Adar! - Purim 5772

We say two things about Adar. We say Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha, when the month of Adar enters we rejoice. The second thing we say is that the Mazal of Adar is good for Bnei Yisrael. The Mazal of Adar is Dagim, a Mazal of Beracha to the Jewish people.

Which is the cause and which is the effect? Is it because it is a month in which we are happy therefore it is a good month for the Jewish people, or is it because it is a good Mazal and month for the Jewish people therefore we rejoice?

I think 99% of the people would assume the simple Pshat that the cause is the fact that it is a good Mazal for the Jewish people and the result is this time of good Mazal, therefore, Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha.

Let me share with you a Maharal on Parshas Shoftim 20:5 – 8 (ה  וְדִבְּרוּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים, אֶל-הָעָם לֵאמֹר, מִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה בַיִת-חָדָשׁ וְלֹא חֲנָכוֹ, יֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ:  פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יַחְנְכֶנּוּ ו  וּמִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-נָטַע כֶּרֶם, וְלֹא חִלְּלוֹ--יֵלֵךְ, וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ:  פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יְחַלְּלֶנּוּ ז  וּמִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה, וְלֹא לְקָחָהּ--יֵלֵךְ, וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ:  פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יִקָּחֶנָּה). There the Pesukim talk about individuals who are exempt from going to battle. As we know a Chasan, someone who built a home, and somebody who just planted a vineyard is exempt from going to battle. So there the Posuk says, he may die in battle and someone will marry his wife, or take his home, or take his vineyard. Rashi says (ואיש אחר יחנכנו: ודבר של עגמת נפש הוא זה). Meaning that it is a thought that breaks a person. It causes pain and Tzar to individuals.

The Maharal explains, why is this a significantly important reason for someone not to go to battle? Because it is a (ודבר של עגמת נפש הוא זה) it is sad when someone dies have in battle. It is especially touching to a person when you hear about someone at the height of a time of joy in his life that has a problem.

The Maharal says Chalash Daito Alav Kmo She’pirush Rashi. When something like that happens it causes people to get depressed as Rashi says. The Maharal goes on to say that the depressing thought of a person dying and someone else taking his home, his wife, or his vineyard, that depressing thought itself brings bad Mazal. That brings Misah. The Maharal says that Simcha brings a good Mazal and that depression brings a bad Mazal. It is actually the Teva Hab’ria that one follows the other. So that Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha is a Siba (cause) and not the result for this to be a month of joy and good Mazal.

The truth is it is a Posuk in Mishlei 18:14 (רוּחַ-אִישׁ, יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ). Meaning the spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, it will take care of his disease. A person who is optimistic and is able to be happy, will have a better outcome from a disease than a person who is depressed. This is something that is known today statistically. (רוּחַ-אִישׁ, יְכַלְכֵּל מַחֲלֵהוּ), so that the joy of a person is what helps a person through. Therefore as we look forward to the month of Adar which is a month of joy, so as we look forward to Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha, we have to start as early as we possibly can. It is never too early to get ready for Purim. It is never too early to start with a Simcha that a person has to have. The lessons of the difficult times in (מָדַי וּפָרָס) which were turned into times of Simcha.

The Missing Puzzle Piece - Purim 5772

The Gra in a Pirush on the Megilla says, as you know the whole Megilla is a big puzzle. A puzzle where pieces fit in beautifully, all the different episodes fit into one beautiful picture at the end. The Mussar of it is Hashem is always assembling puzzles. Although we see the pieces of the puzzle we don’t appreciate it.

There is one piece of the Megillah which does not really fit into the whole picture of the puzzle. The whole episode of Balaila Hahu, that night the King can’t fall asleep and they bring him the Sefer Hazichroinois and they read it to him. He asks what good was done to Mordechai, and ultimately Mordechai is marched through the streets. That incident didn’t play any part in the rescue of the Jewish people. The next day Esther goes to the Mishtah Hayayin with Haman and Achashveiroish just as was planned, nothing changed. She then reveals that she is a Yid, finds favor in Achashveiroish’s eyes, and Haman is hung. Mordechai being led through the streets of Shushan in the King’s clothing, on the King’s  horse and being led by Haman doesn’t play any part in the ultimate rescue of the Yidden. It seems to be inconsequential, just an incident that happened, however, we raise our voice with great joy when we read Balaila Hahu. It doesn’t seem to play a part in the story. The illustrations are always in the children’s’ Megillas with Haman leading Mordechai on the horse. The children always learn about Aveil V’chafui Roish. That as Haman was pulling the horse, Haman’s daughter was on the roof, and threw garbage down on the head of what she thought was Mordechai, and how it actually fell on Haman and how funny that was. And over the years the description of the garbage has changed significantly and I don’t know what the Mekoir is for what the description of what the garbage was. L’mayseh it is a very entertaining episode, however, it seems to have nothing to do with the whole puzzle.

The Gra says that it is very much a piece of the puzzle. Haman was a very shrewd character. He was a quick thinker, he was cunning, he had gotten himself out of trouble before. B’derech Hateva, when Esther reveals that she is a Yid, Haman who was a quick thinker could have come up with something like oh I didn’t know you were a Jew just like Achashveiroish didn’t know you were a Jew. He could have talked his way out of the situation. Part of the puzzle of the story of the Megillah happening B’derech Hateva without any miracles taking place, had to find a natural way for this to happen, that Haman won’t talk his way out of the situation. Therefore, Hakadoish Baruch Hu caused Haman to be in a Behala, to be in a state of mind of confusion. He was Aveil V’chafui Roish. He was physically filthy. The Gemara says that they quickly took Haman and he didn’t have time to bathe. Whatever the garbage was, the remnants were still on him. When Haman is brought to the Mishte the Posuk reads in 6:14 יד  עוֹדָם מְדַבְּרִים עִמּוֹ, וְסָרִיסֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הִגִּיעוּ; וַיַּבְהִלוּ לְהָבִיא אֶת-הָמָן, אֶל-הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֲשֶׁר-עָשְׂתָה אֶסְתֵּר Haman was taken to the Mishteh in a great Bahala. He didn’t feel clean, he felt rushed, confused, and embarrassed. He had been humiliated. In that state of mind he came to the Mishteh, confusion, that causes a person to lose his ability to think quickly, to do the right thing, it takes away the wisdom of a person. This was all part of the natural sequence of events that we call the miracle of Purim. That lesson, that Behala brings about confusion shouldn’t be lost upon us. Living in our fast pace world, a world of Behala.

-- א"ה ובשם הסבא מקלם פי' שהעיקר שיהיודים יבינו שמרכי צודק

http://navitapes1.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-psychological-effect-of-mordechais.html

Wine And Secrets - Purim 5772

There is a Gemara in Maseches Shabbos 140b (18 lines from the top) that discusses the optimum way of getting drunk. It says, ואמר רב פפא האי מאן דאפשר למישתי שיכרא ושתי חמרא עובר משום בל תשחית ולאו מילתא היא בל תשחית דגופא עדיף Rav Pappa says if someone can get drunk with beer and drinks wine he is Oiver Bal Tashchis. This might be because wine is more expensive than beer so why drink beer? Ai we all drink wine and don’t drink beer? So the Gemara explains that Rav Pappa’s reasoning is not correct because wine is healthier than beer so you should drink wine.

The Marsha in trying to explain why Rav Pappa came out so strong against wine and was for beer brings a Gemara in Maseches Pesachim 113a (18 lines from the top) that says אמר רב פפא אי לא דרמאי שכרא לא איעתרי Rav Pappa brewed beer for a living and if not for that I would not have become rich. This is the reason that he held if someone can get drunk on beer and gets drunk on wine is Oiver Bal Tashchis.

The Rashash says on the Marsha that he is not correct. He brings from Maseches Shabbos 118b (18 lines from the bottom) that says, אמר רב פפא לדידי חשדן ולא הוה בי What were they Choished Rav Pappa for? They are Choished that he advised drinking beer because he owns a brewery and it is not an accurate accusation.

There is a Michtam Eliyahu in Cheilek 3 page 289 that talks about the significance of drinking wine. He brings from Maseches Berachos 34b (16 lines from the bottom) מאי עין לא ראתה אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי זה יין המשומר בענביו מששת ימי בראשית  That L’asid Lavoi we will drink wine that will be served at the Seudas Livyasan that was made with grapes from the 6 days of creation. So there is something special about wine.

The Michtam Eliyahu explains the Soid of wine as follows; wine represents a Penimiois that is more than its Chitzoiniois. Most drinks do not go up in level when they are removed from their fruit. Wine is unique in that when it is removed from the grape it raises its level from a Borei Pri Ha’eitz to a Borei Pri Hagafen. We know that Ein Oimrim Shira Ela Al Hayayin and Yayin Yesamach L’vav E’noish, we know that wine makes people rejoice. Therefore, wine represents Penimiois. The Chashivus L’asid Lavoi of the Ayin Loi Ra’asa refers to Yidden who have Dargois Penimiois. They have certain things that they are careful about in Halacha, Zehirois in Mitzvois, Learning that they don’t show off. They keep these things as their own personal tool in Avoidas Hashem. 

Rav Tzadoik writes that for practical reasons every person should have a certain Hanhaga Toiva that he doesn’t tell anyone about. Rav Tzadoik warns that if you tell people about it, it diminishes its value. The reason is, because to you it may be a Geder, something you do, and it is very Chashuv to you. However, when you bring it out to the Oilam Hachitzoini the world of Chitzoiniois, it’s attacked and becomes less Chashuv in the eyes of the person who says it or the people who hear it. The Michtam Eliyahu calls this the Yayin Hamishumar B’anavav.

Therefore, the depth of Rav Pappa’s Vort about someone who can get drunk with beer and instead drinks wine means, someone who can serve Hashem without revealing his Penimiois and reveals his Penimiois is Oiver Bal Tashchis.

There is an exception and that is when someone hopes to influence others then he should reveal his Penimiois. It says in Devarim 29:28 כח  הַנִּסְתָּרֹת--לַי ר וָ ר, אֱלֹ ק ינוּ; וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ, עַד-עוֹלָם--לַעֲשׂוֹת, אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת Meaning, hidden Penimiois that a person has, he keeps between himself and Hashem, however, when it comes to influencing your children and grandchildren, Niglois, then a person should be ready to forgo keeping these things hidden in his Penimious and to reveal them in the Chitzoiniois. That is the explanation of the NicnasYayin Yotzo Soid. The revealing that a person occasionally reveals to give Chizuk to others. The things that he does, these Hanhagos that he has, which really are Yayin, which really are Penimiois.

2 Kinds Of Oness - Purim 5772

Rav Elchonon in Maseches Kesuvos has a Dvar Halacha. Esther says in 4:16 וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי, אָבָדְתִּי Meaning, she was willing to go to Achashveiroish, however, just like she was Ovaditi from her parents’ house so too she was Ovaditi from Mordechai in that she became Assur to him when she went to live with Achashveiroish willingly. (Tosafos asks why didn’t Mordechai give a Get and answers that Mordechai thought then the story would be out there.)

There are 2 difficulties with this. Someone who is married and lives with someone other than her husband B’oines is not Assur to her husband who is a Yisrael. Let’s say she was Assur to her husband, this should have happened anyway years before as this part of the story took place in the 12th year of Achashveiroish’s reign. Esther had already been married to Achashveiroish for an extended period. So why does Esther say here  וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי, אָבָדְתִּי ?

Rav Elchonon in Koivetz Shiurim Ois 8 & 9 has an important insight into when people are compelled to do something. Basically, he is coming to answer a Rambam. The Rambam says if someone is forced to bow down to an Avoida Zorah, the Halacha is he should get killed and not bow down. This person bows down and doesn’t ask to be killed. The Rambam says that he violated the Halachos of Kiddush Hashem. Howevr, as far as Dinei Avoida Zorah he isn’t Chayuv Misa because he was an Oines and Oines Rachmana Patrei.

Rav Elchonon asks that this Rambam contradicts a Rambam in the 5th Perek of Hilchos Yesoidei Hatorah. The Rambam there says that if a person is ill and the only way to be healed is to eat from the fruit of an Asheira tree, which is Abaz’rai’hu of Avoida Zorah, that you must be killed and not to eat the fruit. The Rambam says if that person were to eat the fruit from that tree then he gets Malkus. This contradicts the person who bowed down to Avoida Zorah and didn’t receive a punishment. The Ohr Sameach asks this question as well on the Rambam and gives the same Teretz.

Rav Elchonon is Mechaleik between 2 types of Oines. There is one type of Oines that a person is forced physically, meaning someone points a gun at him and forces him to do something. There the act is not really his act. If someone would take a person and physically bend his body in front of an Avoida Zorah, we wouldn’t say that the person is bowing. The other person is using this person’s body to bow. So too if someone points a gun at someone and asks him to bow to an Avoida Zorah, the Rambam considers it the man with the gun who is doing the Mai’se. So it is an Oines and he is Patur.

This is not so with eating from the Asheira tree. This is not the same type of Oines. In the case of the Avoida Zorah, this person would be delighted if the Avoida Zorah would just disappear. Not so the person who is ill and needs the food of the tree for his Hatzolah. If someone would take that fruit away, the person would be distraught. So someone who does a Hatzolah because of Pikuach Nefashois does not have the same rules of Oines and he is punished.

This is the Pshat with Esther. All along when Esther was married to Achashveiroish when she was physically forced to live with Achashveiroish, and we know that since Isha Karka Oilam Hi that she is not required to let herself be killed instead of Znus, and therefore since it was an Oines, she didn’t become Assur to her husband.

Not so when she went to Achashveiroish as a means of Hatzolah for Klal Yisrael.This would be comparable to eating from the Asheira tree. She did it and she is still Assur to her husband Mordechai.

This Pshat actually helps us appreciate the Gadlus of the Chofetz Chaim. This Rav Elchonon and Ohr Sameach, the Mishna Berura says in half a line. In the Halacha of Brocha Rishonah of Birchas Hapeirus in Siman (204) Raish Daled, the Taz asks a Stira between two Se’ifim. In 240:8 the Rama says if someone forces you to eat something, you don’t make a Brocha. In 240:9 it says, if someone eats Treif because of a Sakana, you do make a Brocha. The Taz asks that it is a Stira because both are an Oines and yet by someone forcing you to eat you don’t make a Brocha and when you are an Oines to eat Treif for a Refua you do make a Brocha?

The Mishna Berura says when you are forced to eat something you are an Oines in the Mai’se itself, which is like Esther all the years living with Achashveiroish. On the other hand when someone is ill and takes something to eat that is Hatzalah through an Issur and you do make a Brocha because it is not called an Oines Gamur.

The Minchas Elazar brings a Zohar to explain why וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי, אָבָדְתִּי is only applicable here and not previously. Before this incident, any time Achashveiroish wanted to be Mezane, Esther would send a Shaid in her place. This Shaid was a spirit that would take on the physical form of Esther and she was never Mezane. Now for the first time she was going herself which is why she said וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי, אָבָדְתִּי. Now of course this is difficult Al Pi Pshat because as we know she had a child. We know that she couldn’t have become pregnant that night because that was in middle of Achashveiroish’s 12th year of his reign and Achashveiroish’s reign was for 14 years. This would mean that Daryaveish would have been 1 year and 3 months old at the time that he took over the kingdom and gave permission to the Yidden to rebuild the BaisHamikdash which is highly unlikely. We know that he was the one that gave the permission because the Gemara says that Koiresh was a Melech Kosher. Daryaveish was Koiresh. So Al Pi Pshat it doesn’t fit well.

The Minchas Elazar writes if she was able to send a Shaid every other time than why couldn’t she send a Shaid this time as well to be with Achashveiroish?  He Teitches that Mordechai warned her as it says in 4:14 יד  כִּי אִם-הַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁי, בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת--רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה יַעֲמוֹד לַיְּהוּדִים מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, וְאַתְּ וּבֵית-אָבִיךְ תֹּאבֵדוּ; וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ--אִם-לְעֵת כָּזֹאת, הִגַּעַתְּ לַמַּלְכוּת Meaning, if you are going to do magic this time and send a Shaid again, the Yidden will be saved through Shaidim (the Sitra Achra) and nothing will remain of you. Hatzolah that comes about through using the Sitra Achra has no Kiyum, it doesn’t remain, and this time you have to go yourself.

What Mordechai Gave - Purim 5772

Esther’s Cheilek in the Neis of Purim came because she had a specific Zechus. It was the Zechus of Tzniyus that Esther had. What Zechus did Mordechai have?

In the Sfas Emes 637 (Taf Reish Lamed Zayin) he explainsthe Posuk 2:11 יא  וּבְכָל-יוֹם וָיוֹם--מָרְדֳּכַי מִתְהַלֵּךְ, לִפְנֵי חֲצַר בֵּית-הַנָּשִׁים:  לָדַעַת אֶת-שְׁלוֹם אֶסְתֵּר, וּמַה-יֵּעָשֶׂה בָּהּ  Mordechai didn’t miss a day. This was a big thing because this was over a few years that Mordechai checked on Esther every day and this was the Zechus that caused Mordechai to have a part in the Neis. This idea of giving and not being selfish is the Yesoid of the whole miracle of Purim. Everything that happened was because of a tremendous giving.

Esther gave and was sacrificing her whole life, literally as it says in 4:16 וְכַאֲשֶׁר אָבַדְתִּי, אָבָדְתִּי She was forced to be in the house of Achashveiroish where she didn’t want to be.

Mordechai also gave as it says in 10:3 ג  כִּי מָרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי, מִשְׁנֶה לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, וְגָדוֹל לַיְּהוּדִים, וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו--דֹּרֵשׁ טוֹב לְעַמּוֹ, וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל-זַרְעוֹ  We know that Mordechai went down in a Ruchniyas Madreiga because he got involved with being a Prime Minister for Achashveiroish. That was the most selfless thing he could do. To give up his Madreiga in Ruchniyas for Klal Yisrael and Mordechai did it. This was the Zechus that Mordechai had. This is the Yesoid of Purim.

(9:27) כז  קִיְּמוּ וקבל (וְקִבְּלוּ) הַיְּהוּדִים Originally, Klal Yisrael was Mekabeil the Torah for selfish reasons because Hashem threatened them with a mountain on their heads, so they had self interest. Here they were Mekabeil without self interest.

Maseches Megillah begins with דף ב, א משנה  מגילה נקראת בי"א בי"ב בי"ג בי"ד בט"ו This Inyan of when the Megillah can be read is really a side Inyan of Purim. Why does the Masechta start this way? The truth is it is the same idea. The Gemara explains that the people who lived in the cities sacrificed because they would rather Lain the Megilla on Purim, however, for the sake of the people who came in from the surrounding smaller towns they had a Laining on the 11th, 12th, or 13th. This is also a Madreiga of giving.

This connects to Parshas Tetzaveh because in the Parsha we have all the Begadim of the Kohen and at the end of the Parsha we have the Mizbai’ach Haketores. The Mizbai’ach Haketores doesn’t belong in Parshas Tetzaveh and the Rishonim starting from the Ramban talk about it.

Rav Moshe used to say, that the reason that the Mizbai’ach Haketores is in Parshas Tetzaveh is because this Parsha talks about the Middah of a Gadol B’yisrael. The Gemara says that the Ketoires smelled as far away as Yericho. They gave.

A Kallah in Yerushalayim didn’t have to put on perfume because they were Nehena from the Ketoires. The Ketoires gave Hana’a all over the place. Rav Moshe used to say that is why the Ketoires is in the Parsha of the Bigdei Kohen and Kohen Gadol. The Kohanim always had to be dressed in the Middah of giving.

Mordechai is learned out from the Torah because of the words Mar D’ror which comes from the Ketoires which is this Middah of giving. This is the Yesoid of Purim. Purim is a Yom Tov of giving not only of your money but also of your Koiches to your Avoidas Hashem.