“Her mother once gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper or insulted somebody she must hammer a nail into the back of their fence. The first day the girl hit 14…
“Adam was all alone. He didn’t have parents and he didn’t have children. He did not even have a brother or a sister to talk to. Adam was all alone. He didn’t even have a friend to play games with.…
“A young man crossed the desert and finally came to the monastery of Scete. There, he asked to hear one of the abbot’s lectures – and was granted permission. That afternoon, the abbot’s discourse was about the importance of work…
“A group of wise men gathered to discuss the work of God; they wanted to know why he had left it to the sixth day to create man. “He thought about first organizing the Universe well, so that we could…
“”Some disciples are always asking where the truth is,” said Maal-El. “So one day I decided to point in one direction, trying to show them how important it is to follow a path, and not just to think about it.…
“As a boy, Abin-Alsar overheard a conversation between his father and a dervish. “Careful with your work”, said the dervish. “Think of what future generations will say about you.” “So what?”, replied his father, “When I die, everything shall end,…
“On the Torah’s day of joy, Ball-Shem’s pupils celebrated, drinking the master’s wine. The rabbi’s wife complained: “If they drink all the wine, there won’t be any for the ceremony,” she said. “Put an end to the party,” replied the…
“A hermit from the monastery of Scete went to Abbot Theodore: “I know precisely the objective of life. I know what God asks of man, and I know the best way of serving Him. Even so, I am incapable of…
“”How can I know the best way to act in life?” the disciple asked the master. The master asked him to build a table. The disciple drove in the nails with three precise blows. One nail, however, struck a hard…
“A novice went to Abbot Macarius seeking advice about the best way to please the Lord. “Go to the cemetery and insult the dead,” said Macarius. The brother did as he was told. The following day, he returned to Macarius.…