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A Year of Stories #16: The Border Guard

10/28/2014

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There was once a Swiss guard who worked at the border of Austria. He had worked there for many years and took a great deal of pride in his work.

One morning an Austrian man arrived at the border, riding a bicycle. On the front of the bike was a basket filled with sand. The guard eyed the man suspiciously, and suspecting that the Austrian might be a smuggler, brought out a special comb he kept for just a purpose, and began to sift through the sand in the basket. 

He found nothing, only sand, and waved the man through the gate.

The same thing happened the next month, as the Austrian arrived on a bicycle with the basket filled with sand. The border guard went through the same process, at first eyeing the Austrian with suspicion, then sifting through the sand with his special comb, and until, finding nothing, allowing the Austrian to again cross the border. 


The scene repeated itself month after month, year after year. During this time the border guard engaged the Austrian in small talk -  learning his name (it was Yosef) learning about his family (he was married with a wife, who was a school teacher, and had 2 children), and of course his reason for crossing the border (to visit a favorite aunt and uncle). Each month they exchanged pleasantries, and as time passed the border guard still remained suspicious, and though he never found anything, he kept on looking... month after month...for 30 years! 

Finally, one day, the Swiss guard said to the Austrian man, 
"I must ask you a question that has been on my mind many years. This is my last day of work - I am retiring. After all these years, I still suspect you have been a smuggler, and it is driving me near mad. Now I ask you -  I must know - are you indeed a smuggler?"

The Austrian man hesitated, and the Swiss guard reassured him.


"Do not worry - I give you my word of honor that I will not arrest you. But for my own peace of mind, I must know."

"Very well," said the Austrian. "Then I will tell you - I am indeed a smuggler."


"Ha ha," laughed the guard, relieved at last to know that his suspicions had not been unfounded. "I knew it!" 


He hesitated for a moment and then continued, "But each month I looked through your basket and found nothing but sand. Tell me, please, what have you been smuggling?"

And with eyes smiling, the Austrian replied,

"Bicycles."

(Story re-crafted by R' Mark Novak)


My late rebbe, R' Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zt"l, (זכר צדיק לברכה) was a master storyteller. He taught: "a good story is one where the mind surprises the heart". "A Year of Stories" is dedicated to his memory. I invite you to forward the link to these stories so that they find their way into the hearts of other listeners and tellers.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Please consider offering a tax deductible donation to support this project and the work of DC's Jewish Renewal community Minyan Oneg Shabbat. A shout out to Judy Young for her generous offering.
≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠
If you would like to be added to the growing list of 
"Year of Stories" followers, let me know at RebMarko@gmail.com, 
with "Year of Stories" in the subject line.

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A Year of Stories #15 : Noah's Bark (Parshat Noach)

10/23/2014

1 Comment

 
Thank you to my favorite storyteller for doing this last second recording. Here's Renée telling her version of "How the Dog Got His Wet Nose"
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And here's yet another explanation!

While aboard his ark, Noah assigned the two dogs responsibility for patrolling the ark. It was the dogs' job to check on all the other animals, and to report back to Noah and his wife Na’ama. This included using their superior sense of smell to detect anything that was, let us say, kind of fishy.

One day, the dogs were taking their daily stroll when they noticed a coin-sized leak, through which water was rushing in at a rapid rate. They looked at each other and knew instinctively what to do. One dog ran for help, while the other dog gallantly stuck her nose in the hole to plug up the leak. In what seemed like an eternity, Noah and Na'ama came running, to find the poor dog in great pain and gasping for breath. They immediately relieved him of her duties and
quickly filled the hole with pitch, averting what could have been a major disaster.

After the work was completed, Noah and Na'ama pawsed, and realizing what a ruff experience it had been, spoke to the dog saying "Little dog, you kept us all safe - our family, and all the animals -  with your little nose. All future generations will know of your great deed, as your nose will always be cold and wet, just as it is today."

This tail is done, and now you know another story explaining why dog's nose has fur-ever remained cold and wet!
(Origin unknown - retold by R' Mark Novak, silly wabbit)

ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
My late rebbe, R' Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zt"l, (זכר צדיק לברכה) was a master storyteller. He taught: "a good story is one where the mind surprises the heart". "A Year of Stories" is dedicated to his memory. I invite you to forward the link to these stories so that they find their way into the hearts of other listeners and tellers.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Please consider offering a tax deductible donation to support this project and the work of DC's Jewish Renewal community Minyan Oneg Shabbat. A shout out to Judy Young for your generous offering in support of this project.
≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠

If you would like to be added to the growing list of 
"Year of Stories" followers, let me know at RebMarko@gmail.com, 
with "Year of Stories" in the subject line.
1 Comment

A Year of Stories #14: The Answer to any Question

10/20/2014

3 Comments

 
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A rebbe was asked to come teach in a distant village. Having no rabbi of their own, the community was very excited and each person prepared for the rabbi's visit by pondering what question he or she might ask him.

Upon his arrival the community welcomed the rabbe warmly, first with a simple meal and then escorting him to his room where he could rest after his long journey.  Refreshed from his nap, he was then taken to the large community room where people had gathered excitedly to ask their questions. The room buzzed with anticipation.

Upon entering the rabbe began to walk around the room, making eye contact with each person present. He then began to sing a sweet, contemplative Hasidic melody.  


"Yai dai dai...yai dai dai...yai dai dai dum." 

As he sang, he walked slowly, purposefully, continuing to make eye contact, with one person, and then another, until one person, and then another, joined him in the niggun...

"Yai dai dai...yai dai dai...yai dai dai dum..."

...until everyone was singing with him, sweetly and contemplatively. 

The rebbe began to sing a little bit faster, and the people followed his lead. As he picked up the tempo, he picked up his feet, and started to dance, arms spread wide, his entire body bouncing in step with the melody.  The people were caught up unawares, and in the joy of the moment,  found themselves dancing and singing alone/together. 

Then without notice, the rabbe's dance gradually began to slow, and with it the song as well, until it reached a gentle end. Some people smiled, while others wiped tears from their cheeks.

The rebbe cast his eyes about the room, and gently said, “I trust that I have answered all of your questions.”
(Origin unknown, retold by R' Mark Novak)
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My late rebbe, R' Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zt"l, (זכר צדיק לברכה) was a master storyteller. He taught: "a good story is one where the mind surprises the heart". "A Year of Stories" is dedicated to his memory. I invite you to forward the link to these stories so that they find their way into the hearts of other listeners and tellers.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Please consider offering a tax deductible donation to support this project and the work DC's Jewish Renewal community Minyan Oneg Shabbat. A shout out to Judy Young for her generous offering.
≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠

If you would like to be added to the growing list of 
"Year of Stories" followers, let me know at RebMarko@gmail.com, 
with "Year of Stories" in the subject line.


3 Comments

A Year of Stories #13: Sukkot or Shabbat?

10/10/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
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More a teaching than a story, file it for next year to share on Shabbat Sukkot

The Voorker Rav and The Kotzker Rebbe were discussing the relative merits of Sukkot and Shabbat.

Comparing the different mitzvot that are observed on Sukkot the Voorker Rav declared, 
"I prefer the mitzvah of dwelling in the Sukkah over the mitzvah of the Dalet Minim, the Four Species. After all, when you let go of the lulav and etrog, you let go of the kedushah, the holiness, whereas when you are in the Sukkah you cannot let go; the sanctity completely surrounds you."

The Kotzker Rebbe nodded his approval, but responded, "Yes, it is true that the Sukkah has this advantage, but, when compared to Shabbat, even the Sukkah falls short. After all, one can
walk out of a Sukkah, but one can never walk out of Shabbat, no matter where in the
world a person is and no matter his or her level of observance. For those hours it is
Shabbat. You cannot escape it -  Shabbat is completely enveloping."

In praising the Sukkah, the Voorker Rav was praising the concept of kedushat makom, the sanctity of space/place.
The Kotzker Rebbe countered that with praise for the Sabbath, our oasis in time, for the concept of kedushat z'man, the sanctity of time. For space can be abandoned or destroyed, as opposed to time which is not physical, and therefore its sanctity can never be undone or abandoned.

ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
My late rebbe, R' Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zt"l, (זכר צדיק לברכה) was a master storyteller. He taught: "a good story is one where the mind surprises the heart". "A Year of Stories" is dedicated to his memory. I invite you to forward the link to these stories so that they find their way into the hearts of other listeners and tellers.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Please consider offering a tax deductible donation to DC's Jewish Renewal community, 
Minyan Oneg Shabbat. Thank you.
≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠≠

If you would like to be added to the growing list of 
"Year of Stories" followers, let me know at RebMarko@gmail.com, 
with "Year of Stories" in the subject line.

1 Comment

Wait Til Next Year

10/8/2014

0 Comments

 
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For those of us still hurting from the brutal finality of last night's Nats postseason game, I offer this from the former commissioner of baseball, Fay Vincent: 


"Baseball teaches us, or has taught most of us, how to deal with failure. We learn at a very young age that failure is the norm in baseball and, precisely because we have failed, we hold in high regard those who fail less often - those who hit safely in one out of three chances and become star players. I also find it fascinating that baseball, alone in sport, considers errors to be part of the game, part of its rigorous truth."

And for those of us who are Jewish, having just acknowledged all of our errors in the past year, we look with hope to the future - "wait 'til next year" - rings even truer, because, what do you know, it is next year!

As we move from awe to joy...Chag sameach


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A Year of Stories #12: Be Happy, It's Sukkot

10/5/2014

5 Comments

 
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I figure since Reb Zalman tz'l loved my raps, 
that he would also love this song! 
Feel free to use with attribution. Lyrics below.

חג סכות שמח


My late rebbe, R' Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zt"l, (זכר צדיק לברכה) was a master storyteller. He taught: "a good story is one where the mind surprises the heart". "A Year of Stories" is dedicated to his memory. I invite you to forward the link to these stories so that they find their way into the hearts of other listeners and tellers.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Please consider offering a tax deductible donation to DC's Jewish Renewal community, 
Minyan Oneg Shabbat. Thank you.
*****************
If you would like to be added to the growing list of 
"Year of Stories" followers, let me know at RebMarko@gmail.com, 
with "Year of Stories" in the subject line.
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Be Happy - It's Sukkot  
Music: Bobby McFerrin  Lyriucs: Mark Novak


Here’s a little song I wrote
About the festival of Sukkot
Be Happy - It’s Sukkot

You take the lulav and the etrog too
You shake em shake em shake em that’s what you do
Be Happy - It’s Sukkot

(chorus) Oy Oy Oy...
Oy oy Hodu LaShem (2x)
Ki Tov
Oy Oy Oy...
Oy oy Ki L’olam (2x) Chasdo

We march around the congregation
7 hakafot in celebration
Be Happy - It’s Sukkot 

We eat our meals out under the sky
In the sukkahs we build and if you ask me why I’ll tell you 
Be Happy - It’s Sukkot 
(chorus)

We greet and honor our ushpizin 
from Abraham to David and in between
Be Happy, It’s Sukkot

And should our minhag be egalitarian
We welcome Sarah, Rachel, Esther, Abigail, and Miriam
Be Happy, It’s Sukkot  
(chorus)

V'samach'ta V'cha'ge'cha V'ha'yi'ta Ach Sameach

Be Happy It's Sukkot (with apologies to Bobby McFerrin)   
©Mark Novak 2014    

5 Comments

The Beisballer Rebbe Strikes (out) Again

10/2/2014

0 Comments

 
I remember very clearly the day when Sandy Koufax sat out a World Series game. This Yom Kippur has brought about many a discussion about the same topic, only this time not for a player, but for Jewish fans (i.e. September 18 article in Washington Post) And though the Post failed to call me to ask for my two shekels (imagine that!), the Washington Jewish Week asked for my thoughts for an article that will hopefully hit the mailboxes today.
Meanwhile, Tommy McFly 94.7 called me again last week for another "Blessing of the Baseballs, and we met just outside Nats Park before the Nats/Mets game. 
(Note my liturgical references as well as Renée juggling in the background)
גמר חתימה טובה and
Go Nats!!
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    Mark Novak is a "free-range" rabbi who lives in Washington DC and works, well, just about everywhere. In 2012 he founded Minyan Oneg Shabbat, home to MOSH (Minyan Oneg Shabbat), MindfulMOSH (Jewish mindfulness gathering), and
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