For Such a Time as This

 

What will Purim bring this year?.... we were all born for such a time as this. [not making a prediction, just being hopeful]

Chag sameach to all Geula anticipators and all readers.

......and who knows - for such a time as this, you became Queen.

[Esther 4:14]

The Purim Code

My annual Purim post.... it never disappoints.

[adapted from Keeping Posted with NCSY, Fall 1999 edition and also from Torah.org article by Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld]

There is a famous "code" in Megillat Esther :- towards the end of the story, King Ahashveirosh allows the Jews to avenge themselves of their enemies on the 13th day of Adar. In Shushan, the capital, the Jews kill 500 men and hang Haman's ten sons on a gallows. Queen Esther then approaches the King with an additional request: "...allow the Jews who are in Shushan to do tomorrow as they did today, and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows" [Esther 9:13]. It's curious that she would request the hanging of Haman's already slain sons. Nevertheless, the King complies.

The Hebrew word for "tomorrow" ["machar"] occasionally refers to the distant future. Further, the Sages tell us that whenever the word "king" appears in the Megillah it alludes to the King of kings as well. Thus, the verse could be understood as a request by Esther to G-d to again hang the ten sons of Haman at some point in the distant future. Now, when the Megillah lists the ten sons of Haman during their hanging [Esther 9:7-9] there are a number of unusually-sized letters. [There is a tradition to write certain letters in the Torah larger or smaller than the standard size.]

According to the most accepted tradition, there is a large 'vav' [numerical value = 6] and a small 'tav' [400], 'shin' [300] and 'zayin' [7]. The following suggestion has been made: The large vav refers to the sixth millennium [of the Hebrew calendar]; the small letters refer to year 707 of that millennium. The meaning, then, is that G-d agreed to hang Haman's ten sons again in the year 5707 = 1946-7.

When listing the ten sons of Haman who were hanged [Esther 9:6-10], three letters, namely Taf, Shin, and Zayin, are written smaller than the rest [most printed texts reflect this; if yours doesn’t, look in another]. The commentaries offer no explanation for this other than that it is a prophecy. The letters "Taf-Shin-Zayin" represent the Hebrew year 5707, corresponding to the secular year 1946-47.

On October 16, 1946 (21 Tishrei, 5707) ten convicted Nazi war criminals were hanged in Nuremberg. (An eleventh, Hermann Goering, a transvestite, committed suicide in his cell. The Midrash tells us that Haman also had a daughter who committed suicide.) As if the parallel were not obvious enough without further corroboration, Nazi Julius Streicher’s last words were: "PURIM FEST 1946!". [In case you question the accuracy of Streicher’s last words, they are are well-documented; they appeared in Newsweek, October 28, 1946]


It is fairly safe to assume that (a) Streicher did not know about the three small letters in the Megilla, (b) he did not know that these letters corresponded to the year in which he was being hanged, and (c) even had he known, he would have had no motivation to reinforce the validity of Jewish texts, traditions, or prophecies. One could not ask for a more independent confirmation of the all encompassing knowledge to be found in the Sifrei Tanach.

Rabbi Weissmandl - a great Hungararian scholar and holocaust survivor - made a number of findings concerning Megillat Esther using skip distances of 12,111 letters - the exact number of letters in Megillat Esther. If one starts with the first regular mem [as opposed to the "final mem"] in Bereishis 4:14, where the name Esther [vocalized differently] appears for the only time in the Torah, and count at intervals of 12,111 letters, one finds spelled out the phrase "Megillat Esther." Coincidence? I think not.

Queen Esther, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, & the Chabad Shluchim in Ukraine

Rabbi Y. Y. Jacobson

In this lecture, around the 17:40 mark, Rabbi Jacobson speaks about the Rebbe's last talk

which I blogged here: The Rebbe's Eerie Prediction

and a new Rabbi Mendel Kessin shiur: Purim and the Power of G-d 

Excerpt: Going to that king’s feast was their (the Jews’) display of loyalty to Persia. Why kill them? Obviously, they were loyal to Persia…were good citizens, so how could they, because of some Grand Vizir, due to his evil, how do they decide to kill the Jews? Imagine you awaken one day and you discover that the Congress decided to kill all American Jews. You’d go into shock…how could a nation that prides itself on just laws, do this? 

That’s exactly what the Jews felt. What they saw for the first time was that the laws of the nations of the world are bankrupt. Nations makes laws because of their self-interest. It serves them to have such laws. The Jews realized that the laws are based on what?--legality, NOT justice. If you violate the law, you’ve done something that violates law but, by violating the law, you may be exercising justice.

The Clothes Have No Emperor

Art: Vladimir Kush

Text by: Rabbi Yosef Y. Jacobson

Death of a queen

The opening chapter of the Purim Megilah is strikingly enigmatic.

Here is the story in brief: The Emperor of Persia, Achashverosh, throws a party in his capital city, Shushan, to celebrate the firm establishment of his kingship. On the seventh day of the feast, "when the heart of the king was merry with wine," he orders seven of his chamberlains to bring Queen Vashti before him, "to show off her beauty."

Vashti refuses to appear. The king becomes furious and he has her executed.

Why did Vashti refuse to appear before the guests? The Talmud explains [1], that when Achashverosh offered to show them his wife's beauty, the guests insisted that she appear without any clothes. Vashti, a wicked queen who found special glee in torturing and violating Jewish girls and women on the Sabbath day, was punished with leprosy on her skin. Under such conditions she naturally refused to expose her body.

But if so, why did Vashti not send a private message to her husband explaining that it would be humiliating for her and him if she were to expose herself before the guests. Though the king was intoxicated, it is hard to imagine that he would bestow a death sentence on a wife who has just spared him tremendous shame [2]!

Also, why does this story occupy the entire first chapter of the Megillah? Though it is a prelude to understanding how Esther, the hero of the Purim story, became the queen of Achashverosh, nonetheless, the detailed description of the event that brought about Vashti's execution seems superfluous in the story of Purim.

The power of evil

In the Kabbalah, where all biblical figures and episodes are depicted as parables for metaphysical realities, Achashverosh, the mighty monarch of a world power, serves as a parable for the King of Kings, the Creator of the universe [3]. Vashti, the wicked queen of Persia, symbolizes the reign of evil in the world [4].

Naked evil has no appeal or power to attract. In order for evil to gain popularity among the masses, it must be "packaged" well; it must be "dressed" in nice garments that will cover up its true identity.

The two evil monsters of the last generation, Hitler and Stalin, presented their colossal murderous strategies as moral and noble programs dedicated to healing the world of its diseases. This was true throughout history. The inventors and implementers of bloodshed and violence usually presented their schemes as ethical and humane endeavors.

This is valid concerning the evil we perpetrate in our personal lives as well. We embrace many of the destructive and immoral temptations we feel in our heart only because they package themselves outstandingly well. The glittering veneer of comfort and happiness that these temptations display lure us into their trap. If every unhealthy craving we experience presented itself without any masks, we would immediately cast it away.

Thus, the Kabbalah teaches [5] that man's daily challenge in life consists of choosing substance over packaging, inherent value over good PR. When one feels an urge to eat something, to engage in a certain intimate act or to say something, he or she ought to reflect whether this is an inherently healthy and moral thing to do, or is indeed hollow and empty, merely exhibiting itself as promising and enjoyable.

The hallmark of a spiritual life is one that always seeks to be in tune with the true essence of things, and not merely with their external appearance.

Removing the masks

This is how Jewish mysticism understands the symbolism behind the opening story of the Meggilah: Vashti, symbolizing the power of evil, can only retain her power and glory if she is garbed in garments that conceal her real identity. If Vashti removes all her masks, she instantaneously loses all of her appeal and charm.

Therefore, when the King of Kings insists that Vashti appear at His feast in her bareness, she must refuse Him. Because the "clothes" of evil have no "emperor" within them.

This brought about the end of the Vashtinian rule. When evil is called on its nakedness, its nothingness is exposed and its power lost [6].

Footnotes

1. Megillah 12b.

2. The Talmud (ibid. Quoted in Rashi to Esther 1:12) explains, that Vashti sent her husband humiliating messages, thus kindling his wrath to an extreme. What follows is the mystical interpretation of the story, as it is presented in the writings of Chassidism.

3. Midrash quoted in Meoray Or 1:182. Cf. Rikanti to Genesis 29:10, quoted in Mechir Yayin to Esther 1, 12:13. Erkay Hakenuyim under the entry of Achashverosh.

4. See Or Hameir Megiilas Esther. Likkutei Levi Yitzchak Megillas Esther p. 79. Toras Levi Yitzchak p. 17.

5. See Tanya chapter 16.

6. See Tanya chapter 29.

The nucleus of this explanation was presented by the Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760, founder of the Chassidic movement). It is quoted in his name by Rabbi Zee'v Wolf of Zhitamir (a disciple of the Maggid of Mezrich, heir to the Baal Shem Tov) in his Chassidic work Or Hameir on the Meggilah. Reference to it is made in Or Hatorah (by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, the Tzemach Tzedek, 1789-1876) Megilas Esther p. 72.

Rabbi Yochanan quotes Shimon bar Yochai on Gog u Magog

Transcription of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's talk on the war of Gog u Magog, taken from this video.

Rabbi Yochanan quotes Shimon bar Yochai regarding the war of Gog u Magog.  

It seems like it is a terrible tragedy for the Jews but as it says in Sanhedrin and other sources : Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said 'King David ran from his son Avshalom, and he exclaimed 'Ma raba tzorei' [how big are my problems]. Whereas on the passuk "Why do nations gather and people speak futility" he doesn't say "how big are my problems", but the opposite. 

On "yehugu rik" - speaking futility - Rashi and other commentaries explain that it's not tzorei/tragedy, it's Rik vehevel - futility. It has no meaning for the Jews. 

Goyim are fighting between themselves, gathering and talking, but it's all ineffective. Why?  Because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them. 

Hashem is instigating Egyptians amongst themselves, and different nations between them.  

Then comes the question: how should a Jew view this?  We have the decree from the Torah that even though nations are gathering and talking negatively, still for the Jews it has absolutely no meaning. But not because of our own strength G-d forbid, but because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them.  And that's why it's not affecting the Jews.

They call it tragedy? G-d forbid! The nations come up with different ideas, but it's all Hevel Larik - futility. Why? Because Hashem is with us.

The fact that they are gathering.... Jewish people know it is all pointless. Because He who sits in Heaven laughs and mocks them.

He is not just notifying but he is mocking and laughing at them.

As it says "He who touches them, he is touching the apple of My eye" 

That's what Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is saying about the Seventh Year. He's talking about the year of the coming of Moshiach. Right at the end of the seven years of wars Moshiach comes. Which wars? The ones where nations gather and speak futility.

The story of Egypt, the story of Afghanistan. Another story, that fight, another fight. But in relation to Jews the Guardian of Israel "neither slumbers nor sleeps".  Why? Because Jews are connected with the Guardian of the Jews.

Then he sees in a revealed way, that Hashem in Heaven laughs and mocks them. And the war of Gog  u Magog is not affecting the Jewish people. Gog is fighting with Magog and it says in Tanach that it will be in Jerusalem, but that has nothing to do with the Jewishness in Jerusalem, and not in the city of Jerusalem, rather it's around Jerusalem. The Jews are standing strong because Jerusalem is a city where King David lived and the name Yerushalayim comes from the words "Yiras Hashem shleimah" which means "complete fear of G-d".

And Jews who are complete G-d fearing people bring it into actuality, and the city of Jerusalem will stay untouched. 

The nations are "utsu eitza" - contriving a scheme - but when the Jewish children behave in a manner of "ki imanu kel" - "G-d is with us" - then "dabru davar velo yakum" - their conspired plot will not be materialized.

Megilla 2022: Understanding the Madness

HT: Rahel

Rabbi Lazer Brody has an interesting Podcast/video up [recommended listening if you want to understand a few things]

"We are in the final stages of Redemption.... this is so exciting...."

click here to listen

A Message from Russia

This was written by I.S. in Russia, I am not posting his full name because I don't want to cause anyone any problems.

It was posted to FB by D.V. and I received it from Rahel.

Most of you probably know that 8 months ago we relocated to Russia. Like everyone else, I am following the instructions on the situation in Ukraine and reading the news in Russia, USA, Europe and of course also Israel. In recent days I have received quite a few requests to explain the situation in Russia as someone who lives there in these complicated days. 

First of all, it's important for me to clarify three things: the first thing is that I do not support any of the sides regarding the war, not Putin, not Zelensky, not Russia and not Ukraine - for the simple reason that it is impossible to really know the full picture that led each of the sides to their political decisions and actions. Sea. [sic]

The second thing is that I'm against wars and definitely against innocent civilians that unfortunately get killed these days from both sides for nothing. I wish such disputes were resolved in talks around the table instead of going to war. 

The third thing is that the reason I'm writing this post is to present the story from the other side as well (again, not because I'm for or against the other side) so that people can understand a little more the considerations that led Putin to war (at least according to the data I've seen) and the current state of Russia in terms of sanctions that is not a match to the lies that I have seen that appear everywhere in the international news. 

So like that, first of all I can tell you that already a month and a half ago I saw on the news quite a few times Putin asking Ukraine not to allow NATO to enter Ukraine because this will allow an enemy country to deploy its forces right on the border of Russia. The answer Putin received time and time again is "They will only train here, it's something temporary". Because NATO is a toy of the United States and because the political situation between the United States and Russia is 'nothing' - it began to bother Putin a lot, and rightly so. Imagine that Jordan, which is on good terms with Israel , but at the same time a company of "enemy countries" will suddenly allow Syria to enter Jordan and place Syrian troops and bases along the Jordanian border with Israel.

I am sure that Israel would have gone out of control even in less time. Putin took at least a month and a half if not more. I wonder what would have happened if he had obeyed his demands and not allowed NATO forces to connect to Ukraine. It is possible that this war never happened at all. But someone decided that it was okay even if war happens, and this person must have a lot of interests behind this decision. 

Within Ukraine there is a split that has lasted for many, many years. One side wants total disengagement from the rule of government and wants a state of its own (one side supports Russia and is even happy that Russia entered Ukraine), while the other side takes an extreme approach of 'purification of Ukraine' in methods very reminiscent of the dark period of pre-WWII: neo-Nazi groups that call for the purification of the state and even banned Citizens to speak inside Ukraine in Russian language. The conflict between the two sides resulted in a fierce war in the Donbas in 2015 when western Ukraine bombed eastern Ukraine. In these bombings many civilians were killed, among them about 300 children whose memory was established the "Alley of Angels". 

When Russia entered Ukraine a little over a week ago, Putin stated that he was simply 'tired up' of the racism of the neo-Ukrainian nazi that is happening in Ukraine against those who are not Ukrainian at all and against Russians in particular, as well as the 'innocence' that Ukraine plans to allow Russian enemies to disperse along its border with Russia. And these are the reasons why he decided to enter the country. Apparently, in addition to these reasons, he has other reasons that we may find out later. 

From the moment the war started the whole world stood with Ukraine. Behind this support is a worldwide marketing propaganda that has only one goal: to present Ukraine as the "good and poor" and Russia as the "bad and cruel". 

This reminded me of what happens to us in Israel every time there is an operation in Gaza. People all over the world are protesting against cruel Israel and "horrible war crimes", waving Palestinian flags, burning flags of Israel and more. Each time anew we explain to our friends abroad that "it's not exactly like that. It's complicated. This is different from how they put it on the news. "And indeed, our story is complex. There are really no innocents on either side: both on the Israeli side and on the Hamas side. Although the media presents Ukraine as a weak and poor victim, nevertheless, it is the country that has been the most cruel to Jews in the second time, that received the views of Nazism with open arms and did nothing to eradicate this evil from its country. 

What is sad is that the one who pays a high price is always the ordinary citizen who has no desire for wars. So are hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing from Ukraine these days and so are Russian citizens who lost their jobs and businesses due to the harsh sanctions imposed by many countries in the world on Russia, kindergartens that are closed due to a terror alert and shopping centers that are all asked to go out because of a suspicious object. D. A. 

But no one talks about this - although it is citizens who are not connected to the war, most of them are also against the war and all they want is to live in peace with their Ukrainian friends. Why don't they talk about it in the media? Because it contradicts the agenda that Russia is the "bad". 

In the last two days, articles in the news began to come up: "The Iron Screen has come down on Russia", and "Facebook and YouTube were blocked to Russia". However, it seems that the world itself has dropped its own iron screen: the fake news screen. 

I can tell you from personal experience that most reported sanctions on Russia are false or leaked. I am writing you this post from my Facebook from Russia.

Swift transfer option was blocked only in 5 specific banks in all of Russia. In the rest of the banks Swift works as usual. 

Oh, yes, I also continue to pay in stores with Apple Pay! At the same time, everyone here knows well about the situation from all media outlets (Russian and world alike) and most citizens are shocked by what is happening in Ukraine. Many Russians have Ukrainian friends and they don't know how to look them in the eye. A lot of people here are sad about everything that is happening. 

While all of Europe is blocked in terms of flights to Russia, there are direct flights from Israel without problems and there are even flights from... Wait for it... U.S.A  !!! With Boeing company that refused to impose sanctions on Russia. 

On the other hand, while the media reports on the shutting down of all flights to and from Russia, it's about sanctions only on Russian airlines. Other airlines operate as usual and there are flights to and from Russia like every day of the year. 

Here's another piece of truth that I haven't seen on any news channel in the world: about 100,000 Ukrainians fled the war and crossed the border to... Wait for it... RUSSIA! 

Let's just say that when Germany turned into a Nazi in the Russian Federation and attacked the Jews, the Jews fled to the other side of the world. My family for example fled to Argentina. The last place Jews thought of as a safe place was Germany itself. 

Now, admit it's strange that such a number of Ukrainians fleeing the war to Russia, received from the Russian government 10,000 rubles at the border crossing so they could start getting settled, clothes, food and transportation from the Russian volunteers just like in the other border crossings in other countries - and no one is covering it on the news. Why? 

And if Russia is the enemy - why do Ukrainians seek shelter with it? The answer is that it is much more complex than the world understands, and as we do not like to be judged easily in the world when it comes to our dispute in Israel, so maybe we should not easily judge the dispute that is now taking place between Ukraine and Russia, and certainly not give room to the baseless hatred of citizens of both countries. Sides not directly related to war This one.[sic] Give space to independent thinking and don't "swallow" everything as the real truth. 

Understand that everything they show you on the news is well planned for a certain agenda, and there is a deeper reason why the whole world is suddenly pro Ukraine and against Russia. Someone out there has planned this black propaganda campaign well and I don't think I want to know what the reason is, but something tells me that we will soon know...

Ikvot Meshicha: The Time Immediately Before Mashiach

 

by J. Immanuel Schochet

The time appointed by G‑d for the Messianic redemption is a closely guarded secret.1 Nonetheless, we are offered many hints to recognize its proximity: when certain conditions come about, await the imminent coming of Mashiach. 

Most of these conditions are quite disturbing, clearly displaying a situation of the very “bottom of the pit.”2 One major source describes the world-condition in those days as follows: increase in insolence and impudence; oppressing inflation; unbridled irresponsibility on the part of authorities; centers of learning will turn into bawdy houses; wars; many destitutes begging, with none to pity them; wisdom shall be putrid; the pious shall be despised; truth will be abandoned; the young will insult the old; family-breakup with mutual recriminations; impudent leadership.3 

Other sources add: lack of scholars; succession of troubles and evil decrees; famines; mutual denunciations; epidemics of terrible diseases; poverty and scarcity; cursing and blaspheming; international confrontations nations provoking and fighting each other.4 In short, it will be a time of suffering that will make it look as if G‑d were asleep. These are the birthpangs of Mashiach, bearable only in anticipation of the bliss that follows them. 

“When you see a generation ever dwindling, hope for him… when you see a generation overwhelmed by many troubles as by a river, await him.”5 “When you see nations fighting each other, look toward the feet of Mashiach.”6 

Little wonder that some sages expressed apprehensions about those days in terms of, “Let [Mashiach] come, but let me not see him.”7 The prevailing attitude, however, is to await his coming in spite of all, even if thereafter we shall merit no more than sitting “in the shadow of his donkey’s dung!”8 

The troubles and agony of chevlei Mashiach (birthpangs of Mashiach), however, are not unavoidable: 

“What is man to do to be spared the pangs of Mashiach? Let him engage in Torah and acts of loving-kindness!”9 

Moreover, there are also good and happy signs indicating the imminent coming of Mashiach: a good measure of prosperity;10 a renewal of Torah-study;11 and opening of the “gates of wisdom above and the wellsprings of wisdom below,”12 evidenced also by scientific and technological discoveries and advances; a manifestation and propagation of the mystical teachings of the Torah;13 and also “In the time that Mashiach will awaken, many signs and miracles will occur in the world.”14

Source and Footnotes: click here