B"H

Tuesday, Adar2- 9, 5784 / March 19, 2024

The holiday of Purim will be celebrated this Saturday night & Sunday.

There is no other holiday in the Jewish calendar as festive as Purim. One only has to go out on the streets of any religious neighborhood in Israel, USA, Canada, France, England, Australia, etc. and see the tremendous joy and celebrations going on. There is no other Jewish holiday where children (and some adults) get dressed up in all sorts of costumes to celebrate the joyous spirit of the Purim holiday.

Q.What is the reason for the custom of wearing a costume and disguising oneself on Purim?   

A.The heroine of the miracle of Purim and after whom the Megilah was named, was Queen Esther. Although the miracle of Purim happened close to a thousand years after the writing of the Torah, our sages tell us that the names of the people mentioned in the story of Purim (Esther, Mordechai and even Haman) are implied in the Torah.  Esther’s name is hinted in the verse in which G-d says: “Haster astir ponai“ - I will hide My face from you..” (Deuteronomy 31:18).

Being that the words in the Torah which allude to Esther are the words, Haster astir ponai, which mean, “I will hide My face,” thus, it is customary, especially for children, to “hide their face” and put on disguises on Purim.

Another very interesting reason how putting on a disguise on Purim came about: It is a mitzvah to give to the poor more charity than usual on the day of Purim. The sages were worried that there may be poor people who would be embarrassed to go out and ask for charity. To avoid this problem, many put on disguises on Purim, so that the poor can do the same and won’t be embarrassed.

Here is one more reason: The Megillah tells us that in the beginning Queen Esther hid her identity from the King and didn’t tell him that she was Jewish. Only after Haman made his decree against the Jewish people, did Esther reveal her identity to the King. The king was furious with Haman for wanting to kill his queen, who was Jewish. This caught Haman off guard and contributed to his downfall and the great miracle of Purim.

In commemoration of the fact that Queen Esther hid her identity all these years, which played a big role in the miracle of Purim, it became customary to disguise one’s face and appearance on Purim.

The miracle of Purim, which took place in Persia, commemorates one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history when we were saved from total annihilation. Over two thousand five hundred years have gone by since the story of Purim, but very little has changed… They still want to wipe us out… Purim reminds us that our existence has always been a miracle and the miracle continues and will continue forever. Am Yisrael Chai!

   HAVE A VERY GOOD, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL, HAPPY DAY & HAPPY CHODESH/MONTH

UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.

B"H

Friday, Adar2- 5, 5784 / March 15, 2024

The holiday of Purimwill be celebrated, G-d willing, Saturday night, March 23 and Sunday March 24.

Q.  Every Jewish holiday is celebrated on the same day everywhere.  For example: Pesach is on the 15th of Nissan; Rosh Hashana is on the first of Tishrei; Yom Kippur on the 10th of Tishrei etc.  However, Purim has two different dates.  For example: Throughout Israel, Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar, but in Jerusalem it is celebrated one day later, on the 15th of Adar. Why?

A.   The Megilah, which relates the story of Purim, tells us that the Jews fought against their enemies and were victorious.  The day on which they “rested,” they stopped fighting, was the day when the holiday of Purim is celebrated. Throughout the kingdom of Achashveirosh they fought on the 13th day of Adar and rested on the 14th day. Thus, the holiday of Purim is in general celebrated on the 14th of Adar.

However, in the capital city, Shushan, they continued battling also on the 14th day and rested on the 15th day of Adar. The city of Shushan was a walled city.  As a result, the rabbis established that in Shushan and in all cities which have or had a wall around them from the time of Joshua, should celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar. Jerusalem is considered a walled city too.  Thus, in Jerusalem Purim is celebrated a day after the rest of Israel.  Also, the city of Shushan, in Iran, would celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar.

Q.  Why isn’t G-d's name not mentioned even once in the Megillah?

A.  Our sages explain that the miracle of Purim differs from other holidays.  All other holidays celebrate miracles which clearly showed G-d's involvement. For example, at the Exodus, at the splitting of the sea, and at the Giving of the Torah, G-d's presence was obvious. These miracles defied the laws of nature.

The same was with Chanukah when the Jewish people defeated the much stronger Greek army. Their victory was clearly a miracle, as was the miracle of the oil. There was barely enough pure oil to keep the  Menorah lit for one day, yet, it lasted  eight days, defying the laws of nature.

 The miracle of Purim was a "hidden" miracle.  The laws of nature were not broken. In fact, one can even make a mistake and attribute the saving of the Jewish people on Purim to Queen Esther, who influenced the King.  Yet, looking closely and deeper into the story, we find G-d's hand throughout the story of Purim.  In keeping with the hidden nature of the miracle, G-d's name is hidden in the Megillah and not revealed.

This Shabbat we read Parshat Pekudei. With this Parsha we conclude the book of Shmot (Exodus).

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 6:43 / Shabbat ends: 7:46

UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.

B"H

Thursday, Adar2- 4, 5784 / March 14, 2024

This week’s Parsha Pekudei is the last Parsha in the Book of Numbers (S’hmot).

In the Parsha Moshe gives an accounting of all the donations which were contributed toward the Mishkan (Tabernacle), the gold, silver and copper.

Our sages learn from this that when it comes to public funds and charitable donations, one has to give an exact accounting to the people. There was no one more honest and trustworthy than Moshe, as G-d testifies in the Torah, “In all My House he is very trusted.” Yet, Moshe gave an exact accounting to the people of how much was collected and how they were used.  Surely, every person who handles public or charitable funds must give an accounting.

The Torah tells us that when the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was finished it was brought to Moshe. When Moshe saw that the work was done exactly as G-d commanded him to do, he blessed them, “May G-d’s presence rest upon the work of your hands.”

Then G-d commanded Moshe to erect the Mishkan all by himself. The enormous weight of the Mishkan was beyond the ability of any one person to put it up, but G-d wanted Moshe to do it by himself. Moshe said to G-d, “How can one person put it all up?” G-d answered, “You do what you can and I will do the rest.”

On Rosh Chodesh Nissan, almost one year after the Exodus, Moshe put up the Mishkan.

Q. Why did G-d want Moshe to erect the Mishkan by himself?

A. Moshe was not involved in the actual work to build the Mishkan and its contents. The Mishkan was a sign that G-d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf. Moshe was on Mount Sinai when the Golden Calf was made and had no connection whatsoever with the making of the Golden Calf. Thus, he wasn’t involved in the actual building of the Mishkan.

However, G-d wanted him to be the one to put up the Mishkan. As leader of the Jewish people and being the one who stood up for them after this grave sin, G-d wanted him to have a special share in the Mishkan. It was G-d’s dwelling place in this world, where His glory and presence will rest. Thus, he was given the special honor of putting it all together to complete the Mishkan.

Our sages teach us the following very important lesson from this. In whatever we do we need G-d’s help. On our own we cannot accomplish anything. It is only with G-d’s help that we can be successful. At the same time, we cannot leave it all up to G-d.  G-d wants us to do as much as we physically can, then He does the rest. It’s a partnership between G-d and us.  

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL, HAPPY DAY & HAPPY CHODESH/MONTH

UNITED WE STAND IN PRAYER FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

& FOR THE WELFARE OF THE CAPTIVES. MAY THEY BE RELEASED NOW.