Page 8 - HaMizrachi #7BackgroundwithJIF-Purim

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

Kabbalat Torah SheBe’al Peh

on Purim

ur Sages teach us that there The kabbalat Torah SheBe’al Peh at the The theme of Purim serving as a new
was an element of coercion in time of Purim was the fulfillment of the kabbalat haTorah should be the focus of
O the Jewish people’s acceptance prophecy of Yirmiyahu HaNavi, who our attention on that day, just as kabbalat
of the Torah at Har Sinai, but this was foretold that after the destruction of haTorah is our focus on Shavuot. Indeed,
rectified with their willing acceptance of the Beit HaMikdash, G-d would make Chazal teach that Shavuot must be
the Torah following the Purim miracle: a brit chadasha, a new covenant with celebrated through physical enjoyment
the Jewish people, in place of the one because “it is the day on which the Torah
“They stood at the foot of [literally, at the nation had violated. This new brit was given,” and the same applies to
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the bottom of] the mountain” …G-d would be “engraved on the hearts” of the Purim as well.
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held the mountain over their heads like people. Torah SheBichtav is written on
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a barrel and said to them: “If you do not parchment, and just as a physical Sefer
accept the Torah, your burial will be Torah can be abandoned, the brit made
there”… Even so, they again accepted over the Written Torah can be undone. 1 Exodus 19:17.
it in the days of Achashverosh, as it is But a brit “engraved on the heart,” which 2 Esther 9:27.
written, “Kimu vekiblu haYehudim” – the is based on oral transmission from rebbi 3 Shabbat 88a.
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Jews established and accepted – they to talmid, cannot be forfeited; it will 4 Exodus24:7.
established that which they had already always remain. This new brit signified a 5 Ad loc., s.v. kafah.
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accepted [previously under duress]. new phase in the transmission of Torah. 6 Tanchuma, Parashat Noach 3.
7 See Jeremiah 31:32.
Tosafot questions why it was necessary Historically, the main development of
to force the Jewish people to accept the the Torah SheBe’al Peh took place after 8 There is a rabbinic tradition that the Purim
Torah at Har Sinai. After all, they had the miracle of Purim, in the merit of miracle occurred shortly before the return of Ezra
to Eretz Yisrael.
already declared, “Na’aseh venishma” – “kimu vekiblu.” It was at the time of the 9 See Seder Olam Rabba (30): “Up until this point
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we will do and we will hear, certainly Anshei Knesset HaGedolah – around [the time of Ezra], the nevi’im prophesied with
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implying willing acceptance. One the time of Purim – that we find a ruach haKodesh; from now on, ‘Incline your ear
answer to this question is found in the flourishing of Tannaitic expositions and and hear the words of the chachamim’ (Proverbs
Midrash Tanchuma, which explains derivations. This marked a new stage in 22:17).” The gemara in Yoma (29a) also echoes
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that the people’s willing acceptance the masorah of Torah. 9 this notion, noting that Purim is the last miracle
of the Torah at Har Sinai was limited that was recorded as part of the Torah SheBichtav.
to the Torah SheBichtav, the Written Just as the acceptance of the Torah in the 10 See Sanhedrin 21b, which implies that Ezra
Torah; their reluctance related to the time of Moshe Rabbeinu was necessary occupied a role similar to that of Moshe.
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Torah SheBe’al Peh, the Oral Torah. The before the Jewish people could enter See Sfat Emet, Purim 5638, s.v. mah.
extreme effort and discipline involved Eretz Yisrael, the acceptance of the Torah 12 Pesachim 67b. See She’iltot, siman 67, and
in the study and observance of Torah SheBe’al Peh at the time of Purim – the Ha’amek She’eilah 6.
SheBe’al Peh were felt to be too onerous, “brit chadasha” – was necessary before This essay can be seen in more expanded form in
Rav Schachter on the Parsha.
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and coercion was therefore necessary. they could re-enter the Land at the time
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of Ezra. Thus, the Purim miracle played
Based on this, when the gemara teaches a pivotal role in the rebuilding of the
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that the Jewish people reaccepted the Beit HaMikdash. The chachamim of
Torah anew in the days of Achashverosh, the generation were therefore justified
it is referring specifically to the Torah in establishing the day of Purim as a Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh
She-Be’al Peh. In the wake of the Purim Yom Tov as a function of its role as Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac
miracle, the Jewish people were inspired atchalta degeulah (the beginning of the Elchanan Theological Seminary of
to willingly accept the Oral Torah. redemption). Yeshiva University

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