'The purpose of this book is to elevate stories and storytelling in people's esteem, so they will understand their holiness and appreciate them at their full worth. There are those who enjoy stories and storytelling but in the back of their minds think, 'After all, they're only stories.'

"The purpose of this book is to elevate stories and storytelling in people's esteem, so they will understand their holiness and appreciate them at their full worth. There are those who enjoy stories and storytelling but in the back of their minds think, 'After all, they're only stories.' But in the same way that the Western Wall of the Temple is not just a wall, a mere pile of stones, neither are the stories of the Torah or of the tzaddikim 'just stories.' Holy stories are the light of the world. When we understand that, when both tellers and listeners know they are engaged in sacred activity, we will hold stories and storytelling more dear. The teller will tell with the tongue of faith, the listeners will hear with ears of faith, and the circle of holiness will be closed."
-from the Introduction

Part 1 Introduction: Storytelling and Spirituality
Part 2 Part I: Storytelling in Hasidism
Chapter 3 Ch.1 What Made Hasidic Storytelling Different?
Chapter 4 Ch.2 Hasidic Praise of Stories and Storytelling
Chapter 5 Ch.3 The First Hasidic Storyteller: The Baal Shem Tov
Chapter 6 Ch.4 The Besht's Stories
Chapter 7 Ch.5 The Besht's Use of Secular Tales
Chapter 8 Ch.6 The Besht's Storyteller Disciple
Chapter 9 Ch.7 Storytelling in Hasidic Life
Chapter 10 Ch.8 An Established Place in Hasidism: TheMitzvah of Storytelling
Chapter 11 Ch.9 Drawing People to God Through Storytelling
Chapter 12 Ch.10 Traditional Opposition to Storytelling
Chapter 13 Ch.11 Scriptural Support for Storytelling
Chapter 14 Ch.12 Storytelling Among theMisnagdim and Non-hasidim
Part 15 Part II: Hasidic Teaching About the Methods and Practices of Storytelling
Chapter 16 Ch.13 Deriving Lessons from Stories
Chapter 17 Ch.14 How to Tell, How to Listen
Chapter 18 Ch.15 Hearing the Hints in Stories
Chapter 19 Ch.16 Miracle Stories: What to Believe
Chapter 20 Ch.17 Different Story Versions: Issues of Truth and Falsehood
Chapter 21 Ch.18 How Rebbes Use Stories
Chapter 22 Ch.19 An Exceptional Case: Rabbi Nahman of Bratzlav
Part 23 Part III: Hasidic Teaching About the Benefits of Storytelling
Chapter 24 Ch.20 Stories Save
Chapter 25 Ch.21 Stories Save—Continued
Chapter 26 Ch.22 Messiah
Chapter 27 Afterword: Applications for Today