The Koznitzer Maggid is revealing the secret of leading a long life

The Koznitzer Maggid

B"H

The Maggid of Koznitz / Poland (Rabbi Israel Hopsztajn (1737 – 1814) used to be extremely sick as a child. In fact, no one expected him to live until he was an adult and most of his life he spent in bed. However, he lived to an advanced age despite all medical predictions.

The Maggid once revealed the secret of him staying alive despite his severe illness:

"I never allow myself to be without a task to perform, he said. People are taken from this world only when their missions here are completed. Whenever I was just about to finish one task, I would start another one; hence, I could not be removed from this world if my task was not completed".

Some people think that we need relaxation and rest but the opposite seems to be the case. In reality we need to use our muscles in order to strengthen them. The same applies to a person: We constantly need to achieve goals; if not we may fall into depression and apathy. 
__________________________

Source:

"Growing Each Day" by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski

A Jew should look at his First - Class - Ticket

B"H

Last night, I went to Chabad for KOL NIDRE and left the Synagogue more than excited. First of all, I liked the service very much but the Rabbi also told a few great chassidic stories and I would like to share one of those stories with you, as it is extremely inspiring.

There once was a poor Jew called Moshke. He had absolutely no money and was hardly able to support his family with his small income. In order to get to work, Moshke had to take a train. Walking would have been too far but he couldn't afford buying a train ticket. What he did was getting on the train and hiding himself under one of the backbenches in the last wagon. Hopefully no conductor would discover him and ask for a ticket.

Everything went well until, one day, Moshke won the lottery. He was so glad that, finally, he was able to buy a ticket just like everyone else. Now he was a rich man but, after buying the ticket and getting onto the train, he, again, hid himself under the bench in the last wagon. This time a conductor discovered him but Moshke stretched out his hand with the ticket. The conductor looked at the ticket and said: "What are you doing here ? This is a First - Class - Ticket and you are sitting under a bench in the regular department".

What we should learn from the story is that every Jew has a First - Class - Ticket in his hand but we have to use it. Instead of feeling so low we should stand up straight and use our G - dgiven potential in every way. Don't make yourself so terribly low and meaningless but show your self - confidence !

Replacing Seder wine with Milk ?

B"H

A true Pessach Story

Once a Jewish woman approached an American Orthodox Rabbi asking him whether she may replace the Seder wine with milk. She said that she is so poor and thus cannot afford wine. The Rabbi thought for a while, gave her 300 $ and told her to buy herself some wine. The woman was happy and went home.

The wife of the Rabbi who had watched the scene was upset, as her husband had just given away 300 $. She asked him for the reason and whether a smaller amount wouldn't have been enough to buy wine. The Rabbi responded that when the woman asked him for replacing wine with milk, he understood that the woman also doesn't have meat for the Seder night. 

One has to look behind the facade and not only listening to what a person says. One has to read between the lines and when someone asked you for help, he may not tell you the whole truth out of shame. Our duty, however, is to look behind the facade and realize the real need of the person asking for help.

"The Three Riders" - A Baal Shem Tov Story

B"H


This Shabbat is "Shabbat Mishpatim" and one of the topics of this Parasha is giving the laws regarding a slave. A slave has to work for six years and in the seventh year, he can walk away as a free man. Kabbalistic and chassidic literature, however, see a much deeper meaning in the here mentioned number six. The six years are seen as a metaphor for the six transformations a soul has to undergo.


The Baal Shem Tov told the following story in his comment on Parashat Mishpatim:

The three Riders

Once the Maggid von Mezritch asked the Baal Shem Tov to explain him the verse "And these are the verdicts I am giving you" from the kabbalistic "Zohar". The Baal Shem Tov told the Maggid to go to the nearby forest where he should sit down under a tree for a few hours. After the Maggid would be coming back, he should tell the Baal Shem Tov what he had seen.

The Maggid went into the forest, sat down under a tree and started asking himself what this has to do with an answer to his question. Suddenly a rider came on his horse, stopped right in front of the Maggid but didn't see him. The rider drank some water out of the river right across and also his horse drank. While the rider was drinking, he lost his purse but didn't notice it. Instead, he went back to his horse and continued his way.

A few minutes later, a second rider came along. He also got off his horse and he also walked over to the river in order to drink. He found the purse, looked inside, was happy and rode away.

Then a third rider came along who, again, stopped and drank from the river. In the meantime, the first rider had noticed the disappearance of his purse and came back. He found the third rider at the very place where he had lost the purse and accused him that he must have taken it. The rider denied and said that there was nothing. No purse.

The first rider got really upset and killed the third rider believing that he had stolen his money.

Meaning: In this life, the first rider paid his debt, the judge was punished for making the wrong decision and the second rider received his money back.

And this is what the "Zohar" means by "And these are the verdicts I am giving you !"

_________________________

The Baal Shem Tov on Parashat Mishpatim

Yaakov and Eliyahu

"The Three Riders" - A Baal Shem Tov Story

B"H


This Shabbat is "Shabbat Mishpatim" and one of the topics of this Parasha is giving the laws regarding a slave. A slave has to work for six years and in the seventh year, he can walk away as a free man. Kabbalistic and chassidic literature, however, see a much deeper meaning in the here mentioned number six. The six years are seen as a metaphor for the six transformations a soul has to undergo.


The Baal Shem Tov told the following story in his comment on Parashat Mishpatim:

The three Riders

Once the Maggid von Mezritch asked the Baal Shem Tov to explain him the verse "And these are the verdicts I am giving you" from the kabbalistic "Zohar". The Baal Shem Tov told the Maggid to go to the nearby forest where he should sit down under a tree for a few hours. After the Maggid would be coming back, he should tell the Baal Shem Tov what he had seen.

The Maggid went into the forest, sat down under a tree and started asking himself what this has to do with an answer to his question. Suddenly a rider came on his horse, stopped right in front of the Maggid but didn't see him. The rider drank some water out of the river right across and also his horse drank. While the rider was drinking, he lost his purse but didn't notice it. Instead, he went back to his horse and continued his way.

A few minutes later, a second rider came along. He also got off his horse and he also walked over to the river in order to drink. He found the purse, looked inside, was happy and rode away.

Then a third rider came along who, again, stopped and drank from the river. In the meantime, the first rider had noticed the disappearance of his purse and came back. He found the third rider at the very place where he had lost the purse and accused him that he must have taken it. The rider denied and said that there was nothing. No purse.

The first rider got really upset and killed the third rider believing that he had stolen his money.

Meaning: In this life, the first rider paid his debt, the judge was punished for making the wrong decision and the second rider received his money back.

And this is what the "Zohar" means by "And these are the verdicts I am giving you !"

_________________________

The Baal Shem Tov on Parashat Mishpatim

Good Morning, Herr Müller

B”H

Near the city of Danzig lived a well – to – do chassidic Rabbi, scion of prominent chassidic dynasties. Dressed in tailored black suit, wearing a top hat, and carrying a silver walking cane, the Rabbi would take his daily morning stroll, accompanied by his tall, handsome son – in – law. During his morning walk it was the Rabbi’s custom to greet every man, woman, and child whom he met on his way with a warm smile and a cordial “Good Morning”. Over the years the Rabbi became acquainted with many of his fellow townspeople this way and would always greet them by their proper title and name.

Near the outskirts of the town, in the fields, he would exchange greetings with Herr Müller, a Polish Volksdeutsche (ethnic German). “Good Morning, Herr Müller !” The Rabbis would hasten to greet the man who worked in the fields. “Good Morning, Herr Rabbiner !”, would come the response with a good – natured smile.

Then the war began. The Rabbi’s strolls stopped abruptly. Herr Müller donned an SS – uniform and disappeared from the fields. The fate of the Rabbi was like that of much of the rest of Polish Jewry. He lost his family in the death camp of Treblinka, and after great suffering was deported to Auschwitz.

One day, during a selection in Auschwitz, the Rabbi stood on line with hundreds of other Jews awaiting the moment when their fates would be decided, for life or death. Dressed in a striped camp uniform, head and beard shaven and eyes feverish from starvation and disease, the Rabbi looked like a walking skeleton. “Right ! Left, left, left !” The voice in the distance drew nearer. Suddenly the Rabbi had a great urge to see the face of the man with the snow – white gloves, small baton and steely voice who played G – d and decided who should live and who should die. He lifted his eyes and heard his own voice speaking:

“Good Morning, Herr Müller !”

“Good Morning, Herr Rabbiner !”, 

responded a human voice beneath the SS cap adorned with skull and bones. “What are you doing here ?” A faint smile appeared on the Rabbi’s lips. The baton moved to the right – to life. The following day, the Rabbi was transported to a safer camp.

The rabbi, now in his 80ies, told me in his gentle voice, “This is the power of a good morning greeting. A man must always greet his fellow man.

______________

Source:

“Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust”

By Yaffa Eliach

Don't complain but say "Baruch HaShem"

B"H


I overheard a conversation between a few young Chassidim. One of them complained to the others that he never has money and that G - d should provide him with more.


One of his friends responded:
"You are only complaining. Think of the Baal Shem Tov story where someone comes to the great chassidic Master and only complains. He doesn't have this, he doesn't have that but he deserves more. The Baal Shem Tov told him to be grateful for what he does have and say "Baruch HaShem - Thank G - d". Meaning: Why can't we just be happy with what we have ? Why do humans tend to look for what they don't have ?


A third Chassid joined the conversation and said:
"You keep on asking for more money. Maybe this is not your destiny. G - d has a certain plan for you and when no further money is coming in, maybe this is not your goal in life but something else. You can ask G - d for as much money as you like. When He doesn't want to give it to you, that's it. The only thing you can do is keep on praying but not only demanding".


I found this conversation very interesting, as it applies to each one of us. How many times have we asked G - d to provide us with more money, a better job, a great life and an expensive car ? We go for the material world but don't look at what we do have. What we achieve and that we are healthy.

Photo: Dwelling Place Below

The Slut in Jeans

Seen in Jerusalem.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B"H

I went to Rabbi Mordechai Machlis' house last Friday night. Not too prepared, as I had just returned from Tiberias and was tired. A friend of mine pushed me to the Machlis' and here we were. Well, I was in pants and death tired.

And when I wear pants, of course, some people from Mea Shearim have to run into me. They hardly ever do so when I wear a skirt and I am dressed in my worst modesty. Once I am not, everyone just comes running and the same happened at the Machlis house.

An aquaintance of mine from Batei Ungarin (Mea Shearim backyard) was also at the Machlis' and saw me in Jeans. She is a divorced Baalat Teshuva and thus, knows the "sinful" world. However, her first reaction was whether I had also come by car. Well, if I wear jeans so I must drive a car on Shabbat.

I did't really understand her logic and told her that I don't take taxis or any cars on Shabbat.

Then a guy I know started talking to me and the young Mea Shearim woman asked me if I have an affair with him. I wear jeans, probably drive on Shabbat and thus I must be a slut as well. She didn't use the word "slut" but her accusations were going into that direction.

I told her that I don't use cars on Shabbat and that I simply know the guy and talk to him. TALK and not having sex with him.

What came into my mind were two things:

1. She is definitely going to tell my Mea Shearim friends from the same backyard about my pants. Maybe about the "car" and the "boyfriend" too.

2. Why is she complaining at all ?

At the Machlis', people do not sit behind a Mechitzah or in other words: There is no gender separation in the livingroom.

The meat served by the Machlis family has the "Rabbi Rubin Hechsher" which is not acceptable in Batei Ungarin. Even the Belzer Chassidim don't eat "Rabbi Rubin".

Tomorrow night I will be at the Machlis' again. Probably wearing pants but walking and not using a car. Talking to some males I know and not turning into a slut. However, as soon as I will be back in Batei Ungarin, I am the car using immodestly dressed slut.

See what can happen when you come home tired and a friend pushes you to do something in order to get some chickensoup for your ongoing cold.

Shabbat Shalom

B"H

Thousands of Jew are gathering in Meron for Lag Ba'Omer. I didn't make it but promised myself doing so next year. In about two weeks, I am traveling to the north in order to visit some Kivrei Zaddikim such as the Rambam in Tiberias, Rabbi Me'ir Ba'al HaNes, Rabbi Akivah, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and the ARI.

It was raining in Jerusalem this morning. A small miracle because rain at the end of April is not very common. While looking for some material for this post, I opened a chassidic tale book and found this story which really fits the subject:

The Thirst of the Plants

The Ziditzover (Rebbe) told the following story:

"Rabbi Joseph Caro (Kabbalist and author of the "Shulchan Aruch") was accustomed to express a holy intention in words before doing anything. Once he arose in the night for a drink of water, but he could remember no words of holiness to utter. Finally he said:

As I am about to quench my thirst with this water, may it please Almighty to still the thirst of plants and trees.

This prayer was accepted and rain which was sorely needed, came down in abundance".

______________________

Source:

"The Hasidic Anthology"

Translated by Louis I. Newman

Going to Mea Shearim tonight, as the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe is giving a Tish. I haven't been to his place for a few months and thus I am really looking forward to see him. He is the most entertaining Rebbe I know so far and he doesn't make any effort to hide that he is uplifted. When Rebbe Shmuel Yaakov is raising into the upper worlds, nothing can stop him anymore from dancing and moving his arms wildly.

This is real Chassidut.

"Shabbat Shalom - Gut Schabbes" to all of you !

Don't leave your Chatzer !

Photo: Tapuz

B"H

My biggest criticism on haredi society is the lack of education. Haredim may claim that their education system is just perfect and the Edah HaCharedi groups (anti - Zionist umbrella organization in Mea Shearim) such as Dushinsky, Toldot Avraham Yitzchak or the Toldot Aharon may be terribly proud of not accepting any money from the Israeli government. Not like Gur or Belz who receive government funds for their Mosdot. This way, the Edah avoids the "Zionist" government to interfere into any of their businesses. On the other hand, Edah schools neither teach English nor any science besides some basic mathematics.

When you look at the Rambam or Ramban times were different and religious Jews were well educated in science or literature. Especially in our time, many haredi students "only" study the Talmud, Halachot and Torah (I am not saying that this is nothing !) but there is no higher education. Jerusalem has some special haredi "Colleges" but I suppose that they are mostly occupied by Litvaks.

As soon as I am in Mea Shearim, the word "UNIVERSITY" is not welcomed. Not even a religious one. First of all, men and women study together and, secondly, worldly science and subjects may cause the religious student drifting away and leave religion. Rabbi Nachman, for instance, told his Chassidim not to study philosophy, as this may influence a frum person and lead his astray.

At the last Shabbat meal in Mea Shearim, the university issue came up again and I heard a Chabad woman telling the following story:

Once a young frum man came to his Rabbi and asked him for permission to go to the university. The Rabbi was studying a book and told the student: "I am just studying exactly the same question in this book. I will read to you what I just learned:

A rooster ran to the farmer and was yelling desperately. It turned out that the fowl had chewed a nail and the nail got stuck in its throat.

The farmer said: "Rooster, rooster, why did you leave my yard (Chatzer) ? There aren't any nails laying around here but you had to stick your nose into a different yard and thus got trapped".

The young man understood that his Rabbi had just answered his question.

Meeting Sarah Einfeld

B"H

So, how is she this Sarah Einfeld ?

About a year and a half ago, Sarah Einfeld left the chassidic group she was born into: Chassidut Gur (Yiddish: Ger) in Ashdod. Since she has been living together with her two children in Ramat Gan (next to Tel Aviv). For the past two years, she is running her famous Israeli blog called "Chor Ba'Sadin - A Hole in the Sheet".

This hole in the sheet is a synonym for the "rumour" that some extreme Chassidim have sex with a sheet. A man throws a sheet with a hole at a particular place over his wife.

However, although this is a widespread rumour, it is mostly not true.

Sarah Einfeld also made a movie (see video on the bottom) against gender separation on haredi busses and she spoke about her experiences within the Gur community.

Only for about the past two months or so, I have been reading Sarah's blog. I received the address through someone else and since I have a subscription. Sarah's blog writing is very talented and she should take into consideration writing a book or further professional articles. Her articles are most about Chassidut Gur and its female members. How she left the group, divorced her husband and how she left with her two little children. Since she left, her parents refuse any contact with her. A behaviour which is not easy to deal with and causes Sarah distress. Nevertheless, sometimes in life one has to make a decision and Sarah stated that she is very happy with her "new" freedom.

Why did I meet Sarah Einfeld ?

First of all, someone convinced me to write her. It would be good for her and me to talk about our experiences in haredi society. So, I sent her an e – mail and she responded almost instantly. Making some inquiries because I may have been a haredi spy or someone from Gur. She obviously has experience because Gur threatened kidnapping her children.

I a kind of identified myself more in detail and we set up a personal meeting which took place in Ramat Gan last week.

The first thing I noticed when I met Sarah Einfeld was how young she looks. Much younger than in the videos. Almost like a teenager. It looked like she was more curious than me because she immediately sat down and started asking me questions bout my life. She is extremely hyperactive but her permanent moves here and there did not bother me at all. I told her that I find it very unusual talking to a chassidic woman who does not look chassidic anymore. Sarah has a tattoo and a piercing. She wore tight jeans but spoke like a Beit Yaakov girl.

This was very strange to me, as I am used talking to women with wigs (Sheitel), modest clothes and all this. Sarah did not look like it but I could definitely tell that she still has this certain way of behaviour. Could be that she does not like to hear that but this is how it is.

I met her because I also expected some answer for myself. It is always good talking to another person with basically the same experience. Sarah's life has been very different from my indeed but I am curious to see how other "runaways" are managing their depressions and emotions. I suppose that Sarah was curious about me because I am still in touch with the haredi community and report about them more or less extensively.

No, she does not speak Yiddish but she understands it.

Nothing unusual in Gur !

No, at the moment she is not sure whether there is a G – d because how could He allow so many women in haredi society to suffer.

I told her that there are many positive sides in haredi society and not everything is a terrible mess. She acknowledged that. However, Sarah does not intend to return to Gur. The first awakening in the morning and the first few minutes of the day only belong to her. Both of us enjoy looking at the haredi society from the outside. I spoke to quite a few male Haredim (from different chassidic groups) about Sarah and almost all of them agreed: Sarah Einfeld is still a "chassidic daughter".

She can do whatever she wants. Tattoos, piercing, not keeping Shabbat but she cannot really leave the chassidic world. Never, ever, because she was born into that.

The "being born into" makes a huge difference and this is what the two of us makes so different from each other.

We only met for two hours in a café. Not enough to talk too much. I felt that she is quite sad about the fact to have lost touch with her parents. A fact that hurts. They let her know that she can come back to Gur. To Gur and only to Gur. She has to wear a Sheitel and dress modestly. Including regretting the picture of her in the Sukkot edition of "Yediot Acharonot" where she was not too modest.

I have to admit that I admire her.

We had ordered some food and she stuffed it in. Without washing hands or saying blessings.

Maybe she secretly did in her mind. I do not know …

I, on the other hand, would have a hard time overcoming my guilt feelings. I think too much and she just does.

Despite all the behaviour, I am sure that Sarah has her bad regretting moments. Moments of depression.

Unfortunately we did not have enough time to speak about this issue in detail. She had to pick up her kids from Kindergarden but we keep in touch and hopefully meet again.

Her Ex only allowed her to take one suitcase. Maybe she has not a perfect life yet. It is hard to support a family and earn a living. Her case was intensively discussed in haredi forums. Many many comments accused her of misbehaving. Being a drug addict, insane, whatever. Those are the typical justifications from certain parts of haredi society. As soon as you do not function according to the community rules, you are nuts. A rebel. Drugged and crazy.

Instead of realizing and dealing with the problem, many Haredim and their Rabbis / Rebbes are totally unable to deal with this social problem. They mostly ignore it and thus, making it even worse.

If Chassidut Gur had dealt with Sarah in a different way, maybe involved social workers looking for tolerant solutions, she may have stayed. Just marrying someone off with the first Shidduch is definitely not a solution. Haredi society still thinks that it is possible to marry problems away. "Once you are married and have four, five or six kids, you will not think about rebelling. You just calm down, adjust and shut up".

Can this be a life ? What about one's personal feelings ? The unhappiness and depression ?

Do I not have a right to be myself ? To find my inner self; the ME ?

As the Arizal (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, 1534 – 1572) based on a Midrash stated:

Not every Jew is alike. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, there actually where thin separation walls in order to separate the different tribes. Ruven is not like Menashe and Gad is not Levi. Otherwise G – d would have created us alike. Our challenge is to see something special in every Jew but understand that each of us has a special and different soul root. Not everyone can be chassidic, litvish, whatever. Knowing how to deal with this is the big challenge before Meshiach is coming !

Sarah Einfeld in her movie "Soreret - Rebellious"

IN THE ROOM OF THE REBBE IN WARSAW 65 YEARS AGO

B"H


Since the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel
Schneerson, it has become my custom to distribute this story annually,
in time for the fifth night of Chanukah.


IN THE ROOM OF THE REBBE IN WARSAW 65 YEARS AGO
(As told by Reb Moshe Chaim Greenwald – NY – The story was released
shortly following the passing of The Rebbe Z”TL)


Since the Histalkus (death) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, at the places
where I daven (pray) and work, Jews from all sects don't stop talking
about the Rebbe. Not just stories in general, but it's interesting to
see that every Jew feels some sort of personal relationship with the
Rebbe. When I speak to these Jews, I tell them that I think that even
though until now they have not told their story, now it's a Mitzvah to
tell it so that our children would know about the great Tzaddik
(righteous person) and shepherd we had amongst us. As it says, "Bless
Hashem (G-D), Bless the servant of Hashem." To fulfill what I am
telling others to do I will tell a wondrous story that happened to my
father Z"L. Up until now this story remained in the family, but now I
feel it is incumbent upon me to publicize it.

"The Three Riders" - A Baal Shem Tov Story

B"H


The time before Chanukkah seems to have something cozy. I love the atmosphere in Mea Shearim then. Not the shopkeepers trying to sell the most expensive oil and Chanukiyot; no, I am talking about the entire atmosphere, even the air. Chanukkah in Mea Shearim / Ge'ulah is special.

It says in kabbalistic and chassidic literature that the Chanukkah candles stand for the Neshamot (souls). When we look at the burning candles, our souls are warming up.
Here is a story to warm up and also to remember today's Yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch:



The three Riders

Once the Maggid von Mezritch asked the Baal Shem Tov to explain him the verse "And these are the verdicts I am giving you" from the kabbalistic "Zohar". The Baal Shem Tov told the Maggid to go to the nearby forest where he should sit down under a tree for a few hours. After the Maggid would be coming back, he should tell the Baal Shem Tov what he had seen.

The Maggid went into the forest, sat down under a tree and started asking himself what this has to do with an answer to his question. Suddenly a rider came on his horse, stopped right in front of the Maggid but didn't see him. The rider drank some water out of the river right across and also his horse drank. While the rider was drinking, he lost his purse but didn't notice it. Instead, he went back to his horse and continued his way.



A few minutes later, a second rider came along. He also got off his horse and he also walked over to the river in order to drink. He found the purse, looked inside, was happy and rode away.

Then a third rider came along who, again, stopped and drank from the river. In the meantime, the first rider had noticed the disappearance of his purse and came back. He found the third rider at the very place where he had lost the purse and accused him that he must have taken it. The rider denied and said that there was nothing. No purse.
The first rider got really upset and killed the third rider believing that he had stolen his money.


Meaning: In this life, the first rider paid his debt, the judge was punished for making the wrong decision and the second rider received his money back.
And this is what the "Zohar" means by "And these are the verdicts I am giving you !"
_________________________

The Baal Shem Tov on Parashat Mishpatim

Rebbe Stories

B"H

Those of you being interested inreading some not too well - known Rebbe stories should have a look here:

http://rebbestories.blogspot.com/

Dining like in Avraham's Tent

B"H

Last Shabbat I spent two Shabbat meals in Mea Shearim. I am purposely not mentioning from which chassidic group the Mea Shearim family is, as they don't want to appear on the Internet. However, usually male and female sit in two separate rooms. Not all the time but as soon as the family has guests in the house.

Our host told us that she wants everybody eating in her house saying "Bircat HaMazon - The Grace after the Meal" after they finish eating. "Without benching, no one is leaving my house", so our host. Just as Avraham Avinu asked his guests in his tent to thank G - d after a meal, I want my guests thanking G - d as well".

Then she told us that once a girl came for Shabbat and refused to bench after the meal. Instead she said that she wants to thank the host, as she had cooked all the food. The host said that G - d provided the food and then the two started an argument. Eventually the host said: "Listen, if you don't want to bench, you have to pay me for the meal after Shabbat !" She didn't let the girl leave and was prepared to give her a bed in her house until Mozzaei Shabbat. In the end, the girl said Bircat HaMazon" and thus was able to leave.

A few months later, guess what happened.
The girl came back to this particular family and announced that she was now studying at the women's seminary Neve Yerushalaim.

I am not sure if this is such a good story but I know one thing:
I will always bench in that house in order not to find myself kidnapped in Mea Shearim !

A Rabbi Nachman Story

B"H

I heard the following story about Rabbi Nachman of Breslov from Rabbi Mordechai Machlis:

Once Rabbi Nachman went for a walk and saw a young buy standing in the street and crying. He went over and asked the boy why he was so sad. The boy responded that him and a few other children played "Seek - and - Hide" and non of the other children had come searching for him.

Rabbi Nachman told the boy that it is the same with G - d. Sometimes He is crying as well (in a metaphorical sense). Our task in this world is to seek and find G - d. Everything in this physical world is "hidden" and we need to seek and find.
The Hebrew word for "World" is "Olam". Olam also has the same roots as the word "Ne'elam - Disappear or Hidden".

As G - d is hidden throughout the whole Purim story, He does the same practise in our private lives. Each one of us should individually think about how many miracles have happened in his life so far. Sometimes it is hard for us to understand that we failed. If something negative is happening to us, we concentrate our mind on asking why it happened to us and what the purpose may be. Our problem is that we don't see the whole picture but only small parts of it. The moment we review certain events in the future, we usually get a clearer picture and many times understand that even the negativity in a particular situation had turned out to be positive for us.

The Peyes are stuck in the Door !

B"H

"Peyes (the side curls of Chassidim) always bother", I heard a young Israeli soldier saying to his friend. The two were sitting on the same bus with me and I overheard their rather funny sounding conversation. Although the two were soldiers in the Israeli army, both came originally for the US.

"Why is that ?" the second soldier asked his friend.
"Well, because long Peyes can get stuck everywhere. Just imagine you shut the door and uuurrgghhh. They are stuck behind you".

Personally, I have never met anyone whose Peyes got stuck in a door, in a car, in machines etc. Maybe there are such incidents, who knows.

Generally, Chassidim always get the first looks due to their different clothing style. Wearing a Streimel (traditional fur hat) or long coat (caftan) during the hot summer heat cannot be too pleasant and outsiders are wondering about that. "Who can suffer such clothes ?" they then ask.

However, nowhere in the world is tradition as important as in the chassidic world. Many Chassidim say that tradition which proved to be right 50 years ago, 100 years ago or 300 years ago, cannot be wrong today. And many Chassidim go according to the "Chatam Sofer" (Rabbi Moshe Sofer, 1762 - 1839, born in Frankfurt / Germany and died in Bratislava). In particular, the Chassidut Dushinsky is following him in detail. The Chatam Sofer fought enthusiastically against the new reform movement. "The Torah doesn't allow us any changes", Rabbi Moshe Sofer stated. However, his followers extended this ideology also into many issues concerning the private life.

Once, I was invited by a Dushinsky family where the host told me that she learned all her traditions from her mother. Not only regarding her modest clothing style but also the behaviour towards the children as well as the hairstyle of a chassidic woman.
"Of course, my children theoretically could have left the old ways and set up some changes. Anyway, I raised them this way that they wouldn't", she let me know.

Don't such views and opinions show fear of anything new in life ? And if there was anything new, would this automatically lead to changes within the whole chassidic society ? Would then society fall apart ?

I don't think so because the roots are too deep. Maybe Hundreds of rebels would have to show up in order to cause a few slow changes. But who wants to cause great changes when the old ways have mostly proven right ? And even if there were some rebels, who would endanger his own place in chassidic society ? Who would endanger good schools for his children and suitable Shidduchim ? Whoever wants changes, has to face society consequences.

Despite all the traditions, I have never heard a Chassid complaining about his Peyes being stuck in a door !!!

Marriage for America

B"H

It was quite a while ago and I hope that in the meantime, both main figures of this story are happily married or at least, happy with their lives.

It was an Erev Shabbat and I together with a few other people were invited at my friend Channah's. Channah lives in Mea Shearim and has been married for many years to a Satmarer Chassid. Together, they have more than ten children of whom all are married and already have their own children.

Whoever comes to Channah's Shabbat meals has to get used to many things. Among other things, women and men do have separate seating; the women in the living room with the old Austrian red furniture, and the men sit right at the entrance door in front of the living room.

The separation is due to modesty reasons and usually Channah's husband is taking care of male visitors while Channah and her daughters like to talk to the females.

I was sitting next to the door and could spy into the men's section. A Satmarer Chassid at about my age was sitting there. Channah was running around with her dishes and told me that the guy was born in Hungary and had joined Chassidut Satmar only recently. To be honest, I already thought about how to manage a Shidduch date with the guy but Channah destroyed all my dreams. She announced that the guy had just got engaged with a very nice young American girl.

Who could that be ? Of course, a girl who had also found her way to Satmar and was ready to wear a hanky (white Tichel) over her wig on Shabbat.

Nevertheless, I was totally mistaken. A very nice young girl walked in and her face was shining. Her fiancée seemed to be happy as well but I was upset.

On the next day, we were all back at Channah's for lunch. This time, our host couldn't stop talking about the nice couple anymore. She just went on and on.

Afterwards I didn't see the couple for a few months and had already forgotten about the incident. But only until I once took a bus from the Kotel (Western Wall) to my religious neighbourhood where I used to live. The bus was packed with Haredim and suddenly someone tipped on my shoulder. It was the American girl from Channah's. I would have never recognized her but she did.

Curiously I asked if she and the Hungarian had finally got married.
She told me that the whole thing was just a disaster. "The only thing he wanted was my American passport in order to live in the States."

Every day he asked her at least a thousand times when she is ready to move to New York but she had made Aliyah and didn't intend to return to the US. As soon as he finally got the message, he left her. Or in other words, she kicked him out.
Probably he was already busy looking for another young American girl who believed his stories. The Satmar thing had just been his own show and he wasn't interested at all.

The girl was lucky to find that out before her wedding. And I was happy that I never had to face such a situation.

Maybe the Hungarian would have also liked a German passport, who knows. The only thing is that I am only an Israeli citizen, as I lost my German citizenship.

A Story from the Arizal

B"H

The wife of Rabbi Mordechai Machlis, Rabbanit Henny Machlis, very much likes to tell the following story on Shabbat:

It was at the time of the Arizal (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, 1534 - 1572) in Safed.

There was a certain poor couple which one day decided to give G - d a present. They were thinking and thinking what they could give to G-d. Eventually they came to the conclusion to bake Lechem HaPanim (the shewbread from the Temple).

On a Friday morning they started to bake the Lechem HaPanim. They were singing and dancing through the kitchen, and their house was full of joy. An hour before Shabbat, the husband of the couple went to the synagogue and put the Lechem HaPanim into the Aron HaKodesh. The couple hoped that G - d would accept their present for Shabbat.

A little later, the rabbi of the synagogue found the Lechem HaPanim in the Aron and thought: Who could have been so crazy to put Shabbat challot into the Aron HaKodesh.
Finally he took the challot home.

In the middle of the night, the husband of the couple came back to the synagogue, checked the Aron and saw that the bread was gone. Happily he went home and told his wife that G - d had accepted their present.

From now on they did so every Friday. The house was full of joy and they were dancing around the kitchen table. And every Friday, the rabbi was wondering who had put the bread into the Aron. Until one Friday he decided to hide in the synagogue and see what is going on.
That's what he did and after a while he saw the man putting the Lechem HaPanim into the Aron. The rabbi jumped unto the man and said: "What are you doing here?"
The man replied that him and his wife baked the Lechem HaPanim as a Shabbat present for G - d.
You fool, replied the rabbi. Do you really think that G-d needs you presents ? Go home and take your challot with you.

Disappointed and broken came the man home to his wife and told her what had happened. They started crying.

A few days later, the Arizal came to the rabbi and told him that there was a decree in the heavenly court. The rabbi will die within a few days.
Why ? asked the rabbi the Arizal.
The Arizal answered: When the couple baked the Lechem HaPanim, there was so much joy in the upper worlds which had never been since the Temple was destroyed. And you just destroyed the couple's joy. That's why the heavenly court made its decision.

It is not known if the rabbi really died later on or if his Teshuva was accepted.