The highest level of faith is one that is free of the prevailing thoughts and beliefs of society.
Faith binds one to tradition. A tradition that satisfies the soul, and allows one an inner peace. A troubled soul will only be content only after an extensive investigation. A person hopes that they will be able to justify and corroborate the authenticity of man made traditions.
Sadly, too many see the world through the eyes of science and technology and become masters of words. They delight in debate.
The one who sees the world on the spiritual level cannot be swayed by the debates because their wisdom is based upon faith.
THE SHABBOS CANDLES
A young girl went to religious school for the first time. Her grandparents wanted her to learn about the beauty of being Jewish and to explore the wonders of the Torah (Scriptres). Well, from the first day the young girl liked Religious School. Each day she would learn something new and was very excited.
One day she came home from school wanting to share what she had learned about Shabbos – the Holy Sabbath Day. She ran in the door, “Mommy, mommy guess what I learned in school today?” the young girl began:
“We learned that G-d made the world in six days and he rested on the seventh day. Ya know what mommy? We should rest on Shabbos (the Sabbath Day) too.”
The mother patiently listened to her daughter and then said:<
“What you’ve learned is very nice, but we don’t do things that way.”
Another day the young girl came home and excitedly told her mother:
“Mommy, today I learned that on Erev Shabbos (Friday) the whole family eats dinner together, Shabbos candles are lit and Kiddush is said because Shabbos is such a special day. An ya know what else? The whole family talks and sings together.”
as she proudly showed her mother a set of candlesticks she made in school.
The mother listened to her daughter and explained:
“we are very busy during the weekend and don’t have time for those type of things.”
as she put the candleticks her daughter made away somewhere, hoping that her dauhter would forget about this Shabbos (Sabbath) foolishness.
A week later the young girl burst into the house on Sunday afternoon after Religious school and told her father:
“Daddy, today I learned the Beracha (blessing) to say over the Shabbos candles, I’m going to light candles on Shabbos the way bubbie and zadie do on Shabbos.”
The father answered:
“You will do no such thing. All that is old fashioned and has no place here. I do not want you lighting any candles.”
Now the young girl was sure that if her parents could see the beauty of the Shabbos candles they would understand what she felt. So all week she thought, and she thought, and she thought some more until she decided what to do.
Friday afternoon she rushed home from school, cleaned the house and swept the floors (as best as a little girl could). She set the table with a clean white tablecloth, napkins and dishes. Then she went to set up the candles for Shabbos. She loked and looked, but could not find the candlesticks she made at school. She knew where her mother kept some special candles, they were up on the third self of the kitchen cabinet. So she climbed up onto the countertop and opened the cabinet and took down two of the special candles, they were in their own glass holders. (Note: The candles in the glass containers were Yahrzeit Candles – Memorial Candles). She placed them on the table on a sheet of silver foil. Everything was ready for her parents. She knew they would be surprised and would finally understand what she was trying to tell them.
The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky, and she remembered that her teacher at Religious School told her that the candles had to be lit before sundown. It was getting late and the little girl was waiting for her mother, but soon it would be too late. The little girl prepared to light the Shabbos candles. She covered her eyes and began, “Baruch ata Adoshem … Blessed are You O L-rd…” When she heard her mother scream, “What are you doing?” the young girl turned and saw both her parents standing in the diningroom staring at her. She smiled and said, “I lit these candles for you because I love you.”
From that day on both her mother and father helped her with Religious School, they kept Shabbos and Yom Tov.
===============
If we don’t kindle the holy Shabbos Lights (candles) then faith will dim and be a memory and when our children light the Yahrzeit Candles – Memorial Candles the memories of faith, tradition and many of the wonders of our beliefs with fade away – leaving an emptiness.
True faith is deep within one’s inner self and once found will allow one to see the world on many levels.
There is “fun” in the confines of belief. The wonder, beauty and adventure are there for the experience. All one has to do is look at the world around them through the eyes of their faith.
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
Discover more from Story Tour
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I like the story, but what soes candles have to do with the Sabbath?
My mother and my wife lit the candles for Shabbat every Friday night as well as my daughter. After going off to college she stopped and does not light them any more. She says only uneducated people believe in the superstitions of the past. I hope she will one day appreciate the traditions and start lighting the candles. Rabbi, please pray for my daughter that the spark in her heart be rekindled.
Very powerful story – I’ve enjoyed it for almost 30 years. I first heard it when I was a little girl in Religious School. Rabbi rock you are truly gifted and you have guided many to the beauty of being Jewish.
Such a sad story, filled with hope and a reawakening of Jewish faith and tradition
I remember this story from over 10 years ago. I can still hear Rabbi T as he told the story and I am not ashamed that I cried then as I do now becuase our beliefs are so beautiful and yet they are becoming lost as many turn away from our practices claiming that they are old and outdated.
I still remenber how Rabbi T ended the story:
May we all join together in celebration of who we are and never see the candles lit in memory of our beliefs.