How to Give a Blessing
Stories We Tell
English - March 22, 2018 08:00 - 3 minutes - 3.11 MB - ★★★★★ - 96 ratingsJudaism Religion & Spirituality Kids & Family judaism jewish shabbat stories Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
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A man wandering the desert grows thirsty, tired, and hungry, but for miles, all he sees around him is sand. Finally, he comes upon an oasis: a puddle right next to a big, lush tree. After relaxing for a bit, he gathers some branches for building fires and fruit to sustain him for the rest of his journey. Before he leaves, he wants to offer the tree a blessing in return for what the tree has given him. What kind of blessing can he leave for a tree that is already tall, grounded, and lush? Rabbi Marc Katz of Congregation Beth Elohim retells the classic story. For a written version, see “How Shall I Bless You?” in The Essential Jewish Stories collected, annotated, and retold by Seymour Rossel.