R’ יעקב יוסף of Polnoye, one of the greatest חסידים of the בעל שם טוב, begged him to give him extra sensory perception, the ability to read other people’s minds. The בעל שם טוב granted his request. ר׳ יעקב יוסף went to the market, met a man and kissed him on the brow. Then he
R’ מרדכי גיאורגו לאנגר traveled from Prague to Belz, where he arrived on a Friday afternoon. Seeing his strange attire, a חסיד of ר׳ ישכר-בר רוקח mockingly said that perhaps he’s the משיח. Another חסיד responded that we have a tradition שאין משיח בא בערב שבת עם חשיכה. Overhearing this, ר׳ ישכר-בר said: “Let him
Rabbi Solomon received a phone call from a man identifying himself as an IRS agent. “Rabbi,” he asked, “is Daniel Gold a member of your congregation?" Yes, the Rabbi responded. “Did he donate $50,000 to the congregation building fund last year?” the agent asked. “He will.”
When a pregnant woman came to ר׳ אברהם יהושע השל, saying that she had miscarried several times and needed a ישועה so that she doesn’t do so again, the רב lifted his shirtsleeve and asked her to smell his skin. Surprised, the woman asked how that would help. The רב explained that in אבות
Mordechai and his wife Ruth went to a kosher restaurant on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn and ordered steak and fries. They were served with fantastically tasty, giant steaks which were the best they had in years. They were so excited about their meal that they told their friends Abe and Rita about it. Abe
Which category of קרבנות is unique and is like a bellybutton? The חטאת. It is the only קרבן offered on both the outer מזביח and the inner מזביח. Like a bellybutton, there is an outie and an innie.
We see in מסכת סנהדרין at 98b that there is a four way מחלוקת about the name of משיח. Some say his name is מנחם; some say שילה, some say ינון and some say חנינא. What they all have in common is that the first letter of each name, when combined, forms the word משיח.
On the Yahrzeit of his father, a חסיד went to a בית כנסת of מתנגדים and served as the בעל תפילה. When he said ויצמח פורקניה ויקרב משיחיה during קדיש, a murmur arose in the Shul. After the תפילה, he turned to the מתפללים who had made negative and hurtful comments and said "ויצמח פורקניה
An elderly author of a ספר brought it to רבי אייזל חריף to request his הסכמה. After reviewing it, the רבי said to him "Be careful not to lose your ספר in the street." Surprised, he asked the רבי what he meant. "You need to be concerned," רבי אייזל replied, "that a גוי will find
An אפיקורס once asked the בריסקר רב whether he is obligated to fast on a צום. The רב said No. Surprised, the אפיקורס asked why. "Our sages have taught that fasting is כנגד הקרבת דם על המזבח because the תענית diminishes a person's blood and חלב. But since you eat טריפות, your blood is פסול
