B"H

Tuesday, Adar2 5, 5779 / March 12, 2019

The holiday of Purim, one of the most festive holidays in the Hebrew calendar, will be celebrated next week Wednesday night and Thursday. The story of Purim is recorded in the Megilat Esther - Scroll of Esther, which will be read on Purim night and again during Purim day.

Purim is the holiday when we celebrate the miracle of Jewish survival. Jewish survival is a great miracle indeed. Even to this day, after a third of our people were murdered, antisemitism is again on the rise. From the UN to the universities, to members of the US congress, Israel and by extension the Jewish people are at fault for the wrold’s problems. Jewish survival is a miracle today as it was in the past 2000 years.

The Talmudic sages say, “One should pray for the welfare of the government, for if not for the government and the law and order they constitute, people would swallow each other alive!” This is as true today, as when it was said over fifteen hundred years ago.  Every Jew today is a living miracle.

This is why Purim  is the most joyous holiday, for it celebrates our very existence to this day.

The miracle of Purim, which occurred on the 14th of Adar, is so special that it affects the entire month of Adar. Our sages state, "When the month of Adar enters, we increase in happiness.” The joy of Purim extends through the entire month.

Q.  Why is the holiday called Purim?

A.   “Purim” comes from the word "pur" which means "lots."  

The Megilah tells us that, upon receiving permission to annihilate the Jewish people, Haman cast "lots" for the best day and month in which to execute his plan. The lot fell on the 13th day of the month Adar.  Haman was very pleased, for he knew that Moshe (Moses) passed away in the month of Adar.

Haman said, "Now I am sure that my plan will succeed for the great leader and saviour 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 was also born in Adar and as a result it turned out to be a good month for the Jewish people and the month of Haman's downfall.

Moshe was born on the seventh of Adar and died on that same day, 120 years later.

As mentioned, our sages tell us, "When the month of Adar enters, we increase in happiness,” it is especially true this year, which is a leap year, with two months of Adar. Thus we celebrate a double portion of joy and happiness this year. May we witness great miracles for all Jewish people and especially for the people in Israel, Amen.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Thursday, Adar2 7, 5779 / March 14, 2019

The festive holiday of Purim begins next week, Wednesday night, March 20 through Thursday, March 21.  The following are more Questions & Answers about Purim:

Q.  During Torah reading, we are obligated to show respect, to be quiet and listen to each word. But during the Megilah reading on Purim, there are times when lots of noise is made. Why?

A. WhenHaman's name is mentioned during the megilah reading, we make noise. Haman, who wanted to annihilate all the Jews was a descendant of Amalek, who had the same intentions one thousand years before Haman. The Torah commands us, "You must erase the remembrance of Amalek."  Thus, when Haman’s name is mentioned, we "erase" and blot out his name by making noise.

Q.  Why do we read from a megilah which is folded in layers, rather than a megilah rolled like a Torah?"

A.  Esther and Mordechai refer to the megilah as "Igeret" - "letter". Thus, we fold the megilah to look like a "letter".

Q.   In the Megilah it says that on Purim we should send gifts of food to a friend and to distribute charity to the poor and needy.  These mitzvot are called, “Mishloach manot” and “Matanot La’evyonim.” We can understand giving charity to the poor and needy, so they too can rejoice in the holiday, but what is the significance of sending gifts of food to friends?

A.  When Haman tried to convince king Achashveirosh to have all Jews killed in one day, he described the Jewish people like this, “There is one people scattered and dispersed among the nations in all the provinces in your kingdom; and their laws are different from the laws of all the people.” The words, “scatteredand dispersed,” also mean that there is a lack of unityand harmony amongst the Jewish people themselves. For this reason, when G-d performed the miracle of Purim and the Jewish people were saved from Haman’s decree of annihilation, Mordechai and Esther instituted that the holiday be celebrated by acts which display friendship, unity and harmony. 

Mordechai and Esther instituted the exchange of gifts and the distribution of charity to the needy, to show harmony amongst each other and that we do care for each other. The requirement is to give charity to twopoor people. But our sages say, “We should give whoever stretches out their hand.”

On the lighter side: A known anti-Semite minister, who made Jews much trouble, was not feeling well one day.  Being concerned about his mortality, he consults a psychic about the date of his death.

"You will die on a Jewish holiday," she tells him.

"Which one?” He asks nervously.

"It doesn't matter," replied the psychic. "Whenever you die, it will become a Jewish holiday."

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Adar2 8, 5779 / March 15, 2019

This Shabbat we read from two Torahs. In the first we read Parshat Vayikra, beginning the third book of the Torah, Leviticus. From the second Torah we remove from the ark, we read Zachor, which is read every year on the Shabbat before Purim.

Parshat Zachor (Deut. 18:17-19) states, "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt; how he met you on the way and cut down all the weak trailing behind you while you were weary and exhausted, and he did not fear G-d. Therefore, when the L-rd your G-d will relieve you of all your enemies around you, in the land which the L-rd your G-d gives you as a heritage, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from beneath the heaven.  Do not forget!"

The connection between the reading of Zachor and Purim is because Haman, who tried to destroy the Jewish people, was descended from Amalek.

Why is the nation of Amalek singled out in the Torah when there were many other enemies of the people of Israel?

Our sages explain this with a parable: A tub of water was so hot; everyone was too terrified to get close out of fear of getting burnt.  One person was stupid enough to jump into the water.  Although he got burnt, it diminished everyone's fear and eventually they, too, tried to enter the tub. 

Amalek, like the man who jumped into the hot tub, was the first nation to wage war against the people of Israel after the Exodus. Although they were defeated, the fear of the other nation was gone. All subsequent wars are in a sense a result of Amalek's war. This is why Amalek is singled out.

On the lighter side:During the Second World War, two Jews are riding the N.Y. subway. Chaim is reading the Jewish daily newspaper, The Forward, while Moshe is reading the American Nazi Party anti-Semitic publication. Chaim is beside himself. "Moshe, how dare you, a Jew, read this anti-Semitic paper?" he asked angrily.

"I'll tell you why," replied Moshe.  "What do you read in the Jewish paper each morning?  About the hardships and sufferings our people endure all over the world.  You read about the poverty, misery and humiliation of our people. About pogroms, concentration camps etc.  By the time you get to work you’re distressed and upset.  You’re a nervous wreck. I, on the other hand, read in the Nazi paper, that Jews control the banks, the stock exchanges, the governments etc etc.  By the time I get to work I feel good about the accomplishments of our people and I come to work in a great mood!"

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montrealcandle lighting time: 6:41 / Shabbat ends: 7:46

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Mazal Tov & happy birthday to Menachem ben Chaim HaKohen on your birthday

May Hashem bless you and your family with long life, happiness and success in all your endeavors.