The expulsion of the Jews of Spain was a terrible mass tragedy in the history of Klal Yisrael. Thousands of Jews were forced to leave their homes and the country of their birth, to wander about the world, homeless and displaced. Thousands more were given an ultimatum: conversion or death,

Rav Meir’l Premishlaner was from the early Chassidic leaders, a tremendous tzaddik and great mekubal. When he was young, he would go around to different rebbes to reap as much as he could from each tzaddik’s unique path of avodas Hashem. He would spend time observing how the rebbes acted,

There was an unmistakable buzz in the air. Up and down the streets of the Jewish quarter, people were tidying up their front lawns; cutting grass, trimming bushes, and planting flowers. The distinct scent of turpentine wafted out from many homes and shops, where fresh coats of paint were hastily

The Meloh HaRo’im was a disciple of Rav Mendel M’Riminov, and he would often frequent his rebbe’s home. There was nothing like sitting with the rebbe and observing how he ate, spoke, learned, and interacted with others. To the Meloh HaRo’im, the inspiration and knowledge gleaned from just watching how

R’ Shabsi was a simple Jew, a bookbinder, who lived in the early eighteenth century. Though he was an expert at his craft, his clients were few and their projects were small. After all, how many books did people own? And of the few that they did own, how many

The night was still, calm. A soft breeze rippled through the brush as stars winked down from overhead. In the distance, an owl hooted. King Paul leaned back on the velvet cushions of his armchair, breathing in the crisp evening air. From his vantage point on the veranda, he could

Meshaneh Makom Mishaneh Mazel – Part I Living in Yerushalayim in terrible poverty, Akiva earned his livelihood by chopping trees for firewood. His was a backbreaking, laborious occupation that brought in very little money, not nearly enough to support a wife and six children. In the winter, the work was

The Power of Tehillim One afternoon, the great Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch put on his overcoat and left his house alone, walking purposefully to his destination. The passersby in the street, noticing their revered rebbe walking alone, raised their eyes in astonishment. It was well known that the Tzemach Tzedek

The Light of the Menorah The following story, sourced from the firsthand account of the Jewish soldier’s diary, was recorded in the encyclopedia and later included in the sefer Pardes Chanukah. The Revolutionary War, which led to the formation of the United States of America, was fought under impossible conditions.

Reb Mendel and the Marranos Mendel was a young genius who thirsted tremendously for Torah knowledge and was constantly on the lookout for seforim that he had never come across before. His brilliant mind retained everything he learned, and no matter how many seforim he devoured, he always pined for