Post date: Feb 26, 2017 5:38:18 AM
Gut Voch and a Gut Chodesh!
Can you feel it? We’re only 2 week away from Purim! If you’re not in the Purim spirit yet, then let’s get going! I’ve got a full slate of fresh Vorts to share with everyone. This year I’m focused primarily on the 5th-7th Perakim, around the time of Esther’s parties with Achashveirosh and Haman. But I have some Vorts from the earlier and later Perakim as well. This is my seventh year sharing Purim Vorts by email and posted to my website. I truly enjoy sharing them and I hope that you enjoy them also.
The Mishnah in Megillah (2:1) teaches us that “one who reads the Megillah ‘l’mafrei’ah’ (literally translated as ‘retroactively’) has not fulfilled his obligation.” There’s a question about how we are to understand the Mishnah’s use of the word “l’mafrei’ah.” The Gemara concludes by saying that one may not read the Pesukim of the Megillah out-of-order. But there are other ways to understand this statement.
Some communities had the custom of sending “Megillah Gelt” to the one who recited the Megillah in shul for everyone. One year, a fellow sent a messenger with remuneration to Reb Baruch of Mezhibuzh, however Reb Baruch refused the gift. He told the messenger that while reading the Megillah that day, a thought occurred to him regarding the above quoted teaching that “one who reads the Megillah ‘l’mafrei’ah’ has not fulfilled his obligation.” The word “l’mafrei’ah” is similar to the word “peirah’on” which means “payment.” Based on that, one could understand the Mishnah as teaching us that one who reads the Megillah for payment has not fulfilled his obligation. With that thought in mind, Reb Baruch could not allow himself to accept the gift.
I have one more story involving Reb Baruch of Mezhibuzh to share with you. Reb Baruch used to teach that just as on Pesach one is required to consider himself as if he personally came out of Egypt, so too one must understand that there is a Haman and a Mordechai in each and every generation, and that he must relive the lessons of the Purim miracle in his own life. However, if one reads the Megillah “l’mafrei’ah,” as if the story is all a distant past with no connection to us in present day, then he has not fulfilled his obligation.
[A Treasury of Chassidic Tales, p. 297]
Mishenichnas Adar, marbim b’simcha. Tomorrow night is the beginning of Adar, a month of happiness, joy, and all things good for Klal Yisrael. We should all internalize the lessons of the Purim miracle, and enjoy these days leading up to Purim as our joy gets progressively greater the closer we get to Purim. Please forward these Vorts to others who might enjoy them, and check my website for links to the books I’ve used in collecting these Vorts. (If you liked hearing the Vorts from me, you’ll probably really enjoy the books in their entirety!)
Josh
Power and opulence detailed
“Hamoleich meiHodu v’ad Kush…b’har’oso es osher kivod malchuso v’es yikar tiferes gidulaso”
Who ruled from Hodu to Kush…when he displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom
(1:1-1:4)
Why does the Megillah find the need to describe how vast Achashveirosh’s empire was, and how wealthy he was?
With the knowledge of how wealthy and powerful Achashveirosh was, one might think that he would have had no problem carrying out Haman’s evil plan (to which Achashveirosh was a silent, but eager accomplice). Despite all of that, the Alshich points out that he was unable to overcome Hashem’s protection of the Jews.
The Maharal takes a slightly different angle with his explanation. While the Alshich’s explanation focuses on a post-miracle recognition of the situation, the Maharal opines that Klal Yisrael’s understanding of precisely what they were up against is in fact what caused their level of Emunah in Hashem to increase thereby saving them. By realizing that the odds were weighed heavily against them, it was clear to them that they had no one else to rely on other than their Father in Heaven.
[Megillas Esther: The Answer Is… p. 15]