* THIS week's 3 featured Stories (schedule posted every WEDNESday) *
All times are for Israel time zone

Week #298, BO 5786--for Saturday night, Jan. 24, 2026

PRINTABLE--on this site:

"THE PAINFUL PERCENTAGE" (s1467-953 words)

"When I was young, I studied in the yeshiva of the tzadik, the Damesek Eliezer of Vizhnitz. There was not much to eat in the yeshiva and that day I was quite hungry."

Why this week? 1) The story emphasizes the specialness of the month of Elul, which started on the first day of this week. 2) Monday night - Tuesday, 2 Elul, is the yahrzeit of the Damesek Eliezer (which I did not know until I did some last-minute research!).

ARCHIVE for the 17 previous print stories this Jewish year, 5786 (Sept. 23, 2025 - Sept. 11, 2026)

ARCHIVE for the 285 print stories from the 5½ preceding Jewish years of this group, 5780-5785

ARCHIVE for the other 1167 print stories emailed before this group

AUDIO #239: "THEJAZZ SINGER" (s352-8:02 min)

Saturday night 8:45 - WhatsApp or Email

"Finally, a day off. The word was that our brigade of 600 would be staying in Migdal HaEmek, at a yeshiva complex. What a sick joke! Was someone there going to tell us to wrap tefillin and pray, the one known as 'the Disco Rabbi'?"

Why this week? The Torah reading discusses in detail the rules and procedures for drafting citizens into the army.

VIDEO #222: "BEGINNER'S LUCK " (s1256-4:26 min)

Saturday night 9:00 - WhatsApp or Email or YouTube

(from "Saturday Night, Full Moon", story #12)

Why was it that the obvious decision Rabbi Levi Yitzchak would have to issue in his first Rabbinical Court case after moving to Berdichev would make him an object of derision in his new city?

Why this week? The Torah reading opens with the command that every large Jewish community must have a qualified rabbinical court.

Also, The 208 previous videos are available on my YouTube channel .https://www.youtube.com/user/ytilles3/videos
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