Stories to wake you up: wisdom tales and Jewish stories with Yaakov Nadler

A flutist who gives up his flute to becomes a price…if only he can go back to being himself!

In this episode, I share a powerful interpretation of the story of Rabbi Eliezer Ben Durdaya from Living Time: Rabbi Shagar’s profound approach to the Jewish holidays. Rabbi Shagar blends Hasidic and philosophical ideas, creating sermons that dive into each holiday’s texts, mitzvot, and custom. I start with a joke. I heard a long time ago about an Israeli whocaptured by a tribe of cannibals. The c...

We may argue and forget about what’s really important. I read this story that in Dr. Jorge Bucay מי אתה? https://www.keter-books.co.il/%D7%9E%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%AA%D7%94

A sweet story about Rabbi Yanai who invites a guest thinking that he is a great scholar. Turns out he has a lot more to teach him than Torah. “Derech Eretz Kadmah Letorah!” Story is from Medrsh Rabbah ויק"ר ט, ג

I heard this story from Rav Eyal Vered of Yeshivat Mechon Meir in Jerusalem. I remembered it as Purim Grenada. I recently learned more about the tradition: https://he.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/פורים_סרגוסה

A boy buys a watermelon thinking it’s a donkey egg. He is excited that he is saving a trip to the marketplace only to learn that donkeys don’t lay eggs.

3 short tales about lottery winners. The first tells about an evil man who swaps his ticket with a holy man. He thinks that the holy man’s numbers will win. His ticket wins but it’s too late for the evil man he already swapped his ticket.

A fable I usually tell at the Yom Hashoa “being an up-stander” round robin. A King is not concerned about the welfare of his subjects because it doesn’t affect him. He lives in great riches in his palace, and the suffering is not his problem in the end. It leads to his palace, burning down and the king is left with nothing but ashes.

This Breslev legend helps give context to the Seudat Habal Shem Tov: the Moshiach Seudah celebrate son the last day of Pesach.

Embark on a mesmerizing podcast journey delving into the enchanting tales of Rabbi Nachman, including the intriguing narratives of a prince convinced he is a turkey, a king compelled to embrace the madness of his kingdom, and a man trapped in an infinite loop due to his fixation on his “fantom” horse being sucked up by a tiny pump. Through these captivating stories, Rabbi Nachman illuminates the c...

This story tells the tale of a Jew who, in need of money for Pesach, joins in the search for the king's lost ring. Through his efforts, he earns enough to provide for his family and host a generous seder for many guests. However, a wicked anti-Semite advisor named Mr. Dayenu tries to deceive the king by falsely accusing the Jew of neglecting the search. The clever twist comes during the seder when...

In the story from Jewish folklore, a poor Jew who worked for a landlord, the poritz, was going to be banished from his property. The poor innkeeper expressed faith in G-d. The poritz had a treasury filled with gold coins, which he would polish and spit on. His pet monkey, observing this behavior, mistakenly thought the poritz was eating the coins and followed suit. The monkey ate so many coins tha...

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov tells the tale, Maaseh Mimaror, of a non Jewish better who ends up at a Pesach Seder expecting a great feast. He waits and waits for hours as they so slowly move through the steps of the Seder. When they reach Marror, he consumes a tremendous amount and runs away. Life can be bitter but it is a prelude to the sweetness which is soon to follow (Shulchan Orach).

A story I heard from Rabbi Yaakov Varshavsky of Lev Lomed Ahava. It’s fantastical and wild. In the end it all turns upside down. https://levlomedahava.com

Rabbi Zalman Notik OBM from Yeshivas Toras Emes shared with me this powerful tale that delves into the teachings of the Alter Rebbe in Lekutei Torah. Discover the profound wisdom behind the Arizal's understanding of the concept: "תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה׳ בשמחה" - why is joy essential in serving God and how it impacts our relationship with Him. Through this story, learn about the significance of embra...

Here are 3 stories I have used multiple times to open up a sermon. 1. To placate the fear that I am going to talk for too long I tell the story of the Congregant in the Safari with his Rabbi. 2. The old Jewish woman who thinks her million dollar parrot made a good chicken soup. 3. Don’t give up gold for junk.

Abraham ibn Ezra was a renowned medieval Spanish Jewish scholar, poet, philosopher, and biblical commentator. Born in Toledo, Spain, around 1089, he made significant contributions to various fields, including linguistics, astronomy, and mathematics. Ibn Ezra authored numerous works, including commentaries on the Bible, astrology texts, and grammatical treatises. His writings combined rational anal...

As we enter the month of Adar…This is what Chat GPT wrote for me: “Introducing "Laugh Out Loud", a hilarious podcast collection of jokes that will leave you in stitches! Join us as we bring you a wide range of witty one-liners, clever puns, and side-splitting stories from some of the funniest comedians around the world. Get ready to laugh till your cheeks hurt as we serve up a dose of pure comedy...

An actor finds himself unwittingly part of a bet about which is stronger, a tiger or a lion. Initially frightened by the prospect of facing a real lion, the actor playing the tiger discovers that the supposed lion is also just another human actor. This story reflects imposter syndrome as the actor, tasked with portraying a tiger, experiences feelings of inadequacy and fear when confronted with the...

The first story is of a man who wants to give away the question which was driving him for an easy and quick answer. The 2nd story is of the Chiduahei Harim (the first Rebbe of Ger). He left his Rebbe to join Kotzk because his Rebbe would give him a kiss and tell him how wonderful he was when he asked a question. He wanted a Rebbe who would “smack” him: motivate him to work harder. He found this in...

I read the story in a collection by the master Jewish storyteller Peninnah Schram. My kids found the story so silly that I had to retell in to them at least 1,000 times.

A man feels worthless and his master sends him out to find out the worth of a ring. It’s worthless to the common street people but the expert can see its true worth. Based on a Jewish story told by Jorge Bucay

A story about a patient diligent farmer who impresses Cesar and he is rewarded. A copycat tries to find a shortcut and has to face the consequences. Based on Leviticus Rabbah 25: 5

"Zlateh the Goat" is a heartwarming short story written by Isaac Bashevis Singer. It revolves around a poor Jewish boy named Aaron and his beloved goat, Zlateh. When a snowstorm traps them in a haystack overnight, Aaron faces a difficult decision that ultimately strengthens the bond between him and Zlateh, highlighting themes of compassion and resilience. Finished with a story of Rabbi Meir of Per...

Silly