B"H
Tuesday, Adar2 12, 5782 / March 15, 2022
The name of the holiday is Purim. It comes from the Persian word, Pur, which means lots.
The Megilah tells us that, upon receiving permission to annihilate the Jewish people, Haman cast "lots" for the best month and day in which to execute his plan. The lot fell on the 13th day of the month Adar. Haman was very pleased and said, "Now I am sure that my plan will succeed for the leader of the Jewish people died in Adar and thus this month must be an unlucky month for the Jews."
But, as our sages tell us, Haman didn't know that Moshe's birth was also in Adar and as a result it turned out to be a good month for Jews and the month of Haman's downfall.
The Midrash brings the following parable about Haman's plan to destroy the Jewish people: A bird once made its nest near the sea. A wave came and washed away the nest. The bird became very upset at the sea and decided to teach it a lesson. With its beak, it started drawing water from the sea and spitting it on shore.
"What are you doing?" asked another bird.
The first bird told her what happened and said that he was determined to punish the sea by drying it up!
"You are very foolish," answered the second bird. "You are no match for the mighty sea. All you will do is exhaust yourself!"
The same was with Haman, explain our sages. G-d said, "You want to destroy My people? All you will accomplish is to destroy yourself! The people of Israel will last forever!" Indeed, Haman and his sons were hung, the Jewish people were saved and in addition gained another very joyous holiday.
The same is with the Jew hating Hamans in every generation. They plan against the Jewish people, but in the end, G-d Who doesn’t sleep or slumber, destroys their plans and the people of Israel live on forever. Am Yisrael Chai.
On the lighter side:There was a Jew in the shtetel who didn’t wait for Purim, the 14th day of the month, to celebrate. He celebrated from the beginning of the month until the end of the month.
People asked him, “Why do you celebrate the entire month when Purim is only one day?
He would answer: “Why do you think Haman wanted all the Jews to be killed in one day? Why didn’t he allow them to be killed all month long? The reason is because Haman hated the Jews so much that he was concerned if G-d did perform a miracle for them, then the complete month would be transformed into a month-long holiday… that he couldn’t accept, so he made the decree for one day only. But I, who figured out Haman’s plan… will not fall into his trap… I am celebrating all month long…” L’CHAYIM.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Wednesday, Adar2 13, 5782 / March 16, 2022
Today (Wednesday), the day before Purim, is called, "Taanit Esther" - "The Fast of Esther."
Q.What is the reason for this fast?
A.There are various opinions as to the reason for this fast. The Megilah records that before approaching the King on behalf of her people, Esther asks Mordechai to proclaim a three day fastfor all Jews in the Capital City of Shushan. Many Rabbis are of the opinion that this fast commemorates the fast which Esther proclaimed. Hence, it is called, “Taanit Esther - The Fast of Esther.”
Other sages give another reason: Traditionally, when Jews had to fight a war they would fast and pray to G-d for His help. Today’s fast, Taanit Esther, recalls the fast of the Jewish people on the day they fought their enemies, which was the day before Purim.
In either case, this fast is much more lenient than any of the other fasts of the years and can be avoided for whom it is difficult to fast.
Today, at the Mincha prayer, we perform the mitzvah of giving the Half Shekel, remembering the "Machtzit HaShekel," given during the times of the Holy Temple.
Before the Mincha service, one will find “charity plates” in synagogue, in which to perform this mitzvah by giving three half dollars (or whatever currency in that country), or the equivalent sum. It is preferable to give for all members of the family. The money is then distributed for charity.
If one cannot perform the mitzvah of Machatzit HaShekel today, they can do it on Purim when they go to synagogue to hear the Megilah. If one cannot perform this mitzvah in Synagogue, they can do it at home placing the sum in a charity box.
REMEMBER:The following five mitzvot which are associated with Purim:
1) Hearing the reading of the MegilahPurim night (Wednesday night) & again on Thursday morning. Everyone must hear the reading of the Megilah.
2) Reciting the Al HaNisim in prayer & Grace-after-Meal.
3) Mishloach Manot - sending two kosher ready to eat food gifts to a friend.
4) Matanot LaEvyonim – giving charity to at least two needy people on Purim day (Thursday).
5) Seudat Purim - Purim meal - during the day of Purim (Thursday),as befitting the celebration of this great miracle.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY & A HAPPY PURIM
B"H
Monday, Adar2 18, 5782 / March 21, 2022
Now that Purim is behind us, we start preparing for the upcoming holiday of Pesach (Passover).
The Talmud tells us that the reason we celebrate Purim, in a leap year, in the second Adar is, “To connect the two redemptions close to each other; the redemption of Purim, when we were liberated from Haman’s evil decree to the redemption of Pesach, when we were liberated from enslavement at the hands of the Egyptians.”
Pesach, this year, will begin Friday night, April 15.
Pesach is not just another holiday in the Jewish calendar. It is the root and basis of all other holidays. This is why, in the Shabbat and every holiday Kiddush, we mention the redemption from Egypt, because Pesach is the foundation of all holidays and even Shabbat.
The mitzvah of resting on Shabbat as stated in the Second Tablets, is connected to the Exodus and our liberation from Egypt. The Torah states, "Remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt and the L-rd your G-d brought you out from there with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm; therefore, the L-rd your G-d commanded you to keep the Shabbat day" (Deut. 5:15). Here we see that Shabbat and the holiday of Pesach are connected.
Remembering the Exodus is a daily mitzvah. The Torah commands, “You shall remember the day you came out of the Land of Egypt all the days of your life (Deut. 16:3).
The reason that the holiday of Pesach is the lifeline which flows through Shabbat and all the holidays is because on Pesach we attained our freedom. The purpose of the liberation from Egypt was to bring us to Mount Sinai, so that we can receive the Torah and its mitzvot.
According to our sages, thirty days before each of the three festive holidays we should begin studying and reviewing the laws and customs of that holiday. This is especially true for Pesach as there are so many laws, customs and reasons associated with this holiday and especially the Pesach Seder.
The Pesach holiday consists of seven days in Israel and eight days in the Diaspora.
Pesach celebrates two great miracles. The first days of Pesach we celebrate the miracle of the Exodus, when Jews were freed from bondage after being in Egypt for 210 years. The last days celebrate the miracle of the splitting of the sea, when they crossed through the sea in dry land, while the Egyptians who chased after them, drowned.
In the next three weeks, between now and Pesach, we will, G-d willing, try to review as much as possible about the holiday of Pesach.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
B"H
Tuesday, Adar2 19, 5782 / March 22, 2022
The holiday of Pesach (Passover) is in three weeks. The first Seder will be Friday night, April 15th. The second Seder will be, Saturday night, April 16th. In Israel only one Seder is performed.
Q. How many names does the Pesach holiday have?
A. Fournames: 1) Chag HaMatzot (Holiday of Matzot); during the holiday we are prohibited to eat bread, only Matzot.
2)Chag Ha-Pesach (Holiday of Passover); This name reminds us of the miracle in which G-d passed over the Jewish homes in Egypt, at the time of the plague of the first-born.
“Pesach”can be made into two words; Pe (mouth) Sach (to speak). This name reminds us that, although the mitzvah of remembering the Exodus from Egypt applies "each day of our life" (Deut. 16:3), it teaches us that, on the night of the holiday, it is not enough to only remember the Exodus, butwe mustspeak about it. It is a mitzvah to tell the story of the Exodus and "speak" about it at length, as the Hagadah says,“the more one elaborates on the story of the Exodus, the more that person is praiseworthy.”
3) Chag Ha-Aviv (Holiday of Spring); The Passover holiday must be celebrated in the spring. This is the reason why every few years (as this year) we have an extra month before Pesach in order that Pesach will be celebrated in the spring.
4) Z'man Cheiruteinu (Season of our Freedom). Pesach is the holiday when we gained our freedom from the Egyptian enslavement.
Q. Pesach begins on the 15th day in Nissan, the day in which the Jewish people came out of Egypt. What other events, many years before the Exodus, happened on the 15th of Nissan?
A. 1) The story of the three angels disguised as men, who visited Abraham (Genesis 18), took place on the 15th of Nissan. 2) Yitzchak (Isaac) was born on the 15th day in Nissan. 3) G-d’s covenant with Abraham, in which He informed him about the future exile of his descendants and their subsequent liberation, took place on the 15th of Nissan, over four hundred years earlier.
Q. The first two nights of Pesach (in Israel one night), we perform the Seder. Why is it called, “Seder”?
A. Seder in Hebrew means, “order.” These nights are different from all other nights of the year. As there is a specific order. Unlike other holiday nights when right after the Kiddush we wash for the meal, on the Seder nights, after the Kiddush, we wash our hands for the dipping of the vegetable in salt- water; then we break the middle matzah, then the four questions are asked, we recite the Hagadah, etc. etc. Thus, it is called Seder – as there is a specific order to this celebration.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY
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