to Rome. Upon hearing his reasons for changing his life and becoming Jewish. Each group of soldiers, after speaking to Onkelos, decided to stay and study the tradition.

One of the great frustrations of modern Jewish education is that it is often so academic, so dry and without feeling, that it fails to ignite the minds and imaginations of our children. Unlike the soldiers sent after Onkelos, our children come upon an unexciting, predigested Judaism, and it fails to inspire them.

The obstacles are many: Parents do not always support Jewish education, teachers are ill trained and lacking deep subject matter knowledge, students looking for answers find only set uninspiring lessons. But we should let nothing stand in the way of igniting our minds and the minds of our children with an education of depth and texture. Judaism is not merely a religion, it is a way of life, full of wonder, mystery and warmth. It is an ancient, multifaceted, deep, anguished, joyous encounter with G-d. It embraces religion, culture, community, land, and history. Only if we teach it as such will it be worth learning.

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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