Midrash Stories

Do you wonder at times what possible purpose some little insect might have for being?

The people looked at each other in amazement. What did he mean? Why was this Rosh Hashanah so special?

Despite all the evil that she had done to him in the years gone by, Rabi Yosi now forgot the past.

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“Leave me Zemira,” cried Raamyah, “I have shamed you and your family. I have deceived my child whom I love so much. Turn your back on me for I can offer you only tragedy and unhappiness.”

The king felt bad and he tried to argue against such a harsh verdict being meted out to so prominent a man as Daniel.

The fair closed and spring turned into summer and the peddler never came to call for his sack. The rebbetzin soon forgot about it.

While he slept, he dreamed of Eliyahu HaNavi, who was trying to awaken him from his sleep.

In the days of the Second Beis Hamikdash the Romans ruled over Eretz Yisrael and installed a king by the name of Hordus, or Herod, to enforce their rule. Hordus was an evil and ambitious man, and was quick to do whatever the Romans requested of him, no matter how terrible the decree was. Because of this, the Jewish people hated him, and this in turn caused him to hate them even more.

The inhabitants of Yerushalayim were exceptionally clever. Rabi Chuna said in the name of Rabi Yose, “Wherever this Yerushalmi went in the provinces, they arranged a seat of honor for him to sit upon in order to listen to his wisdom.”

They all gathered in the main synagogue to formulate a plan of action. At the height of the discussion, someone suggested using Nachumka.

“It must be that beggar,” he exclaimed. “He probably stole my cane.”

“But,” the people protested, “many have attempted to do as you advise and we see that they have not been able to succeed.”

But the furious merchant would not listen to his word and slapped him across the face – twice! Rav Avraham Abush suffered the blows in silence, refusing to use his name or prestige to protect himself.

Because of this I wandered about and found friends in similar situations who were also unhappy and I began to hang out with them.

The question bothered him very much and he decided to go to the town square where all the poor were gathered and ask them.

“I wanted you to have a taste of the cold,” answered Rav Chaim. “This way, you too can feel the intense cold and realize the suffering of this man and his wife, who are now residing in a bitterly cold house.”

By having a powerful army ready and prepared to do battle at a moment’s notice. But he should be discreet in using the army. He should carry a big stick but speak softly.

Every night he would go out in the darkness and dig for hours until the waters began to rise, and watering places for the weary and thirsty came into being.

The question bothered him very much and he decided to go to the town square where all the poor were gathered and ask them.

When Shammai heard these words he was deeply hurt and was sure that the man had come only to offend and mock him.

His wife being the prototype of an aishes chayil hurried and diligently prepared a truly delicious meal, fit for the finest table.

Suddenly a thought entered his mind. Of course, that was the way. It could yet save their lives.

When the young man awoke, he did not know where he was. As he looked around, the princess looked out and saw him.

“You speak foolishly, daughter, how is it possible for a man who has not eaten for 10 years to live?”

Onkelos, however, was unhappy. Something within his soul told him that his life was empty and lacking in the important things that make one’s existence meaningful.

The life of our sages was never an easy one. Although persecuted by the Romans, they continued to devote all their efforts to the study of Torah and doing good deeds.

Czar Nicholas was a rabid anti-Semite and constantly sought means and methods to convert the Jews to Christianity. But the harsher the decrees he issued against the Jews, the more tenaciously they adhered to the tenets of their forefathers.

Although Daniel was the chief minister in Bavel, he could not eradicate the custom practiced in many provinces of worshipping idols. In the capital city there was a statue of Baal and more and more people began to worship it. Even the king was beginning to believe in its power.

“Suddenly the Baal Shem Tov looked out of the window and exclaimed, ‘We too have a spiritual soul to save! Hurry get the coach and horses ready – we have a journey to make.’