TA Purim 5785 - Questions and Answers torasavigdor.org

Transformed by Haman

Q:

The Gemara (Shabbos 88a) says that when the Am Yisroel experienced the neis of Purim, so קִיְּימוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר – they accepted the whole Torah again only this time it was accepted willingly (Shabbos 88a). Does that mean that the generation in the time of Mordechai actually became better than our forefathers were at Matan Torah?

A:

The answer is no.

But you have to understand that the difference is as follows: There is no question that the generation of Matan Torah was far superior to any generation that ever existed – don’t make any mistake about that. The generation that went out of Mitzrayim was the best generation that ever lived. Moshe Rabbeinu had a tremendous influence on them and so did Aharon. And Miriam was the teacher of the women.

And so when we went out of Mitzrayim, it was a generation that knew Hashem! They were the Dor Deiah – what they learned when they saw the makkos transformed their minds; they became so elevated. וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם אֶת ה׳ – They feared Hashem. וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּה׳ – They had full belief in Hashem, וּבְמֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ – and in His servant Moshe (Shemos 14:31).

And at Har Sinai they were so elevated that רוּבׇּם מַגִּיעִים אֶל הַנְּבוּאָה – most of them became Neviim at that moment when they heard Word of Hashem (Kuzari 1:109). We have no concept of the greatness of that generation! Don’t make any mistake about it; they were ones who knew Hashem more than anyone. Only they were criticized because they should have known more according to their opportunities. But they were extremely great.

However, as great as they were, no experience in history equaled that of the Jews in the time of Haman because they were sentenced to certain death. That’s a big difference. In Mitzrayim they weren’t sentenced to death. “זָכַרְנוּ אֶת הַדָּגָה”, they said. It means they lived, they survived. It wasn’t the very best form of existence, but they lived. But here, by Haman, they knew that imminent death was waiting for them. And there was no way out! You cannot turn back the king’s decree. They were finished!

And therefore the change that took place in them was more fundamental – not because afterwards they became more pure and more noble than the generation that listened to Moshe Rabbeinu’s words. No; the people who saw Moshe Rabbeinu were unequaled. But the transformation in the days of Haman was so immediate that nothing compared to it.

I’ll give you a mashal. Let’s say somebody lives a normal life and he lives with the rules of health; he eats properly, he exercises properly, he takes care of his body. So this man is a model of perfect health. Now suppose somebody else neglects his health and now he becomes deadly ill. And in order to save his life the physician gives him an injection of a very extreme medicine and he saves his life. Now he’s back to life again! So the experience is unequaled; he was on the verge of death and now he was brought back to life. But in the end he is not healthier than the other party. The first one who lived a normal existence is much more sound in body than the second one.

And therefore although after the story of Purim our generation was rejuvenated – we had a shot, a real shot in the arm, and we were reborn – but in no way did we resemble the dor that received the Torah; no question about that.

March 1989

The Mitzvos of Purim

Q:

Why is there a mitzvah of mishloach manos and matanos l’evyonim on Purim?

A:

Good question.

On Purim the first thing we’re celebrating is that we’re happy that Hashem saved us in the times of Achashveirosh. And we’re happy that He always will save us! That’s simchas Purim! Purim means that we are a nation forever, that we are still celebrating 2500 years after it happened. We have to be excited about that, excited that we’re still around, that we’re the eternal people. We’re forever and ever. וִימֵי הַפּוּרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֹא יַעַבְרוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִים וְזִכְרָם לֹא יָסוּף מִזַּרְעָם – There will always be a Purim among the Yehudim; the memory of Purim will never go away from us (Esther 9:28). Forever and ever there’s going to be a Purim.

That’s a tremendous statement because it means everything to us. It means that when you walk through the street and a goy says something to you, or maybe he’ll even spit at you or throw a rock, it means nothing at all because you know in your heart that you’re forever and he’s going to go lost. He’ll go lost; there’s no question about it. That’s the underlying simcha, that no matter how much hatred there will be, we’re going to be forever. And so purim is a simcha of gratitude & love of Hakadosh Baruch Hu

But for that we could have just a day of happiness; a day of reading the Megillas Esther and eating and drinking and dancing and thanking Hakadosh Baruch Hu. But what’s this business of מִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים – The sending of portions, every person to his fellow, and gifts to the poor (Esther 9:22)? What’s that have to do with Purim?

The answer is that there’s another purpose to Purim besides love of Hashem and that is love of Yisroel. The mitzvos of Purim are intended to encourage that. Chazal wanted us to make a special demonstration because as it states the Hagadah בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵנוּ – the gentiles will always rise up against us. They’ll always slander us and hate us. And therefore our Sages wanted us to counteract that attitude of the world. And that’s one of the great functions of Purim: “I’m demonstrating that I love my fellow Jew. I’m giving you this as a demonstration of what’s in my heart.”

That’s what Purim is for: אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ – Mishloach manos - each man to his friend. Who is your friend? Everybody should be your friend. On Purim when you send gifts, it’s because you’re making friendship, you’re increasing friendship. מִשְׁלוֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ – We send gifts to our fellow Jews to show them רֵעֵהוּ - you’re my friend.

Matanos l’evyonim too. It doesn’t say צְדָקָה לָאֶבְיוֹנִים, ‘charity’ to the poor; מַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיוֹנִים means ‘gifts’ to the poor. We’re giving them gifts not charity. Only that the poor prefer tzedakah, money, rather than a little dishful of cake and candies. They want money so we give them money. That’s a sign of loving the poor people, giving them money. And if you’ll say nice words to them too and honor them and make them feel good even better.

If you can invite poor people to your table, even better; not everybody has a home. Not only the poor; some people don’t have a place to be on Purim for the seudah, for the happy festivities of the day. There are lonely Jews. So bring them into your home. Show them that you’re with them, that we are the Am Olam, the Forever-Nation, together.

“Oh,” Hashem says “Now I see that you know how to utilize the day. That’s why I gave you Purim; because Haman wanted to utilize Purim for the opposite, for a tremendous hatred against the Am Hashem, and you’re going to utilize that same day for a tremendous ahavah (love) of the Am Hashem. וְנַהֲפֹךְ הוּא! That’s the best way to utilize Purim.”

March 2000

Jewish Self Defense

Q:

I want to ask a question about Purim. It says in the Megillah that Achashveirosh gave the Jews the right to defend themselves again. And I would like to know, what would have happened if he didn’t give this right? Wouldn’t they try to defend themselves anyway somehow?

A:

When Achashveirosh gave them the right to defend themselves it meant that the authorities in the cities, the garrison, the soldiers in every city, should not interfere with the Jews self defense. Because otherwise, throughout history when Jews defend themselves, they are considered criminals. That’s how it is in the eyes of the goyim. If we defend ourselves against the goyim who attack us, they say that we’re making a pogrom. And so whenever Jews try to protect themselves, then the authorities interfere and try to repress the Jews.

That’s what happened in Alexandria of Egypt when the Jews tried to defend themselves, the Roman governor sent his legions and then they massacred the entire Jewish populace.

Wherever Jews try to protect themselves, it’s considered a big crime; Jews are not supposed to defend themselves. Not long ago the New York Times was complaining that the Jews whenever they have a chance, they make pogroms against the goyim. The writer mentioned that in the times of Haman the Jews made a pogrom on the goyim, and he was upset that the Jews were doing it again, now in Williamsburg instead of Shushan.

What was the story? A homeless man, a bum with a razor blade, was in an elevator in Williamsburg and he gashed a Jew’s face and took away his wallet. So the Williamsburg Jews are not fools. They couldn’t appeal to the police; the police wouldn’t do anything. So one of the Jews who saw what happened ran after this homeless man and while he was running he called for help. “Chaptzem! Catch him!” He put out the Williamsburg call for reinforcements.

You know, Williamsburg is not West Orange; they have big families in Williamsburg, and so all of a sudden the windows and doors of the apartment buildings open up and there are chassidim pouring out from everywhere into the streets. A deluge of human beings; some are putting on their pants, putting on their coats, running out into the streets and they’re ready for business. And when they caught this goy they gave him the special "chaptzem" treatment. He had to go to the hospital.

So how did our good friends of the Jewish people report it in the New York Times? Headline: Homeless Man Attacked By Hassidic Mob. You know what that means, right? An innocent homeless man walking in the street with no place to go, probably just looking to do a good deed, and the hassidic mob rushed out of their houses and made a riot; for no reason they attacked the poor honorable fellow. Because that’s always how it is for the anti-Semites – when Jews defend themselves it’s called a riot. The New York Times doesn’t like that Jews should make pogroms; they prefer it the other way around.

And when the Jews in Eretz Yisroel fought back against the Arabs who attacked them so when the Jews won the war they gained many enemies at that time. Now, I’m no patriot for Medinas Yisroel but if the Arabs are coming to kill, the Jews shouldn’t defend themselves?? No, the gentiles don’t think so. The U.N. makes a special meeting about the problem, a special declaration against Medinas Yisroel. All over the world, all the goyim hated the Jews because they won the war.

Because that’s the way of the world. When Jews are killed, chas veshalom, so the goyim, even the good goyim, don’t mind it much. But when Jews kill goyim, all the goyim are hurt very much.

And that’s why after Purim the Jews gained more enemies than before. Even Achashveirosh, although he was friendly to Esther, when he got the report about how many goyim were killed in Shushan he said וּבִשְׁאַר מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ מֶה עָשׂוּ – “And in the other provinces what did they do?” It hurt him. He thought like a New York Times writer; it hurt him that they killed the goyim. וּבִשְׁאַר מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ מֶה עָשׂוּ means, “How many did they kill already?! So many?!”

Now, had they killed the Jews, Achashveirosh wouldn’t have said anything. Killing too many Jews, he wouldn’t say a word. But if Jews kill goyim in self-defense it’s already a tragedy.

And so when Achashveirosh gave permission fot the Jews to defend themselves, that was part of the miracle of Purim. For the sake of the Purim miracle, Achashveirosh was prevailed upon to let them defend themselves. He did them a favor and gave them the right to fight back. It was a great favor that the Persian army did not interfere.

March 1972

QUESTION:

Why did they (the Jews) deserve at the time of Purim, such a threat to their lives?

ANSWER:

The gemara says, mipnei sh'nehenu m'seudoso shel Achashveirosh, because they enjoyed his banquet. Now it doesn't say because they went to the banquet, the banquet they had to attend because they had to demonstrate that they were patriots, but it should have been as kofoh sheid; they were forced to go. But some of them went with a certain amount of exhilaration. We are also citizens, we are also given recognition, we are also somebody. As they sat at the table some of them were happy that they were able to mingle with the gentiles.

So Hakadosh Baruch Hu said, "You, the Chosen people, are forgetting your aristocracy, and you sink so low to be honored in the presence of other nations? I'll have to remind you who the other nations are." And so, when the proclamation of Haman went out to the one hundred twenty seven medinos, and the Jews walking down the street saw the nations gathering around the bulletin boards, and they were reading with relish, on a certain day there will permission given for the great prank to begin, for the great fun to begin! And the goyim were licking their chops in anticipation, and the Jew was walking by and the goy was measuring him, this is a fat one, we'll get him when the day comes. So the Jew began to understand who his nice neighbors were, like in Lithuania, or in Latvia, or anywhere else.

The neighbors with whom you lived with for generations, and seemed so nice, they were the ones who turned you over to the Nazis; they were the ones. Priests turned over Jews to the Nazis. The Rov of Grosvardie relates that his brother-in-law was trying to escape from the ghetto, so a Hungarian priest seized him by the arm and handed him over to the Nazis for execution. How was it that cardinal Brisgas in Lithuania, he praised the Nazis for what they were doing? Certainly it was for the purpose of letting us know who our nice neighbors are.

Therefore when they were proud and happy to associate with the umos haolam, Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave them a taste of what the umos haolam really are.

QUESTION:

By the testimony of Haman we see that the Jewish people kept their own laws; v'doseihem shonos mekol um, their laws are different from the laws of all the people. So Haman was testifying that wherever the Jews dwelt in the one hundred twenty seven provinces, in all the places of their dispursement they clung to their Torah and they were loyal to Hashem. So why was it necessary now to chastise them with the edict of Achashverosh and Haman?

ANSWER:

We're making a very big error if we think that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is satisfied by merely keeping the Torah. Rachmono libo bo’ei, Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants devotion, He wants enthusiasm. When people are cold, when the fire has gone out from their hearts, even though they still observe, that's not enough. Because eventually what's going to happen to their children? Didn't we see what happened in Europe? The fire went out of their hearts even in the small towns where everybody still kept Shabbos and kashrus, but the fire was extinguished already, and when they came to America most of them threw everything overboard. They even threw their tefillin into the Atlantic and as soon as they came here they crumbled away, they yielded and gave up everything, because that's how it works.

It's the inside of a man that's most important. And so Hakadosh Baruch Hu saw that it was time when a new regeneration was necessary, a new enthusiasm was necessary. The laws they kept!! You find people today that keep all the laws and still they're not enthusiastic. They come to Shul and daven, but you see it's only by rote, no enthusiasm in their davening, it's a dead davening. It's only an outside shell, but there's no soul, there's no content, there's no heart inside of it. Of course there are still people today who daven well, but not enough. In those days Hakadosh Baruch Hu wasn't satisfied that the Jewish people kept the Torah, no! By no means.

Therefore that was considered as if they were beginning to stray and therefore He gave them a new start, la’yehudim hoyso ora v'sason v'simcah, the Jews now had light. The gemara says, right after the story of Haman, after their deliverance, ora zu Torah, v'sason zu milah, viykor zu tefillin and so on. You have to realize, it’s not they started learning Torah now, or they started putting on tefillin, no, they kept everything and they continued to keep everything, and Jews always did in ancient times, they kept everything.

But there's a big difference, a big difference. After this episode the Torah became a light to them. Torah became literally an illumination to their eyes - like going out of darkness into light, they now appreciated the Torah very much more. And sason - milah, now became to them a joy on a level that never was experienced since the days of old.

So all the mitzvos were refurbished and polished and became burnished and were shining with a new brilliance in their eyes, that's what it means.