This collection of Jewish stories is exclusively devoted to wise, strong and spiritual women. In Jewish tradition, women have ordinarily been thought of in a supporting or nurturing role. The women in these inspiring stories are not only daughters, wives, mothers and grandmothers, but strong and wise women of courage and intrepid devotion who are able to heal, who are sensual and filled with joy, and who are much more than helpmates, but also partners, teachers, leaders filled with generosity, self-confidence and strength of will.

Table of Contents

S micha as a Maggid. Acknowledgments. Note to the Reader. Preface. Introduction. THE TALES. Sabbath Candle Lighting Prayers. Tears Before Candle Lighting. In the Merit of the Sabbath Candles. A Prayer over the Challahs. The Taste of the Garden of Eden. Healing Food. Watching at the Market. Two Pious Peddlers. Are You Not Our Father? Riveleh the Tzaddeket. Holy Spirit. Deeds Great and Small. How I Envy You! A Fence to Wisdom. A Saving Prayer. Insulting Her Husband. Rebbetzin "Devorah Cohen". A Hidden Tzaddeket. The Hot Water Heater. It Must Have Been Hard! If It s Difficult, It Must Be Good. Using Every Device. The Shofar. An Angel for the Poor. A Generous Wife. A Blessing. Yenta the Prophetess. Loud Davvening. All Prayer. Edel, Daughter of the Baal Shem Tov. The Sleeping Child. The Gates of Divine Help. Trust in God! Elijah s Cup. The Screaming Baby. Have Faith! The Bris. A Special Gift. A Covenant in the Flesh. The Clotheslines. The Guest. The Sound of Her Blessings. The Water Barrel. Even Her Taking Was Giving. A Reward for Kindness. One Flesh. At His Wife s Death. How to Accept Suffering. Great Love. Tzedaka as a Cure. A Fifth. Standing Up for Herself. No Joke Needed. The Boldness of Rebbes. Thank God! Serving a Torah Scholar. Her Share in the World to Come. After the Fact. How to Give Birth. Facing God. The Passing of a Woman Who Had the Holy Spirit. My Time Has Come. The Dress. The Homely Lesson of a Patch. Rebbetzin Malka of Belz. More Than a Helpmate. Sitting with the Rebbetzin. Good Advice for Healing. How to Eat. How Much to Eat. A Questionable Rebbe. Malka Saves the Poultry. They Are Clapping in Heaven. Rebbe Edel of Brody. Her Greatness. Healing by Faith. Doubtfully Kosher. Rebbe Miriam Hayya of Shatz. Preparing the Coffee. A Miracle Working Partne.r How She Became a Rebbe. Rebbe Sarah of Chantshin: A High Soul. Sarah Shneirer. Tzedaka in Secret I. Tzedaka in Secret II. Alive. Good Pay. The IOU. The Quality of Voice. A Favor. A Devoted Heart. Under All Conditions. From Heart to Feet. Why Did the Milk Boil Over? Sensing Others Troubles. Pawn. Coins That Sparkle. A Disregard for Wealth. A Glass of Water. In the Merit of His Mother. A Mother s Tears. Be like My Mother. Ungrammatically Correct. Which Blessing to Give. The Secret of the Yarmulkes. Pure Thoughts. Guarding His Studying. Revelations. Maxine. Two Cups. Pessia Carlebach and the Gentile Maid. He Who Would Live Should Die. Golda and Miriam. I Don t Kneel! A Mother s Passion. Training Her Sons. The Future Redemption. Waiting for Redemption. In the Cave of Machpelah. Sukkot Stories. She Did Not Taste the Sukkah Visions in the Sukkah A Sukkah of Peace. A Brilliant Female Scholar. Hadassah Linder. What Is Important. In the Taxi. Patience. A Single Bagel. The Best for Others. A Memorial. Milk and Noodles. Matters of Food. The Joy of Giving. Blessings and Curses. Ironing. First Aid. Improvements. The Torah Cries Out. How Does One Attain Spiritual Greatness? . Learning from the Pious. The Tzaddeket. Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis. A Holy Wind. Bending Over. Do Not Stand Idly By. Comparing Faces. Tears for Her People. All Children Cry. Everybody Must Give. Giving When Things Are Tough. The Source of Strength. The Rebbetzin Teaches Children. With Female Prisoners in Israel. Two Jewish Girls in Denmark. Allison and the Fruit Seller. God Bless You! Raise the Torah Banner High. NOTES. GLOSSARY. THE AUTHOR.

Author Biography

Yitzhak Buxbaum is a maggid, a traditional Jewish storyteller and teacher, who specializes in mysticism, spirituality, and Hasidic tales. He is the author of nine books including Jewish Spiritual Practices, Storytelling and Spirituality in Judaism, and An Open Heart: The Mystic Path of Loving People. Yitzhak teaches at The New School University and resides in New York City.