Jewish stories for children of all ages

A wealthy man visits the Baal Shem Tov as he has heard of the reputation of the Tzadik, but what he doesn't know is that the Baal Shem Tov knows quite a bit about the wealthy man also.

A wealthy miser was well known for only giving a "polushka", a quarter kopek coin as a donation, which everyone threw back in his face until the Alter Rebbe accepted it graciously and unlocked the miser's heart.

The famous Rabbi Aryeh Leib ben Osher, author of the sefer Shaagas Aryeh (the roar of the lion), spent a number of years wandering with his wife through the communities of Lita and Poland, until he was discovered by Rabbi Nosson Adler (known as the Eagle) and offered a position as the Rov of Metz.

The Shpoler Zeide wandered through townlets and villages for seven years, helping the Yidden in any way he could, even if it meant dancing a kazatzka for the poretz and his guests.

Moshe the innkeeper is delighted to host his Rebbe, Reb Naftoli on a cold rainy night in Cheshvan, and equally surprised when the Rebbe asks him to venture out to buy a silver snuff box.

Hershel and his wife Gittel rely on their cow for their income, so it's a surprise when the tzaddik Reb Moshe Leib of Sassov advises them to sell the cow and engage in business with the profits, but the tzaddik's advice proves to be wise indeed.

When a thief in the night steals the woodchopper's horse and cart, his family worries about how they will earn their living, but the woodchopper knows that Hashem has many ways to provide for us all.

Zevulun sends his son Naftoli to faraway Yerushalayim to learn, which unfortunately is too much for Zevulun to bear. His will seems to favor his faithful servant Samura, but Naftoli's teacher helps Zevulun's true intent come to pass.

Avraham is wealthy in Torah and good deeds but not in anything else, so when a stranger offers him a loan of two silver coins he gladly accepts and soon learns that the test of wealth is harder than the test of poverty r"l. 

The governor sends DovBer an urgent request for merchandise on Shabbos, and when DovBer declines he gets a big surprise after Shabbos ends.

When the Alter Rebbe sends his messenger Rabbi Zalman Zesmer to raise money for needy people, he issues a strict warning not to spend the night in a house whose door faces east. When Rabbi Zesmer forgets to abide by this warning, his journey takes an interesting turn.

A poor woodchopper is granted two wishes, and he's grateful to have a second chance when his first wish doesn't turn out as well as he had hoped.

A mysterious stranger offers to help a poor man in an extraordinary way, and when the poor man accepts the offer he receives a blessing for himself and his descendants.

When the Rabbi rebukes Shimshon for his marketplace thievery, the Rabbi's attendant overhears Shimshon utter a threat against the Rabbi, but the Rabbi knows how to deal with Shimshon properly and everyone learns an important lesson in self-control and Ahavas Yisroel.

Two merchants travel throughout Russia, earning a lot of money but straying farther away from yiddishkeit until one day they stop at a kretchme and the owner and his sons help them learn that money isn't everything.

A yeshiva bochur gives his last coin to have a share in the mitzvah of redeeming captives, and then accepts a coin to say kaddish for someone, but little does he know he's really helping himself and the other bochurim.

When the Alter Rebbe tells Reb Yosef to become a baalagolah, a wagon driver, he had little idea of the wondrous Divine Providence that was soon to occur.

Reb Shlomo's wife is suddenly struck with emotional distress and becomes uncommunicative for six years, until the Baal Shem Tov visits their hometown of Slutzk and decides to take on the case.

Rabbi Nachman comes to the aid of his landlord when French troops attempt a robbery, and soon finds himself consulting with the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Nesanel is a successful merchant, and Peisha is the expert wagon driver that takes Nesanel to various fairs and markets to do business. One erev Shabbos, they find out what it's like to trade jobs with each other and the results have a long-lasting effect.

Pierre Louis is a close friend of Prince Benedict Radzivil, and they lead a carefree, shallow life typical of the nobility and upper class until the Baal Shem Tov sends Rabbi Nissan with a special message.

The first night of Pesach includes a special blessing for physical protection, which Aharon Nir the shochet, and his family experienced many years ago in a small village in Alsace.

Shaul Katzenelenboigen was many things- a Torah prodigy, a successful businessman, the secretary to Prince Radzivil, and...King of Poland for one day.

Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, the Or HaChaim HaKadosh, was once shipwrecked and captured by pirates whose chief became inspired to accept a difficult teshuva in order to return from a grievous crime.

When Yudel's business takes a turn, he falls under the sway of the galach until the Seer of Lublin proposes a unique approach to recovering his fortune once again.