Torah Parshas Tetzaveh & PURIM
Teasers
1. The candles of the Menorah were filled with oil to last through the night. The Ner Maaravi miraculously lasted all day until the next night. Rav Yehonoson Eibushitz asks, “If so, why did they bother filling it with enough oil for the night, if a few hours later it would burn through a Nes? Also, why was Chanukah such a surprising Nes if the Ner Maaravi witnessed the same Nes every day?” Ans…He answers that daytime is a time of Chesed, and Hashem does many Nissim by day. Evening, however, is a time of Din and not a time of miracles. Therefore, the Ner Maaravi was filled with oil for the nighttime, and a Nes during the day was not a huge revelation. The Nes of Chanukah, which occurred at night, was a far bigger Nes than the Nes of the Ner Maaravi.
2. The gemara (Sanhedrin 21b) says that originally the Torah was written in Ksav Ivri and only later in the time of Ezra HaSofer was the Torah given in Ksav Ashuris (our Ksav today). What is the significance of this change and why did it happen in the time of Ezra? Ans…Rav Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev in Kedushas Levi says that the prelude to Ezra and the building of the second Bais HaMikdash was the Nes of Purim. Krias Megilas Esther was accepted by all of Klal Yisroel two years after the Nes, and in the next year the Bais HaMikdash was built. The reason for this, explains the Berdichever, is as follows. The gemara says that after the Nes of Purim, Bnei Yisroel accepted the Torah in a way that they hadn’t accepted it at Har Sinai. At Har Sinai they recognized the power of Hashem to override Teva and do with it as He pleases, breaking every and any rule. They did not recognize, however, that Hashem also has the ability to work within Teva. Only after seeing Hashem manipulate politics and clearly orchestrating a series of happenstances in favor of Bnei Yisroel during the dark times of Haman, did they finally understand that all of what happens and all that we see, is not merely natural world order but rather Hashem’s will and choreography, albeit in a hidden manner. The Seforim say that Hashem created the world with the 22 letters of the Aleph Bais. This might seem beyond our comprehension, however, we must understand that the Aleph Bais are not shapes, but rather different manifestations of the power of Hashem. In Shamayim there are no shapes for the letters as no shape can hold the unlimited power of each letter. The shapes of the letters of Ksav Ashuris are depictions of these powers as they appear in this world of natural limitation. After Purim, we were zocheh to receive the Aleph Bais, itself a worldly exterior to infinite power. The concept of the materialization of Hashem’s presence in the world paved the way to the materialization of power of Hashem within the Aleph Bais.
3. The gemara says (Megila 7b) that on Purim we need to get drunk until we don’t know the difference between Arur Haman and Boruch Mordechai. What does this mean? Ans… The Meforshim ask, why was Paroh punished for enslaving the Jews if that was Hashem’s decree? They answer that Paroh in his cruelty went far beyond what Hashem decreed, and for that he was punished. If so, asks the Chasam Sofer, Haman only tried to carry out Hashem’s decree of wiping out Bnei Yisroel r”l, why was he punished? The Chasam Sofer answers that had he done it to fulfill the mitzva of Hashem he would not have been punished. However, he did it for his own pleasure and for that he was killed. If so, says the Chasam Sofer, the only difference between Haman and Mordechai was the intent. Each one carried out their mission but Haman’s error was that he did it for his pleasure. Therefore, says the Chasam Sofer, on Purim we become intoxicated in a way that would have left no difference between Haman and Mordechai, L’Shem Shamayim. Just like Haman would have done Tzivui Hashem by killing the Jews had he done it Lishma, so too we must get drunk on Purim for the sake of fulfilling our obligation, and not for our own pleasure. Or else, there is an obviously vast difference between Haman and Mordechai, and we haven’t become shikorim K’halacha.
4. Why is Adar the month of Smell? Ans… The Arizal says that each month represents a part of a person’s head. The month of Adar represents the “nose”. Sweet smell, says the gemara Brachos (44b), gives pleasure not to the body, but rather the Neshama. The Bnei Yisaschar explains that when Adam and Chava ate from the Eitz HaDaas, they used all their sense for the aveira, except their sense of smell. The pasuk says, she saw, she listened, she touched, and she tasted. But nowhere does it say that anyone smelled. Therefore, the sense of smell has a certain purity that is unmatched by the other senses. It is therefore appropriate that for the great Nes that took place in the month of Adar, the month of smell, that both of the heroes of Purim, Mordechai and Ester had names referring to smell. Mordechai’s name, says the gemara Chulin (139b), is hinted in the name of the fragrance used in the Ketores called Mor Dror or Mira-Dachya as translated by Unkelos. Ester’s real name, the Megila tells us (2:7), was Hadasa the sweet smelling myrtle tree. Since a person’s name represents their true inner self, Mordechai and Ester, with their lofty purity, were able to avoid the pitfalls of Achashveirosh and his materialism during his party and even while living in his palace. During the special month of Adar where these qualities reign supreme, these two pure tzaddikim saved Klal Yisroel from destruction.

When eastern European Yiddishkeit was destroyed during the holocaust, all the illustrious Yeshivos were forced to close. Although many were re-opened in other countries, the original Yeshivos were actually a thing of the past, with a vast majority of the student body having tragically perished. It was a question of building again from scratch, and naming the new Yeshiva after the former.
The only exception to this was Yeshivas Mir. In this case, the Yeshiva as such survived, with most of the Rebbeim and talmidim being forced to move away, and travel miraculously across the world to their new home in Eretz Yisroel. Here the Moisad continued to flourish to its prestigious position of probably the largest Yeshiva in the world.
Why? — What zechus afforded this? Rav Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l suggested the following. The original Yeshivas Mir was established by his father-in-law the famous Gaon Olam Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel zt”l (who was the son of der Alter fon Slobodke). Having put his life and soul into setting up the Yeshiva, the Rosh Yeshiva felt it was time to engage a Mashgiach, and he had his eye on Rav Yerucham Leibovitz. His good friends attempted to dissuade Reb Leizer Yudel from this step, because their personalities were so different. Reb Yerucham’s dynamic charismatic personality would, they feared, overshadow that of the Rosh Yeshiva, and as a result the Mashgiach would take centre-stage and assume his position in the limelight, banishing the Rosh Yeshiva to the sidelines. Reb Leizer Yudel understood — and even agreed with their concerns — but he still went straight on with his plans saying that his own personal interests did not feature at all but rather his own concern was to do what was best for the Yeshiva.
After the instalment of the new Mashgiach, when the above predictions proved to be well-founded, there were a number of trouble-makers who tried their best to cause friction between the two Gedolim, and they persisted in reporting allegations against the Mashgiach to the Rosh Yershiva. At every occasion, Reb Leizer Yudel would always react in the same way — taking no interest in anything other than what was best for Kevod Shomayim.
This selfless self-sacrifice (similar to Rochel Imeinu gladly bringing Yakov and Lea together), -said Reb Chaim Shmulevitz- paid off with the supernatural Hashgocho Protis that only his Yeshiva would enjoy! (Heard from Rav Chaim Halpern shlita, of London)
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On Erev Shabbos, day seven of “Operation Cast Lead”, the telephone rang in Rav Steinman’s home, very close to Shabbos. On the line was a representative of the army who asked to speak urgently to the Rav. When the gabbe explained that all messages must go through him, the caller explained that the army was poised to launch the ground offensive tomorrow- on Shabbos — and they were calling for the Rav’s brocho. When the Rav questioned the reason for going in on Shabbos, he was told that for strategic reasons — most of them highly confidential — they could not wait till Motzaei Shabbos. The Rav did not accept this, and declined to give his blessing. The gabbe suggested to the Rav that since they would be going ahead to follow their military directives regardless, perhaps he should give them a brocho anyhow. The Rav replied “Shabbos is Mekor Habrocho — how can I give a brocho for chilul Shabbos?!”
Minutes after Shabbos the following night, the telephone rang — it was the army again, to say “Tell the Rav that we listened to his psak, and we deferred the operation. We are going in right now and we need his brocho!” The Rav responded very warmly with a generous heartfelt brocho.
Twenty four hours later, the Rav received a call from Gabi Ashkenazi, the Commander-in chief of the ground forces. He wanted to thank the Rav for his brocho — the army had achieved all its objectives in the first 24 hours. Furthermore, they had anticipated that the cost of the first day’s operation would be in the region of 50 fatalities (r’l) among the Israeli troops. In the event they suffered only 1 (Hyd). They are convinced that the Rav’s bracha played a crucial role in the supernatural success.

“We must declare that Torah scholars will not be drafted, and if chalila they will be forcibly conscripted, all of us, all of the Rebbes and Rabonim sitting here, will go to prison in their stead”. The Belzer Rebbe at a joint session of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel and Degel HaTorah, addressing the impending mandatory draft of talmudei Torah.

“There are 60,000 children learning in 1243 Yeshivas Mordechai HaTzaddik branches throughout Eretz Yisroel, and a staggering 90,000 children learning around the globe.” Rabbi Naftali Meir Falk, founder of the Yeshivas Mordechai Hatzaddik program.

“The city is not stopping its efforts against out mesorah. Neither are we stopping our hishtadlus to defend it.” Yerachmiel Simins, attorney for the plaintiff, seeking an injunction against regulation requiring mohalim to ask parents to sign a consent form associating metzitza b’peh with serious health risks.

“So Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmandinejad wants to be the first Iranian in space — Wasn’t he just there? “Iran Launches Monkey into Space.” Senator John McCain in a tweet.

“We’re sorry, monkey. We didn’t mean to compare you Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. You’ve already been through a lot this week — being launched into space in a shoddy Iranian-made rocket is stressful enough, without us adding insult to injury.” Daniel Perez, the former editor of the Jewish Voice of New York, in response to Senator McCain’s tweet.

≈ Heard Around Shushan ≈
“Don’t worry. I wear the pants here. Of course Vashti will come.” – Achashverosh
“Maybe I will go to Esther’s party and just ‘hang’ around.” — Haman
“Kosher? Oh no! I just don’t like lobster.” – Esther
“No. This is not a fashion statement. It’s a sackcloth.” — Mordechai
“Why are you shushing me? That old man has no idea what we are saying.” — Bigsan to Seresh
“Haman? Haman who? I don’t know anyone by that name.” – Zeresh

Know Your Rashaim

Talk the Talk — Walk the Walk

An airplane was about to crash, there were 4 famous passengers and the pilot on board but only 4 parachutes left. The first passenger said, I’m Kobe Bryant, the best NBA basketball player. The Lakers need me. I can’t afford to die… So he took the first pack and left the plane. The second passenger, Hilary Clinton said. I am the wife of the former president of the US. I am also the most powerful and successful woman in the world and I am a former Secretary of State and a potential future president. She took the second parachute and jumped out of the plane.
The third passenger. President Obama, said “Out of my way. I’m president of the USA., the greatest and cleverest President in American history. I have to lead the world’s greatest superpower nation in and out of war. Americans can’t afford for me to die. So he quickly grabbed the pack next to him and jumped out of the plane.
The fourth passenger was the Pilot and he turned to the fifth passenger, a Rabbi and said, I am dedicated to my passengers and I will sacrifice my life and let you have the last parachute.
The Rabbi turned to him and said “Thank you, but it’s really OK…. there are enough parachutes for both of us. America’s greatest and cleverest President has just taken my Tallis bag.”
*******
A father was reading Chumash stories to his young son.
He read, “The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city and never look back. But his wife did look back and so was turned to salt.”
His son asked, “What happened to the flea?”

PAUL REVERE’S JEWISH MOTHER:
” I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man, midnight is way past your bed-time!”

≈ Purim By The Numbers ≈

127 – Number of countries ruled by Achashverosh.
3399 – Year Esther became queen.
680 – Number of copper vessels containing gold and gems that Achashverosh inherited from Navuchanetzar.
180 – Days of the feast for the Royalty and soldiers of Achashverosh. Some say this included the 6 daus of feasts for the Jews.
156 – Numerical value of “Memuchan” — same as “Yosef” — showing that brothers who sold Yosef would suffer from Memuchan.
126 – Number of Shabbosim Vashti forced Jewish women to desecrate, causing her to die on the 127th Shabbos = years Sarah lived.
165 – Numeric value of “HaKesef” (the money) and ‘HaEitz’ (the tree) = Haman’s money would get him hung.
70 – Number of days that Haman’s decree lasted.
400 — Numeric Value of ‘Sac’ (sack) — number of Eisav’s army to meet Yaakov. Mordechai’s ‘sac’ would triumph descendants of Eisav.
72 – Number of hours that Esther and Klal Yisroel fasted = numeric value of ‘chesed’ and 72 letter name of Hashem.
60 – Number of cubits that Achashverosh’s golden septer grew to meet Esther.
30 – Number of Haman’s children — 10 died, 10 were hung, 10 became door to door beggars.
50 – Number of amos high the gallows were.
365 – Number of times Achashverosh was slapped by a malach during his sleepless night = number of people Haman consulted about how to kill the Jews.
54 – Number of times Haman is mentioned in the Magillah = number of letter of the names of his children = numerival value of ‘emcheh’ ( I will obliterate).
95 – age Haman died.
500 – Number of Amalek ministers and dignitaries that were killed by the Jews on 13 Adar.
75,000 – Total number of Amaleki and enemy of the Jews that were killed.
1 – The King of Kings, Master of the Universe.

L’Chayim!
Why is the name “Vaizata” (one of Haman’s son’s) written with a long “vav” Ans…According to halachah (see comments of Rav Y.F. Perla to Sefer HaMitzvot of R’ Saadiah Gaon), when a person has ten cows (beheimos), he is to bring them into a room and let them come out through a door, one by one. The tenth cow to pass through the door is considered ma’aseir beheimah, and is given to the Kohen. If the tenth cow jumps through the roof, the farmer is not obligated to give it away to the Kohen as ma’aser beheimah. The Kohanim in Shushan Habirah considered Haman’s ten sons as ten animals. Haman also thought very little of his children, and agreed with the Kohanim that they were like beheimos. A Kohen came to Haman and told him that since his children were like animals, he was supposed to give one of them away as ma’aseir beheimah. Haman agreed with the Kohen and told him that he would take them into a room and let them walk out one by one. After nine of Haman’s children walked out and Vaizata was about to come through, Haman grabbed him, and attempted to pull him by his head through the roof. The Kohen, wanting to get him, tried to pull him by his feet through the door. Thus, Vaizata was stretched, and the big “vav” symbolizes this.

What is Noach’s connection with the Megillah? Ans… Haman was very upset with Mordechai and did not know how to deal with the problem. His wife Zeresh suggested that he make gallows 50 amos (cubits) high upon which they would hang Mordechai. Haman ran all around town, searching for a massive wooden beam. Suddenly, he remembered that many years ago Noach built a Teivah which was 50 amos wide, so he must have very large pieces of lumber. Haman searched until he finally found Noach and said to him, “Do me a favor, please lend me a wooden beam 50 amos long.”
Old Noach asked wicked Haman, “Could you tell me what you need this for?” Haman replied, “I want to hang Mordechai.” Noach began to yell, “Are you crazy? Do you think I am going to permit you to hang Mordechai the Tzaddik on my lumber?” Haman began to fight with old Noach, trying to get the beam away from him. Noach held on to it with all his might, but unfortunately, Haman, being much younger, dragged the beam together with Noach all the way into the Megillah.
Why isn’t Kaddish said after the reading of the Megillah?” Ans… Haman himself was hung on Pesach (Megillah 15a), and all his sons on the day before Purim, thus, there were no survivors left to say Kaddish.”
This Week in History….
7 Adar: Napoleon moved into Palestine at the head of a 13,000-man army, promising the Jews a return to their homeland.
9 Adar: In 1939, twenty thousand Nazi supporters gathered in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
10 Adar: In 1980, Israel and Egypt exchanged ambassadors, marking a new era of cordial, if cold, diplomacy.
11 Adar: In 1898, as the Dreyfus Case continued to embroil France, a mob of three thousand Parisians marched yelling “Death to the Jews.'”
13 Adar: The yahrtzeit of Rav Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986), who was born on Adar 7, the birth date of Moshe Rabeinu.

This week’s Torah is B’Zchus: Those who remember not to drink and drive this Purim.
Distributed by the Chevre Marbitz Torah D’NMB

Created By Rov Allen Sherman
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