story #357
(s5764-51)/ 22 Elul 5764
A Silent Confrontation
When
Rabbi Mordechai Dov of Hornesteipel paid his promised visit hundreds of people
accompanied him.
story #356
(s5764-50) 15 Elul 5764
A Simple
But Good Inscription
"I expected regular angels,"
apologized the Baal Shem Tov to the tzadik Rabbi Yitzchak of Drohovitch,
"not angels of fire."
story #355
(s5764-49) 8 Elul 5764
A Weighty
Decision
The tzaddik, Rabbi Dovid of Lelov
made his living selling beer and spirits to the local gentiles.
story #354 (s5764-48) 1 Elul
5764
The Butcher's Prayer
The
rabbi of the Jewish Ghetto in Krakow decided to make the "dream query" of the
Kabbalah masters.
story #353
(s5764-47) 24 Menachem-Av 5764
Assessing Trees
and Chickens
A follower of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak
of Berdichev possessed a unique skill that was eagerly sought after by area
merchants.
story #352 (s5764-46)
17 Menachem-Av 5764
The Jazz Singer
Although the airline is under the impression that it staged the flight in order
to make money, and the passengers think that they are on the plane in order to
arrive somewhere, the chasid knows better.
story #351
(s5764-45) 10 Menachem-Av 5764
The Problem
Bed
When the Seer of Lublin lay down
on another's bed he would sometimes cry out: "It's prickly!"
story #350 (s5764-44) 3 Menachem-Av
5764
The Match of "Revealed" and "Concealed"
"My
dear wife," Rabbi Yosef Caro said excitedly.
"Even an angel does not know what Rabbi Yitzchak Luria knows!"
story #349 (s5764-43) 25 Tamuz
5764
Jet Blue Minyan
"Like
all Jews who are saying Kaddish, I attend services thrice daily; the only difference
is that I also need to bring nine others there with me!"
story
#348 (s5764-42) 18 Tamuz 5764
A Chasid Less Sensitive than a Priest
Rebbe
Shlomo of Karlin took lodgings in the home of a man who did not approve of
Chasidim and their lifestyles.
story #347
(s5764-41) 11 Tamuz 5764
The Midnight Arrest
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Shneersohn of Lubavitch
answered coolly to the dreaded secret police:
"I don't know which Schneersohn
you are looking for."
story #346
(s5764-40) 4 Tamuz 5764
Schreiber the Jew
The
doctor had never made real contact with the observant Jews of Byalestok; in his
social circle they were regarded with disdain.
story #345 (s5764-39)
27 Sivan 5764
A Higher Vision
Rabbi
Kalmanson, the Lubavitcher's Rebbe's representative in Cincinnati, had
drifted off to sleep shortly before 2 AM, but now the phone was ringing.
story #344 (s5764-38)
20 Sivan 5764
A Blessing For Aliyah
"Discuss
the matter with Reb Leib Sarahs," said Rabbi Shneur Zalman. "Tell
him that I sent you".
story #343
(s5764-37) 13 Sivan 5764
Tribal Gathering
Finally, in the Wild West he found what he was looking for, a genuine American
Indian Chief.
story #342b/138
(s5764-36) 5 Sivan 5764 [repeated by popular demand
from Shavuot four years ago]
HOW TO HEAR THE
TEN COMMANDMENTS
“Enough!” The Shpoler Zeide
called out. “That’s the final blow!”
story #342
(s5764-35) 28 Iyar 5764
Herschel Goat
The Torah idea that the Baal Shem Tov said was:It is written in Ethics
of the Fathers (4:1): "Who is strong? He who conquers his selfish inclinations."
story #341 (s5764-34/
21 Iyar)
The Silent Funeral
In
the palace, Rabbi Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari quietly explained his position
to the Sultan.
Story#340b/135
(s5764-33/ 14 Iyar) [repeated by popular
demand from Lag B'Omer four years ago]
Lag
B’Omer Miracle at Meron
" ‘Exalted and blessed is
His great name,’ and also the name of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai."
story #340 (s5764-32/ 7
Iyar)
A Safed Scholar and The Mitzvot of the Holy Land
In
1810 Rabbi Yisroel of Shklov led a delegation of followers of the Vilna
Gaon to Eretz Yisrael, to settle in Tsfat.
story #339
(s5764-31/ 30 Nisan)
Twice Helpful Advice
The
Rebbe Maharash exclaimed, "Fool! Are you going to say 'Halelujah' on a
beam?"
story #338 (s5764-30/
23 Nisan)
Rabbi Power
Ethel's
husband was disturbed to hear the words of the illustrious Rabbi Akiva Eiger
about their son.
story #337
(s5764-29/ 14 Nisan)
An Alternative Route
"If
he invites you also to sleep over, decline and spend the night in the Green Shul"
advised the Tzemach Tzedek.
story #336
(s5764-28/ 9 Nisan)
Travel - But Not Now
"The
Lubavitcher Rebbe said to submit an exact itinerary: every location where
you will be and your lodgings."
story
#335 (s5764-27/ 2 Nisan)
Customer
Base
The Baal Shem Tov appeared to be
a simple itinerant, but with a gift for telling stories.
story #334 (s5764-26/ 24 Adar)
The Penance
Rabbi Yechile-Michil of
Zlotchov was shocked, but he said nothing to no one.
story
#333 (s5764-25/ 17 Adar)
A Reasonably Priced Sermon
Ascending
the platform i nthe synagogue, Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk did something
very strange.
story #332
(s5764-24/ 10 Adar)
ESTHER'S STORY: Providence,
a Prisoner, and a Princess
Every night before
bed, despite the pressures of Soviet communism, her mother lovingly told her,
"Esther, never forget; you are a Jewish girl."
story
#331 (s5764-23/ 3 Adar)
The Exceptional Fast
"I'm surpised at your
strange behavior," he rebuked Rabbi Yitzchak of Drobovitch."
story
#330 (s5764-22/ 26 Shevat)
A
Timely Loan
The Tzemech Tsedek often
saw, either in dreams or a waking state, his deceased holy grandfather.
story
#329 (s5764-21/ 19 Shevat)
A
Day Away from Broadway
The crisis atmosphere of
an attempt at Broadway is a legend of our time, and a true one.
story #328b/224
(s5764-20/ 12 Shevat) [repeated by popular demand from
Tu B'Shvat two years ago]
THE THIRD POMEGRANATE
The
quality of the fruit of R. Nissim’s one and only tree were well known throughout
the Tiberian region. Jews and Arabs alike would flock to purchase them.
story
#328 (s5764-19/ 4 Shevat)
The
Sequel
"Baba
Sali was happy to see me and asked about the changes in my life."
story
#327 (s5764-18/ 27 Tevet)
Investment
Formula
"Let him go home if he wants to,"
said Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
story
#326 (s5764-17/ 20 Tevet) - see #427
for an updated and expanded version
The End of Two Treatises
Surely
Rabbi Schneur-Zalman of Chabad would appreciate the depth and insight of
his works.
story #325
(s5764-16/ 13 Tevet)
The Lottery Ticket
While
the Seer of Lublin was still alive, Rabbi Fischel of Strickov had been
a hidden person who kept to himself.
story #324
(s5764-15/ 6 Tevet)
The Final Song
I
will give my portion in the World to Come to whomever can take these song notes
to the Modzitzer Rebbe!"
story #323
(s5764-14/ 29 Kislev)
Dreaming of the Sleepless
"I'm
a Munkatcher chassid; but I'm most certainly a follower of the Lubavitcher
Rebbe."
story #322 (s5764-13/
22 Kislev)
The Warden who Counted
"While
he's reading the roll call, run in and throw the candles in the snow."
story
#321 (s5764-12/ 15 Kislev)
The
Moon Over The River
"I can stop the boat myself,"
said Rabbi Shnuer Zalman of Liadi.
story #320
(s5764-11/ 8 Kislev)
The Second Alternative
Rabbi
Dov Ber of Lubavitch said, "Now I will tell you secrets of the Torah which
have never been revealed.
story #319 (s5764-10/
1 Kislev) see updated version: #459
Bookmarks
With
his acute spiritual perception, the Baal Shem Tov 's eyes suddenly riveted
on the tiny, ramshackle shul.
story #318
(s5764-09/ 24 Cheshvan)
Sarah and Avraham
"Are
you looking for us? Here is my baby, in my arms." (a modern Hebron drama)
story
#317 (s5764-08/ 17 Cheshvan)
Avraham's
Jewel
Rebbe Moshe of Kobrin always stayed at
the home of the father-in-law of Rav Yosha-Ber Soloveitchik when he visited
Volozhin.
story #316 (s5764-07/
10 Cheshvan)
An Indispensable Requirement for a Blessing
In
5664, when Tsfat' sages learned that the venerable Rabbi Shlomo-Eliezer Alfandri
had moved to Israel, they invited him to serve as their city's chief rabbinical
judge.
story #315 (s5764-06/
3 Cheshvan)
"Am I My Brother's Keeper?"
Rabbi
Yisrael of Rhyzhin explained the miracle he did by telling a Baal Shem
Tov story.
story #314 (s5764-05/
26 Tishrei)
The Champion Lawyer
After
a heated argument, both sides agreed to abide by whatever Rabbi Levi Yitschak
of Berditchev would rule.
story #313
(s5764-04/ 19 Tishrei)
The Humble Dance
"The
singing could be permitted on Simchat Torah, but that the people must not
clap in the usual way."
story #312
(s5764-03/ 12 Tishrei)
Three Unusual Sukkah
Events
""Amalek is cold," said the Tsemach
Tsedek; "a Jew has warmth. Go and sleep in the sukkah"
story
#311 (s5764-02/ 5 Tishrei)
Shofar
of Freedom
"We were forbidden to pray
out loud, to read from the Torah, or to sound the shofar."
story
#310 (s5764-01/ 27 Elul, for Rosh
Hashana 5764/2003)
Adelaide
"I
received an urgent letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe: 'What do you mean,
"You refuse"?! You must go!'"
