Yeshiva
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Purim & The Month of Adar
- The Month of Adar
How, we may ask, does R.Levi’s opening verse, which deals with the initial conquest of the Land of Israel, relate particularly to the Purim story.
I believe the point of R. Levi was to offer a truism regarding our dealings with our enemies in general, that would therefore apply, even more so, to our eternal nemesis Amalek. The lesson is that one cannot ‘dilly-dally’ with those that are out to destroy us. Once we identify them as clear adversaries, we must act decisively and with the firmest resolve against them. If not, things will not get better but will consistently deteriorate to the point that they will be an ongoing thorn in our side. This principle is seen vividly in the Purim story when Mordechai urges Esther to act on Klall Yisrael’s behalf. She answers that things will have to wait a while as she is not scheduled to be summoned to the king for another thirty days. To which Mordechai responds: If you shall remain silent at this present time....you and your household will be lost... and who knows if it was not for this moment that you attained royalty." The message undoubtedly penetrated since we see that from that moment on Esther acts with great resolve, thereby saving the day by successfully ridding us of Haman and his murderous decree.
R. Levi’s message is a most crucial one for our times where we often fail to identify evil, and certainly fail to act against it with firm resolve. It is R. Levi’s general lesson that when we do this, things only tend to deteriorate further. When, however, we are firm and resolute, then with G-d’s help, victory over our adversaries is surely at hand.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
