The Song of Pesach

Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

I am writing this on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, grateful to have arrived at the month of geulah—both for the past and, hopefully, for the present as well.

Just as the month was about to begin, Klal Yisroel suffered a devastating tragedy, losing a mother and her two precious children on Shabbos afternoon. At their levayah on Sunday, there was an overwhelming outpouring of grief.

Also on Shabbos, a beloved mechanech and builder of Torah in Monsey passed away. Rav Moshe Schwab blazed a trail of Torah, establishing a yeshiva where each talmid was treated like a diamond, polished to sparkle and shine. He was one of the good people of Monsey, whose efforts helped make the town the special place it is today.

These tragedies, along with so many others that befall us—the wars in Eretz Yisroel between Jews and Arabs, as well as between Jews themselves; the strife, the poverty, and the many challenges we refer to as “crises”—are all symptoms of golus.

We yearn for the geulah because we long for the return of the Shechinah to the Bais Hamikdosh and for the return of all Jews to Eretz Yisroel. We pray to be in Yerushalayim this Yom Tov, partaking in the Korban Pesach. We hope for the healing of the sick, the repair of our divisions, and the return of our departed loved ones, together with all the great souls of generations past.

The Vilna Gaon writes (Even Sheleimah 11:1) that the geulah will begin on Pesach and will unfold in four stages. May it begin this Pesach.

But what can we do to help bring it about?

The Jewish people have been in golus since the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdosh and our dispersion among the nations. That Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed due to the sins of lashon hara and sinas chinom. It was because of our addiction to these sins that we were exiled, and it follows that to merit the geulah, we must eliminate these aveiros from our lives and our world. Despite the efforts of many generations, we still haven’t succeeded. It’s easier said than done.

To understand why these two aveiros are so difficult to overcome, we need to examine their roots. We’ve made significant progress in eradicating many other sins, but these two remain deeply entrenched, despite intense efforts, especially since the time of the Chofetz Chaim.

Our tradition teaches that the roots of lashon hara and sinas chinom trace back to the negative influence of the Eirev Rav, who joined our nation as we left Mitzrayim and have caused great harm ever since. Their impact still lingers in the form of what our holy sages call klipos.

To rid ourselves of these impure forces, we must eliminate the klipas Eirev Rav that fuels them, enabling them to penetrate hearts and stir up conflict, division, and hatred.

But how?

Rav Yitzchok Eizik Chover writes (Ohr Torah 27) that the sins of lashon hara and sinas chinom stem from bittul Torah. The solution, as the posuk in Mishlei (15:4) teaches, is “marpeh lashon eitz chaim.” The cure for harmful speech is Torah, the Tree of Life. Torah purifies the soul and removes the negative inclinations rooted in flawed middos, which in turn are influenced by the klipah of the Eirev Rav.

People speak ill of others and harbor resentment against good people for seemingly no reason. This pattern has persisted since the time of the second Bais Hamikdosh and we have yet to break it. In fact, it seems that in our era, the final phase of exile known as ikvesa d’Meshicha, these elements have grown even more intense. Lashon hara and baseless hatred have become particularly severe.

They are fed by the Eirev Rav. They are fed by bittul Torah. As helpful as programs and educational efforts about lashon hara and sinas chinom may be, if we don’t address the root cause, the problem will continue.

As spring nears, gardening services start promoting the need to destroy weeds at their roots to prevent regrowth. Simply mowing the lawn makes everything appear neat and green for a short time, but unless the weeds are pulled out from the roots, they will quickly return. And worse, they will rob the lawn of vital nutrients and weaken its vitality. No amount of fertilizer or watering will help unless the weeds are uprooted.

Lashon hara and sinas chinom are the weeds that choke our people and obstruct our path to geulah.

When we speak about geulah during Nissan, the chodesh hageulah, it implies that something in this month catalyzes limud haTorah, which in turn weakens the grip of the klipah of the Eirev Rav. But what is that force?

Rav Tzadok Hakohein (Pri Tzaddik, Rosh Chodesh Nissan) explains that Moshe Rabbeinu expressed hesitation in confronting Paroh, saying, “V’aich yishmo’eini Pharoh,” because “va’ani aral sefosoyim.” He doubted his ability to be heard due to his speech impediment.

Hashem, the One who grants speech, assured Moshe that He would repair his speech and that Paroh would listen. However, Moshe’s real concern, “va’ani aral sefosoyim,” alluded to the klipah of impurity in the hearts of the Jewish people, which created a disconnect from Torah and made them unable to heed his words.

This is what he meant when he said, “Hein Bnei Yisroel lo shomu eilay, ve’aich yishmo’eini Pharoh, va’ani aral sefosoyim.” The term orlah refers to the yeitzer hara. Moshe was saying that the yeitzer hara was blocking the people from hearing his message.

When Hashem told Moshe, “Hachodesh hazeh lochem,” He gave the Jewish people the power to infuse this month with extra kedusha. With this added holiness, the Jews were able to overcome their areilus, their yeitzer hara. They returned to Torah study, and the impediment in Moshe’s speech, which had been tied to their spiritual weakness, was lifted. He could now speak to Paroh. The areilus that had blocked his words was gone. Geulah was now within reach.

Even though everything Moshe said was Torah, commanded directly by Hashem, his words could not be accepted by the Jewish people, without the added kedusha brought by the month of Nissan.

It seems, then, that what transformed Nissan into a month of redemption was this infusion of extra kedusha, which neutralized the areilus that had caused a lapse in Torah study.

Nissan, the month of geulah, includes the mitzvah of biur chometz, the removal of chometz from our homes. We search for it in every crack and crevice, ensuring that not a trace remains.

Chometz is allegorically compared to the yeitzer hara, which blocks us from teshuvah and from proper behavior. Chometz is dough that has risen. Matzah is dough that has not. Chometz represents arrogance. Matzah represents humility. A humble person doesn’t engage in lashon hara or sinas chinom. He doesn’t harbor hate. He learns sifrei mussar, such as Mesilas Yeshorim, is content with what he has, learns Torah, and works on his middos.

During this month of geulah, removing chometz from our homes mirrors the need to remove chometz from our souls. To merit geulah, we must search within and cleanse ourselves of the se’or shebe’isah—the yeitzer hara that holds us back from self-improvement and spiritual growth.

Since, as Rav Yitzchok Eizik Chover taught, geulah is dependent on Torah, we are strengthened by the knowledge that this month brings added kedusha. It gives us the spiritual energy to overcome the yeitzer hara and forces of tumah. We are empowered to search for the remnants of tumah within ourselves, knowing that we can uproot them and return to lives free of chet, lashon hara, and bittul Torah.

When we rid our homes and hearts of chometz, we don’t just prepare for the heightened kedusha Nissan offers. We prepare ourselves to help usher in the geulah that this month is destined to bring.

The Arizal taught that the name of the Yom Tov, Pesach, hints at the power of speech, as it can be read as “peh soch—the mouth speaks.”

With the added kedusha of this time and the preparations for geulah, our mouths are cleansed of lashon hara and sinas chinom. We become capable of speaking with love—about our fellow Jew and about Hashem. We learn to use the gift of speech for good.

That’s why, at the Seder, we say, “Vechol hamarbeh lesaper b’Yetzias Mitzrayim harei zeh meshubach”—the more we speak about the Exodus, the more praiseworthy we are. Through this, we demonstrate our ability to use the peh soch—our speech—the way it was intended: to elevate, to inspire, and to bring kedusha into the world through words and Torah.

Imagine a young musician blessed with the ability to bring music to life at the piano, but due to poverty, he becomes a plumber. Even if he becomes the most successful plumber in town, part of him remains dormant. The song inside him goes unsung. As he fixes pipes and clears drains, he dreams of music. No one may notice this about him, but that’s only because they don’t truly know him.

So too, when Klal Yisroel was enslaved in Mitzrayim, we were a nation with a song trapped inside us. We couldn’t express it. We were weighed down, unable to soar, bound by slavery and tumah.

But when we were redeemed, the gift of speech returned. Holiness burst forth from our mouths, along with deep wells of spiritual expression.

“Vechol hamarbeh lesaper b’Yetzias Mitzrayim harei zeh meshubach.” The more we speak of our redemption, the greater we become. The Seder is an experience of expression: Torah, Hallel, and mitzvos, all flowing from mouths that have been spiritually redeemed and elevated.

The night of peh soch.

On Pesach, we became who we were meant to be. Our song—the essence of our soul—was finally released.

We now have the power to achieve greatness through our words. And we’ve been encouraged by the Master of the World Himself, who says, “Harchev picha—Open your mouth wide!”

The Jews weren’t just physically enslaved in Miztrayim. Their thoughts, souls, and speech were shackled too. They were heirs to greatness, but they were caked in mud, buried under the weight of servitude. Holy children of Hashem, they had become defiled and unrecognizable. That’s what golus can do.

But at the destined hour, Hashem lifted them out of the swamp, allowing them to rise again.

In our times, Hashem leaves the task to us. He gives us the tools to rise above the spiritual darkness. He enables us to rid our lives of chometz, to return, to pursue holiness and goodness.

He tells us: “If you want to be redeemed, you must do teshuvah. You must correct your sins—the very sins that delay the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh.”

Through the Moshe Rabbeinus of every generation, Hashem sends us reminders year after year:

“Rachtzu, hizaku, hosiru ro’ah ma’alileichem mineged einai, chidlu harei’a.” They call out to us, as the novi Yeshayahu did, quoting pesukim, invoking Chazal, drawing from seforim, and speaking in their own words, telling us that to merit the geulah, we must separate from the misguided, abandon sin, and return to our true selves. Then the darkness will lift, the golus will end, and the geulah will usher in a new era.

We are living in the final stages of the final golus. We stand at the threshold of the moment we’ve awaited for thousands of years. It is up to us to make it a reality.

We can do it.

All it takes is a little more love, a little more compassion. Positive thoughts. Positive speech. A thorough internal cleaning and spiritual polishing that restores our brilliance and clarity.

May we all merit to be as pure and radiant as our Pesach homes. And may our actions, words, and deeds help bring the geulah soon.

Rising to Greatness

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

As we observe the world around us and witness the depths to which many have sunk, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember that we were created to achieve great heights, both as a nation and as individuals. Our mission is to continually strive for self-improvement, always working toward the goal of becoming better people.

We see so many Yidden who have become ensnared by ideologies and behaviors that are foreign to Torah. Many have been misled and strayed from our well-trodden path, and we feel pity for them, seeking to bring them back. We wonder how, and if we possess the capability, to engage in outreach that will bring about positive change.

The parshiyos that describe the construction of the Mishkon provide us with encouragement and direction. The posuk (Shemos 35:10-19) states that Moshe Rabbeinu called out to the entire Klal Yisroel and told them, “Kol chacham lev bochem yavo’u v’yaasu, every wise-hearted person among you should come forward to do everything that Hashem commanded us to do regarding the construction of the Mishkon.” The pesukim then list every component of the Mishkon that they were to complete.

The posuk (35:21) reports that every man “asher nesa’o libo,” whose heart inspired him, responded to Moshe’s call.

The Ramban explains that the reason the posuk describes the people who volunteered to help in this way is because none of the Yidden at that time had any formal training in the necessary skills. They came because Moshe said that everyone should have a share in the construction of the Mishkon and they were inspired to fulfill his directive.

Later, the pesukim refer to Betzalel (together with Oholiav) as the leader of the project, blessed by Hashem with the knowledge and ability in every aspect of the technical skills needed for the Mishkon.

Every person who responded to Moshe Rabbeinu’s call was endowed with the ability to play a part in the formation of the structure and the keilim that would house the Shechinah in this world.

Similarly, when a person is inspired to do good, to build, and to help in a positive way, Hashem enables him to rise to the occasion, making him effective and constructive. Every Jew has the ability to bring more kedusha into this world and to build proper homes for that kedusha if he is properly motivated and works leSheim Shomayim.

We see this same concept in Parshas Hachodesh, which we read this Shabbos.

Rashi, in his very first comment on the Torah (Bereishis 1:1), quotes Rav Yitzchok, who said that the Torah should have begun with the parsha of hachodesh hazeh lochem, which we read this Shabbos.

We need to understand the significance of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh and why it is that we are introduced to this mitzvah as we begin our lives as avdei Hashem. Of all the mitzvos of the Torah, why was this the first one given to the Jewish people as a group and the one with which Rashi believed the Torah should have started?

Proclaiming the new month through Kiddush Hachodesh requires a verbal statement from a bais din. The dayonim on the bais din who certify that the new moon has been seen and proclaim, “Mekudash,” must either be members of the Sanhedrin or “semuchin” (approved by the Sanhedrin for kidush hachodesh), who were certified and invested with the power of psak, forming a link in a chain that stretches back to Har Sinai (Rambam, Hilchos Kiddush Hachodesh 5:1).

Why does the Torah require those who proclaim the new moon to be semuchin? Why is it not sufficient for them to simply be proficient in recognizing the shapes of the moon, so that they can determine when to accept testimony regarding the sighting of the new moon?

This is because Hakadosh Boruch Hu invested these botei din with the ability to affect the lives of every Jew by deciding which day is Rosh Chodesh and thereby determining the calendar—not only determining the day of Rosh Chodesh, but also the days of Pesach, Sukkos, Shavuos, etc., and investing those days with kedusha and mitzvos.

They are enabled to do this in the same way that the people “asher nesaom libom” were able to take simple materials and invest them with kedusha. Because they had dedicated themselves to reach the level of semuchim, Hashem entrusted them with the ability to effect kedusha.

The Nefesh Hachaim and other seforim discuss our ability to affect events in this world and in Shomayim through the observance—and transgression—of mitzvos. That capability is first seen in the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh.

Through the ability to proclaim Rosh Chodesh or a leap year, the Torah first reveals to us the potential of man to rise to the highest spheres, becoming a partner with the Creator.

The bais din, through its proclamation of which day will be Rosh Chodesh and subsequently on which day Yom Tov will begin, determines when Hashem will cause that specific measure of Divine hashpa’ah to occur. The Ribbono Shel Olam abides by the bais din’s decision and determination to celebrate the Yom Tov on that day.

Thus, since the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh is unique in that it shows Klal Yisroel the incredible heights they can reach, it is the first mitzvah given to us as a group and serves as an introduction to all the other mitzvos. It goes to the root of the greatness of Am Yisroel and demonstrates how much we can accomplish if we devote ourselves to observing the mitzvos and living lives dedicated to Hashem and His Torah.

This is the idea of the mitzvah of Kiddush Hachodesh, which would have been a fitting opening to the entire Torah.

Imagine the message that Klal Yisroel received when, still in the throes of servitude, they were taught the details of a mitzvah with the capacity to transcend time and space. What a resounding announcement of their own freedom from the constrictions of Mitzrayim! It was as if they were gathered together by Moshe Rabbeinu and told, “You are redeemed from slavery and ready to soar!”

That awareness, with its accompanying demand for growth, was given to Klal Yisroel on the verge of freedom, as if to say, “This is what you can reach and accomplish through these mitzvos and by learning Torah.”

In Parshas Bo, the pesukim discuss the halachos of Pesach. The posuk (12:28) states, “Vayeilchu vaya’asu Bnei Yisroel ka’asher tzivah Hashem es Moshe v’Aharon - The Bnei Yisroel did as Hashem had commanded Moshe and Aharon.”

The Mechilta, quoted by Rashi, notes that this discussion took place on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, while the Korban Pesach wasn’t brought until the middle of the month. Still, the posuk refers to the Yidden as having done as Hashem commanded Moshe, using the past tense.

We can suggest that the posuk refers to them as having completed what was asked of them because this parsha of hachodesh hazeh lochem carries something integral to the observance of every mitzvah that would follow it, namely, an instructive lesson regarding what a mitzvah can do for us and the heights we can reach by following the Torah. “Vaya’asu” indicates that they understood the message being imparted to them, appreciating its relevance at every juncture of life. In this case, hearing, comprehending, and internalizing the messages of hachodesh hazeh lochem and the Chag Hageulah were themselves fulfillments of Hashem’s will.

The halachos of Kiddush Hachodesh and Pesach aren’t merely introductory and practical. They are a call from Shomayim. “My children,” the Ribbono Shel Olam is saying, “you are ge’ulim. There is no end to your freedom and to how great you can become!”

According to the Nefesh Hachaim (1:13), the word asiyah, which lies at the root of the word vaya’asu, means that what was being discussed achieved its tachlis, or purpose. Thus, when the Torah employs the verb asiyah to complete the discussion, stating, “Vaya’asu Bnei Yisroel ka’asher tzivah Hashem,” that indicates that they realized the potential inherent in Hashem’s commandment. They understood the message behind the tzivuy, and thus, even though they had not yet performed the mitzvah, they had actualized the potential of how high they could reach.

We, the she’airis Yisroel, the remainder that clings to Kiddush Hachodesh and all the mitzvos that follow, know that we have a special purpose to carry out in this world. We need to know that our mission is the same as those in the midbar who built the Mishkon, the semuchin in Eretz Yisroel who decided the timing of Rosh Chodesh and all the Yidden throughout the ages who dedicated their efforts lehagdil Torah ulehaadirah.

Each generation has its own unique challenges that make it difficult to rise. Every generation gives birth to styles, language, technology, and cultural immoralities with the potential to demoralize us and disconnect us from Torah.

That is why the Torah stresses the concept of discussing the events and mitzvos surrounding Yetzias Mitzrayim with the younger generations. This is because the Torah speaks to all generations for all times. No matter what questions confound an era, the answers are in the Torah. Its Divine wisdom shines like rays of welcome light into all epochs of history and corners of the globe, its lessons a living reality for each one.

We thank Hashem that the Torah can be transmitted from one generation to the next, that its messages can reach all children, and that it is relevant and meaningful to each Jewish child as well as adult. It’s a celebration of the timeless and enduring relevance of the Torah.

This represents an obligation upon parents to work to find the point where their child can be reached. No one is ever too far gone, too disinterested, or too worn out to be written off and separated from Torah. The Torah speaks to and is relevant to every Yid. Although it sometimes takes much effort, no parent should ever give up on connecting with any of their children, and no person should give up on reaching those around him and those with whom he comes into contact.

With love and Torah, everyone can be reached.

The tale is told of a chossid who felt that he needed Eliyohu Hanovi to help him out of his troubles. He was confident that his rebbe merited regular visits from the holy sage, so he went to his rebbe and asked him if he could facilitate such a meeting for him.

It was just a few days before Rosh Hashanah. The rebbe gave his chossid an address in a small shtetel and told him to go there for Yom Tov. His heart was pounding as he hitched his horse to a wagon and bumped along the unpaved roads to the tiny town. He finally reached the address his rebbe had given him. It was a run-down, ramshackle hut.

He knocked on the door and a poor widow answered. There were nine children in the hovel.

The rebbe had said that he would find Eliyohu Hanovi there, so he asked the widow if he could stay there for Yom Tov. It was already late and he had nowhere else to go, he told her.

She let him in and he stayed for Yom Tov, hoping that Eliyohu would come to that small home. When Yom Tov was over, he left without having met Eliyohu.

The forlorn chossid returned to his rebbe and said, “Rebbe, where did you send me? Eliyohu was not there. The address you gave me was of a poor almanah who didn’t even have enough food for herself and her children. I had to help them out. I gave them a generous amount of money, and boruch Hashem there was enough time for them to run off and buy what was left in the local market.”

The rebbe listened and told his chossid to go back there for Yom Kippur. With no choice but to follow his rebbe’s command, the man once again hitched his wagon to his horse and headed out. This time, he made sure to bring food for himself and for the poor family.

Finally, he reached his destination. As he was standing by the door, he heard one of the children crying to his poor mother, “Oy, mammeh, morgen iz Yom Kippur un mir hoben gornit heint tzu essen. Tomorrow is Yom Kippur, when we will fast, but we have nothing to eat today.”

The chossid stood there, lost in thought, wondering why the rebbe had sent him to this house again. Then he heard the mother’s response, which changed his life forever. With motherly love, she responded to her child, “Mein tayereh kind, on Erev Rosh Hashanah we also didn’t have anything to eat, but then Eliyohu Hanovi came to our house and bought us food for the whole Yom Tov. Who knows? Maybe he will return for Yom Kippur!”

This story is a portrayal of the concept that greatness lies within our hearts. We each have the ability to be great—great for ourselves and for others. We each have what it takes to make ourselves holy and special. We can all make the world a better place and help bring Eliyohu Hanovi and Moshiach bekarov.

Despite the distractions, temptations, and turbulence around us, we must follow the guidance of the Torah and remain focused on our missions to bring about positive change in ourselves, our families, and the world.

With the emunah and bitachon that emanate from studying the parshiyos and lessons of Yetzias Mitzrayim that we can maintain the simcha, inspiration, and conviction that we need to be good and productive.

In Parshas Pekudei, which we lain this week, the Torah gives a full reckoning of the precious metals that were donated for the Mishkon, all the keilim and begodim that were fashioned by the dedicated volunteers under the direction and leadership of Betzalel and Oholiav.

When everything was completed, it was brought to Moshe, who determined that it was all done precisely as Hashem had commanded, and Moshe blessed them all.

We do not merit at this time to have a Mishkon or a Bais Hamikdosh as a home for the Shechinah. We do not have a place to bring a Korban Pesach or any other korban. But we can still build yeshivos, botei medrash, and botei knesses, where people can become connected to Hashem through limud haTorah, and where their neshamos can be lifted. We can help tzubrocheneh people and assist them in restoring their lives. We can bring Torah to people who are distant and help others who are expanding the tent, bringing more people to shemiras hamitzvos. We can bring love and brotherhood to people who have become lost in the golus and have fallen to the temptations it offers.

Rabbeim and moros everyday show what can be done as they teach and influence their talmidim and talmidos to know and appreciate Torah, mesorah and midos tovos, working with them with love and dedication and helping them grow day by day.

If we are properly motivated and inspired, our actions can help bring about the changes necessary for Moshiach to come. Each one of us can help end the golus and bring us the geulah we so desperately await. May it happen very soon. Amein.

Be Smart, Be Happy

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

This year’s Purim was different from most years. We had the rare occurrence of celebrating the special day on a Friday, with the specter of Shabbos hanging over us. Everything we did on Purim day was rushed because we knew Shabbos was coming. We had our usual stops - the people we visit every year to bring mishloach manos and to make a lechaim with - but this year, we had to cross some of them off the list. There was so much to do, and we wanted to get the seudah started before chatzos as well. We had to end the festivities early, quickly clean up, and restore the house because Shabbos was approaching, and we couldn’t afford to be late.

Despite Purim being somewhat crimped, if you will, its message had time to permeate us and will remain with us for a long time. And despite the feeling that Shabbos and Purim were competing for our attention, they share a common lesson.

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 688) rules that when the 14^th of Adar falls on a Friday, even those who live in places such as Yerushalayim, where Purim is celebrated on the 15^th of Adar, do not observe it on that day. Instead, they read the Megillah on Thursday evening and Friday morning, when they also distribute matanos la’evyonim, as we do. They eat the seudas Purim and distribute mishloach manos on Sunday.

The Mishnah Berurah (ibid.) explains that the reason the seudah is not eaten on Shabbos is based on a Yerushalmi, which derives it from the posuk (Esther 9:22) which states that it is incumbent to have simcha and a seudah on the days of Purim, and they must be observed on a day whose simcha is dependent on bais din, not on a day whose joy is dependent on Yedei Shomayim.

What the Yerushalmi is saying is that the days on which Purim fall are dependent upon the calendar. Bais din proclaims when Adar begins, and then the 14^th and 15^th of the month are designated as Purim, bringing about joy. The joy of Shabbos, however, is brought on by Hashem, who declared the seventh day of every week holy.

From where does the joy of Shabbos derive? What is it about Shabbos that causes us to be happy? Just because it is a holy day does not necessarily make it a joyous day. What is the source of happiness on Purim and Shabbos?

The Alter of Kelm wrote that the greatest joy a person can experience is when he attains chochmah, intelligence. Chochmah brings simcha because it allows a person to understand that everything that happens in this world is from Hashem.

Once a person understands that everything that happens to him and to the world is from Hashem, he is no longer saddened when things happen that cause him consternation, loss, and pain. A wise person knows that Hashem created him and everything else, and wants His world and people to be happy and productive. Therefore, even when things seem bad, he knows they are ultimately for a good purpose.

Essentially, this is the message of Purim. A wise person studies the Megillah and reviews the story, realizing that everything that initially seemed bad turned out to have been for the good. Those who were evil and were rising to positions of power, threatening the Jewish people, eventually suffered defeat or played a role in the eventual happy ending and the construction of the second Bais Hamikdosh.

A chochom looks at the story of Purim and sees that there is no “ra” in this world. “Kol d’ovid Rachmana letav ovid” - everything that Hashem does is for the good. The gloom of Shushan was turned to joy. Everyone’s fears were shown to be unfounded, because when the people are good and have bitachon, Hashem turns everything around. Certain death and destruction were reversed, and instead of the Jews being killed, their enemies were.

The simcha of Purim comes about through man because we study Megillas Esther and its meforshim, along with Maseches Megillah and the limudei Chazal. The more we learn, the more joyous we become. Purim is a day of intense joy for Jews of all levels, though the more one learns, the more the joy intensifies.

From where does the simcha of Shabbos derive?

Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshivas Chevron, was recently asked this question and responded that the answer lies in the Zohar, which states that the neshomah yeseirah - the extra neshomah we are gifted with on Shabbos - makes us happy and removes from us all the mundane matters of the week, along with all pain and misfortune.

The joy of Shabbos is also derived from chochmah, though it is a Divine chochmah, brought on by the neshomah yeseirah. This extra soul elevates us to a higher spiritual level, where we are granted a deeper understanding of the knowledge that Hashem created the world, and His objective in doing so was to be “meitiv” - to benefit and bring goodness to His creations.

On Shabbos, we rise above the mundane lives we lead and are spared from the agony brought about by the day-to-day activities of the week, which can often cause grief.

Thus, on Shabbos, we are joyful because we are freed from the shackles that bind us and distress us during the week. On this day, Hashem gifts us with additional chochmah and kedusha through the extra neshomah, allowing us to better appreciate the purpose of life and be rid of the pains and struggles of daily life.

When Shabbos ends and the neshomah yeseirah returns to its place On High, we revert to the way we were before Shabbos began, with less chochmah and less kedusha, and with aggravation and frustration brought on by the demands of daily life.

The joy of Purim, which is brought on by man, can have a lasting impact on those who understand its roots and are changed by it. By appreciating that Hashem is behind everything that happens, there is never reason to give up in despair, despite appearances to the contrary. In every situation, we can maintain our faith that Hashem will bring us to a positive conclusion.

When we encounter Hamans in our day - on the road, in school, at work, or wherever we are - we need not become overwhelmed with fear and grief. Instead, we should return to the story of Purim and become reinvigorated. When things are going differently than we had wished, we think of Queen Esther and how Hashem helped her and her people triumph over those who sought to harm them.

We find a similar lesson in this week’s parsha of Vayakhel, where, in the middle of the campaign for the Mishkon, Moshe Rabbeinu brought it to an end. Once they had enough for what they needed to construct the Mishkon, Moshe informed everyone that they had reached their goal and that the people should stop bringing precious metals and materials. The question is why. There was probably no other campaign that ended this way. Although they had received what they needed, down the road there would be a need for more. The prudent thing would have been to continue allowing donations while people were motivated rather than hoping that they would still be interested in giving when the need would arise.

The Chiddushei Horim explains that this was done so that people who wanted to have a share in the holy Mishkon would know that whatever they gave was used. Had there been a bonus round allowing donations to continue after they were no longer needed for the Mishkon’s construction, the generous donors might have felt left out, wondering whether their materials were used in the building of Hashem’s house or left over in some warehouse somewhere.

By ending the campaign when the goal was reached, every contributor knew that he had a share in the Mishkon.

No Jew is superfluous. Every Jew has a share in Torah and fills a necessary role. No matter their social status or degree of wealth, everyone - back then in the desert and today, as we enjoy a burgeoning population - is a vital member of our nation and deserves to be treated as such.

Every person can study Torah and acquire chochmah. Every person receives a neshomah yeseirah each Shabbos. Every person can use these gifts to make themselves a better person, and a better Jew, reaching the highest levels humanly possible if they set their heart and mind to it.

Thus, the posuk states, “Vayavo’u kol ish asher nesa’o libo” (35:21). Every man “whose heart lifted him” was invited to work on the construction of the Mishkon. Regardless of how talented the person was or wasn’t, that was not the determining factor in the decision of the Mishkon’s “HR Department” to accept them into the team.

The Mishkon was built by men of greatness who ignored their shortcomings and pushed themselves to do what they didn’t know they could do to serve Hashem.

What was necessary to be a builder of the most important edifice in the world was desire - the will to be good and to do good. Hashem granted those dedicated people the chochmah and talents required to complete the task given to them.

Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the Ponovezher Rov, epitomized being a builder of Torah before the Holocaust in his city of Ponovezh in Lithuania and after the war in Bnei Brak. After losing everything in the Holocaust, he arrived in a hot and dusty small town. He looked up at the large hill in the center of that place and said to himself, and then to anyone who would listen, that he was going to build a huge yeshiva on that mountain.

People thought he was ill, having gone mad from his Holocaust experiences and losses. Nobody really took him seriously. Every architect he asked to draw plans for the building he imagined turned him down. He traveled the world to raise money for the yeshiva he dreamed of building, putting together small donations like bricks, one and then another and another, until his yeshiva rose from the dust, shining light and Torah upon all.

How did he do it? In the words of the posuk, “nesa’o libo” - his heart carried him.

Rav Chaim Leib Auerbach was rosh yeshiva of the famed mekubolim yeshiva, Shaar Hashomayim, in Yerushalayim. One year, he held an emergency dinner to keep the yeshiva open and turned to Rav Kahaneman to be the guest speaker.

The rov made a special trip to be at the yeshiva’s dinner and delivered a rousing speech about emunah, bitachon, and love of Torah. The directors of the yeshiva were very upset. “For this we brought you all the way here to speak?” they told him. “We are desperate for money. We were expecting a rousing appeal from the master fundraiser that would motivate the crowd to donate generously.”

The rov answered them, “I am not a good fundraiser. I do not know how to raise money. What I have is emunah that Hashem will help me maintain the yeshivos I established. The love of Torah that burns in my soul motivates me to travel from one end of the world to the other. These are my fundraising tools, so I shared them with your crowd.”

“Nesa’o libo” - his heart carried him, and Hashem took note of his burning desire to build a Mishkon of Torah and blessed him with the wherewithal to get it done.

What brings a person to nesius lev, to raise his heart and fuel it with a burning desire to build, to create, to donate, to help erect Mishkonos for Torah, for chesed, and for everything our world needs? It is chochmah - the chochmah of the Alter of Kelm. The chochmah that teaches us why we are here, Who brought us here, and why. That chochmah brings happiness and joy, and it also motivates us to answer the call of Hashem in our generation.

There is so much that needs to be done, so many people who have not yet attained chochmah and are therefore sad and floundering, so many yeshivos that need a patron and a helper, and so many institutions of chesed that influence and save lives. They can’t do it alone. They need people who look beyond their own shortcomings and heed the chochmah that teaches us that Hashem placed us here for a reason. It is upon us to raise our hearts, roll up our sleeves, and rise to the occasion.

Helping to build and maintain helps us, brings us joy and satisfaction, and helps the world and so many Yidden. We are living in ikvesa deMeshicha, when there are so many difficulties: physical, mental, moral, financial, and existential. So many institutions and people need help.

We need to keep the spirit of Purim alive in our hearts and souls all year round, happily raising ourselves and assisting others, realizing our missions and helping them realize theirs, so that we all merit the coming of Moshiach very, very soon.

The True Reality

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

Face it. Life has its rough patches, days when nothing seems to go as planned and everything you do leaves you feeling frustrated.

It’s a nice, sunny Sunday, just a few days before Purim, and you remember that you need to get shoes for your children for Pesach. So, you gather them up and head to the shoe store. As you approach the door, you realize that you weren’t the only one who had the idea to go to the store today. You end up spending a couple of hours there, waiting in line, trying on shoes, paying, and hoping that they will still fit and be intact when Pesach arrives. Then, you shove your kvetchy cutie-pies into the car for the ride home, which should take ten minutes but, of course, takes half an hour.

There are days when your blood test results come back from the doctor and your sugar levels are high. He calls to remind you for the umpteenth time that you really need to start exercising. There are days when your boss is upset at you, when a deal you’ve been working on falls through, when interest rates stay high and you can’t make your payments, when your chavrusa doesn’t show up, or when the teacher gives a surprise test and you’re not the only one who fails.

Yes, life can be complicated and challenging. The biggest challenge—and the key to success—is staying calm, not allowing yourself to be affected by the negativity or things going wrong, and reminding yourself to be happy and grateful for what you have and for the good times.

More than that, to maintain our sanity and equilibrium, we need to remember that everything that happens is overseen and directed by Hashem. He created each one of us for a purpose, and we each have a mission to fulfill in Hashem’s world. When we are tested—whether it’s by small things, like traffic or long lines at the shoe store, or by matters of much greater consequence—we must understand that the challenges we face are meant to improve us. We are meant to rise above them without becoming depressed or losing ourselves.

Each person is unique and special, and together we form the beautiful mosaic that is Klal Yisroel when we are united and filled with simcha.

The posuk in Devorim chastises and curses those who do not serve Hashem with joy. This may be because people with true belief and faith in Hashem are not easily broken. Even when things seem to be going wrong, they are able to smile because they understand that their situation is part of a Divine plan devised by the Av Harachamon, who seeks only the best for them.

Purim is a day of immense joy because it reminds us not to judge anything by outward appearances. We are taught not to rush to judgment and to recognize that things that appear bad and awful may actually be good.

As the story of Purim unfolded over the course of nine years, things that seemed good were actually bad and things that seemed bad were actually good.

Achashveirosh threw a party, and everyone attended, enjoying themselves. They thought that the party was a good thing, but, in reality, it was bad, because their enjoyment provoked the wrath of Hashem and led to the evil decree.

At the king’s feast, the queen refused him and he had her executed. While that was seen as a terrible thing at the time, it was ultimately for the good, because she was replaced by Esther. The Jews feared that Esther becoming queen was bad, worrying for her safety in the hands of the despot. But in truth, it was for the good, as she would later be able to intervene and save the Jews from destruction.

Esther’s uncle, Mordechai, made a point of snubbing the king’s chief deputy. The people were upset with him for provoking the evil man into declaring a day for the wanton murder of the Jews, but, in fact, it was the merit of Mordechai’s refusal that led to the Jews’ salvation and the unification of the people.

The Megillah introduces Mordechai by referring to him as an “ish Yehudi, a Jewish man,” which Chazal teach us to read as “ish yechidi, an individual man.” Mordechai was a great talmid chochom, and part of his greatness was that he viewed himself as an individual who thought for himself and followed Hashem according to what he knew was right. He wasn’t swayed by popular opinion, didn’t conform just because others did, and stood out as someone who knew that his mission in this world was to follow Hashem’s path and inspire others to do the same.

While artists often portray Mordechai as a serious and somber figure, I imagine him with a long, flowing beard and a constant smile. For even as the events of Purim were unfolding, he knew that they were part of a plan orchestrated by Hashem and that it would have a positive ending. He understood that everything Hashem does is for the good, and thus he remained in a state of simcha and tuv leivav despite the chaos around him.

We must learn from Mordechai and recognize that in a world that often promotes conformity and sameness, being a yechidi, an individual, is not only vital for our personal growth as Jews, but also serves a deeper moral purpose. While it can be tempting to blend in and follow the crowd, choosing to embrace our uniqueness as children of Hashem and descendants of holy ancestors carries profound significance.

Part of Amaleik’s mission was to destroy the Jewish sense of standing apart as bnei melochim, the children of kings. At Krias Yam Suf, Hashem showed His love for us, forming us into His nation by freeing us from Mitzrayim and enabling us to escape its grasp. All the nations of the world were awed by what had happened. But Amaleik decided to attack the Jewish people, seeking to convince them that they were no different than the other nations.

Amaleik wanted to erase the Jews’ sense of being special, believing that there was nothing unique about them. Throughout history, despite Amaleik’s hatred for us, he and his descendants have given us the choice of either blending in with them or facing destruction. The same happened with Haman, says the Bais Halevi at the end of his peirush on Chumash. The Megillah (7:4) quotes Esther Hamalkah as telling Achashveirosh that she and her people had been sold to be killed, using a double expression, “laharog ule’abeid.”

The translation of laharog is “to be killed,” but le’abeid means “to be lost.” The Bais Halevi quotes commentators who explain that the Jews of the time were given a choice: either convert or be killed. Le’abeid, as mentioned, means “to be lost.” The intention of Haman and Amaleik was and is to cause the Jewish people to be lost by integrating with their host countries. Amaleik tells us that we are nothing special and that there is no reason for us to maintain our identity: “Come join us. There is nothing unique about you anyway,” they say to us. Were we to believe them and forsake our uniqueness, we would become lost among them.

Thus, the challenge to maintain our uniqueness has always been both a communal and personal challenge. We must know that each one of us is special and unique, and also that we are special and unique as a people, regardless of the negative voices that seek to diminish us.
To be a Yehudi is to be a yechidi.

This week’s parsha of Ki Sisa opens with the mitzvah of counting the Jewish people following the sin of the Eigel. The posuk declares that Jews are not counted in the regular fashion, but rather each person donated a half-shekel coin to the Mishkon and the coins were counted.

A simple explanation for this method of counting is that nobody should feel that they are merely a number. Instead, wherever they are and no matter how many people they are among, each person is an individual with value, symbolized by the coin. Not only does each person have value, but everyone has unique talents and abilities that allow him to be productive and successful in Hashem’s world. The rich, the poor, and everyone in between are all equal in Hashem’s eyes, each with what he needs to carry out his shlichus in perfecting the world and preparing it for the geulah.

Rav Tzadok Hakohein of Lublin writes (Tzidkas Hatzaddik 154) that just as we are obligated to believe in Hashem, we are also obligated to believe in ourselves. People should never get down on themselves or give up on themselves, feeling that they don’t have what it takes to make it in this world. In whatever position a person finds himself, he has to know that Hashem is pulling for him, and if he lifts himself up with renewed faith in himself, Hashem will help him out of the rut.

People who are looking to invest money know that if they put their money into a stock market S&P fund, their money will increase over time. That is true, but it doesn’t go up in a straight line. Sometimes it goes up and other times it goes down. It can go up daily for weeks and then crash, and then again begin the uphill climb, and vice versa. But if you believe in the power of the market and keep your money there through the ups and downs and wait it out, you will have handsome earnings.

Life is like the S&P. If you believe in yourself and believe in Hashem and don’t quit when you fail or when the world seems to be on the precipice of blowing up, you will succeed and be joyous. If you appreciate your uniqueness and unique abilities, and have proper emunah and bitachon, nothing will deter you from remaining strong and standing up to the yeitzer hora, the voices of the many, and Amaleik.

The message of Purim is that if you are a Yehudi and thus a yechidi, nobody will be able to rip you down and destroy you.

Like a beacon of light on a dark, stormy night, Purim shines into our world, encouraging us. There are gray days, dark days, days that feel like night, days when you want to give up. Purim reminds us that the gray will turn to blue, the dark to light, the night to day, and sadness and gloom to gladness in full bloom.

When Purim comes, our worries are set aside. We are reminded not to be sad or downcast. On Purim, we are reminded that just as our ancestors were delivered from despair over certain doom, so can we be spared of our burdens and watch our afflictions heal if we adopt the proper mindset.

It’s Purim. Dance, smile, and be happy. Look at the positive. Be optimistic.

Purim is not an escape from reality. Purim is reality. Purim is a reminder of the reality that empowers the Jewish people with the clarity and awareness to continue on.

Let the spirit of Purim overtake you on Purim and all year round. You’ll be happier and more fulfilled.

Ah freilichen Purim. Ah gantz yohr freilich.

We Are Here!

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

People wonder how we can celebrate Purim with true joy while a war is going on in Eretz Yisroel. People ask us how we can sing when Jews are being held hostage in terrible conditions, barely hanging on to life. How can we smile when Jews are being chased around the world and anti-Semitism is on the rise? How can you dance, they ask us, when people can’t make ends meet, when children can’t get into a school of their choice, when children are falling through the cracks? How can you be enveloped by joy when so many people are lacking, confused, lost, and disillusioned? How can we be happy when there is so much strife?

The questions are not new. As a people, we have suffered tremendously over the years. Every country we were in eventually tormented us and showed us the door. We have been killed, mutilated, separated, and isolated, plundered and murdered. We were led to the gallows, guillotines, and gas chambers for the sin of being Yidden. We were chased in the streets, our children robbed from us, and, most recently, Jews were shot as they sat in their homes and celebrated at a music festival.

It is not new. It has been going on for thousands of years.

Ever since the Yom Tov of Purim was established, Jews have been celebrating it exactly as prescribed by Chazal. No matter where we were, Purim was Purim. For just as there is a mitzvah to be sad during the month of Av, there is a mitzvah to be happy during Adar and especially on Purim.

Twenty-plus years ago, I was sitting by myself at an airport gate waiting to board a flight to Eretz Yisroel. An elderly man sat down next to me. I noticed that he had a patch over his left eye, and as our conversation began, I noticed that he did not hear well.

He started the conversation. “How do I look?” he asked in heavily accented English.

I wasn’t sure how to respond. He needed help walking, couldn’t hear well, and was blind in one eye.

I told him that he looked quite fine to me and that I hoped that whatever the problem with his eye was, he would have a refuah sheleimah.

He had something else in mind.

He smiled and said, “Let me tell you how I look. I look at Hitler. Ich bin nuch du. He took me away as a youngster to der lager. He took my wife to Auschwitz for three years, un geb ah kuk: How do I look? I lived here 50 years. I have children and grandchildren. At my age, I am about to travel to Israel. That’s how I look. Boruch Hashem, I can go. Boruch Hashem, I am here. Farges vegen altz. Ich bin du. (Forget about everything else. I am alive and here.). That’s how I am looking at it. They tried so many times in my lifetime to get rid of us, and now they are trying again. But we are still here.”

An old, crippled, partially blind Czechoslovakian Holocaust survivor understands it. Shouldn’t we, as well?

We should look at it the way he did. Look at everything they did to destroy us, to kill us, and to wipe us out. Hashem saved us from all those who seek our destruction, and we are still here, thriving and flourishing. As the man said, farges vegen altz. Mir zenen noch du. Despite everything, we are here. Is that not a reason to celebrate?

It was just before Purim in 1941 in the Warsaw Ghetto. There were few reasons to smile. Everyone locked in there was worried about what the next day would bring. Hunger and disease seemed destined to be the two species of mishloach manos.

The Piacezna Rebbe gathered a few broken souls around him. He quoted the Tikkunei Zohar, which states that Purim is as holy as Yom Kippur, as evidenced by the name of the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippurim, which can be read as Yom K’Purim, meaning that the holiest day on the Jewish calendar is like Purim. Many interpretations are offered in explanation of the comparison.

The rebbe opened his heart and addressed the suffering people. When the sun sets on Erev Yom Kippur, he told them, no Jew says that they won’t fast this year because they aren’t in the mood. As Yom Kippur begins, no one says that it is too hard to do teshuvah, so they will wait until they are in the mood.

Yom Kippur arrives and you get yourself into it, ready or not. You follow the tzivuy Hashem. Purim is no different, said the rebbe. Purim arrives with the obligation to be joyous. Even when surrounded by evil murderers, illness, and suffering, Jews are obligated to be joyous on this day.

“You,” the rebbe told those poor souls in the Warsaw Ghetto, “must also be happy today.”

That was then, in the darkest hour our people have known since the churban Bais Hamikdosh. Today, boruch Hashem, we are surrounded by so many reasons to be happy, not the least of which is our relative comfort and freedom and the right to live as ehrliche Yidden. We have no excuse to hold back and sit in our homes depressed, forlorn, and worried about the future, depressed and complaining.

The simcha that Hakadosh Boruch Hu shone into His world in Shushan is felt on Purim in the streets of Jewish neighborhoods the world over. No matter what challenges we are faced with, when Purim approaches, our hearts beat a bit faster, our smiles stretch a bit wider, and we look at things differently. On this day, we reflect on the situation the Jews were in, as the king’s main deputy targeted them all for death, and how Hashem turned his plan on his face and had him and his sons killed, while the Jews were given a new lease on life.

The increase in simcha experienced by all sorts of Yidden, from wherever they might come, is an enduring testimony to the reality of the greatness of the day and the depth of our belief in Hakadosh Boruch Hu, who saves us from our many enemies, generation after generation.

It was at that last Purim hour, during the moments when day slowly recedes to night and the sky begins to darken. Inside the crowded room, a rebbi and talmidim surrounded a table, as songs, Torah, and quips joined into a burst of sound, the holy noise of Purim rising heavenward.

At one end of the long table, covered with a wine-stained cloth and festively-arranged bottles, a talmid raised a question. He quoted the well-known Gemara, referred to extensively in halachic discussion of the obligations of the Purim seudah, which recounts how Rabbah rose and slaughtered Rav Zeira (Megillah 7b).

Rav Zeira had accepted Rabbah’s invitation to join him for the seudas Purim. Rabbah fulfilled the dictum of Chazal to drink, and he became inebriated to the point that he killed his guest. When he realized what transpired, he begged for Divine mercy and Rav Zeira was revived.

Rishonim and Acharonim utilize p’shat, remez, drush, and sod to explain the Gemara on so many levels. But the talmid had a basic question. Once Rav Zeira’s soul left him, what was Rabbah thinking when he rose to daven? Can a person request techiyas hameisim? Can we ask that the order of creation be reversed?

The rebbi smiled, enjoying the question, and the talmidei chachomim around the table offered various interpretations. Then the rebbi spoke.

“It was Purim,” he said, “and during the season of Purim, it isn’t a question. Because on Purim, on the deepest level, there is no teva and neis, there is no nature and no miracle. There is no saying that this is what is supposed to have happened. On Purim, everything that happens proclaims, ‘Ein od milvado. It’s all about Hashem.’”

On Purim, we can ask for anything, because after reading the Megillah, it becomes clear once again that there is but one Hand, and nothing else, that bestows and controls life.

The men around the table sang another song, because at that moment, it was so obvious, almost tangible, that it’s all Him. How can one not rejoice?

Yes, there is a world, and everyone has their issues, and there are many out there lined up against us, but on Purim, it’s all about “Ein od milvado.” It all doesn’t matter, because we are in the hands of Hashem, Who will protect us and care for us.

Purim is a beacon of light on a dark, stormy night that shines into our world. Every one of us has struggles. We have days when the rushing waves of tzaros threaten to engulf us. We encounter people and situations that we find intolerable. We all sometimes feel lost and abandoned. So many people we know are sick and in need of a refuah, or suffering in other ways and eagerly are awaiting a yeshuah. People across Eretz Yisroel fear what the enemy’s next move will be and what new laws the “friendly” government will accost them with.

Purim is an unfurled banner that reads, “Revach vehatzolah ya’amod laYehudim.” Help can come. Help will come. Don’t despair. Purim reminds us that all that transpires to us in this world is part of Hashem’s plan. It will all turn out for the good if we are patient and follow Hashem’s word.

Wherever you go, you hear the same words being sung to a variety of tunes. It’s all “venahafoch hu,” over and over again, reminding us that Hashem can quickly bring about a stunning reversal of any situation. At no time should we give up hope, no matter how bad the prognosis, no matter what anyone says.

When Esther went into Achashveirosh, she didn’t ask what her chances of success were. When Mordechai told her to appeal the case of the Jewish people to King Achashveirosh, they didn’t consider what their chances of victory were. They davened, fasted, and did what was right. They placed their faith in Hashem, ignoring everything and everyone else, and Hashem answered their tefillos and responded to their teshuvah.

When good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people, the Megillah reminds us that appearances are deceptive. The Megillah reminds us all that everything that happens is part of a Divine plan, which we can’t expect to understand until the entire story has unfolded.

An evil force may appear to be advancing, but it is only in order for Hashgocha to set up that power for a more drastic descent to defeat. Evil may be on the ascent, but it is merely a passing phenomenon and is destined to fail. Goodness and virtue may appear frail and unimposing, but those who follow Hashem’s path will triumph.

In every generation, there are evil people who plot our destruction, but we are still here, thriving and prospering, and we will do so with Hashem’s help until the coming of Moshiach.

That message resonates for all time, wherever Jews find themselves. As we masquerade about, exchanging mishloach manos with friends and distributing Purim gelt to the less fortunate, we tap into the kedusha and message of the holy day. That message never loses its timeliness.

Rav Yaakov Galinsky related that in Novardok, Purim was a more uplifting day than Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, he said, was all about the past - teshuvah, charotah, and azivas hacheit. Purim was all about the future. We look ahead to the good times, to deliverance from exile, to the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh.

It’s Purim. Dance, smile, and be happy. Look at the positive. Be optimistic. Remember that Hashem is in charge, not anyone else. As powerful as they may think they are, they are but pawns in the Hands of the Master Puppeteer.

Rav Shlomo Bloch wrote a diary of life in the Talmud Torah of Kelm. He describes Purim in the town whose name is synonymous with single-minded avodah. In Kelm, the talmidim took the mandate to drink alcohol on Purim very seriously, he wrote, and the entire community seemed to be “a tefach higher” than usual, suspended above the ground in joy and spiritual uplift.

May we merit to appreciate Hashem’s goodness and kindness all year round, especially on Purim. The great day of Purim, whose joy is connected to its holiness, causes us to rise higher and higher, closer and closer to Hashem, becoming holier and better on this day and every day in the future as we merit Hashem’s embrace.

May we, as the Jews of Shushan did, merit much happiness and joy, as we become liberated from our personal and communal issues, and experience the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdosh very soon.

What Is Happening?

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

Monsters. There is no other way to describe them. Bloodthirsty killers. How long will the world continue to play games with them, supporting them, agitating for them, condoning them, lying for them, and demanding a country for them? Anyone who advocates for monsters is a monster.

Don’t expect any change. Across Europe, there are marches in support of the killers. In New York City as well, there are rallies and protests backing baby killers. The Western nations welcomed evil people into their lands and stood by in silence as their numbers swelled, leading European states to be overrun by them.

On Sunday, Germans voted out the so-called center-left party and elected the rightist party, with many voting for the ultra-right party. Who can blame them? You call them anti-Semites, but the leftists who welcomed Hamas supporters into their countries and constantly condemn Israel are just as guilty.

Despite everything that has happened to Israel since October 7^th, its citizens remain strong and resilient. They still feel empowered and proud of their army and the Shin Bet. Patriotism is commendable, but realism is even more vital and necessary. Yes, we all care deeply about the only Jewish state and pray for its people. We visit there, we send our children there to learn, and our hearts are there. We daven three times a day that Hashem will return us there and bring us together.

This is not a time to attack or criticize. But it is a time to reflect on what is happening and consider what we can do to help.

Let us imagine that the Torah was describing this period, from October 6^th until today.

How would the Torah record these events? We no longer have prophets, but it seems that we don’t need a prophet’s vision to understand our current situation.

In two weeks, we will celebrate Purim, commemorating the defeat of Haman the Amaleiki. The nation of Amaleik was the first to strike the Jewish people after their miraculous exodus from Mitzrayim.

Though the battle fought may seem conventional, the Torah and Chazal offer a deeper perspective. The verse tells us that Amaleik attacked the Jewish people in the city of Refidim. Chazal teach us that the reason Amaleik was able to attack was because the Jews had slackened in their observance and study of Torah.

There is another reason implied by the verses that precede the war with Amaleik. The Torah tells us that the Jews complained of thirst and ends the discussion with the posuk (Shemos 17:7) stating that “the place where the Jews complained about a lack of water was called Massah Umerivah, because they fought there with Hashem and tested Him, saying, ‘Is Hashem among us or not?’” The next posuk tells us that Amaleik came to fight with Am Yisroel.

Rashi explains that the two pesukim are connected, with Hashem saying, “I am always among you and always prepared to help with all your needs, and yet you have the audacity to question whether Hashem is with you or not. I swear that a dog will come and bite you, and you will cry out to Me for help, and then you will know where I am!”

Rashi offers a parable to illustrate Hashem’s words. A man was carrying his son on his shoulders and they went on their way. The boy saw something he wanted and asked his father to pick it up for him. The father did so. This happened a second and third time.

They then met someone on the road, and the boy asked if he could see his father. The father intervened and angrily rebuked his son, saying, “How can you not know where I am?” Then he threw him off his shoulders and onto the ground. A dog came along and bit the boy.

In the same way, the Jewish people, who doubted Hashem, were cast aside and left vulnerable to attack.

Thus, there are two reasons Amaleik attacked the Jews after Krias Yam Suf: they were not diligent in their Torah study and their belief in Hashem had weakened.

Amaleik, and all the nations that followed in attacking and tormenting us throughout the ages, did not appear by chance. Hashem removed His protection from us due to our misdeeds, and thus they were permitted to attack.

We have no shortage of enemies seeking to harm, wound, and kill us, but when we are deserving, Hashem protects us from them. Soon, at the Seder, we will proclaim in the reading of Vehi She’omdah that in every generation, enemies arise to destroy us, but Hashem saves us from them.

Moshe Rabbeinu stood on a mountain leading Klal Yisroel in prayer while the battle raged. When the people repented and prayed properly, they won, and when they faltered, Amaleik gained ground.

Although Amaleik’s attack and Klal Yisroel’s victory took place thousands of years ago, they remain an eternal lesson on how to exist in a world that hates us, how to defeat our enemies when they attack, and how the Torah records our battles, victories, and defeats. It doesn’t report like a newspaper, lehavdil, simply stating who was stronger militarily and who was weaker. Rather, it tells us what Klal Yisroel was doing at that time—whether they were close to Hashem and deserving of victory or had drifted away and lost their zechuyos.

Israel has been fighting a war with terrorists for many decades, even prior to its founding. For years, the terrorists have carried out attacks, including brutal assaults on civilians, wanton killings, widespread violence, destruction, and abductions. The Jews in Israel have been suffering at the hands of Arabs for centuries, but the attacks on October 7, 2023, were the worst Israel has faced in modern history, and the worst anywhere since the Holocaust.

Israel declared war on Hamas, vowing to destroy those wicked people and rescue the hostages. The war dragged on for over a year, and Hamas remains in control of Gaza, dictating terms for Israel to follow if it wants to secure the return of its hostages, both dead and alive. As part of the deal, many hundreds of the world’s worst people have been released from Israeli prisons.

Since that awful day, when so many Jews were killed, wounded, and kidnapped, the images of the Bibas family came to symbolize the tragedy. A father, mother, and two young children were taken on October 7^th. The photo of a terrified mother trying to protect her sons as they were dragged from their home in Nir Oz by savages and taken to Gaza became a haunting image. The photos of the two young boys, Ariel, who was 4, and 9-month-old Kfir, became ubiquitous, seen worldwide wherever good people expressed grief over the catastrophe.

The story took an even more tragic turn when the terrorists held a macabre ceremony last Thursday in returning the bodies of the mother and two boys to Israel. The tragedy deepened when Israel discovered that the body said to be that of Shiri Bibas was not hers. Eventually, her body was returned a day and a half later.

The very symbols of the hostage crisis were violated yet again. There was little anyone could do other than mourn.

The proud Zionist nation, which views itself as strong and powerful, was left at the mercy of a far inferior group they had sworn to eradicate.

How did such things happen? What can Israel do to regain its pride and eradicate the terrorists who seek its destruction in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel? What can it do to free all of the hostages?

The answer came the evening the Bibases were returned. West Bank terrorists had planned a mass murder for Friday morning. They placed bombs on five Tel Aviv-area buses, timed to go off at 9 a.m., when they would be packed with morning commuters and shoppers doing their pre-Shabbos errands.

But a miracle happened. Three of the bombs exploded on the buses Thursday evening at 9:00, while the buses were still empty in their depots. A quick inspection was carried out, and two more bombs were found and deactivated before they could do any damage.

Who saved the lives of the hundreds who would have been on those buses? Was it the police? The army? The Shin Bet?

It was none of the above, even though they are spread across the West Bank fighting terrorists and trying to thwart their plots.

The tragedy was prevented by Hakadosh Boruch Hu. It was the One Above who intervened and ensured that the massacre did not take place.

Very often, heavy rain storms are accompanied by thunder and lightning. Meforshim explain that since we are not always worthy of the blessing of rain, Hakadosh Boruch Hu causes thunder and lightening to shake the storm area so that people should be shaken out of their complacency and do teshuvah as they become awed by Hashem’s power.

So it happened last week, that following the tragic morning, in the evening Hashem brought a tremendous nes, which forced even doubters to recognize that everything that happens is from Hashem.

On a day that began with sadness, Hashem showed us that He is our Father, carrying us on His shoulders. When we merit, He protects us from those who seek to harm and destroy us.

When we acknowledge that He is carrying and shielding us, we merit His protection. But when we doubt Him and falter in emunah and bitachon, He drops us, and the murderous dogs come charging at us.

The image of the invincible Israeli army and soldiers, born from the miracles of the Six Day War, is deeply ingrained in the minds of Israelis and Jews worldwide. Nothing that has happened since has tarnished that image. Everyone remembers Israel’s unimaginable victory over multiple enemies, but many forget that those victories were forged by miracles. Hashem carried all of Israel on His shoulders that week and caused a tremendous victory.

But when that is forgotten, and people wonder where Hashem is, He drops us and leaves us at the mercy of the beasts. And in the Middle East, there are regrettably many such beasts.

As believers, maaminim bnei maaminim, it is our duty to rationally examine what has happened and understand that everything that takes place is done by Hakadosh Boruch Hu for reasons He understands, reasons that we will one day comprehend. When Hashem wants the Israeli army to win, they are invincible superfighters. When He does not want them to win, they don’t.

Some wars were miraculously won, as any objective study will show, while others were lost due to various reasons: poor intelligence, inadequate planning, weak generals, tactical errors, and more. This past war displayed all of the above.

People still wonder how it is that the Israelis didn’t see the terrorists coming on October 7^th or why they weren’t able to stop them. People just don’t understand. How can it be that Israel couldn’t defeat Hamas, despite the mesirus nefesh of its soldiers? How can it be that the American president is more aggressive about Israel’s enemies than Israel itself seems to be? How can it be that despite the Israeli prime minister’s eloquent speeches over the past three decades about the danger of Iran, that country is on the verge of manufacturing nuclear weapons?

How can it be?

For those blessed with emunah and bitachon, the answer is obvious. Sometimes Hashem helps the Jewish army, and sometimes He doesn’t. It’s plain and simple.

You may ask: Why does Hashem carry us at some times and drop us, so to speak, at others?

Although we no longer have a novi to guide us to the real reasons and direct us on the path of teshuvah, we can deduce from the pesukim of the Torah what we must do.

When the Jewish country battles Torah, when the Jewish country seeks to destroy the foundation of our people, dismantling yeshivos and forcing those whose merit sustains the nation to exchange their Gemaros for M16 assault rifles, Divine anger is stirred.

When the country’s political and military leaders fail to acknowledge Divine assistance, they add to Hashem’s wrath and bring harm upon their people.

When the Jewish prime minister, who rarely expresses gratitude or references G-d, visits the United States, and the non-Jewish president publicly acknowledges and thanks G-d for keeping him alive and for his victory in the recent election while praying for Divine guidance in leading the country, yet the prime minister neither learns from this example nor mentions G-d at any point during his stay, only doing so occasionally after returning to Israel, it raises concern.

As Purim approaches, let us take to heart the lessons from the battle with Amaleik, the evil Haman’s ancestors, and work to strengthen Torah. May we increase our own emunah and bitachon, and work to help strengthen the emunah and bitachon of those around us, and of all Jews, here and in Eretz Yisroel, as we seek to free ourselves from our evil enemies and merit shalom and shalvah, peace and deliverance.

May we all merit the final defeat of Amaleik and the coming of Moshiach, who will return us all very soon to where we belong.