A Thief’s Prayer

Posted on Wednesday, 11, November, 2020Tuesday, 20, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Words are the shell, meditation the kernel. Words are the body of the prayer, and meditation its spirit. (Chovos haLevavos 8.3.9 c. 1040)

A holy rabbi was once approached to pray for a sick person who was in serious condition. The holy rabbi went into his study, and after a while came out and requested that a person known throughout the village to be a master thief be brought to him without delay.

The master thief was brought to the holy rabbi who explained to him, “There is a person who is in desperate need of help from Heaven, and I want you to pray for him.” He gave the name of the sick person to the master thief and suggested some prayers to be said. Although confused and unsure as to why he of all people was approached by the holy rabbi, the master thief did as he was told.

Not long after the master thief began to pray, someone came to the old wooden shul (synagogue) with the happy news that the sick man had suddenly showed incredible signs of recovery. The confused doctors now believed that he would recover.

To the surprise of all around the holy rabbi he explained that he had prayed for the sick man, but he found the gates of Heaven locked and his prayers could not enter and go before the Holy One, blessed be He. It was at that time that he sent for someone who knows how to pick locks and break through barriers. Once he got through the locks, the gates of Heaven swung open to his prayers, mine were able to enter and be received.”

Who amongst us has not attempted, as a child, to open or pick some sort of lock, often successfully. Perhaps we all harbor within us a potential skill for breaking down doors and would do well to put it to use in the form of deep and heartfelt prayer.

The power of prayer is at times beyond understanding. The can heal the body and the spirit while strengthening faith.

Heavenly Father, I give you this hurt, pain, fear and sadness for we are taught
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

The promise of tomorrow reminds us, For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, says the L-rd (Jeremiah 30:17)

Please take the hurt, pain, fear and sadness in exchange for Your comfort and blessing

Amen

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

ST12 The Merchant and the Scales

Posted on Wednesday, 19, September, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Listen to a short Jewish story about simple faith and prayer during a drought and a simple merchant’s scales.

Read the story at

Prayer, Scales and Rain

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)

New – Listen to the stories every Wednesday evening on the Story Tour Podcast on

Google Play or ITunes

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 Innocent are Delivered from the Fiery Furnace

Posted on Monday, 28, May, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

There was once a pious man who was wealthy and of the king’s company. He had a handsome, fine-looking, and wise son. Before he died, the father told his son not to leave daily prayer until the whole service was over. Also, if somebody who had not been present were to rise and recite the daily prayer he should stay there until he had finished as well. The dying man added: “I have done this all my life and I have prospered. And if you pass through a city and you hear the cantor, enter and do not leave until he has finished his prayers.” Then the pious man passed away.

Now the son was well thought of by all who saw him. He served the king and was the wine bearer to the king and queen and sliced them their bread and meat. They loved him very much and praised him to the skies. Now the king’s chief advisor saw this and was very jealous. He came to the king and said: “Your majesty, you have eyes yet you do not see that this young man loves the queen, and they fornicate together.” But the king rebuked him and did not believe him, yet he repeated it day after day until the king grew jealous. “For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he shows no restraint when he takes revenge.”(Proverbs 6:34)

One day the king went to inspect the workers who were preparing a limekiln, and he said to the master of the workers: “Take the first man who comes here tomorrow and fling him into the kiln at once. If you do not do so, you will pay for it with your own life.” “Your majesty’s order will be obeyed” ,” answered the master of the workers. Then the king returned to his palace. That night while the young man was serving him, he called him and ordered: “Rise early tomorrow morning and go where they are preparing the lime and tell the man in charge to make a great fire.” “I shall carry out your orders,” answered the young man.

In the morning he mounted his horse, but as he passed the synagogue he heard the cantor’s voice. He dismounted, entered the synagogue, and prayed. When the cantor had finished, another man who had not heard the prayers rose and began to pray, and he waited until he finished as well. And so he was delayed until it was broad daylight.

The innocent was saved from the fiery furnace

Meanwhile, the king summoned his chief advisor and ordered him: “Go to the place where they are making the lime and ask the man in charge: Have you obeyed the king?” Then the vizier mounted his horse and rode off and asked the man in charge: “Have you obeyed the king’s orders?” Thereupon they seized him and tied him up and flung him into the kiln. The young man arrived just then and saw them flinging the king’s advisor into the kiln, and he said to them: “If the king knows this, he will slay you.” But the man in charge answered: “Yesterday the king ordered me: ‘Take the first man I send to you tomorrow, and fling him into the kiln.’ And this is the man who came first.”

Then the young man returned to the king and said: “Your majesty, why did you order the chief advisor to be burned?” At this, the king shuddered and shook with astonishment and said to the youth: “Now I know that you are G-d-fearing, and your Creator loves you. This is what the chief advisor said about you and the queen. So I ordered that the man whom I first sent to the limekiln should be flung into the fire; and it was you I first ordered to go. After that I told the chief advisor to go and see whether my orders had been obeyed. But you were delayed, so they flung him in instead. Now I know that you are innocent. The ancient words “The righteous is delivered from distress, and the wicked comes in his stead.” (Proverbs 11:8) are so true”

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

Sweet Prayers

Posted on Sunday, 29, April, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Sweet Prayers come from the inner being of each person. The Ohr Zarua (Rabbi Yizchak ben Moshe of Vienna, 1180-1250) tried to impress upon the Jewish community the importance of reciting the praises of Hashem sweetly and with concentration, thereby acquiring a lofty portion in Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden – Heavenly reward).

There was a wealthy merchant in Vienna who was very respected and a leader of the chevra kaddisha (Burial Society). His hand was open to anyone who came to him. One early morning as the wealth merchant was making his way to shul (synagogue) to daven (pray), he saw a man who was wearing a wreath of freshly cut flowers on his head sitting on the bench outside the shul. As the wealthy merchant got closer, he recognized the man, he froze from fright. He would have turned and fled but his legs didn’t cooperate and they wouldn’t move.

After a few moments, he composed himself and asked the man, “Is it possible that you are the person we buried just yesterday?”

“Yes. Yes, I am”, the man calmly replied.

Doubting, the wealthy merchant asked, “I don’t understand. What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere in Shamayim (heaven)? What happened with you after we buried you yesterday?”

“I was welcomed warmly and placed on a very high level in Gan Eden”

“Why did you merit such a high level in Gan Eden? After all, when you were alive, you were but a regular member of the community.”

“That is true”, the man replied, “I was just a simple member of the community. However, I was careful to always recite the brachos (blessings) in shul in a very sweet manner. That mitzvah (religious deed) itself is held in very high esteem in Heaven and I was therefore rewarded with a lofty level in Gan Eden.

“As proof that you just buried me, look at the sleeve of my burial shrouds. It is ripped in the same place that it tore as you placed me in the ground.

The wealthy merchant then asked him why he was wearing a wreath of flowers on his head, to which the man replied, “They are flowers from Gan Eden with a beautiful scent. I placed them on my head to protect me from the awful odor of this world.”

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

Why the People Screamed When They Prayed

Posted on Wednesday, 18, April, 2018Monday, 19, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Two men were good friends from the time they were children. When they grew older, one became a Rosh Yeshiva (headmaster/rabbi at a Jewish school) and the other became a very successful merchant. At one point, the Rosh Yeshiva had to go on a trip to collect money for his yeshiva. During his trip, he visited the city where his friend the merchant lived. The merchant was delighted to see his old friend, and he invited him to spend Shabbos (Sabbath) at his house.

The Rosh Yeshiva gladly accepted the invitation. Before Shabbos, he gave his friend the money he had collected during his travels so far, asking him to safeguard it until his departure.

Friday night, the two friends went to pray in the local shul (synagogue). The Rosh Yeshiva was surprised to see that the people in the shul screamed loudly when they prayed.

Later, when they were eating the Friday-night meal, the merchant asked his guest what he thought of the community. “I am very impressed with the community,” the Rosh Yeshiva responded, “but can you explain to me why the people here shout so loudly when they pray? Where does this custom come from?”

The merchant declined to give an answer as his wife brought out the Shabbos food. The question was soon forgotten as the two friends began discussing Torah matters and remembering things from their childhood.

In shul the next morning, the strange behavior of people screaming loudly when they prayed repeated itself, and the Rosh Yeshiva was very bothered by the loud shouting of the congregants.

At the meal at the end of the morning Shabbos service, he again asked his friend for an explanation of this unusual custom, but again the merchant avoided the question. The same thing happened at shalosh seudos (the third Meal of the Sab bath), after the two returned from a noisy Minchah (afternoon service).

Immediately after Havdalah (prayer marking the end of the Sabbath) that night, the Rosh Yeshiva got ready to leave, and he parted warmly from his friend who had hosted him so graciously. As he was about to leave the house, he asked his friend to return the money he had given him for safekeeping on Friday.

“What money?” the merchant asked in surprise.

“The money that I collected on this trip,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I gave it to you before Shabbos, don’t you remember?”

“I’m sorry,” the merchant said, “but I don’t remember you giving me anything for safekeeping.”

“What?” the Rosh Yeshiva sputtered. “How can you not remember? I gave you a thick wad of money!”

“I don’t recall anything of the sort,” the merchant said calmly.

The Rosh Yeshiva realized that he was in deep trouble. He had given his friend tens of thousands of crowns, all of the money he had worked so hard to raise during his trip, thinking that his friend would hide it away in his safe until Shabbos was over. It hadn’t occurred to him to ask his old friend to sign a paper stating that he had received the money. Who would have ever thought that his friend would dream of taking the money for himself?

But now, to his dismay, he realized that he had been naïve in trusting his friend, for his friend valued money far more than friendship.

Seeing that his friend had no intention of returning the money, he raised his voice and shouted at him, “You rasha (wicked man)! Where’s all the money I gave you? How can you dare to do such a thing? This is money that was collected for the yeshiva!”

The Rosh Yeshiva’s shouts were loud enough to be heard outside on the street, but the host just listened impassively.

“Excuse me,” he said, “why are you shouting? Can’t you talk calmly and quietly?”

“How can I talk quietly after you hurt me so deeply?” the Rosh Yeshiva continued to yell.

Suddenly, a broad smile spread over the host’s face. He walked over to his safe, removed the money, and handed it to his stunned friend the Rosh Yeshiva.

“Listen to what you are saying,” he told him. “When someone is in pain, troubled or upset, they raise their voice and scream. Is has been this way since ancient times when Samuel wrote: ‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God; and he heard my voice from his temple, and my cry entered into his ears.’ (II Samuel 22:7) So why are you so surprised that the members of our community raised their voices and shout when they pray? They are in pain, and they know that through prayer they can be healed from all of their pain and suffering. And that’s why they scream!”

This is how every Jewish person should approach prayer. He should feel that he has the opportunity to pour out his heart to his Father in Heaven, tell him everything that is hurting him, and ask him to take pity on him and save him.

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

The rabbi has tried to add at least one or two new stories each week, with the hope of strengthening faith and understanding through the many readers and communities. Due to rising expenses and the need to work longer hours and harder, his stories have become less frequent.

What was originally started as a way to share old and forgotten tales of faith costing almost nothing and representing a few hours a week of time commitment evolved into a project demanding a lot of time and expense. The highest cost is the time cost – working on this site many hours a week. This is all very good, and we’re delighted at the steady growth in popularity of the Story Tour Blog, but please don’t let us become victims of our own ‘success’!

No income from the Story Tour Blog has been realized, but expenses have grown such as web-hosting, software and other web-based development costs. Our goal is to raise $2500.00 which would allow us to improve the Story Tour Blog. If you feel you’ve received some value, or would like to help support the site’s ongoing presence, please share. Any donation would be much appreciated and will help to keep the site online and growing.

You can simply send a donation securely and instantly by clicking the link below

Stories Should Never Come To An End Page

Why the People Screamed When They Prayed

Posted on Sunday, 14, January, 2018Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Two men were good friends from the time they were children. When they grew older, one became a Rosh Yeshiva (headmaster/rabbi at a Jewish school) and the other became a very successful merchant. At one point, the Rosh Yeshiva had to go on a trip to collect money for his yeshiva. During his trip, he visited the city where his friend the merchant lived. The merchant was delighted to see his old friend, and he invited him to spend Shabbos at his house.

The Rosh Yeshiva gladly accepted the invitation. Before Shabbos, he gave his friend the money he had collected during his travels so far, asking him to safeguard it until his departure.

Friday night, the two friends went to pray in the local shul (synagogue). The Rosh Yeshiva was surprised to see that the people in the shul screamed loudly when they prayed.

Later, when they were eating the Friday-night meal, the merchant asked his guest what he thought of the community. “I am very impressed with the community,” the Rosh Yeshiva responded, “but can you explain to me why the people here shout so loudly when they pray? Where does this custom come from?”

The merchant declined to give an answer as his wife brought out the Shabbos food. The question was soon forgotten as the two friends began discussing Torah matters and remembering things from their childhood.

In shul the next morning, the strange behavior of people screaming loudly when they prayed repeated itself, and the Rosh Yeshiva was very bothered by the loud shouting of the congregants.

At the day meal, he again asked his friend for an explanation of this unusual custom, but again the merchant avoided the question. The same thing happened at shalosh seudos, after the two returned from a noisy Minchah.

Immediately after Havdalah that night, the Rosh Yeshiva got ready to leave, and he parted warmly from his friend who had hosted him so graciously. As he was about to leave the house, he asked his friend to return the money he had given him for safekeep¬ing on Friday.

“What money?” the merchant asked in surprise.

“The money that I collected on this trip,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I gave it to you before Shabbos, don’t you remember?”

“I’m sorry,” the merchant said, “but I don’t remember you giving me anything for safekeeping.”

“What?” the Rosh Yeshiva sputtered. “How can you not remember? I gave you a thick wad of money!”

“I don’t recall anything of the sort,” the merchant said calmly.

The Rosh Yeshiva realized that he was in deep trouble. He had given his friend tens of thousands of crowns, all of the money he had worked so hard to raise during his trip, thinking that his friend would hide it away in his safe until Shabbos was over. It hadn’t occurred to him to ask his old friend to sign a paper stating that he had received the money. Who would have ever thought that his friend would dream of taking the money for himself?

But now, to his dismay, he realized that he had been naïve in trusting his friend, for his friend valued money far more than friendship.

Seeing that his friend had no intention of returning the money, he raised his voice and shouted at him, “You rasha (wicked man)! Where’s all the money I gave you? How can you dare to do such a thing? This is money that was collected for the yeshiva!”

The Rosh Yeshiva’s shouts were loud enough to be heard out¬side on the street, but the host just listened impassively.

“Excuse me,” he said, “why are you shouting? Can’t you talk calmly and quietly?”

“How can I talk quietly after you hurt me so deeply?” the Rosh Yeshiva continued to yell.

Suddenly, a broad smile spread over the host’s face. He walked over to his safe, removed the money, and handed it to his stunned friend the Rosh Yeshiva.

“Listen to what you are saying,” he told him. “When someone is in pain, troubled or upset, they raise their voice and scream. Is has been this way since ancient times when Samuel wrote: ‘In my distress I called upon the L-rd, and cried to my G-d; and he heard my voice from his temple, and my cry entered into his ears.’ (II Samuel 22:7) So why are you so surprised that the members of our community raised their voices and shout when they pray? They are in pain, and they know that through prayer they can be healed from all of their pain and suffering. And that’s why they scream!”

This is how every Jewish person should approach prayer. He should feel that he has the opportunity to pour out his heart to his Father in Heaven, tell him everything that is hurting him, and ask him to take pity on him and save him.

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

New Year’s Day – Rosh Hashanah and Blessings

Posted on Thursday, 28, December, 2017Sunday, 31, December, 2023 by Rabbi

The snow and wind blew while sounds of celebration were heard from outside the wooden synagogue. It was the eve of the secular New Year. Many men were gathered around tables studying the holy words of Torah.

Suddenly, the door to the holy rabbi’s private study opened and the holy rabbi himself came out and greeted everyone:

“L’Shana Tovah Tikasevu v’Techasemu!”(May you all be inscribed and sealed for a good year!)

With that the holy rabbi went back into his room and closed the door. Everyone who was studying the holy words of Torah were very surprised. Surely the holy rabbi knew that this was not Rosh haShanah (the Jewish New Year), but the secular New Year? Why then did he extend such a greeting.

Some time later, the door opened and the holy rabbi again greeted the men studying the holy words of Torah. Hours passed and the holy rabbi offered the greeting a third time.

Puzzled by the holy rabbi’s behavior, the men went to one of the holy rabbi’s students and asked him to go to his master’s room and ask about the meaning of his strange actions through the night.

The student went and knocked on the door of his teacher, the holy rabbi and entered. The holy rabbi looked up from his studies and greeted his student: “Shalom Aleichem (Peace be unto you)” the student answered: “Aleichem Shalom (Unto you peace).” The Rabbi continued: “what brings you to my study at such a late hour?”

The student looked at his teacher, cleared his throat and asked: “many have been studying Torah tonight and you greeted them as though it was Rosh haShanah. This seems a little out of the ordinary. What is the holy reason for your greetings, this night of all times?”

The holy rabbi thought for a moment, smiled and explained:

“Last Rosh Hashanah, the Day of Judgment for all the Jewish people and the world, the Jewish people prayed with intensity in their synagogues. Their prayers and the sounds of the shofar ascended to the heavens. Moved by the waves of heartfelt pleas, the Holy One, blessed be He, left his Throne of Justice to ascend the Throne of Mercy. There He wrote a decree which stated that the coming year would be a year of health and happiness for all Jewish people and peoples of the world.

When Yom Kippur, the fearful Day of Atonement, came and He saw how all of the Jewish people fasted and wept and poured out their hearts in prayer as “all are judged on Rosh haShanah and the verdicts is sealed on the Day of Atonement.” (Rosh haShanah 16a) The Holy One, blessed be He lifted the pen to sign the decree of blessings for all of the people in the world.

At that moment, the Dark Accusing One approached to protest: “yes, O L-rd, on Yom Kippur they fast and have remorse, dressed in white as the angels in heaven. What of all the rest of the year when they are filled with sins and wickedness?”

The decree was not signed.

When the Jewish people gathered together boards and scraps of wood to build succas for the holiday of Succos (the Feast of Tabernacles), prepared to eat and sleep in the succas, the defending angel appealed:

“Ribbono Shel Olam, Master of the Universe, You see these succas which even the poorest of Your children are building with so much joy, according to Your command “You shall dwell in booths for seven days” (Leviticus 23:42) and in the days of old “on the Festival of Tabernacles Israel would offer up seventy bullocks, one for each of the seventy nations of the world, and prayed that they might live in peace.” (Pisikta Kahana 175b). Have You heard them pray, ufros aleinu succas sh’lomecha (spread over us the shelter of Your peace). Please sign the decree now.

And so it would have been, had not the Dark Accusing One not objected: “yes, for the boards, which are here today and gone tomorrow. But for themselves – for their homes, their businesses, their entertainment – they erect strong buildings of brick and stone and glass that last forever!”

Then came Simchas Torah, the Jewish people embraced the Torah and danced with it in their synagogues in boundless joy. Again, the Defending Angel argued that the Holy One, blessed be He, should sign the decree: “See, oh G-d, how your children are happy with Your Holy Word, the Torah!”

The Dark Accusing One intervened: “yes, for one night they dance merrily with your Torah, their heads turned and their spirits lifted by a drop of schnapps. But in a more sober mood when their minds are clear, do they fulfill the mitzvahs, which are written in the Torah?”

The decree was not signed.

Every window was filled with light during Chanukah. It seemed as though the light of the first day touched every soul. The words of the morning prayer, “v’chol ayin lecha tetzapeh” (every eye longs for you) were realized.

The Defending Angel argued that the Holy One, blessed be He, should sign the decree:

“Look, and see how Your children are bringing Your holy light into the world. For indeed ‘the spirit of man is the candle of the L-rd.’ ” (Proverbs 20:27)

The dark accusing one interjected: “true, they kindle lights and may touch the soul with holiness, but are they honest and holy in the marketplace or with other people?”

The decree was not signed.

And so it is that the judgment written in favor of the Jewish people and all the peoples of the world on Rosh haShanah has remained unsigned all these many weeks until tonight. For when the New Year began and with it started all of the drunkenness, the shouting and brawls that usually occur on that night, the Defending Angel approached G-d and said: “O Lord, see how they begin the New Year tonight. Listen to the screams and noise as well as the sounds of discord, look at the shamelessness and the corruption – and remember how Your children began the New Year on Rosh haShanah, with prayer, with repentance, and with holiness.”

To this, the Dark Accusing One could not say single word.

And so it was that, after some four months of delay, the Holy One, blessed be He, at last signed the good decree for the Jewish people and all the peoples of the world.

“Therefore,” the holy rabbi concluded, “I greet you tonight with L’Shana Tovah Tikasevu v’Techasemu!,” (May you all be inscribed and sealed for a good year!)

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)

And May the tales you live in the coming year be filled with blessings

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

Hineni – Different Kinds of Prayer

Posted on Tuesday, 19, September, 2017Monday, 19, September, 2022 by Rabbi

During the High Holy Days, the chazzan (cantor) begins the Musaf service with the Hineni prayer (here I am), which is a very moving and private prayer. Serving as the Shaliach Tzibbur (emissary of the congregation), the chazzan, a man of great humility, pleads with the Almighty that he be worthy to represent the people of his congregation and all the people of Israel.

Shaliach Tzibbur literally means the messenger of a congregation in a public prayer, is a Jewish prayer leader in the Synagogue also known as Chazzan (Cantor). It is a weighty responsibility and not everyone is suited to the position.

In a village there lived a very wealthy man who thought that he should be chosen to lead the congregation in prayer because of his importance to everyone in the village. No one in the village was pleased with the idea, but on the other hand they were afraid of what might happen to them if they were to challenge the powerful wealthy man. So they put their troubled heads together and decided to send a delegation to ask the holy rabbi who lived in a nearby town for some advice. The holy rabbi suggested that the wealthy man, the self-appointed prayer leader should come to him for a blessing.

When in due course the self-appointed baal tefillah (prayer leader) of the village came to the holy rabbi to receive his blessing before under¬taking the weighty responsibility of leading his community in prayer, the holy rabbi asked him’ “why should you lead the community in prayer?” The wealthy man took a deep breath and began to explain how he gave a lot of tzedakah (charity), he had built many homes in the village and that he employed most of the villagers.

The holy rabbi listened and then explained, “As you know, the Torah speaks of three kinds of prayer.

There is

‘the prayer of Moshe Rabbeinu’ (Moses our Teacher);

There is

‘the prayer of King David’; and

There is

‘the prayer of a poor man.’

Now Moshe Rabbeinu was indeed ‘slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ (Exodus 4: 10) — but he was the father of the prophets and the teacher of all Israel. King David — why, he is called ‘the sweet singer of Israel.’ (2 Samuel 23:1) And as for the poor man, his heart is humble, and we know from Psalms that ‘a broken and contrite heart, O G-d, You will not despise.’ (Psalm 51:17)

“Now the baalei tefillah of our days who lead their congregations in prayer likewise fall into these same three categories. There are those who are not very musical, but they are righteous — so their prayers are ac¬cepted like ‘the prayer of Moshe.’ Then there are those who are perhaps not quite so righteous, but in their melodiousness they ‘exalt God with their throats’ — so their prayers are accepted like ‘the prayer of David.’ Finally, there are those who are neither righteous nor musical, but since they are poor and their hearts are humble, their prayers are accepted like ‘the prayer of a poor man.’

“Now as for you,” concluded the tzaddik, “we cannot say that you are especially righteous; nor can we say that you are musical; and neither (thank G-d) are you a poor man. So if you want to lead your community in prayer. I will have to pray that you merit to fit into one of these three levels. There is no need for me to explain to you that to ask heaven to make you a tzaddik a sweet singer all of a sudden would be a vain prayer. The only way I can help you, therefore, is by asking heaven to make you poor, and then at least your prayer ‘the prayer of a poor man’…”

The wealthy man thought for sometime about what the holy rabbi had said and became intensely aware of his great pride in the many sins he had committed in his arrogance caused by his great wealth. He began to cry and asked that the holy rabbi tell them how to do teshuvah in order to be forgiven. The wealthy man was at a loss on what to do.

Holy rabbi sensed the sincerity of the wealthy man and with a gentle voice asked him, “do you really want to pray on behalf of the community?”

The wealthy man, in a broken voice, answered, “I am not a particularly holy man like Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher} and I don’t have an exceptionally good singing voice like Dovid haMelech (King David), but I am a man of a poor broken spirit because of the many sins I have committed in my pride and arrogance. If I could, I still would like to lead the prayer on Rosh Hashanah so that I could be heard by the heavenly court.”

The holy rabbi took the wealthy’s man’s hand and in a soothing voice said, “you have a gift that many people do not have is that you are very educated and cannot only say the words of the prayers of the holy and awesome Day of Judgment (Rosh Hashanah), but you can understand them also. Read for me the Hineni.”

The wealthy man took a deep breath and began, “hineni he’oni mimaas” and than he began to cry, “go on” encouraged the holy rabbi and slowly the words came from the wealthy man:

hineni he’oni mimaas – Here am I that am poor in meritorious deeds, trembling and in awe of the One who sits enthroned upon the praises of Israel, standing and pleading before Him on behalf of His people Israel who have sent me, though I am unworthy and unqualified for the task.

Therefore I ask you G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d of Jacob, L-rd, L-rd, benevolent G-d, compassionate and gracious, G-d of Israel, Omnipotent, fearful and awesome, grant success to the mission which I am undertaking. To stand and plead for mercy for myself and those who sent me.

Please do not hold them to blame for my sins and do not find them guilty of my iniquities, for I am a careless and willful sinner. Let them not feel humiliated by my willful sins. Let them not be ashamed of me and let me not be ashamed of them. Accept my prayer like the prayers of a man advanced in years and experienced in prayer, whose conduct in his youth was unblemished, whose beard is fully grown, whose voice is sweet, and who is friendly with other people.

May you denounce the Adversary, that he may not bring charges against me. They are congregation be cherished by you, and they you cover our transgressions with love. Please transform all suffering and distress, for us and for all Israel, to gladness and joy, to life and peace (for the people who) love truth and peace. May there be no stumbling in my prayer.

May be your will, L-rd, G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac and G-d of Jacob, the great, mighty and awesome G-d, exalted G-d, “I will be what I will be,” that all the angels who occupy themselves with our prayers bring my prayer before the throne of your glory and spread it before you for the sake of all the righteous, the pious, the perfect and the upright, and for the sake of your glorious, great and awesome name; for you hear the prayer of your people Israel with mercy.

Blessed are you who hears prayer.

It took the wealthy man over an hour to be able to say the prayer of the shliach tzibbur (leader of the prayers), but it seemed his heart had changed in his sins had been washed away by his tears. A very humble wealthy man turned to the holy rabbi and asked, “Rabbi, holy rabbi can you bless me that when I pray with everyone else that I can truly not feel any urges to ‘take revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but love my neighbor as myself’ (Leviticus 19:18), bless me that all of my prayers should come from the inside of me.’ ”

The wealthy man left the holy rabbi that day a different person who came. On the way back to his home he gave away huge amounts of coins to all who needed and prepared himself to pray with the people and not in front of them on Rosh Hashanah that year.

May all of your prayers and the prayers of all the people this Rosh Hashanah ascend to the very throne of mercy and may hush M shower the world with health, happiness and peace. On Yom Kippur may you be sealed for a year of plenty, sweetness and love.

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

The Tzaddik of the Forest

Posted on Sunday, 23, July, 2017Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

In the holy city of Sfas (Safed) there lived a holy rabbi who was said to know all of the revealed and hidden Torah, all the holy writings, and the Zohar by heart. A wealthy and educated merchant in Sfas owned a large orchard, several fields, and two ancient forests. Now this wealthy merchant had a beautiful he had great difficulty in finding a worthy groom for her. No one was a fine enough scholar. Then it happened that he heard of the holy rabbi, and he was determined that such a learned man would be his son-in-law. With the help of a shadchan (a person who arranges marriages) the betrothal was made.

So it was that the holy rabbi met both his bride and his father-in-law for the first time on the day he was married. Under the chupah (wedding canopy) the holy rabbi took the hand of his bride and said, “And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy.” (Hosea 2:19) The love between the holy rabbi and his bride was a deep one, which had been ordained in heaven.

Every day after the morning prayers, the holy rabbi rode a horse into one of the forests, and he was not seen again until the sun was about to set and it was time for the afternoon prayers. What he did in that forest was a mystery. The wealthy merchant saw that the holy rabbi treated his daughter well and that she always appeared to be happy, so he never questioned his ways of his son-in-law.

Now the wealthy merchant hired two Jewish men to serve as the foresters of the two ancient forests he owned. Each had a cabin in one of the forests, and there they watched for those who sought to poach, illegally hunt or cut down the trees. They would walk through the forests as they patrolled for trespassers. One day, one of the foresters saw a horse tied to a tree and when he went closer, he saw the merchant’s son-in-law lowering himself into the dark, putrid insect-infested waters. What kind of mikveh (ritual bath) was this?

The holy rabbi spent a long time in those waters, and when he came out of the water, he dressed, untied the horse, and rode out of the forest. Then the forester came out of hiding and saw, to his amazement, that those waters had turned completely pure. He bent down and drank from them, and the waters were clear and sweet. And he realized that he had witnessed a miracle of one of the hidden saints.

So it was that the forester secretly observed the holy rabbi as he made his way through the forest, and he saw many other kinds of miracles take place. Whatever barren tree he sat beneath soon had blossoms appear on it, and whatever path he walked on had flowers spring up overnight. All of nature welcomed his presence as if he were an angel. He quietly went on his way hidden from the eyes of people, healing whatever was sick or dying with a power that seemed to spring from his very being. The holy rabbi searched for the scattered sparks in that holy forest, so that he could gather them so he could repair the world.

Now that forester was childless, and when he told his wife about the miracles he had witnessed in the forest, and then told her husband that the holy rabbi was a tzaddik nistar (righteous hidden holy man). She begged him to go to the hidden tzaddik and ask for his blessing so they could have a child of their own. One day, when he could not hold himself back any longer, the forester approached the holy rabbi and said, “I know that you are a tzaddik nistar, who hides his ways from the world. There is only one thing I would ask of you, and if you help me, I promise never to reveal your secret. All I ask is that you pray for my wife and me to have a son.” The tzaddik saw that his secret had been discovered, and he blessed the forester, “Ribonno shel Olam, Master of the Universe look down on the sadness of your children, and remember them, and grant them a child.” He then promised the man that within a year he and his wife would be blessed with a baby boy. At the end of the year the forester’s wife gave birth to a healthy son.

The forester was overjoyed at the birth of his son and kept his word and never revealed the secret of the holy rabbi. Then one day his friend forester, who watched over the other ancient forest, came to visit him. This forester’s life had been tragic, for each of his sons had died before reaching the eighth day. He said: “I see that G-d has blessed you and you have had a son. May there be many more blessings. Tell me, was there anything you did to make this possible? Perhaps you can help me so that I can be blessed as well.”

Now the forester had no intention of breaking his promise, but at the same time he wanted to help his friend, the other forester. He thought for some time and answered: “I will help you on one condition—that you not ask any questions but do whatever I tell you to do.” The other forester quickly agreed to these terms, and the first one explained: “What we have to do is to switch places, so that you will patrol my forest, and I will patrol yours. Then everything will be all right.”

So it was that the foresters switched places, and after a while the second forester observed the ways of the holy rabbi, who brought miracles to pass wherever he went. When he saw these miracles, the forester understood why the other had advised him to switch places. One day he slowly approached the tzaddik of the forest and told him of the disaster that had haunted the birth of every one of his sons, and he asked for his blessing, that his future sons would live.

The tzaddik was silent for a long time, and at last he said: “Do you remember that when you were young you went with some friends to swim in the river and to wash in its waters? There was a large tree near the shore of that river, and at the bottom of the trunk, near the roots, there was engraved the image of a hand. And you had the urge to laugh and play around. So you took a ring and placed it on the finger of the hand and said Haray at mekudeshes….Behold you are consecrated to me, the wedding vows.”

The forester grew pale when he heard this, for he himself had forgotten about that foolish thing. He lowered his eyes and admitted that it was true, and the holy rabbi explained: “At that moment an evil spirit that lived in that place was wed to you. And since you married someone else, this evil spirit comes and kills your sons because you betrayed her and didn’t fulfill the wedding vow”

The forester was staggered by these words, and he said: “I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Afterward I was ashamed of what I had done, and I put it out of my mind until now. Please, tell me, what must I do in order to free myself of that evil spirit?”

The holy rabbi told the forester that he had to say a special teffilah (prayer):

“Av haRachaman…Father of Mercy, I have done so much damage in this world through my many indiscretions, sins and wrong-doing from my earliest days until today. I have so abused my mouth, my eyes and ears – at times because of my carelessness, at times intentionally, sometimes through outside pressures and sometimes quite deliberately. Kind, loving and forgiving Master of Compassion: pardon and forgive me for everything. Repair all the damage until not a trace is left. You know that I need your help to make amends for all the wrong I have done.”

The holy rabbi continued, “I will write the get, the bill of divorce, for you, and you must take it to the same place, and put the get into the hand engraved there, and you must say: ‘The holy rabbi commands you to divorce me.’ “

The forester went there, found the place where the hand was engraved, and he did as the holy rabbi told him to do, and at last he was freed of that spirit. And the sons who were born to him after that all thrived.

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

A Story of Two Merchants

Posted on Thursday, 14, July, 2016Wednesday, 21, September, 2022 by Rabbi

Every day the blessing, “Blessed are you G-d, our L-rd, King of the universe who forms light and creates darkness, who makes peace and creates all things” is said and is overlooked. Many don’t realize that this blessing is based on, “I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am the L-rd, that does all these things. (Isaiah 45:7). One should bless the good (“I form the light…I make peace) as well as the bad (create darkness…create evil).

A question is asked, “What is the verse that alludes to this? ‘I will sing of loving-kindness and justice; unto you, O L-rd, will I sing praises’ (Psalms 101:1). Rav Acha explains: If it is loving-kindness, I will sing, and if it is justice, I will sing.” (Berachos 60b) In other words I will thank G-d in song for the bad just as for the good.

It once happened that two merchants agreed to set out on a journey to a faraway city to go to a fair to buy wares to sell in their village. They equipped themselves with all the needs and supplies for the voyage. Together they made their way to the harbor to board a ship. As they walked through the streets, one of them stumbled and hurt his foot so badly that he was forced to cancel his trip.

The ship had weighed anchor and unfurled its sails and was ready to set sail and could not wait for the unfortunate merchant to heal from his wound. So his companion went with all the other merchants, while the merchant who had fallen and became injured remained behind, bitter and angry. He was very angry at his bad luck because he had injured his leg and could not travel with the other merchants. His anger and bitterness of losing all the profit he might have made from the journey to such a point that he complained and freely cursed the ways of heaven.

After some time news came that the ship had sunk in the sea, and all the merchants aboard had drowned. When the injured merchant heard what had happened, he began to give thanks to the Holy One, blessed be He by whose kindness he had fallen and injured his leg. The merchant realized that if he had gone on the ship he would have been lost with all the other merchants. The merchant regretted all the curses and complaints he had made and repented for all the things he had said of heaven. The merchant began to praise and extol the wonders of heaven. That’s why it says in the Book of Isaiah, “Your anger has subsided and You have comforted me.” (12:1)

What is meant by the verse, “G-d Who alone does wondrous things; blessed is His glorious Name forever” (Psalms 72:18,19)? Even the person for whom the miracle is performed is unaware of the miracle, only G-d knows it.

Based on Nidah 31a

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, friends and others. We welcome your comments and discussions about this story

Words are the shell, meditation the kernel. Words are the body of the prayer, and meditation its spirit. (Chovos haLevavos 8.3.9 c. 1040)

A holy rabbi was once approached to pray for a sick person who was in serious condition. The holy rabbi went into his study, and after a while came out and requested that a person known throughout the village to be a master thief be brought to him without delay.

Not long after the master thief began to pray, someone came to the old wooden shul (synagogue) with the happy news that the sick man had suddenly showed incredible signs of recovery. The confused doctors now believed that he would recover.

Who amongst us has not attempted, as a child, to open or pick some sort of lock, often successfully. Perhaps we all harbor within us a potential skill for breaking down doors and would do well to put it to use in the form of deep and heartfelt prayer.

The power of prayer is at times beyond understanding. The can heal the body and the spirit while strengthening faith.

Heavenly Father, I give you this hurt, pain, fear and sadness for we are taughtHe heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

The promise of tomorrow reminds us, For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, says the L-rd (Jeremiah 30:17)

Please take the hurt, pain, fear and sadness in exchange for Your comfort and blessing

Amen

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

Listen to a short Jewish story about simple faith and prayer during a drought and a simple merchant’s scales.

Read the story at

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)

New – Listen to the stories every Wednesday evening on the Story Tour Podcast on

Google Play or ITunes

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

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

After a few moments, he composed himself and asked the man, “Is it possible that you are the person we buried just yesterday?”

“Yes. Yes, I am”, the man calmly replied.

Doubting, the wealthy merchant asked, “I don’t understand. What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere in Shamayim (heaven)? What happened with you after we buried you yesterday?”

“I was welcomed warmly and placed on a very high level in Gan Eden”

“Why did you merit such a high level in Gan Eden? After all, when you were alive, you were but a regular member of the community.”

“As proof that you just buried me, look at the sleeve of my burial shrouds. It is ripped in the same place that it tore as you placed me in the ground.

The wealthy merchant then asked him why he was wearing a wreath of flowers on his head, to which the man replied, “They are flowers from Gan Eden with a beautiful scent. I placed them on my head to protect me from the awful odor of this world.”

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

The Rosh Yeshiva gladly accepted the invitation. Before Shabbos, he gave his friend the money he had collected during his travels so far, asking him to safeguard it until his departure.

Friday night, the two friends went to pray in the local shul (synagogue). The Rosh Yeshiva was surprised to see that the people in the shul screamed loudly when they prayed.

The merchant declined to give an answer as his wife brought out the Shabbos food. The question was soon forgotten as the two friends began discussing Torah matters and remembering things from their childhood.

In shul the next morning, the strange behavior of people screaming loudly when they prayed repeated itself, and the Rosh Yeshiva was very bothered by the loud shouting of the congregants.

“What money?” the merchant asked in surprise.

“The money that I collected on this trip,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I gave it to you before Shabbos, don’t you remember?”

“I’m sorry,” the merchant said, “but I don’t remember you giving me anything for safekeeping.”

“What?” the Rosh Yeshiva sputtered. “How can you not remember? I gave you a thick wad of money!”

“I don’t recall anything of the sort,” the merchant said calmly.

But now, to his dismay, he realized that he had been naïve in trusting his friend, for his friend valued money far more than friendship.

Seeing that his friend had no intention of returning the money, he raised his voice and shouted at him, “You rasha (wicked man)! Where’s all the money I gave you? How can you dare to do such a thing? This is money that was collected for the yeshiva!”

The Rosh Yeshiva’s shouts were loud enough to be heard out­side on the street, but the host just listened impassively.

“Excuse me,” he said, “why are you shouting? Can’t you talk calmly and quietly?”

“How can I talk quietly after you hurt me so deeply?” the Rosh Yeshiva continued to yell.

Suddenly, a broad smile spread over the host’s face. He walked over to his safe, removed the money, and handed it to his stunned friend the Rosh Yeshiva.

This is how every Jewish person should approach prayer. He should feel that he has the opportunity to pour out his heart to his Father in Heaven, tell him everything that is hurting him, and ask him to take pity on him and save him.

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)

If the stories are not shared they will be lost.

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

Please share this story with others

The rabbi has tried to add at least one or two new stories each week, with the hope of strengthening faith and understanding through the many readers and communities. Due to rising expenses and the need to work longer hours and harder, his stories have become less frequent.

You can simply send a donation securely and instantly by clicking the link below

The Rosh Yeshiva gladly accepted the invitation. Before Shabbos, he gave his friend the money he had collected during his travels so far, asking him to safeguard it until his departure.

Friday night, the two friends went to pray in the local shul (synagogue). The Rosh Yeshiva was surprised to see that the people in the shul screamed loudly when they prayed.

The merchant declined to give an answer as his wife brought out the Shabbos food. The question was soon forgotten as the two friends began discussing Torah matters and remembering things from their childhood.

In shul the next morning, the strange behavior of people screaming loudly when they prayed repeated itself, and the Rosh Yeshiva was very bothered by the loud shouting of the congregants.

At the day meal, he again asked his friend for an explanation of this unusual custom, but again the merchant avoided the question. The same thing happened at shalosh seudos, after the two returned from a noisy Minchah.

Immediately after Havdalah that night, the Rosh Yeshiva got ready to leave, and he parted warmly from his friend who had hosted him so graciously. As he was about to leave the house, he asked his friend to return the money he had given him for safekeep¬ing on Friday.

“What money?” the merchant asked in surprise.

“The money that I collected on this trip,” the Rosh Yeshiva replied. “I gave it to you before Shabbos, don’t you remember?”

“I’m sorry,” the merchant said, “but I don’t remember you giving me anything for safekeeping.”

“What?” the Rosh Yeshiva sputtered. “How can you not remember? I gave you a thick wad of money!”

“I don’t recall anything of the sort,” the merchant said calmly.

But now, to his dismay, he realized that he had been naïve in trusting his friend, for his friend valued money far more than friendship.

Seeing that his friend had no intention of returning the money, he raised his voice and shouted at him, “You rasha (wicked man)! Where’s all the money I gave you? How can you dare to do such a thing? This is money that was collected for the yeshiva!”

The Rosh Yeshiva’s shouts were loud enough to be heard out¬side on the street, but the host just listened impassively.

“Excuse me,” he said, “why are you shouting? Can’t you talk calmly and quietly?”

“How can I talk quietly after you hurt me so deeply?” the Rosh Yeshiva continued to yell.

Heavenly Father, I give you this hurt, pain, fear and sadness for we are taught
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

The Rosh Yeshiva’s shouts were loud enough to be heard outside on the street, but the host just listened impassively.

May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
Click here for more storytelling resources