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Saved by the Plant...of Torah

based on a ma'amar in Yisa Bracha, Purim

"Esther said, to return this reply to Mordechai: 'Go, assemble all the Jews in Shushan and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night and day. My maidens and I will likewise fast and so I will come to the King unlawfully, and if I shall perish, I will perish.' Mordechai went on his way, doing all that Esther had commanded him. And it was, on the third day [of the fasting], Esther donned royalty and stood in the courtyard of the King's palace..." [Esther, 4:15-5:1]

The Gemara [Megilla, 5a] relates that Rebbe [Rav Yehuda HaNasi] planted a seedling on Purim. Reb Shaul connects this to the blessing we recite over the Torah, "eternal life [You] have planted within us" - a reference to the Oral Law [Torah she'baal Peh]. It was through Torah that we merited our salvation on Purim. This is indicated by the Midrash [Breishis Rabba, 56:1] which says that the verse in the Megilla cited above, "And it was, on the third day [of the fasting], Esther donned royalty" [which is when the salvation of the Jews began, when Esther went in to the King's chamber to beg for her people] - this was in the merit of the third day [of purification and separation that occurred] when the Torah was given, as the verse says, "On the third day, in the morning..." [Shemos, 19:16].

The Gemara [Shabbos, 88a] teaches us that at the time the Torah was given, Hashem held the mountain [Sinai] over our heads like a vat [we were threatened that if we didn't accept the Torah, we would be buried on the spot]. An agreement obtained under duress may be voided by the coerced party - that is, the Jewish People could have issued a disclaimer, disavowing their allegiance to the Torah.

However, the Gemara continues, our commitment to the Torah was reaffirmed - without coercion - during the time of King Achashverosh. This is understood from the verse [Esther, 9:27], "the Jews established and accepted" - that is, what they had previously accepted [under duress] became established [as a willing commitment].

Thus the Torah, originally accepted under duress, was later reaffirmed and accepted willingly. Similarly, Reb Shaul points out, Esther was taken into Achashverosh's palace, and lived with the King, against her will. But on the third day of her fast, she willingly entered the King's chamber. It was then when she said, "if I shall perish, I will perish." Our Sages [Megilla, 15a] say that until this point in time, her relations with Achashverosh were against her will, but now she had become a willing partner.

Reb Shaul puts a very interesting, Chassidishe twist onto these words of our Sages. He says that since until this time ["the third day"], the acceptance of Torah had been coercive, that atones for Esther's living, against her will, with Achashverosh. Now that her deed - entering the King's chamber in order to plead for her people - would lead to a re-acceptance of the Torah, willingly - that would thereby atone for her willing union with Achashverosh. This was also on "the third day," when Esther "donned royalty."

Finally, our Sages say that the Torah can only be properly fulfilled after first "stumbling" in it [Gittin, 43a]. The Jewish People had been thoroughly tested with an unwilling acceptance of Torah, until they finally accepted it [willingly] in the days of Achashverosh. The Torah had thus become a stable "plant", deeply rooted in them. Interestingly enough, the gematria [numerical value] of Rebbe's "nata netia b'Purim" ("planted a seedling on Purim") equals that of Torah [they both equal 611]. This is a further hint of the Torah's taking root in our being.

Have an easy Fast of Esther and a Joyous Purim!

Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid

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Connecting with Our Better Half

a Dvar Torah for Parshas Shkalim

based on ma'amarim in sefer "Ben Yud-Gimmel L'Mitzvos" and Alei Deshe

"This shall they give... a half-shekel, of the holy Shkalim." [Shemos, 30:13]

On the first of Adar, we announce concerning the Shkalim and Kelayim." [Mishna, Shkalim, 1:1]

In the times of our Beis HaMikdash [Holy Temple], the communal offerings had to be purchased with "new" Shkalim [coins given at the beginning of the Year, which for this purpose was] beginning from Rosh Chodesh Nisan. Because of this, it was announced throughout Israel - a month earlier, on Rosh Chodesh Adar - that the people should bring their Shkalim to the Beis HaMikdash. At the same time, people were warned to check their fields and gardens for the possibility that Kelayim, a forbidden admixture of crops, might be growing there - and to uproot them.

Is there a connection between these two seemingly dissimilar mitzvos? The fact that they are brought together in the Mishna seems to indicate that they may have a connection. The Rebbe Shlita points out that our sefarim explain that each Jew is bidden to give a half-shekel, to indicate that alone he is incomplete, and only by joining his fellow Jew can he become complete.

However, the Rebbe Shlita adds, one must be careful to join up with a "kosher" [righteous] person, for if not, he is in danger of approaching the prohibition of Kelayim - a forbidden admixture. This, then, is the connection.

A similar idea is expressed by the Rebbe Shlita's father, the Imrei Aish. The Torah requires each man to give "a half-shekel, of the holy Shkalim." Prior to marriage, each person is deemed to be merely "half a man," for he can only find completion in his spouse, his "better half." This fulfillment, too, must be in a manner of holiness, as the Gemara [Sotah, 17a] says, "Ish v'Isha, zachu, Shechina beineihem - if a man and woman merit [to dwell in peace and harmony] the Divine Presence resides amongst them." [Note: this is based on the fact that the words for "man" and "woman" in Hebrew are spelled almost identically. The only difference is a Yud in Ish (man) and a Heh in Isha (woman). These extra letters, Yud-Heh, form one of the Names of Hashem].

This can also be seen in the verse cited above. When the two half-shekels join to become one - as a man does when he takes a wife - it must be in holiness ["of the holy Shkalim"], then the Shechina [Divine Presence] will reside amongst them.

Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid

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When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get... Simcha!

Based on the Imrei Shaul, as a preparation for the month of Adar

MiShenichnas Adar, Marbim B'Simcha - We Increase Our Simcha Upon the Entry of the Month of Adar (Tractate Ta'anis 29)

The phrasing used in the above-quoted Gemorra is strange. With the miraculous turnabout that took place on Purim, we can understand logically why from that point on, we should be Happy. But if we are to relive the experience of Purim to the fullest, then shouldn't we be concerned during the first half, to the point of calling out in prayer and supplication to HaShem to save us, just as in those days?

The Imrei Shaul asks the question very simply - rather than say MiShenichnas Adar(Upon the entry of Adar), we should say MeSheyatza Adar (Upon the Departure of Adar). Why do we increase our simcha at the beginning of the month, before the miracles took place, during the time that Haman's terrible decrees were still in force?

The Imrei Shaul's answer is a striking directive for the basic Jewish response to seemingly impossible odds. Exactly in such situations, simcha is our most powerful weapon (as an expression of our faith that HaShem will not forsake us). Similarly, the Divrei Yisroel said on the verse in Tehillim 106, "VaYar Batzar Lahem B'Sham'o Es Rinasam... - And He saw their distress, as He Heard their Songs/Praises...". The Divrei Yisroel asks - shouldn't the verse say 'As He Heard their Cries'? Why their praises/songs? The answer is similar to what Miriam and the women did just after the Shiras HaYam - the Song sung by the entire Jewish Nation after they crossed the Red Sea, and witnessed HaShem's total intervention on their behalf. The women went out with Miriam with "drums and dancing". The Medrash asks - where did these enterprising women find drums in the desert? The answer - since these righteous women were perfectly certain that HaShem would save them, performing any miracles that might be necessary, they brought drums with them when they left Egypt. Their faith was that pure, that perfect.

Similarly, in the pasuk from Tehillim, HaShem saw that the Jewish Nation were in distress, and that their response was to sing the Praises of HaShem. Our faith was full and perfect, and thus He Saved us.

And therefore, in our statement from the Gemorra - the same idea applies. Especially during the first half of the month, when the decrees were still in force, that's when the Jews sang the Praises of HaShem, in perfect faith that He would Save them again.

The Imrei Shaul concludes, stating that this is a key lesson to every Jew, in any time or place when the situation seems to be totally lost, that we shouldn't lose faith. That, more than any other time, is the time to sing HaShem's Praises, for that specific Salvation, as well as the Final Salvation of Klal Yisroel and the entire world, Bimheiro B'yomeinu.

(Translator's note - I can't help but to compare this message with the legend about Nero, who supposedly fiddled away as Rome burned. That was after the fact, when all was in the process of being destroyed - an act of virtual insanity that essentially denied the existence of HaShem or His ability to Save. The Torah concept is one of total optimism, based on perfect faith in HaShem. May this be such an Adar for all of us!)

Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid

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What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)

A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe

Purim

"V'Gam Charvonah Zachur LaTov". The Gemara in Megillah (Daf Tes Zayin, Amud Alef) relates that Charvonah was a Rasha, an acquaintance of Haman, and a participant in the evil plot to kill Bnei Yisrael. When he saw "how the wind was blowing" and realized that Haman's plot was falling apart, he changed sides, and told Achashveros about the tree that Haman had set up to hang Mordechai.

Knowing this, why is it that in Shoshanas Yaakov we say, "V'Gam Charvonah Zachur LaTov" - and also Charvonah we should remember for good? It could be said, yes he was a Rasha, but he changed sides and his revelations helped to bring about Haman's downfall. So, we should remember him.

But there is also a deeper meaning to be found. The Megillah quotes Charvonah, as saying, "Gam Hineh HaEtz," also here is the tree. What we should remember for good is the words of Charvonah - beginning with "Gam." Had Charvonah not changed sides and spoken up at that moment - Haman might have been able to find a way to defend himself against Esther's charges.

Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l


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Mordechai Bows - to ONE

based on a ma'amar in the sefer Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Ki Sisa

And you should take for yourself the finest spices: mor dror [pure myrrh], 500 [shekels] , kinman besem [fragrant cinnamon], half its measure, 250... kida [cassia], 500... (Shemos, 30:23-24)

Regarding the cinnamon, Rashi explains that "half its measure, 250" means that its full measure is 500, like that of the myrrh. Why then is it described in half-measure? Scripture has decreed that it should be brought and weighed out a half at a time, so that there should be two hachraos [a hachra'a is when something is weighed out, a little extra is added to "tilt the scale"]. The Divrei Yisrael says that even though normally we don't seek a reason for a Scriptural decree, but here Rashi does give a reason. He therefore asks, why is it that only the cinnamon is brought in halves, and not the myrrh and the cassia, requiring two hachraos? After all, their measure [500] is equal, why shouldn't they be equal in hachraos? It seems obvious that there is a similar Scriptural decree that these spices should only have one hachra'a.

The Gemara (Chullin 139b) asks, "Where do we find a reference to Mordechai in the Torah?" The answer: our verse, for the spice "mor dror" is translated into Aramaic as "meira dachya", which resembles Mordechai's name. The Megilla (Esther, 3:2) tells us that "...Mordechai will neither bow down [Hebrew: yichra, related to hachra'a] nor prostrate himself [to Haman]." Says the Divrei Yisrael, the fact that the myrrh is not brought in halves, so that it should only have one hachra'a , hints at the fact that Mordechai will neither bow down [yichra] nor prostrate himself twice, but only once - only to Hashem. This is just what we say in the Aleinu prayer at the end of davening, "And we bow down and prostrate ourselves before the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He." The cassia spice, "kida," is also an allusion to bowing; therefore it, too, does not come in half-portions, and requires only one hachra'a.

With this we can understand a possible problem with the verse cited above in the Megilla. "All the King's servants at the King's gate bow and prostrate themselves before Haman, for that is what the King had commanded concerning him. But Mordechai will not bow down or prostrate himself." Apparently, the verse should read, "Mordechai did not bow down or prostrate himself." Why is it written in the future tense? We know that "the King" in the Megilla has a double-meaning: it refers to the King of Persia, as well as the King of Kings, the One Above. We can thus read the verse as referring to the fact that the King of the world commanded that Mordechai not bow down or prostrate himself. Where was such a command issued to Mordechai? From our verse, answers the Divrei Yisrael, "mor dror" [which refers to Mordechai] is not brought in half-portions, so there shouldn't be two hachraos [read: bows], but only one - to Hashem alone, the true King.

A Happy and Joyous Purim to All!

Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid

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Parshas Zachor and Purim as seen by Reb Shaul

based on a ma'amar by in "Yisa Bracha" by Rebbe Shaul Yedidya Elazar of Modzitz

Teshuasam hayisa lanetzach, v'sikvasam b'chal dor vador (You have been their everlasting salvation and hope from generation to generation)

[from Shoshanas Yaakov, the tefilla sung after the Megilla is read on Purim]

Regarding Amalek, the Torah tells us (Shemos, 17:16), "Hashem will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation." We are later warned to "Remember what Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt, when they encountered you on the way..." (Devarim, 25:17-18). Reb Shaul asks, why does the word "derech" (way) need to be repeated a second time? It would have been enough to say, "Remember what Amalek did to you on your way...when they encountered you, etc."

Reb Shaul then opens our eyes and explains that the power of Amalek, although primarily in the beginning, as it says, "First among nations is Amalek..." (Bamidbar, 24:20), nevertheless has a continuous effect. His poisonous venom continues to seethe for a long time, from generation to generation. This is why derech is repeated, to teach us that Amalek struck us at the outset of our becoming sanctified as Hashem's people, when we left Egypt. But even afterwards, even after Amalek's defeat, his power again came "on the way". That is the meaning of the second "derech", "when they encountered you on the way."

A few weeks ago in Parshas Yisro we read, "And they [bnei Yisrael] traveled from Refidim and came to the Sinai desert" (Shemos, 19:2). The Mechilta explains that just as their sojourn from Refidim was accompanied with teshuva, so was their arrival in Sinai accompanied with teshuva. Reb Shaul explains that this "double" teshuva was necessary, because even though the power of their teshuva in Refidim brought them the victory over Amalek, since Amalek's power is continuous, they needed to do teshuva again upon their arrival in Sinai.

The Midrash Tanchuma (Parshas Ki Seitzei, 11) tells us when the verse says that there will be a war with Amalek from generation to generation, it means, "From the generation of Moshe to the generation of Shmuel, from the generation of Shmuel to the generation of Mordechai, from the generation of Mordechai to the generation of Moshiach." Reb Shaul explains that from the generation of Moshe to the generation of Shmuel refers to the period of the Written Law. The next stage refers to the period of the Nevi'im (Prophets), while the last stage refers to the period of the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah (Men of the Great Assembly) and that of the Oral Law.

This Midrash is telling us, that even though in the generation of Moshe there was a victory over Amalek, nevertheless his venom seethed and continued till the time of Shmuel, when there was another battle with Amalek [see this week's Haftara]. Even after that victory, Amalek's power continued until the generation of Mordechai, in the form of the evil Haman, who was a descendant of Amalek and of the wicked king Agag who was killed by Shmuel. Even though Haman's evil plan was thwarted, and he and his sons were hung, until the end of time - the generation of Moshiach - Amalek's power seethes and bursts forth. Then Reb Shaul, who survived the Holocaust, adds a timely reminder: As we see today, even after the fall of the evil regime, the poison of Jew-hatred has spread throughout the world.

The numerical value - gematria - of "midor dor" (from generation to generation) is equal to that of twice "derech" (way). Therefore, on Purim we sing, "You have been their everlasting salvation and hope from generation to generation." For in the end, promises Reb Shaul, the evil regime will disappear from the face of the earth, and the Jewish people will excel.

Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid

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