Page 23 - HaMizrachi Purim Australia 5781

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Mrs. Shira Smiles

Enhancing Exuberance

ה ָ ח ְ מׂ ִ ש ְּ ב ןי ִּ ב ְ ר ַ מ רּ ָ ד ַ א סַנ ְ כִּנ ׁ ּ ֶ ש ִ מ delicacies on Purim, or perhaps even which we should resemble the Shechina?
to pay for necessities, by giving them Further, how can we compare Purim to
“From the arrival of the month gifts and dignity. We create more joy Yom KiPur(im)? On Yom Kippur we
of Adar we increase joy.” by giving to the poor than by creating resemble angels who neither eat nor

his well-known saying of Chazal very elaborate mishloach manot baskets drink, but on Purim we are even greater
than angels since we are acting in ways
seems to be the linchpin for all to share our friendship with others.
Tour Purim festivities. What is Simcha is about making other people similar to G-d’s presence and bringing
the essence of this joy, and how can we happy. simcha to others.
keep it going? Since we are created in the image of
The simcha of Jews is inherently We are to embrace G-d and are told to emulate G-d, we,
different from the simcha of the rest “” like G-d, will want to give. Giving fills
of the world. When other nationalities members of our one with happiness as it fills others with
celebrate, a business success or victory community, happiness and fulfills our mission here
for example, eating and drinking pretty especially those on on earth.
much completes their celebration.
For Jews, however, celebration means the fringes who may Nevertheless, we are physical bodies
understanding G-d’s role in the victory, feel downtrodden as well as spiritual beings. There is
and instituting rituals and laws that will or lonely, by a constant conflict between one’s
cement this understanding and joy for egocentricity and one’s care for others.
all generations. including them in our The body is about me, while the soul is
mishloach manot about giving to others. But on Purim,
While every one of our holidays the body and soul work together, as the
includes specific mitzvot, there is a body also recognizes that the greatest
difference between the mitzvot of There are actually two parallel motifs joy is in giving to others. On Purim we
Purim and those of other holidays. Yes, in the Purim tapestry. We certainly chose to accept the Torah out of love,
we are required to take a lulav and etrog have the motif of reestablishing our we chose to emulate HaKadosh Baruch
on Sukkot, and we are required to eat relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu Hu and be like Him, to be givers and
matzah on Pesach, but these mitzvot do as we accepted the Torah anew. But we to make others happy. On Purim, we
not define the day. And although we are also have the motif of establishing and should be filled with and reflect joy
commanded to rejoice on our holidays, cementing relationships between each both when we give and when we receive
that rejoicing does not connote their other, and the Rambam maintains the mishloach manot. Our focus should be
essence. In contrast, Purim is defined by interpersonal motif is primary. When on making others happy.
rejoicing. We are commanded to make one rejoices, one does it with others. Which is largely true the rest of the year
the day itself a day of rejoicing.
When one brought the chagigah as well.
In that respect, we are to make it a day offering to the Mikdash on yom tov,
of rejoicing for all, not just for ourselves. he was enjoined from eating it alone.
We are to embrace members of our He was commanded to invite the poor
community, especially those on the and the orphans to share the meal with
fringes who may feel downtrodden him. In this way, he would emulate Mrs. Shira Smiles is a sought-after interna-
or lonely, by including them in our HaKadosh Baruch Hu Who brings life tional lecturer, a popular seminary teacher,
and an experienced curriculum developer.
mishloach manot. We are to give joy to to the downtrodden and unfortunate.
the poor, the orphan, the widow who A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
may not have the wherewithal to buy How is Purim meant to be a day on mizrachi.org/speakers

| 23