Day is that what it is on Thursday it is also a fast Day called Tinus Esther the reason is because PM is coming up and usually when PM is on a weekday then you will have the fast on the day before PM but because this year PM is going to be
On Saturday night Sunday so the fast will be brought earlier to Thursday because we cannot fast on chabas nor on Friday except for the 10th of Tavis so let’s seize this opportunity I think we’re going to do this in two parts today and tomorrow and we’re going to
Talk about a particular angle in the PM story we’re going to first examine the Customs the laws of PM because after all you want to know what to do on pm and then let’s talk about some specific aspects of it so ready ladies and gents
What do we do on PM of course for many of us right especially the young at heart the first thing that comes to mind porum is maybe the fancy dress H okay there’s four Mitzvah of per that I put on the screen and interestingly costumes I remember my
First year living here and I said to somebody we get dressed up at a custom and perm and I asked them what custom are you going to come in are you going to come dressed up in to the purum party and they looked at me very funny perm party at sh in a
Costume okay for those of you watching from abroad in South Africa custom is a bathing suit okay all right but uh for the here they call it fancy dress just because we have some overseas participants as well I need to clarify that for them but obviously people get dressed up in their
Favorite costumes and their favorite fancy dress or whatever you want to call it I know my son is looking for something that will look like clothing he wants to be uh like food he wants to dress in some kind of a food everybody’s got their thing their favorite superhero
The AST being astronaut there I don’t know anyone here have some really cool ideas of how you dress up on Perm how you like to uh pretend to be something else because as we know in the PM story everything is camouflaged in nature right so that’s why in the Milla not
Milla in the Milla we don’t have hashem’s name mentioned because it all looks like all part of the natural realm nothing miraculous seems to be happening it spans Over N years and everything is just happening as part of a natural story The Way It Is Well the custom to the custom to
Dress in custume it’s it’s customary exactly in fact that’s what I wanted to say it is a cust it is not Jewish law is not now in general the very all the Mitzvah of P while we call the Mitzvah they are rabic mitzvas they are rically instituted
Enacted they are not biblical in general the PM story although it is biblical it’s from the last of the biblical books but nevertheless the Mitzvah how we observe PM are not biblical those are customary so the it’s it’s custom to wear a costume on Pur now even that
Is not a it’s not I’m not even sure where it comes from there is a book called tra that’s different than tractate Milla tractate Milla is talking from tamik times of everything that was done and the laws of perm which I will be referencing some of them in today’s sh
And tomorrow as well but M was a book I think it’s attributed to rep clamus then what was his name kenis cin I’m forgetting his name but anyways he described Jewish men dressing up in women’s clothing or in garments that were typically worn by non-jews all again to properly Express to demonstrate this
Idea that urm we you know the story is camouflaged in nature I think that’s the idea behind it so anyways that’s the story of that that’s the custom of getting dressed up but I want to talk about these Mitzvah that are listed in the Milla okay these specific Mitzvah are actually
Listed in the Milla as what to do on Pur so getting dressed up as Batman well the kids don’t do that one anymore H or whatever you want the Superman that’s not on the Milla that doesn’t say anywhere but is a custom but you want to talk about the Mitzvah of P
These are the four Mitzvah and let’s put them into their sources let’s read the original source of the Mitzvah of PM because they’re actually mentioned in the Milla and they constitute theic dimension of how to observe pm at least how M and Esther requested it in
The Milla okay so let’s see it I hope you can read it on the screen it looks a little bit smaller than I try to make the words but I was okay it’s it’s readable good certainly if you’re watching on a screen at home you could probably even squeeze in or squeeze out
But at kabad house we have it on a large screen so here it’s towards the end of the Milla after the miracle established we say which means that well I don’t have to transl I should just read it in Hebrew you read it in English it’s on the screen therefore the Jewish
Villagers who live in open towns make the 14th day of AD a day of joy and feasting and a festive day and of sending or actually I like to say the four M as a good nemonic to remember four M as we somehow shortened it too then we have
Then we have well we’re going to read it here maybe we’ll go through all four and then we’ll review it m inscribed these things and sent letters to all the Jews who are in all the provinces of King AOS both near and far to enjoin them to make
The 14th day of the month of Adar and the 15th day thereof every year as the day when the Jews rested from their enemies and the month that was reversed for them from grief to Joy from morning to a festive day to make them days of feasting and joy and
Sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor there you go the third gifts to the poor and the Jews took upon themselves what they had commenced to do and what Mor had written to them I’m gonna get back to this verse because this verse seems a little bit
Out of place what does it mean what they took upon themselves to do is it referring to these Mitzvah or is it referring to something else so because we’re starting off practical I’m going to keep it simple for now but soon I’m going to jog your minds a little bit
Deeper into some Jewish mysticism cabala like we’ll do like Madonna you could sing like Madonna you can learn like Madonna Madonna learns cabala here we’re going to do the real deal we’re gonna go into some deep Jewish mysticism and final paragraph consequently these days are recalled and observed in every
Generation by every family every Province and every city these days of perm shall never seize among the Jews and the memory of them shall never perish among the among their descendants okay so there you have it on the screen and I’ll forward for a second here just to remind
You the four M’s that we just said these are reading the Milla food gifts gifts to the poor and a meal a feast why I didn’t put pardon Mish there you go but in Hebrew also you could say in English you could say those are the four Ms very easy
So there you got it the the feasting the gifting charity the Milla all these let’s look at it in the so I put the source for you up here hope it makes a little bit more interesting when you see sources and I’m not just taking my word
For it whenever possible I try to put that in there for you so here it is in the code of Jewish law one is obligated to read the Milla at night and return and repeat it during the day practically speaking this year we go to sh Saturday
Night you go to sh again Sunday morning if you can’t make it a Sunday morning there’s G to be many opportunities to hear the Milla throughout Johannesburg on Sunday it can be read all night while the day reading is all day Sunrise until end of the day one read it from day
Break he has fulfilled his obligations if you went to sh in the morning you’re heard Mill you’re done you don’t have to do it again you still have to do the other Mitzvah which we’re going to get to right now then what else do you need
To do you have to give at least two gifts to two poor people what else those who are entrusted with monies donated in honor of porm may not transfer toward a different Char of cause it is specifically for the purpose of helping people to celebrate the holiday of Pur
One ought not to be Discerning with Pur money rather whoever stretches out his AR his hand the ask should be given you see somebody asks you know I remember hearing a story about the satar great Rabbi Joe tidle bound Rabbi Yol tidle bound lived in Williamsburg New York
Just next to Crown Heights and I heard a story that once a guy came in the re with a story AA his mother’s sick his sister’s sick his brother’s sick everybody’s sick he needs lots of money to pay all their hospital bills and everything Rabbi here is a terrible
Story like that the rabbi gives him a lot of cash the secretary afterwards turns to the Rabbi says that guy’s a a crony you know he’s a crook he doesn’t even have a sister he says she’s sick his sister’s dead you know no everything he made up I don’t remember the punch
Line but the rebba said something to him with the effect of you know what if that’s his problem and that’s the way he needs to ask for money what could I do at least to get help with now while year round I think you have to be circumspect and you
Should be concerned is this person going to be using it for the wrong you know purposes that are not appropriate unfortunately we’ve seen people abuse drugs and that and steal it’s a very sad phenomenon but we say whoever stretches out their hand give them and here so that’s the
Mitzvah of Charity right so we so far did Milla and we did now the third one one should add a festive meal on P this is yeah the Mish the the meal this obligation is met with one meal you don’t have to have if you’re intermate in fasting you could
Still intermate in fasting on per so you don’t have to eat breakfast as long as you have a nice meal during the day for me it’s one long extended meal as I gave this making a Pur meal at night does not fulfill the obligation it has to be
Specifically during the day what time whatever you want it to be breakfast lunch supper all three together it has to be during the daytime that’s we have to people always washing towards the end of the day just before just before the sun sets I I was planning to have like a
Bribe but the truth is I said I’ll have a BRI PR afternoon and by now I accepted already nine places to read the Milla so I don’t think I’m going to get home till five minutes before Sunset so all those people who are invited to our Bri just
If you come to my house I’m not going to be there till very late so come at 5:30 I’ll be back at 5:30 hopefully making a per meal at night we said doesn’t fulfill your obligation nevertheless one should be happy and add more during their pum meal even at night so you
Could eat more in the evening of PM Saturday night Mitzvah anyways to have Mal have a meal it’s good but that doesn’t fulfill your obligation of eating a meal during the day of Po why does Jew imagine Christian or maybe Islamic laws are complicated I wonder but just imagine Gentiles had such
Complex laws think of a Thanksgiving with all these rules you have to make kides before it has to be at least a r you want matah you have to make sure it’s not broken imagine all the laws we have if if if non-jews had all these laws in their
Life you know it has to be by day it can’t be by anyways finally the took well for Jews it as exactly the stuffing what about the stuffing what are you allowed to put in the stuffing you’re not to put in the stuff final follow two portions of meat or
Food stuffs as diverse States and of sending portions to one another right it’s in the m one to another two portions to one man is the obligation and from this are sages deduce for modesty reasons men to men wom to woman anyone who sends more to his fellow praiseworthy it’s good thing
Nothing wrong with sending more but don’t send less all right so you got the form Mitzvah very clear pardon interesting I had a guest on chabas who claims that if you give it in the morning and they can make it during the day then that’s fine but I
Understood it always as it should be something ready made you’re right now I think if you go to Sho you could probably get all formats for in fact we have sh here I better tell to bring it out so we have the four Mitzvah reading the mill giving sh food gifts gifts to
The poor and Mish e having this Feast so that was the of the four M and hopefully you you know keep an eye to make sure you fulfill all four of these Mitzvah and you saw the source in the Milla and in the now of course these four special
Mitzvah of PM obviously help us in celebrating and fostering a more festive atmosphere on the holiday right it’s a way to recall how what does how does every holiday work they tried to kill us we won let’s eat but of course we need to know if you think for a
Moment isn’t that ordinary aren’t all holidays like this aren’t what’s so special about this in regards to perm that’s my question what really makes these Mitzvah so special if you think about it every Jewish holiday is accompanied with extra Spirit of festivity and along with that every yum
Is marked by a specific mitzvah one that’s unique to that holiday and brings with it the the associations if you think about it if I showed you a su or a little which holiday do you think of that’s very good what if you see a Manara in the street if you passing by
My sh you’ll always see it there but if all there you go and oh don’t remind me about P it’s five weeks four weeks away I’m scared what about a shaer there you go now these aren’t just arbitrary symbols obviously they’re not just Loosely Affiliated rituals or Customs these Mitzvah these symbols they
Represent essential aspects of the holiday right they are festive icons that are mandated by Torah law so what about PM remember the costumes the fancy dress and the groggers the noise makers those are just Customs but these four these four that I put on the screen
Here these are mitas right these are the instructions of how to observe this holiday but are any of them actually unique in any way aren’t they all just slightly souped up versions of stuff that we already do so let’s in fact take some time and examine them and try to understand and
Let’s go through the four M’s since we like M&M’s every day I’m looking for men to make a minion so let’s try to understand what’s unique about these Mitzvah let’s go into the Milla let’s try to really try to get a better understanding because you see
It’s true that we read the Milla only once a year but is reading from a scroll really all that unusual to tell you the truth four days a week not four days a week four times a week I read from a scroll at true Mondays Thursdays twice on chabas and in fact
This week will be three times on chabas because this week we read zahar we read an additional portion and to tell you the truth last week we we had rashesh so it was Sunday and Monday okay sometimes you even get Tuesday and Wednesday so what’s so unique about reading from the Milla on
Tish now there’s other times of the year that we do it too on we read the terrible joke they say why is it that on purin we read a little bit of the in the Milla I’m not so sure that we read on Tish and the M but why is it that you
Know what I’m talking about which part of the Milla is it when it comes to um the city of shush was very downtrodden morose was Melancholy was Lous was depressing a lot of words to describe this why do we pull in the Tissa I’m noag here right it’s to make themag happy
Sorry okay never mind I won’t say which but there’s a gentleman in this town okay this is too in fact I found like I feel like an ego Maniac saying this but it’s somebody said it to me this guy sees me at Tor academy one day he says
Ah I I said to him so nice to see you I never see you here because I know what she goes to truly name nameless so I he says to now I see you every day so what do you mean you see me every day I’ve
Never at that shoe once in a while I pop in there so he says to me not there’s a poster there with your sign the only smiling face in our sh okay I smiled for the photo at least okay back to our discussion my point is reading reading a Milla is not
Unique to purtin because in many shoes not inab but other shoes read millas on and on sukus what do they read remind me Ecclesiastes and P I think very good right so every Friday night but not from Milla per you know some of those at Great Park
They have old millas and they’ll pull out Scrolls to read it they even have millas for theas Scrolls for each week’s s t now kba is not a scroll doesn’t have to be kba mine is a piece of paper that was photocopied 100 million times I
Don’t know why they gave us such a bad one you know I guess they said it’s more important to focus on the marriage and the contract but when when people get married with me when I officiate the marriage I make sure our BAS then has a beautiful kba and before the basement
Did it was only recent that the basement instituted it I don’t understand why it wasn’t before they give us they print out a nice beautiful card stock a very nice paper colorful before that when the B then also still gave copies of copies of copies so I used to make sure to get
Them a pretty one because I just felt like this is your marriage contract that should be nice but either way it’s not a scroll but what’s my question here got to put it on the screen to remember what I wanted to tell you otherwise I’m going
To forget well that’s why I make you think I’m making these slides for your benefit I make it for myself otherwise I have to go back to Cynthia’s class to remember what I want to say I put these on the screen so I should remember what
I wanted to tell you it helps me keep track of the flow of our class otherwise I’d be completely lost so here’s the thing to make m is even more perplexing the early okay the codifiers of Jewish law they explained that the purpose of reading the Mig and purum serves as a
Way of offering praise and thanks to God for the Miracles that God performed for us when we read it in the Milla that M and wrote for us to remember the story so the way they put it is that reading the mcgilla works as a standard for you
Know we don’t say Hal on P all other holidays we recite Hal praise and songs of hasem to thank God for the Wonders and miracles that God Almighty performed through our ancestors on Pur while we don’t say Hal we read the Milla which reminds us of the story of P the
Miracles but to tell you the truth we we say Hal every month ones and on most holidays right all holidays so what’s this about let’s read it in the laws of my regarding the laws of KH okay actually this the laws of and so he says
Her sorry I don’t know why it got cut off it’s supposed to say Mish which is my monties I don’t know why it got cut off the screen but at least I remember where it’s from he says it’s not the recitation of alone that is a re
Ordinance but rather at all times that is on all the days that the complete recited the obligation to do so is a Rabin ordinance there are 18 days during the year when it is a Mitzvah to recite the entire Hollow who knows then well don’t worry it’s on the screen they are the
Eight days of sukus the eight days of Kaneka the first day of pesak the holiday of shab which in diaspora is two days is not recited in rash and kius since they are days of repentance a and fear and are not days of extra celebration even though we celebrate
Because we are confident that we’ll have a good a good uh Good Year yes absolutely we’ll have a good verdict for a good year 100% but the sages did not ordain the recitation of Hal because the meeting of the Milla serves the purpose of Hal what’s your question absolutely yeah
We don’t we don’t that’s what he just said here you see it’s at the the last line we don’t do it them good question sometimes that’s why I don’t take the questions while I’m reading the paragraph I wait till the end because that sometimes your question will be
Answered right there but of course it begs the question is there anything truly unique about the Milla reading on por right right there aren’t really any other times that were specifically enjoined to give food to other people but let’s think for a moment about the point of this mitzah what’s the
Idea you might infer from the Milla what does it say there very explicitly the idea of M was to heighten the spirit of unity and camaraderie on the holiday let’s put it on the screen here what does it say in the it says as follows quoting the Milla um
Oh yes absolutely I even put that at the at the bottom okay but here let’s read it in the said the village dwellers went further than inhabitants of shushan in initiating the practice of mish not symbolizing they had joined together in love and fraternity the opposite of their oppressor ham statement what did
Ham say h said a nation is scattered and divided amongst your people the added practice of show that they were of one heart and in a state of Brotherhood so it could be the Jews had faral and unfortunately in our faral we there’s nothing there’s no F like a family
Fibble but the idea was to force the unity in the community so M Ascent to the practice of M for it was through friendship and Brotherhood that they were saved and not through division so obviously this concept of unity of friendship of Love of camaraderie do any of these words ring
Familiar to the Jewish ear is it specific to PM or we try to do this year round you tell me is it unique to perm no right here love you fellow as yourself what did RAB say this is a basic fundamental principle of the Torah that means it is
A concept of Judaism year round it’s a generic idea in the sense I don’t mean generic but yeah it’s something that we do year round to love your fellow as yourself you even said it right are you break no you don’t you don’t have to speak to someone there’s
Difference between being proactive and passive but if you are intentionally fbl with them and bearing a grudge that we’re going to read in a few weeks time in the paraa that you shouldn’t bear grudges it’s in the Torah and we read it in a few weeks time in the in in the
Book of Leviticus that would be a very kind gesture but it says here is a man to his friend actually to your neighbor because who do you have a hard time getting along with oftentimes not the stranger but your neighbor so therefore I think specifically it’s talking about your
Neighbor to try to create an atmosphere of Goodwill right you want to have they say proper walls make for good neighbors it’s also good to have gifts between neighbors so you can get along better with each other and that’s part of the idea of this Mitzvah right that we know
The Mitzvah I mean you think about all these Mitzvah these Mitzvah while they don’t seem unique to purm because think about it we talked about the Milla we read scroll read the Torah scroll all the time we even read other Scrolls on other occasions if you think about the
Concept of praising Hashem as the Milla is intended to we do that all the time if you think about we said here this content m not creating Goodwill well that’s something we’re supposed to do year round as we emphasized in the previous text so is there anything
Unique about the Mitzvah of let’s take another mitzah you tell me do we not try to give every day give every day that is the Jewish way I’m making up a song something like that it goes no no there’s a real song like that I just done other words so I
Just but my kid sing it I just didn’t pay enough attention mention another actual words but it’s a nice childhood rhyme right so what Jewish holiday every day you give charity and let’s talk about food we Jews eat PL of food every day we top it off even especially in a
Holiday it would seem there’s clearly nothing particularly purin about having a big meal we like to eat every Jewish holiday they tried to kill us we W let’s eat suddenly there’s four special MS a for what’s so special about them normally we expect that traditions of a holiday have
To be intimately associated with the day in the theme the chauffer is unique to rash the L and the is unique to the is unique to the mat is unique to P what’s unique about these forms was the PO yeah okay but that’s not a Mitzvah either yeah so that’s my question in
What ways this are these are these instructions these Commandments unique for p okay so we talked about that last week but again that’s not a Mitzvah that’s something that sages talk about that’s mentioned in the tud but the tud is post rabic enactment of Mitzvah and even that
Is debated some say that’s a little bit what we would call um hyperbole an exaggeration figurative speech you could go back to last week’s class to to get a little bit more deeper Insight which I’m not going to do right now but the point is that is a aspect of porm Celebration
But it’s not one of the four Mitzvah that we learned from the Milla so the question that we left off the question is that we’re still stuck with trying to figure out is if these are the Mitzvah of what’s unique about them if it seems to be things that we do
Year round every shabas eat you eat extra because they involve other people that’s a very good point that is a very good point so maybe we need to understand it’s not about the the it’s not about the uniqueness of the Mitzvah but about the degree which I think you
Just pointed to right so again let’s use that neonic the four M okay let’s let’s go into the four Mitzvah we started with mikra Mill reading the mill sure we read from sa tah every chabas but unlike any other shabas or yam how many times are
We meant to read it twice now you’ll say but read it twice no Shak read the morning portion in the afternoon you’re eating the next week’s portion it’s not the same thing we going to get twice so what we’re seeing in instead in the emphasis that we’ll talk about today and
Expound more tomorrow is about the degree that we do it that we emphasize that we highlight it again the same thing of course Judaism makes a big deal about charity sharing with others right which are Mitzvah of but the degree that we do it with you
Could always share with a friend but I’m it’s a Mitzvah to create Good Will there’s an emphasis on the immediacy that onur every day you want to give food to your friend wonderful your friend had a baby send over some food create that take him a meal app
Unfortunately we lost a member of our community this week David stain so my wife created right away take him a meal and that we are bringing food to the family during the time of morning to tell you the truth it was such an abundance of food that was sent over
That I BR that they gave it back to me this morning to bring here that everybody can enjoy for uh lunch but the point I’m making is this is something you could do every time of the year but I’m P it is specifically highlighted and emphasized charity you could always give
Charity and it’s an important Mitzvah to give charity right we always give charity but I’m perm specifically you should give to at least two poor people throughout the year it doesn’t matter how many poor people you going to give you want to give to one you’re done
You’ve done it but remind me a story um trying to remember a guy I was visiting New York few years back came into the Sho and the friend next to me puts a quarter down in front of me I didn’t understand why he did it quarter nickel
I don’t remember what it was whatever the case is there was a collector came into sha middle he walked around and everybody gives him and I guess that’s why he gave me the quarter because he just wanted me to to be ready for this fellow just give
It to him this guy walks in the everybody gives him a quarter a nickel whatever it was so and I had Rands on me I was GNA find dollars where where did I put it where is it all you know right there done ready give it okay the point
Is you could always give charity you could always give gifts but here we are emphasizing we are encouraged more than normal to make sure that we create this good will when it comes to charity you want to give give what you can but on purum we say whoever
Puts out their hand nice and that they stretch their hand give to them don’t be judgmental don’t be Discerning give always the rebel was always giving and encouraging which is why we created The Arc here to remind us to be in this routine acts of routine kindness on Thursday if you don’t manage
To do it Thursday you can do it mat shabas Sunday so even though it’s true that we always like to party and it’s true that you could always give charity and always give gifts but on purum WE emphasize it okay and this is the point even when celebrating every emptive we always make
Sure but there’s a certain moderation on PM we say give give give yeah right yeah always is a t my I’m just joking I’m just joking only when I’m only way I’m speaking is ver I don’t know the exact source of when it is but in the Milla it says so
Maybe that’s the the origin let me tell you in some shs every Time’s name they make it noise and in aabad custom it’s only when there’s an adjective accompanying it but you know when you go I was in a scho in Denmark in in I’m trying to in Copenhagen in
Copenhagen now if you’ve ever been to Copenhagen there is a wonderful amusement park there called Ti and that’s where we had our quum party and I’m talking about 23 years years ago in 2001 I spent PM I canot I remember like yesterday she reach out to the rabbi the rabbi had just started
Then had little kids he’s Rabbi R from kabad Norwood’s brother-in-law and the rabbi in rabbitson who’s Rabbi rd’s sister and the rabbi RAB they were new they had a couple little kids now they’re grandparents they have their kids joined them there and they’re schas I remember
Then they took us to the local Sho and in the local Sho when they read the Milla every time Ham’s name was mentioned they boo which is interesting well I think it was my first time seeing that and it was a very very very long Milla reading that’s what I’ll tell you okay
Because when it when they do it every time Hamed’s name is mentioned you know but the point is that obviously year round we do all these things there’s nothing unique to porm about these Customs what’s unique to them about porm is this that we do with
Extra intensity as much as you enjoy the bra shabas and like to have kiddish or even a nice far bran don’t get out of control you gotta come home and be there with your family I’m poor and what do we say he get out of control do even
More right exactly the point to was saying is you could always drink is that unique to por to get to have a I’m por you have more that’s the point so as mandates that instead of just a little sip of some Villa Cape or Cape what the other brand
Called we have a few nice local ones this Villa cape and this cape something Cape huh whatever it is or CL Dr I won’t say what other people huh you don’t like call a drun or whatever you like GE are you like my family makes joyan okay my
Cousin makes joyan that’s why you like it thank you my cousin also made the bonura brand the blue the blue that’s the one I like call me a lady call me what if it t that tastes nice to me the other ones won’t go there whiskey although with my Russian blood I
Prefer a nice vka we had a Russian Juke come to our Sho the last few weeks and he brought some nice vodka from Russia to proper good stuff but that’s the point is that you drink more than usual you eat more than usual without abandoning the rest of our religion
Obligations we’re actually supposed to lose some of that some of our inhibitions a regular presence of Mind our our capacity for cool detached judgment why you shouldn’t be able to differentiate between blessed and curs so the Mitzvah of are different but only in the sense that call it sense that they are
To the N degree that everything is turned up to 11 a little more extreme a little crazier which only makes us Wonder five why that’s your uh that’s your vintage question always why classic so our starting presumption was that every holiday has to have its own unique set
Of practices and that’s unique special about it there’s something different about the Mitzvah of Pur but what do they have to do with purm because they seem to be the same as the year so we say that there’s an extremism that you’re doing it with more intensity right extreme Mitzvah observance so what
Is it how do these four Mitzvah make pmm what is so unique about them and so what is the purpose we have to understand what is the purpose behind it what’s the idea in general about Jewish holidays and to Comm to understand understand why we commemorate our holidays as we do we
Have to first understand just what it is that we’re commemorating right as it turns out the real focus of our porm celebration has a lot less to do with the historic events of the porm miracle than actually one might think and in part the revised if we examine the story
Of P we try to reassess the idea behind it on a most basic level Jewish holidays simply commemorate days of the past that’s there’s three categories of Mitzvah a without getting into the details about them right now adus means testimony every Jewish holiday is a testimony it commemorates it recalls an event that
Happened in the past his story well we say the truth is it’s not just his story it’s our story which is why we give thanks not just that our ancestors survived but that we th right you understand so we give thanks to hasem but we know that takes it a
Step further a little bit deeper and we learned that every holiday every Jewish holiday actually expresses something deeper than just the historical aspect there is a present palpable reality that we have to tap into an energy that’s in the ear and every year on the anniversary of that original event those spiritual energies
The reality that existed for the holiday to take place then is present now those same energies the themes the concept whatever you want to call them it comes to the core it comes forth it it’s blossoming the energy is present and it’s finding expression now we have to tap into that energy and
That’s what we’re really celebrating not just what happened long ago but what’s happening again now this year and every year you understand and that’s every holiday kanah the energy of light is present we’re not just commemorating Mor and Esther’s story and and reading the Milla to know who are the characters and
And the plot lines as a story of that happened long ago in fact you know what the B said quoting the says call anybody reads out of order they didn’t fulfill the Mitzvah why you got to read the story the right line imagine you watch a movie you read
A book at a line doesn’t make sense can’t read chapter 3 chapter eight chapter one chap reading the normal sequence the B takes it much deeper he says reading the Milla is not just an exercise and Nostalgia that you going back to story that happened long ago
Which is why you can’t read it out of order no it’s much deeper there’s an aspect of the PM story that is present here today there was H back then Hamas today ham to kill us then tries to kill us today we have to understand this is
Not a story that’s ancient it’s a present story and it’s still relevant and this is the reason the miracle occurred then and the energies present for us now even though you might feel how can I celebrate pm today when we just when there’s so much tragedy there’s so much sadness when there’s
Still hostages captive in Gaza how could I celebrate the sages tell us this is the holiday you’re going to bring them back please God with our celebrations the various Mitzvah of perm are about celebrating giving expression to this deeper energy to say we’re going to celebrate our Victory to celebrate their
Homecoming so this is the idea that is behind it we short on time I have a let’s just look at a few points to conclude with to conclude today you like I said it’s a longer she so we’ll continue tomorrow with part two but I
Want to just um finish a few points that I think are going to be now look at this the gamar says something interesting the day of purm is a great as the day on which the Torah was given in another place it talks about and yur what’s yur
Yer they have atonement so maybe tomorrow we’ll talk about Yumer and P they seem like completely polar opposites on P we fast we fast on P we Feast so what’s the connection we’ll talk about that tomorrow please but today let’s focus on this point says the
Gamar the day of PM meaning not just the historic once-off events of PM that happened as we read them in the Gilla but today too as we celebrated each year the gamar saying is as great as Shabu the day that we celebrate God’s Gift of the Torah to the Jewish people what’s the
Connection and it seems a little bit what’s the connection here Chu is when I was born that is still a few months away and the Torah was given several centuries before the Jews got out of Persia so what’s the connection of shu to purm shu is in purm is in ad what
Does it got to do what about the Exodus what about PES what about rash I can find connections to everything I’m sure so why is the Tama telling us that there’s a connection from PES from to shab let’s read in the gar track CH 88a it’s on the screen the verse
States and they stood Under the Mountain what mountain did they stand under of course they stood under the mountain or at the bottom of the mountain Says again this could be figurative speech but whatever the case is the rabbi ABI says this teaches that the Holy One Blessed Be overturn a mountain upon them like an inverted cask and he said to them I was going to overturn this but I’m gonna ruin my computer if I did
That if you accept the Torah all is well if not this shall be a burial demonstrate it now see ah imagine this a vat a mountain he put the mountain over them and said accept the Torah or this will be your burial what you talking about so observed this furnishes a strong protest
Against the Torah said yet even so they re accepted they re accepted it in the days of where is written they we accepted it in the days of of they confirmed it took upon ourselves they confirmed that is what they had accepted long before this is the gar but let’s Focus because this
Obviously is a little bit enigmatic what’s going on so let’s understand what is this rabbii telling us he understand the biblical reference to the Jewish people standing beneath the mountain beneath Mount Si as a threat of actually being buried on the spot imagine how romantic if this is the day when we say
That God married the Jewish people with the Torah the Torah the kba the marriage contract then what on Earth you force them except this offer else I drop this lift upon what is this before but according to this understanding it sounds like they accepted they were forced was under
Duress how does this make any sense well why would God threaten his chosen people if if we’re the firstborn child the apple of his eye why would even need to twist their arms to accept the Torah if like you’re quoting they said Nas is we’ll do and
Listen after all the plagues the exits the splitting of the sea the Mana from Heaven all the Wonders and miracles that the Jews experienced in the desert think about that they willingly declared whatever God says we’ll do and we obey isma so what is this story why is this
RI professing or telling us that they were forced it doesn’t seem right and it seems in fact inconsistent with what we see in the Torah this concept of they over turn a mountain upon them like this inverted Cask why would it be necessary here’s the question what’s the
Connection let me just put this on the screen what does this mean if they said we’ll do and will OB so of course the story of mat Torah has to be understood in the historical context we spent two centuries in abject poverty and not poverty in slavery in
Egypt right we endured the horrific persecutions the murder of children and then M raenu comes savior of the Jewish people and we know the story we’re celebrating it in pesak all the mind-blowing miraculous plagues and the Jews race out of Egypt and witnessed the extraordinary Miracles the splitting of the sea and everything
That happens in the desert from the Mana falling from Heaven you name it they are in scun we’ve been reading in the last few weeks Torah rep report portions in the the mishkan the Tabernacle they had the Clouds Of Glory the pillar of fire everything that happens that God brings
Them to Mount Si it’s a story with all the trappings of a fury tale right any way is everything about it seems so wonderful now think about it you know I don’t know why my mind goes there in today’s era we’re all the me too you
Know what I’m talking about with all the things that the allegations of abuse and and coercion and all these things happening it’s fairly obvious that the notion of consent can get tricky especially where there’s an imbalance in a relationship I don’t want to go into details I was dealing a few months ago
With somebody accusing of someone else again I don’t know the mind of an abuser or abused and probably we all experience in some way or another but in this particular instance somebody was giving a ride to this lady’s accusing somebody of of horrible allegations so why was
She still going to him all this time and one could say maybe that’s the nature sometimes of of the user might be using types of tactics I don’t know I don’t want to take I don’t want to take any sides in a story of course one needs
That’s for judges or experts who could have know the details but the point I’m taking is that sometimes what is it in a relationship why is a person doing something is there some you know is there like an incen incentivization and some Torah sages want to argue that the same is true the
Story of Mount Si the the relationship between God and the Jewish people you want to say that maybe we had no choice God did all this for us of course we accept it sometimes a donor gives a lot of money to organization and now the rabbi feels
Compelled to Plate the donor even though maybe his better judgment says otherwise so what what’s here we have to understand it right just like we understand the image of God suspending this mountain on top of their heads as a metaphorical expression of a forced choice God is forcing them to accept the
Torah what’s this threat obviously it’s metaphorical but let’s try to understand it and I’m going to put it here on the words of the alter on the screen okay it says the AL T and we’ll only do the first part of this today I’m being called up to meeting so I’ll just the
First part I want continue this tomorrow he says this is why God overturned the mountain upon them like a cast as the verse says his right hand Embraces me it implies a degree of expression of God’s superal love for the Jewish people the love Embraces the collective Jewish
People as when one hugs another person surrounding them from all sides even the back right a hug is like the sukka is like a hug to complete Embrace so that he cannot move away and is compelled to stand there in other words words because of God’s sual love a
Love awakened within the souls of the Jewish people lifting them to the point where they would where they would declare we will do and we will obey which was not revealing this light of love from B such as it says I loved you says Hashem awakens a corresponding Love
From Below to above that means there’s an Awakening from below a yearning to connect to Hashem this is the elevation of the Jewish Collective the expiration of their souls toward Hashem this is the meaning of the overturning of the mountain it suggests says the the sual
Level of Love which was referred to as a mountain it’s liken to a cask which suggests something that surrounds and overwhelms all worlds a light so intense that awakens a love within them obviously this is very mystical and I would love to take the opportunity to analyze this and to
Explain it but I think I’m going to need some more time to do that I won’t be able to do adjust this in 10 seconds so let us try tomorrow to continue this and this is where we’re going to get mystical and I hope you don’t mind you’re we’re an intelligent crowd so
This is what we’re going to do is we’ll continue here we’ll continue this text we’ll try to understand it from a deeper level as the gamar says we’ll continue right here with what the T says on this page on so we’re gonna get Tam tomorrow come
With your gra finger the way you learn gar you need to Thum come with your thinking head where your tell them what are you thinking cap your magical yamaka or shle or whatever you want and that tomorrow we’re gonna to take this a step further and we’ll
Continue with did we not have a choice in accepting the Torah what does it mean when the tamut says that God place this mountain upon their heads what’s the link with Pim and this and and Shabu this curiously problematic notion of God overturning the mountain upon them
Well we can’t go to sleep with a question and know had an answer so come tomorrow don’t sleep overnight but you sleep think about this we’ll continue this discussion tomorrow oh okay that’s that cenus okay that’s not clous come uh with that ladies and gents these
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