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Beit Midrash
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- Purim & The Month of Adar
- The Laws of Purim
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It is indicated that Mishloach manot are given in order to foster love and friendship. This is to counter what Haman stated about the Jewish people, when he said that they are a divided nation. (Manot Halevi by Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, zt"l)
Yoni and David were more than just neighbors. Their small-town community served as a fitting backdrop for the close friendship that had blossomed between them. The other locals knew that if Yoni was around, David wasn’t far behind, and vice versa.
The change was subtle at first, but it didn’t take long for David and Yoni’s neighbors to notice something strange. In the past, as soon as Maariv was over, David and Yoni would sit down and learn together. Now, immediately after Maariv ended, both David and Yoni would put away their siddurim and rush out the door, as if they each had some urgent business to tend to. But it was more than that. Any time someone mentioned David’s name, Yoni would bristle. And if David heard Yoni’s name, he would immediately change the topic.
Months passed, with no indication of any change for the better. Chaim, a mutual friend of the mutual enemies, was greatly pained at the loss of such a close friendship. Chaim looked at his calendar. Purim was coming. And maybe, just maybe, now was the time to act.
Purim day, Chaim hurried home after the megilla reading. He straightened the note cards on the two elaborately wrapped gift baskets that sat on his dining room table. Ten minutes later, there was a knock on David’s door. When David went to open the door, he found a beautiful Mishloach manot package on his doorstep. He held the attached card in his hand, as his breath caught in his throat. I’m so sorry about what happened, David. I wish we could be friends again. -Yoni
Several doors down, the scene repeated itself, as Yoni found the Mishloach manot which had been discretely delivered to his doorstep. "I had no idea that David cared about our friendship. I really do miss spending time with him" Yoni thought to himself.
Was Chaim allowed to send mishloach manot to Yoni and David, as if the two former friends had sent packages to each other?
Answer of Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzal, shlita:
Chaim is a great tzadik (righteous person), and he acted in the way of Aharon the Kohen. The midrash relates that Aharon would bring peace between people. When Aharon heard that people were fighting with each other, Aharon would go to each of the parties and say "I was just at your friend’s house, and he told me how pained he is about what he did to you. He’s very sorry and wants to be friends with you again. In this way, Aharon would cause the two to make peace with each other and become friends again. (Avos D’Rabi Natan, 12, 3)
Chaim acted in accordance with the way of Aharon the Kohen, and his actions are good and just in the eyes of Hashem. Similarly, the Gemara states that it permitted to deviate from the truth for the sake of peace. [We see this in the Torah, in the incident in which Sarah was informed by angels disguised as travelers that she would have a baby.] Sara laughed and said "how will I give birth, and my master Avraham is old!" Hashem changed her words, and said to Avraham that Sarah said "how will I give birth, and I am old." (Yevamot 65)
In summary: Chaim did a great mitzva and acted in accordance with the way of Aharon the Kohen.
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Rabbis in Midrash
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Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
