Jewish stories for children of all ages

Rabbi Levi Yitzchok was the Rov of Berditchev, which had many wealthy Jews, and some that were not. Those who needed help were sometimes visited by a mysterious farmer with a fur hat and a red scarf who would deliver packages of food to those in need, along with some money. After Rabbi Levi Yitzchok went away from life, his talmidim ventured into the tzaddik's secret cellar, where they found the clothing of the mysterious farmer.

When the cruel pasha of Tsefas orders the Jews to bring him 500 white roosters or suffer a bitter end, they become fearful as it is well known that no white roosters could be found for hundreds of miles. But Reb Yosef Sargusi advises them well, and soon the pasha gets a very big surprise indeed.

When Boruch hosts the Holy Baal Shem Tov, he sees a wondrous sight- the Maharal of Prague visits the Baal Shem Tov during Tikkun Chatzos and tells the Baal Shem Tov to inform his host that he will expect a son who will have the Maharal's neshomo. This boy grew up to become the famous "Shpoler Zeide".

Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev faces his very first case as the new Rov of the city. It seems like an open and shut case- property in the possession of orphans cannot be claimed by a merchant with no document and no witnesses. But the Berditchever Rov suspects there is a deeper lesson to be learned, and his caution and patience is rewarded when the merchant remembers an event from fifty years earlier.

Back in Prague, R. Yehudah Aryeh slowly forgets about his brother R. Moshe's sorry state. He sends his grandsons to learn with the Tosfos YomTov, and one of them, Avraham Moshe, receives special instruction in Kabbalah. Soon, an old friend of the family reminds them that their ancestor R. Shmuel Tzadok was punished with a son like R. Moshe because he himself would ridicule those who studied kabbalah. Avraham Moshe is saddened to hear of his great-uncle Moshe's situation, and asks R. Eliyahu Baal Shem, recently moved to Prague for advice.

Several weeks later, in Elul, R. Chaim Rappaport visits the Baal Shem Tov in Medzibuzh and hears the underlying story behind his mission to the abandoned estate. 160 years previously, a talmid chacham from Prague moved to Lvov. Known as “R. ShmuelTzadok, the opponent of Kabbalah and Mussar", his hostility to Mussar, and toKabbalah in which he had no faith, he implanted in his sons R. Moshe and R. Yehudah Arye.

The Baal Shem Tov sends his talmid Moshe Meshel to deliver two letters, both to residents of Lvov. The first, to the Av Beis Din R. Chaim Rappaport, contains mysterious instructions for an upcoming journey. The second, to R. Chaim Yisroel the Potter, is delivered in silence. Unbeknownst to anyone, Chaim Yisroel is a hidden tzaddik who must act soon to prevent a calamity.

The Baal Shem Tov offers a brocho to a confident businessman, who turns it down. When the businessman loses his fortune 16 years later, he has a second chance thanks to the Baal Shem Tov's ruach haKodesh.

The Rav of Ehrfurt has a dream in which a man dressed in white appears, holding a sefer tehillim and carrying an important message.

When the Czar hears that the Ruzhiner Rebbe might not be a loyal subject, he sends a spy to Ruzhin in the hopes of ensnaring the Rebbe into slandering the Czar. But the Rebbe sees through the disguise and sets the spy straight.

Yisrolik loves to stay late in the beis medrash learning Torah, but his father wants to make sure that Yisrolik gets enough rest. The shamash agrees to make sure that Yisrolik has only one small candle, enough to last for just one hour of learning. But Yisrolik is special, and the candle wants to keep burning.

When Rabbi Yosef of Tulchin becomes unexpectedly stranded at a roadside inn for several days due to heavy rains, he offers the innkeeper a clock in lieu of payment. The clock hangs on the wall for several years until a visitor recognizes the chime and shares the message of the clock.

When Yaakov was orphaned, a kindly blacksmith took him in and taught him the trade. Yaakov lived a solitary life, alone except for Chagigah, his beloved volume of the Talmud. Yaakov's devotion to Chagigah is rewarded when he needs it the most.