Post date: Mar 20, 2011 5:39:15 AM
הַמֹּלֵךְ מֵהֹדּוּ וְעַד כּוּשׁ שֶׁבַע וְעֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה מְדִינָה
Sheva v’esrim u’mei’ah midinah
(1:1)
Originally, Achashveirosh ruled only Parras and Madai. However, he employed his military resources in pursuit of greater control of the world, and these conquests were done in measured amounts.
The initial military campaign netted only 7 new countries to his now growing empire. Then, having the strength of the armies from these newly acquired countries, his next conquest yielded an additional 20 provinces under his control. After having incorporated additional resources from his conquests, his final military campaign added an additional 100 provinces to his now expansive empire.
(Al Hanissim)
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Discussion with Reb Shimon bar Yochai
(Megillah 12b)
There is a discussion in the Gemara (Megillah 12b) between Reb Shimon bar Yochai and his students. The students asked what the Jews could possibly have done to deserve to have a decree of annihilation declared against them. There was some discussion about the severity of the Jews’ participation in Achashveirosh’ feast. Eventually, Reb Shimon bar Yochai settled on the answer that the Jews bowed to an idol in Achashveirosh’s banquet hall. For that cardinal sin, it was decreed (from Above) that they would be killed.
That being the case, the students couldn’t understand how the Jews ultimately merited to be saved. Reb Shimon bar Yochai explained that the Jews only gave the appearance of bowing to the idol. Therefore, Hashem only allowed a decree of annihilation for appearance sake. But in reality, the point of the decree was purely to motivate them to do Teshuva (repentence).
(Menucha V’Simcha)
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הקורא את המגילה למפרע לא יצא
Hakoreh es hamegilah l’mafrei’ah lo yutzuh
(Mishnah Megilah, 2:1)
If one reads the Megilah backwards (or out of order), he has not fulfilled his obligation of reading the Megilah.
The Sifrei Chassidim tells us that one who says that the events of the Megilah happened in the distant past and could never happen again, is looking at the Megilah in a backwards manner. That kind of person does not fulfill his requirement of believing in Divine providence for all times. He explains that we must view all miracles from our history as having happened to us as well.
Reb Baruch of Mezbiz used to say that “Just as we have a requirement by the Pesach seder of Bechol dor vador, chayav adam liros es atzmo k’ilu hu yutzuh me’Mitzrayim (in every single generation, a person must look at himself as if he himself was part of the exodus from Egypt), likewise by the miracle of Purim, one must view himself as if he was personally saved from Haman’s evil decree.
(Menucha V’Simcha)
We must internalize and personalize the miracle of Purim for ourselves in order to fully experience the redemption from those days in our days.
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בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיהוָה אֱלֹקֵיכֶם
Buneem atem la’Hashem Elokeichem
You are (all) children to Hashem, your G-d
(Devarim 14:1)
When Amalek attacked Bnei Yisrael soon after their exodus from Egypt, whom did they attack first? The Torah describes these people as “הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִים אַחֲרֶיךָ” (Hanecheshuleem acharecha/ those in the back, Devarim 25:18). These were the stragglers—the people who had fallen behind—those who had detached from the main camp of Bnei Yisrael.
The Sifri tells us that these were people who rebelled against Hashem. Because of their own actions, they, in effect, removed themselves from the protection of the Kanfei haShechinah (the protection of Hashem’s Presence).
Targum Yonasan says that these people were actually idol worshippers, and therefore had been expelled from the camp, and the protection it conferred.
The Torah reading for the morning of Purim ends with the following: “מלחמה לה׳ בעמלק מדר דר” (Milchumuh l’Hashem ba’Amalek midor dor/Hashem maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation, Shemos 17:16). In Megilas Esther we read “וַחֲמָתוֹ בָּעֲרָה בוֹ,” (Vachamuso bu’ahruh vo/and [the king’s] fire raged within him, 1:12).
Targum Yonasan explains that the war that Hashem wages against Amalek will not be completed until the generation of Mashiach. Whose honor is Hashem protecting by fighting this continuous war? Included among the rest of Klas Yisrael is that of the נֶּחֱשָׁלִים (necheshuleem/those in the back)—the rebellious, unrepentant Jews who have fallen behind due to sin. Why does Hashem continue to fight for those people? Because regardless of what they do or don’t do, all Jews are Hashem’s children.
The Gemara in Kidushin asks how we know that these people are still called His children. To answer this, it references a Pasuk in Yeshayahu (1:4) which says “עַם כֶּבֶד עָוֹן זֶרַע מְרֵעִים בָּנִים מַשְׁחִיתִים,” (Am keved uvon zerah mirei’im buneem mashchisim/A people laden with iniquity, seed of evildoers, children that deal corruptly). Even when it is those “unworthy of His protection” that are persecuted, Hashem still avenges them. As we see from this Pasuk in Yeshayahu, even when we are “laden with iniquity” and are labeled as “evildoers,” we are nonetheless His children and, as such, granted protection from Above.
(Living Beyond Time)
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על הניסים
Al hanissim
From the beginning of the Al hanissim prayer (for Purim) until the end, there are exactly 68 words. The gematria for the word חיים (Chayim/life) is (8+10+10+40) 68.
This is an allusion to the fact that through the Neis of Purim, we were brought from a sentence of annihilation to a decree of life.
L’Chaim!
(Inside Purim)