«Веселье для чайников» Трума-Адар 5785

Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the name of Rav: Just as when Av begins one decreases rejoicing, so too when the month of Adar begins, one increases rejoicing.

the same days on which the Jews enjoyed relief from their foes and the same month which had been transformed for them from one of grief and mourning to one of festive joy. They were to observe them as days of feasting and merrymaking, and as an occasion for sending gifts to one another and presents to the poor.

7. If one will be sailing at sea or going out in a caravan and does not find a Megillah to take with him, he is to read on the 13th or the 12th or the 11th without a blessing. And if he cannot wait until those days [before travelling], there are those who say that he is to read even starting from the beginning of the month [of Adar]. RAMA: And this is our custom.

In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, pur—which means “the lot”—was cast before Haman concerning every day and every month, [until it fell on] the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.

Accordingly, written instructions were dispatched by couriers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, massacre, and exterminate all the Jews, young and old, children and women, on a single day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month—that is, the month of Adar—and to plunder their possessions.

Whoever enters Adar: Days of miracles - these were for the Jews - Purim and Pesach

that one elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade.

Reish Lakish says: A man commits a transgression only if a spirit of folly [shetut] enters him, as it is stated: “If any man’s wife goes aside [tisteh]” (Numbers 5:12). The word tisteh is written with the Hebrew letter shin, affording an alternative reading of tishteh, which is related to the term for folly, the word shetut.

David whirled with all his might before the LORD; David was girt with a linen ephod. Thus David and all the House of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts and with blasts of the horn. As the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him for it.

David went home to greet his household. And Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “Didn’t the king of Israel do himself honor today—exposing himself today in the sight of the slavegirls of his subjects, as one of the riffraff might expose himself!” David answered Michal, “It was before the LORD who chose me instead of your father and all his family and appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel! I will dance before the LORD - and dishonor myself even more, and be low in my own^-k esteem; but among the slavegirls that you speak of I will be honored.” So to her dying day Michal daughter of Saul had no children.

One should strengthen himself like a lion to get up in the morning to serve his Creator, so that it is he who awakens the dawn. Rem"a: At least, one should not delay beyond the time when the congregation prays (Tur). Rem"a: "I have set the Lord before me constantly" (Psalms 16:8); this is a major principle in the Torah and amongst the virtues of the righteous who walk before God.

One does not say Tachanun on the 14th and 15th of Adar I [i.e., the first Adar in a leap year], and the law of fasting and eulogizing on those [days] - one se'if. On the 14th and the 15th day of Adar I, we do not fall upon our faces [recite Tahanun], and we do not say [Psalm 20] "A Psalm... may the Lord answer you," and on those [days], it is forbidden to eulogize or to fast. There are those who say that even eulogy and fasting are permitted. Rema: The custom is according to the first understanding. There are those who say that one is obligated to increase in joy and feasting on the 14th of Adar I (Tur in the name of the Rif); however, this is not our practice. Nevertheless, one should increase their feasting slightly, in order to fulfill the opinion of those who are stringent (Hagahot Maimuni in the name of the SeMaK). "But the good-hearted has a continual feast" (Proverbs 15:15).

It is a great mitzvah to always be happy, and to make every effort to determinedly keep depression and gloom at bay.

The verse states: “They cast pur, that is, the lot” (Esther 3:7). A Sage taught the following baraita: Once the lot fell on the month of Adar, he, Haman, greatly rejoiced, for he saw this as a favorable omen for the execution of his plans. He said: The lot has fallen for me in the month that Moses died, which is consequently a time of calamity for the Jewish people. But he did not know that not only did Moses die on the seventh of Adar, but he was also born on the seventh of Adar, and therefore it is also a time of rejoicing for the Jewish people.

And he was born on the seventh of Adar: As it is written (Deuteronomy 31:2), "A hundred and twenty years old am I today" - today completed my days and my years. The birth is worthy to atone for the death.

The happiness with which a person should rejoice in the fulfillment of the mitzvot and the love of God who commanded them is a great service. Whoever holds himself back from this rejoicing is worthy of retribution, as [Deuteronomy 28:47] states: "...because you did not serve God, your Lord, with happiness and a glad heart."Whoever holds himself proud, giving himself honor, and acts haughtily in such situations is a sinner and a fool. Concerning this, Solomon warned [Proverbs 28:10]: "Do not seek glory before the King."[In contrast,] anyone who lowers himself and thinks lightly of his person in these situations is [truly] a great person, worthy of honor, who serves God out of love. Thus, David, King of Israel, declared [II Samuel 6:22]: "I will hold myself even more lightly esteemed than this and be humble in my eyes," because there is no greatness or honor other than celebrating before God, as [II Samuel 6:16] states: "King David was dancing wildly and whistling before God."