Page 14 - HaMizrachi #7BackgroundwithJIF-Purim

Mrs. Shira Smiles

he joy of Purim, writes Rabbi good. Our mitzvah is to eradicate the Torah. But sometimes our initiative is
Zev Leff, is knowing without any Amalek, the doubt within ourselves. not enough. Although Queen Esther and
T doubt that G-d is in charge and Purim is a time of perfection, a time to Bnei Yisrael fasted for three days, that
runs the world, even when we ourselves make everyone happy, to give to the was not enough to counter the decree
are so confused that we can’t tell the poor and the orphan so that they too can against us. G-d then told us to move
difference between the good and the be happy, to unify the world. aside and let Him do what was necessary.
bad. It is Amalek, the nation of Haman, Sometimes our knowledge gets in our
that symbolizes this doubt, a doubt Rabbi Reiss, quoting Chazal, points own way. We think we’re in control.
introduced to the world when Adam out that Haman is alluded to in G-d’s When we’re drunk, we have no control
and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and question to Adam after the sin, HaMiN and leave G-d to do His work. When
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blurred the difference between good and HaEtz – did you eat from the tree? The we relinquish our control on Purim,
evil. doubt that Amalek re-instilled in Bnei it is appropriate to ask Him to grant us
Yisrael after the Exodus, and the doubt
The Netivot Shalom says that the mitzvot and fear that Haman instilled in Bnei those things we feel we are incapable of
of Purim help us to resolve these doubts Yisrael, all stem from that same sin, achieving on our own.
and to make us whole in all of our relying on human senses and human Let go. Let G-d.
relationships. By reading the Megillah, logic to determine one’s actions rather
we achieve wholeness with G-d as we than on G-d’s will. The repair is to Interestingly, Rabbi Schorr in HaLekach
see His hand in all, whether we feel close sublimate our will to His. VeHaLibuv writes that the plague of
to Him with Baruch Mordechai or distant darkness in Egypt occurred on Purim.
from Him with Arur Haman. He always Rabbi Roth z”l in Sichot Eliyahu But the Jews had light in all their living
takes care of us, as we always remain His expands on this idea. It was human spaces and wherever they went. With
children. With the mitzvot of Mishloach reasoning rather than the Torah that this light they were able to see all hidden
Manot and Matanot LaEvyonim, we informed the decision of most of the things. This light comes down to us
create a sense of closeness with others Jews to bow down to Haman, for they each Purim and allows us to see into
and society at large. When we send to reasoned it was dangerous to defy the the recesses of our souls. When we can
our close friends, it is a sense of Baruch king’s command in public. However, use that light to give ourselves over to
Mordechai, and when we include people when it comes to Jewish law, one must G-d, we can redeem ourselves from our
with whom we do not necessarily have sublimate one’s personal reason to G-d’s constraints and experience the light and
a close relationship, whom we may will and understand that He knows best. miracle of Purim throughout the year.
perceive as Arur Haman, we are blurring On every holiday we offer something to
the difference between the two. Finally, G-d. On Sukkot we give up our houses,
when one elevates drinking wine from on Pesach we give up bread, and on Yom 1 Genesis 3:11. Note that the allusion is found
a purely physical pursuit to a spiritual Kippur we give up physical comfort. in the context of a question, an awakening of
pursuit, one is creating an integrated On Purim, we give up our personal and doubt.
whole of his spiritual and physical subjective understanding and reasoning. 2 Exodus 24:7.
natures.
Rav Pincus z”l notes that G-d responds
The goal of Purim is to reach the to our initiative. He responded to our Mrs. Shira Smiles is a sought-after
level before Adam’s sin, when we saw national circumcision and redeemed international lecturer, a popular
everything as good, when there was no us from Egypt; He responded to our seminary teacher, and an experienced
doubt about it, when “Cursed is Haman” declaration of Na’aseh veNishma – we will curriculum developer
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and “Blessed is Mordechai” were both do and we will hear, with the gift of the sasmiles@gmail.com

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