The Restory Retreat Centre

Spirituality In Conversation With Stories The Conversation Reading John Cheever's short story Reunion . Elements From The Conversation ~ ❖ ~ A Jewish story: When the founder of Hasidic Judaism, the great Rabbi Israel Shem Tov, saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go to a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light a fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted. Later, when his disciple, the celebrated Maggid of Mezritch, had occasion, for the same reason, to intercede with heaven, he would go to the same place in the forest and say: “Master of the Universe, listen! I do not know how to light the fire, but I’m still able to say the prayer,” and again the miracle would be accomplished. Still later, Rabbi Moshe-leib of Sasov, in order to save his people once more, would go into the forest and say: “I do not know how to light the fire. I do not know the prayer, but I know the place and it must be suff...

  Humour Is Part Of It The Conversation Elements From The Conversation An example of Jewish humour.  And South African humour.  Music It's amazing, the power you have!  As always, with our love.  George & Matilda

Jerusalem Nowhere is there more prayer. The Nuns at the Holy Sepulchre. The faithful at Al Aqsa Mosque. The worshippers at the Wall. The call to prayer at dawn and dusk Warbling from the citadels. The church bells, The Persian trills, The passion spilled over texts From every major/minor religious sect. Nowhere is there more prayer than Jerusalem, Thanks be to God, Hamdilala, Baruch Hashem. And yet, I'm starting to think that it's You and not them, God, what's the point of prayer? If there's nowhere where There's more prayer, And terror reigns Then, Who's to blame? If suddenly, without a whisper goodbye, Jesus, Allah, Adonai, The three men they admire most All took the last train for the coast, And the Moslems got up from their knees And the Christians put down their rosaries And the Jews stayed their hands from kissing Their mezuzahs, And everyone looked up, And realized something's missing... God is missing. Stop ...

A woman came to the Maggid of Koznitz asking him to pray for her that she have a child. “My mother too was unhappy as you are,” said the Maggid. “Then one day she met the Baal Shem Tov and presented him with a beautiful cape. One year later I was born.” The woman’s eyes brightened. “I will make you the most beautiful cape in the world!” she said. The Maggid smiled and shook his head. “I am afraid that will not work,” he said. “You see, my mother did not know this story.” Abraham J. Twerski: Living Each Day

Photograph by PJ Hamel Years ago I came across the story of Bontche Schweig or Bontche the Silent, written by Isaac L. Peretz. The version that I penned down in my notebook went as follows: Bontche was one of the 36 holy people on whose shoulders the world rested.  He was born softly and lived softly. Throughout his difficult life people took  advantage of him, but Bontche never complained and worked like a pack mule. Later he walked bent over from all the loads he had carried in his life time and  eventually he died as softly as he had lived. The news that he was on his way, sent heaven into a flurry.  His arrival was announced by the big trumpet of the Messiah.  Even the young angels in their radiant splendour excitedly went  to welcome him. Botche was totally overwhelmed. He, a holy man?  Now, they told him, you may ask anything, request whatever you want.  The gentle Bontche asked: “Anything?”  “Anyth...

We have a beautiful phrase in Afrikaans: om tot verhaal te kom. If you had a very difficult time, or had a crisis or an illness that caught you off guard and disrupted your life and now, gradually, things are returning to normal, that phrase is often used. Someone will ask: “How are you doing?” And you’ll say: “I am not over it yet but at least I’m busy om tot verhaal te kom .(I am busy regaining my strength, I’m busy regaining my balance).” I think that in order to become whole and integrated again, to regain our overall balance in life ( om tot verhaal te kom ) it is important to move in this case from the figure of speech to the literal sense. It is important for us om tot verhaal te kom. It is important to return to stories, to create a space for them and invite them into our lives. Constantly. Stories heal. If there is a people who understand and apply this, it is the Jews. Some of the deepest, most beautiful stories are found in the Jewish tradition. Maybe because they ...