"Mi k'amcha Yisrael – Who is like Your nation, Israel?!"

It was the afternoon before Passover, and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was wandering through the streets of the Jewish quarter seeking out local smugglers. From one he quietly asked for a quote on contraband tobacco, from another he enquired about the availability of smuggled brocades and embroideries. No matter the merchandise he sought, everything was available for the right price.

However, when he started asking his newfound acquaintances to supply him with some bread or whiskey, those very same businessmen who had previously proved so accommodating balked. "Rabbi," said one, "are you trying to insult me? The seder will be starting in just a few hours and no Jew would have even a speck of chametz left in his home or business."

Not one merchant was able to come up with even a crumb of bread or dram of alcoholNo matter the price offered, not one merchant was willing or able to come up with even a crumb of bread or dram of alcohol. The town had converted into a chametz-free zone.

Thrilled with the results of his failed quest, the rabbi looked up to heaven and declared: "G‑d Almighty, look down with pride at Your people! The Czar has border guards and tax-commissioners dedicated to his commands. The police and the courts are devoted to tracking down and punishing smugglers and black-marketers, and yet, anything one could possibly want is available. Contrast this with the faith and fidelity of Your Jews. It has been over 3,000 years since you commanded us to observe Passover. No police, no guards, no courts and jails enforce this edict—and yet every Jew keeps Your laws to the utmost!

"Mi k'amcha Yisrael – Who is like Your nation, Israel?!"

The Nochumsohn Wedding

Stories on a Motzei Shabbos

Question: Why is it customary to tell stories of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of the Hasidic movement) after Shabbos ends?

Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. For the most part, I have heard that it is customary to teach stories of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, and their disciples, etc., on Saturday night after Shabbos, at the Melaveh Malka meal which is eaten some time after the Havdalah ceremony. At this meal we sing songs of King David and Elijah the Prophet. It is called the Meal of King David because the prophet Nathan told King David that he would die on a Shabbos, thus King David would make a meal every week after Shabbos to celebrate being granted another week of life. Elijah the prophet is also a major theme on Saturday night because the Bible teaches that Elijah will come back at the end of days to announce the coming of the Messiah. The Sages teach that Elijah cannot come on Friday or Shabbos, thus Saturday night is special as it is the first opportunity for Elijah to come in the week after time when he could not have come.

The Baal Shem Tov has some connection to King David as they both share the same Yahrtzeit, which is the holiday of Shavuos.

The holy Ohr HaChayim (author of the Torah commentary by the same name) taught that the Torah actually tells us that God created the world for only six days, and when He saw the works of the righteous He decided to keep the world going. Some say that this is one reason we tell stories of the righteous people on Saturday night, as a reminder, as it were, to God to keep the world going.

The old Belzer Rebbe taught “everyone says that it is a segulah (good omen or charm) for Parnassah (livelihood and wealth) to tell stories of the Baal Shem Tov on Saturday night after Shabbos.” “I disagree,” he said. “It is not only a Segulah for Parnassah, it is a Segulah for all good things. It is not only Saturday night but any time. And it is not only stories of the Baal Shem Tov, but of all of the Tzaddikim (righteous people), even of us.”

There are different traditions of which Tzaddikim are Segulos for different good things.

Also, if one tells a story about something good happening to someone, particularly with a blessing from a Tzaddik, it is a Segulah that such things will happen in the world, either to yourself or to help others.

There is a statement in the Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (Chapters of the Fathers) that “Lo HaMedrash Ha’Ikar Eleh Ha’Maaseh” – “the main thing is not the study but the action”, meaning that a scholar that is not pious is empty. One Hassidic Rebbe noted humorously that the word “Maaseh“, which means “action”, also means “story”, which he taught that “the main thing is not the study, rather it’s the telling of stories.” Hasidic Jews consider story telling to be a divine devotion to God, and this is especially practiced on Saturday nights.

The Rabbi's Smile


Rabbi Levi Yitzhak sent for a wealthy man who lived in his town of Berdichev. When he arrived, the rabbi implored him, "There is a poor man who needs assistance. I have asked all the others to give to a fund for him. But a substantial sum is still needed. I have no one else to ask but you."

"Rabbi, it pains me to refuse you. I obey every commandment, every mitzvah. You know that. But I will not give to any of these special causes. In fact, I wish you wouldn't even ask me in the future. That way, I won't be forced to dishonor you by turning you down."

Months later, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak was visited by the brother of that wealthy man. The brother, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak learned, was poor, had many children, and now needed money for the marriage of one of his daughters. Naturally, he had asked his wealthy brother for assistance. His brother had turned him down. Rabbi Levi Yitzhak looked at the man a long while. Then he said, "Do not worry. I believe I know what to do."

The next day, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak appeared at the wealthy brother's door. When the surprised man escorted the rabbi inside, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak walked to a chair and sat down. He said nothing. Respectfully, the wealthy man stood in front of him, waiting for the rabbi to speak.

Rabbi Levi Yitzhak smiled, but did not speak. After a long time, the wealthy man sat down. Even so, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak remained silent.

An hour later Rabbi Levi Yitzhak, still smiling, got up and left.

The next day, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak appeared again at the wealthy man's door. Again, the wealthy man sat in silence for an entire hour, waiting for the smiling rabbi to speak.

The third day, Rabbi Levi Yitzhak appeared once more. He sat silently for another hour, then got up to leave. As he rose, the wealthy man said, "I can't bear this, rabbi. Why do you come here and say nothing? And why do you smile the whole time?"

Rabbi Levi Yitzhak settled back in his chair. "Our sages say it is a mitzvah, a commandment, to give a rebuke when it will be heeded. And they also say we are commanded not to chastise when it will not have a positive effect.

"All these years, my friend, I have fulfilled the first of those commandments many times. But the second one? The people in this town have been eager to hear what I want and to do what I ask. As a result, I have never had the opportunity to fulfill the commandment not to offer a rebuke. So I smile in pleasure at fulfilling a commandment for the first time!"

The wealthy man turned red with embarrassment. At last he said, "What is it you wish me to do?" When Rabbi Levi Yitzhak told him, he gave a large sum of money for his brother.

As Rabbi Levi Yitzhak left, he smiled.

It was the custom of Rebbe Zusia of Anapol, to recite his morning prayers at length. After he concluded, he would retire to his room next to the shul. Once there, he would open the window and, lifting his eyes to the heavens, call out, "Ribbono shel Olam, Zusia is very hungry and desires to eat something!"

Every morning, his attendant would wait until he heard Reb Zusia's appeal, then he would bring in Reb Zusia's morning meal of cake with a little schnapps. One morning the attendant thought to himself, "Why doesn't Reb Zusia ask me directly for his meal. In fact, who does he think he is fooling by calling out to G-d like that? He knows full well that I bring him his food everyday." So on the spot he decided that the next morning he would not bring Reb Zusia's meal when he called out. He would just wait to see what would happen and where Reb Zusia's would look for his meal.

The next morning, Reb Zusia awoke as usual, well before the light of day. As he did every morning, he first went to the town mikveh to immerse himself in preparation for the day's holy work. The night had been a rainy one in Anapol, and the streets of the town had already turned to rivers of mud. In order to get from one side of the street to another, one had to cross on narrow planks that were laid across the flowing mud. As Reb Zusia was crossing in the direction of the mikveh, a man whom he didn't recognize, a guest in town, was coming towards Reb Zusia from the other side. When he saw Reb Zusia, gaunt, almost emaciated, dressed in rags without a tooth in his mouth, the stranger yelled out, "Tramp!" and with a hearty laugh jumped up and down on the plank causing Reb Zusia to tumble into the mud. Reb Zusia didn't say a word. He calmly picked himself out of the mud and continued on his way to the mikveh, while the stranger sauntered off into the distance, chuckling merrily the whole way as he re-enacted his clever maneuver over and over in his mind. When he arrived back at the inn where he was staying, he couldn't help but brag to the innkeeper about his amusing prank. The innkeeper didn't laugh so quickly. He asked the guest to describe the tramp whom he had catapulted into the mud. Upon hearing, he clapped his hands to his head and cried out in anguish, "Oy! Oy vavoy! Do you know what you did? That was not just some itinerant, that was the Rebbe Reb Zusia!"

Now it was the turn of the guest to cry out "Oy vavoy," for Reb Zusia was known to all as a holy tzaddik. Trembling, the guest struck his breast, "Oy vey, Oy Vey! What am I going to do now? What am I going to do!"

"Don't worry," exclaimed the innkeeper, regaining his composure. "Listen to me. I know what you should do. Reb Zusia spends many hours every morning in prayer. When he is finished he goes into his private room next to the shul. There he opens the window, and anybody can see how he thrusts his head out, and calls toward the heavens, 'Ribbono shel Olam, Zusia is very hungry and desires to eat something!' So, I'll prepare some cakes and some schnapps for you to take to him. When you hear him call out to the Creator, you go in immediately with this gift, and offer it to him and beg his forgiveness. I'm certain that he will forgive you whole-heartedly."

That morning, like every morning, after the prayers, Reb Zusia went into his room, opened the window and called out, "Ribbono shel Olam, Zusia is very hungry and desires to eat something!" The attendant, upon hearing Reb Zusia, held his ground and clasped his folded arms together even tighter, waiting to see what the outcome would be. "Let Ribbono shel Olam bring him his cake this morning", he huffed to himself. Suddenly the door to the shul opened and a man, holding a large plate of cakes and a bottle of schnapps came in and made his way to the room of Reb Zusia. He went straight in, put the cakes on the table, and then fell to the floor in grief, begging the tzaddik for his forgiveness (which he was certainly granted). Let it be known, that the attendant came to understand that it really was the Master of the World who brought Reb Zusia his breakfast every morning.

"Where is God to be found? In the place where He is given entry"The Kotzker Rebbe

The Ten Shul Commandments : (or, your ten step guide to synagogue confidence:)

1. If you arrive after the start don't sit down right away, but
instead open the book near the beginning and spend 2 or 3
minutes turning slowly through the pages while mumbling under
your breath. If you recognise any of the Hebrew words, say one
or two of them a little louder so those around you can hear.

2. Find a seat just behind someone who looks like they know
what's going on. (You can tell this person because they are
likely to be mumbling to themselves under their breath). Make
sure this person is using the same siddur as you. Keep a
note of what page they are on by glancing casually over their
shoulder every now and again. A pair of strong magnification
glasses may help here.

3. When putting on the tallit wrap it around your head for a few
seconds while mumbling under your breath. If you want to look really
pious, leave it there for the whole service, close your eyes but try not to fall asleep.

4. Liberally sprinkle your time in shul with more barely audible
mumbles as you look intently at the pages of your siddur. Again,
the odd word, phrase or line spoken accurately and a little
louder than the rest goes down very well.

5. Don't jump up whenever the person in front does so. They may
be stretching their legs. Instead, wait a moment until a
significant proportion of the congregation are standing. In this
way, even if they are all stretching their legs you won't look
conspicuous.

6. See those guys near the front that are wandering around with
an air of assurance? These are the shammosim. AVOID EYE CONTACT
WITH THESE PEOPLE or you may find yourself being asked to do
something strange like opening the curtain of the Aron Kodesh or,
heaven forbid, saying something in Hebrew out loud in front of everyone.

7. The easiest way to look the part is to shockel.People have won
international shockelling competitions without having a clue about
where in the service they were.
Advanced shockellers will even shockel when everyone else is
sitting. (Of course, sometimes this may be a disguised
leg-stretch).

Schockelling is an entire lesson in itself but there are two
basic forms. The "lateral swing" is usually seen in
ultra-orthodox congregations. Here the practitioner is perfectly
still from the waist down (feet together, naturally), while the
top half of the body repeatedly twists at speed.

The "Hammerhead" is more prevalent in mainstream orthodox shuls
and, as the name suggests, the congregant looks as if they are
trying to bang a nail into the floor with his head. (I say "his"
because women prefer to use this time for kibitzing or kvelling
over the way their grandson shockels.).

Shockelling mainly takes place during the silent Amidah. This is
about 10 pages during which you have no idea where everyone else
is. All you do know is that if the others were really reading
all the prayers involved they would be contenders for the world
speed-reading record. You know when it starts because everyone
takes three steps back, then three steps forward, then they bow.
This is your cue to start shockelling while turning the pages of
your prayer book approximately every 15 seconds. The end of the
silent Amidah is signalled by everyone taking three short steps
back, bowing to the left, the right and the centre and then
looking round to see if they won.

8. Is the Rabbi speaking in English and yet you can't understand
what he's on about? If so, this is the sermon and it's your job
to look alive. Paying attention to the sermon is a skill that
may take many years to master rather in the way that one learns
how to complete cryptic crosswords. The formula for this
particular puzzle is fairly simple: The narrative of Torah
portion you have just heard plus something from local or
national news equals "you should go to shul more regularly" or
"your home isn't kosher enough".

9. Feel free to talk to people near you at any time. Business
and football are particularly appropriate topics of
conversation. Seeking kavanah and listening to the sermon will
be regarded with suspicion in most communities.

10. If you can keep your cool until the end of the service you
will be rewarded. At last something that is familiar, and a
chance to clear your throat and give it some as you bash out Ein
Kelokaynu just like you did at cheder all those years ago.
One final word of warning. If it goes well and you feel
confident enough to go back for a second week running you will
be classified as a regular. This means there is a very good
chance you will be asked to be the next synagogue chairman.

Sent in By Graham Smith

Purim 5770 Seuda

Purim - Drum Cafe