Page 15 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

MIZRACHI SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE TORAT MIZRACHI

Women today expect themselves to state of ora veSimcha, light and rejoic- But what’s the alternative? What about
do everything – to work, to raise their ing. How does Esther express happi- breaking down my own barriers – for
children, to succeed at home and out- ness? After a wasteful and egotistical a positive reason? What about being
side of it, to host guests, to be immac- feast, she teaches us to truly be happy brave, daring – to do the good things I
ulate. A generation of perfectionism. I through the mitzvot of Purim we still always wanted to do? On these days of
say: give in to yourself along the way, keep today. First, happiness in our inner Purim, we allow ourselves to go crazy.
just don’t give up your happiness. circle: a meal with the whole family. But who decided that doesn’t mean in
Because what do you normally do? Second, community: mishloach manot a new, higher, more positive direction?”
You demand to do everything; you to strengthen our social bonds. Finally,
don’t give up on anything – besides helping the needy: matanot la’evyonim, Ostensibly, matanot la’evyonim is
happiness. caring for those who don’t have. That’s something given to the poor on
how we rejoice. The tables have turned 6Purim. A little tzedakah and we’re
That’s the mistake. A messy bed can – not accumulating wealth or fame, but done. But Chazal write in the Gemara:
be tidied. A dirty counter can shine. going outside of one’s comfort zone to “There is no real poverty but the pov-
A document for work can be written. give to and share with others. Instead of erty of knowledge.” Poverty is not only
But an unhappy woman – oh, that is thinking that the more we receive, the financial. There are people below the
much more serious than any of these. happier we’ll be, Esther teaches us that knowledge poverty line.
So, true, you didn’t tell a story before the more we give, the happier we’ll be. And that’s not all. The Sefat Emet
bedtime. You didn’t finish the list of Sometimes Purim celebrations are explains that really each one of us is
what you needed to do. You got upset both wealthy and poor. Every person
identified with breakdown and
again. But you forgot to write on your 5mess, but one educator shared with is “poor of knowledge,” who has yet to
to-do list to smile and enjoy the pro- me the following idea: learn, and what to learn, from others.
cess. Choose your tasks wisely, decide And each one of us can give to others
what to give up and what not to, but “Essentially, we are all boxed in. We from his or her own knowledge. Torah,
one thing – your happiness today, decide things about ourselves: ‘I’m such wisdom, knowledge are also a type of
right now – never give up on along and such,’ and that’s it, we can’t change matanot la’evyonim that we need to give
the way.” it. But on Purim, everything shifts, and and receive, all year round!
we can leave the box. It’s an opportunity
At the beginning of the Megillah, for an internal revolution, veNahafoch Purim Sameach!
Achashverosh holds a banquet that hu, to break down the boundaries. Usu-
4is all an external show. A celebra- ally, when speaking of breaking down Sivan Rahav Meir and Yedidya Meir are pop-
tion of money, gold and alcohol. Faced boundaries, we have a negative con- ular Israeli media personalities and World
Mizrachi’s Scholars-in-Residence.
with such an empty misconception of notation. When we speak about the
happiness, Esther eventually brings courage to do things we don’t do all A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
the nation to a year round, it implies bad things. mizrachi.org/speakers

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