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Holy Days -
Purim
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Written by d fine
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The Me’iri explains that the reason the Mishnah forbids reading the Megillah in reverse order (from the end part back to the beginning) is that only when one reads the story forwards does one gain an appreciation for how the individual events came together to form the magnificent Divinely-woven tapestry we call Megillas Esther. Only when we read the Megillah forwards do we see the Divine Hand properly, and only then does the Megillas Esther take on its real role of being megaleh the hester (revealing the hidden).
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Holy Days -
Purim
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Written by d fine
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One of the things which seems to make an non-insignificant appearance in the Megillah is the sum of money. Haman is constantly stressing the fact that he wants to give the king money to have the Jews killed, whilst Achashveirosh refuses such an offer. Why is the money an important part of the story that the Megillah sees it fit to tell us about it? Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld gives a remarkable insight here. He writes that Haman had a cunning plan here. He would ask Achashveirosh for permission to kill off the Jews, but at the same time he would give Achashveirosh money so it would look like Haman was paying Achashveirosh for this right. When the various ethnic groups would see that Haman has paid Achashveirosh for the right to kill of a sect of society, they’d all get extremely worried; ‘what if someone comes up with enough money to persuade the king to have us killed next?’ they’d think. The outcome would be that there would be a rebellion and Achashveirosh would be overthrown, with the convenient consequence of Haman becoming the new king. In other words, the money was part of Haman’s plan to overthrow Achashveirosh - ultimately something that Achashveirosh did not fall for. And, Esther, having realised that this was Haman’s intention via the money all along, does not forget to drop this into her claims against Haman to the king when she is pleading for her life - ‘for my people have been sold.’
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Holy Days -
Purim
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Written by D Fine
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We shall end with a short idea about Purim. Esther and Mordechai instituted mishlo’ach manos as part of the Purim festivities. What has this got to do with Purim? Purim is about recognising HaShem’s Hand in everyday events. Where does sending food to one’s mate come into this?[14] We can answer via a note that was hung on the door to the Beis HaMedrash in Kelm during the month of Ellul each year. The note reminded everyone to be extra careful to create unity and foster good relations with others during the month leading up to Rosh HaShanah. What does this have to do with Rosh HaShanah?
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Holy Days -
Purim
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Written by Rafi Jager
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With all the fun and frolic of Purim, we sometimes forget the many lessons to be derived from Megillas Esther and their applications to our daily outlook on life.
Like the Torah, Megillas Esther was written with ruach hakodesh. Besides its historical importance, it teaches us valuable lessons no less applicable to our lives today than it was at the time of its composition thousands of years ago. One of the lessons of Megillas Esther is that the real causes of events in history are often far different than those that are apparent at first glance.
In the story of Purim, it would seem that the stubbornness of Mordechai not to bow to Haman was the cause of our peril and the edict of destruction. However, the Talmud teaches that the real cause of Haman's decree was that the Jewish people participated in the king's feast described in the first chapter of the book. The king's feast
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Read more...
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Holy Days -
Purim
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Written by Rafi Jager
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Many of the Jewish holidays revolve around the dinner table. Food's prominent role throughout the festivals ranges from dipping apples in honey on Rosh Hashanah to eating in little huts on Sukkos; from drinking four cups of wine at the seder to drinking to a stupor on Purim.
Even within the laws of Purim, three of the four primary mitzvot revolve around food: Eating the festive meal, extending meal packages to friends (mishlo'ach manos), and providing for the poor (matanos la'evyonim). The common denominator of all these mitzvos centers around the basic human need for sustenance.
The Rambam states that on Purim it is better to involve oneself more extensively with helping the needy than with embellishing one's own meal or giving food gifts to acquaintances. Why is the mitzvah of taking care of the needy on Purim superior to the other mitzvot of the day? Of course we should always try to help
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