Angels don’t say l’chaim on Simchat Torah, so they arose to sing G-d’s praises in the heavens at the usual time. They found heaven littered with strange objects: torn slippers, broken heels. "Yes," admitted the angel Michoel, "this is my merchandise"
11 Comments Posted
A beautiful story, with a profound message. Thank you
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I would like to make a big thank you to chabad for making this lovely website not just this in general but all the work chabad is doing may you go from strengh to strengh. Good luck.
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how do you know that really happend? no one went to heaven and came ddown with this story! is it just to make people feel good?
thanks
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Oh, beloved friend, you ask "how do you know it happened? Did anyone go to heaven and return?" Such stories are typical of the Baal Shem Tov. Indeed he did go to heaven and return, as the story indicates. Another story tells of how he met with Moshiach and was told that when the teachings of Chassidus are spread far and wide, that will usher in the coming of Moshiach.
Such Godly encounters are very popular in Chumash and Neviim, as well as throughout the generations. Holy men have met with God, face to face and lived. Only the fleshly sinfulness will die when seeing God Almighty.
We too can aspire and seek to live this way. We too can become Holy men and women! It is not far from us all, but He is very close. How sweet that God valued the worship of His Holy people to add their shoes-- tattered from dancing for His Honor and Glory--to His Own Crown! What an encouragement of the Endearing God who chose us and calls us His Children! How He Loves us! What a Good Father!
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Whether true or not; it gives me Joy!
And I'm not a Jew. Check for bitterness in the soul; when Joy over a wonderful possiblity can't be found.
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I was so glad after reading this story !
Thank you !
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if you are questioning whether it is "true", you are missing the point...
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There a lot of similar stories in the same vein: basically, why does G-d need the prayers or the dances of poor imperfect little old me when G-d has countless myriads of perfect angels to sing Praises all day long? And the moral of this story (and all the others like it) is that G-d treasures the prayers and the dances of His People, coming straight from their broken hearts and ragged prayer books and torn shoes, far more than the perfect praises of a zillion heavenly beings. So that should encourage you and me to go to shul to daven when it's five degrees and the baby's crying kept us up all night!
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That painting by Zalman Kleinman is wonderful it helps the understanding behind the meaning of Simchat Torah. How can you get bored when you got some much to do I love it. Todah
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This is a lovely little tale. The message is clear and that is, we must dance and rejoice. There is a time for this and Simchas Torah is such a joyous holiday. I once danced the hora on a kibbutz in Israel. It seemed, this dance, to last for hours and hours, as we went round and round and round. I felt myself lifted, clearly, right off the ground, and this is how we rise!
Perhaps the words to raise a child is just this, to teach a child how to dance and that everything we do has that element, that inchoate often element, of finding the joy, the sweet, even in, bittersweet!
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I am not Jew but I enjoy these stories, I read the Thora and I like to do it because I imagine the difficulties that Jewish people had to be free to express their religious beliefs and costumes.
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