National Jewish Book Award Winner
A “Best Spiritual Book of the Year.” —Spirituality & Practice
In a divided world, where the one who shouts the loudest often gets the most attention,
a story about compromise and listening.
“Standing UP!” “Lying DOWN!”
What were the people to do? They decided to ask the rabbi of the town. “What are we to do?” they asked. “Shall we put the mezuzah standing up or lying down?”
The townspeople have mezuzahs but cannot agree on how to put them up on their doorways. Should they place them horizontally or vertically, standing up or lying down? To end their arguing, they consult the wise rabbi of the town, who advises them to carefully read the Shema in the mezuzah to find the answer.
With this lively tale, based on a twelfth-century rabbinic debate, best-selling, award-winning children’s author Sandy Eisenberg Sasso helps young people discover that there is often more than one solution to a problem, and that living together and creating “home” requires cooperation and listening to one another.
Praise for Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso’s Award-Winning Books for Children
“An excellent way to honor the imaginative breadth and depth of the spiritual life of the young.”
—Rabbi David J. Wolpe, author, Teaching Your Children about God
“Once again Sasso has given us a great gift: a magnificent story to share with children that will help provoke the very conversations we most want to have.”
—Rabbi Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer, author, Parenting as a Spiritual Journey
“As we use this charming book to teach our children Torah, we teach ourselves.”
—Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, author, Because Nothing Looks Like God and other books
“Simple and meaningful…. Engages and encourages the spiritual yearnings of readers, both young and old.”
—Moment Magazine
“Engaging…. Sasso manages to teach some important lessons in a graceful and elegant manner without being overly didactic.”
—Jewish Book World
“Effectively invites children to think about God’s gifts that are sometimes taken for granted.”
—American Library Association’s Booklist
“A lovely story [and] a beautiful way to write about the world and God and gratitude and hope.”
—Detroit Jewish News
“A child-centered story capable of engaging the imaginations and spiritual intelligence of readers.”
—School Library Journal
“With the gift of a word-wise storyteller, Sandy Sasso creates a tale able to inspire children as well as adults. Whether for the story or the illustrations, readers and listeners will want to sweep through this book again and again.”
—www.childrenslit.com
