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SHABBAT SCHEDULE

Mincha 6:00pm Shir Hashirim: 6:20pm Candle Lighting: 7:11pm Daf Yomi 8:00am Shaharit: 8:30am Youth Minyan: 9:00am Zeman Keriat Shema 9:55am 2nd Zeman Keriat Shema 10:29am Shiur: Recess Minha: 6:50pm Followed by Seudat Shelishit & Arvit Shabbat Ends: 8:11pm Rabbenu Tam 8:42pm Avot Ubanim Recess

We would like to remind our Kahal Kadosh to please Donate wholeheartedly towards our Beautiful Kehila. Anyone interested in donating for any occasion, Avot Ubanim $120, Kiddush $350, Seudat Shelishit $275, Weekly Bulletin

$150, Weekly Daf Yomi $180, Daf Yomi Masechet $2500, Yearly Daf Yomi $5000, Weekly Breakfast $150, Weekly Learning $500, Monthly Rent $3500, & Monthly Learning $2000, Please contact the Rabbi.

Thanking you in advance for your generous support. Tizke Lemitzvot!

• Taanit Esther is this Wednesday March 20th. Fast Begins at 6:12am and finishes at 8:06pm. Minha at 7:15pm with Tefillin.

• Zecher LaMahasit Hashekel this year is $6 per person, and will be collected on Minha Wednesday, Taanit Esther.

• Purim is Wednesday night & Thursday the 21st of March. Keriat Hemegilla on Wednesday Night will be approximately at 8:05 pm. There will be a 2nd reading in the Bet Hakenesset approx at 9:30pm. (Final time to be announced)

• Shaharit Purim Thursday Morning at 6:50 am. Keriat Hamegilla approx. at 7:30 am. There will be 2nd reading in the Bet Hakenesset at 10am.

Our Purim Seudah Flyer Last page of Bulletin! Matanot Laevyonim & Mishloah Manot on the day of Purim. Matanot Laevyonim is $10 for two different needy people so a total of $20, and will be collected following the Megila on Sunday morning. SEE HALACHOT Later in the Bulletin.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE SUNDAY

Shaharit: 7:30am Minha 6:00pm Followed by Arvit

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Shiur 6:10am Shaharit 6:50am Hodu Approx: 7:05am Shiur in Spanish 5:30pm Minha 6:00pm Followed By Arbit & Shiurim in English & Spanish

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Torah Teasers (AISH)

1. The first verse of the parsha states that Hashem called to Moshe before speaking to him. Where else in the Torah does Hashem call out to Moshe before speaking to him? (4 answers) 2. Aside from Moshe, who else in the Torah does Hashem call out to first with the word "Vayikra"? 3. In this parsha, different offerings are discussed. Who is the first person mentioned in the Torah to bring an offering? 4. Who is the first person in the Torah to build an altar and offer animals upon it? 5. Where is the first time in the Torah where the following are mentioned: a) sheep, b) cattle, c) fire, d) goats? 6. Where is honey mentioned in this parsha? 7. Where is salt mentioned in this parsha? What two other places is salt mentioned in the book of Genesis? 8. What bird appears in the parsha and elsewhere in the book of Genesis? 9. What does a flour offering (minchah) have in common with the Passover offering? 10. What does the sin-offering of a prince (Nasi) have in common with the sale of Yosef? 11. In this parsha, what animal is spelled two different ways, using the same three letters? 12. Which part of an offering is the "heaviest?"

Answers

1) In parshat Shemot, Hashem calls out to Moshe at the Burning Bush, before speaking to him for the first time (Exodus 3:4). Hashem calls out to Moshe twice In parshat Yitro (Exodus 19:3, 20), and once In parshat Mishpatim with regards to the giving of the Torah (Exodus 24:16). 2) In parshat Bereshit, Hashem calls out to Adam before reprimanding him for eating from the Tree of Knowledge (Genesis 3:9). 3) In parshat Bereshit, Kayin brings an offering from the fruit of the ground (Genesis 4:3). 4) In parshat Noach, after the flood, Noach builds an altar and offers animals and birds upon it (Genesis 8:20). (The Torah does not mention that Kayin or Hevel built an altar.) 5) a) Parshat Beraishis states that Hevel is a "shepherd of sheep" (Genesis 4:2). b) In parshat Lech Lecha, Pharaoh gives cattle and other gifts to Avram after the incident with Sarai (Genesis 12:16). c) In parhsas Lech Lecha, at the "Covenant Between the Halves," a torch of fire passes through the cut pieces of animals (Genesis 15:17). d) In parshat Toldos, Rivka places the skins of "the goat-kids" on Yaakov’s arms to disguise him as Eisav (Genesis 27:16). 6) Honey cannot be offered on the altar (Leviticus 2:11). 7) a) This parsha teaches that every offering needs to brought with salt (Leviticus 2:13). In parshat Lech Lecha, during the war between the kings, the armies gathered by the Sea of Salt (Genesis 14:3). In parshat Vayera, Lot’s wife transformed into a "pillar of salt" when she looked back at the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 19:26). 8) Young doves are valid for certain offerings (Vayikra 1:14, 5:7). After the Great Flood, a dove was sent by Noach to check if the land was dry (Genesis 8:8). 9) With regards to both sacrifices, the Torah forbids any leavened food to be brought with them (Exodus 2:11, 34:25). 10) The sin-offering of a prince consists of a goat (seir izim) (Leviticus 3:23). In parshat Vayeshev, Yosef's brothers slaughter a goat and then dip the Yosef's coat in its blood (Genesis 37:31). 11) A sheep is sometimes called a kesev (e.g. Leviticus 3:7), and sometimes called a keves (e.g. Leviticus 4:32). 12) The heaviest part of an offering must be the liver (Leviticus 3:4), since the word for liver is kaved, which also means “heavy” in Hebrew.

Refuah Shelema List Men Women

• Yosef Zvi Ben Sara Yosefia, • Aviv Ben Luba Miriam, • Mordechai Ben Brucha

Malka Shmalo, • Yizhak Abraham Ben Sheli, • Yosef Yizhak Ben Sara Hana, • Mordechai Ben Miriam, • Meir Raymond Ben Mathilde • Salomon Benarroch Ben Alia • Mordechai Ben Mercedes

• Isaac Ben Mesoda, • Haim Ben Marcelle, • Yizhak Ben Simja • Reuben Ben Eta, • Michael Ben Aliza, • Eliel Moshe Ben

Sarah • Refael Ben Clara • Netanel Sayegh Ben

Rosa

• Simja Bat Esther, • Mesoda Bat Esther, • Rachel Bat Sarah, • Nina Bat Rachel, • Gitel Rina Bat Yael, • Miriam Bat Sofy, • Rahma Bat Simha • Esther Bat Fortuna • Malka Bat Dina • Camouna Bat Fortuna • Raizel Bat Miriam

• Sara Ledicia Bat Mesoda, • Alegria Simha Bat Esther, • Naomie Bat Rarel Adda, • Malka Bat Joyce Simja, • Sivan Simha Bat Yehudit, • Natalie Rachel Bat Nancy, • Abigael Haya Bat Esther • Madeleine Bat Esther • Nurit Jacqueline Bat Rahel • Atara Shira Bat Sara Beylla

If anyone would like to contact the Rabbi, please feel free to call or text 786-879-4951, or email rabbi@oroziel.com.

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Community Announcements (It is YOUR Community, make the most of it!)

Miscellaneous Announcements:

• This Week’s Congregational Kiddush has been Kindly Sponsored Anonymously! Hazak Ubaruch!

• The Kiddush Club Initiative. Anyone interested donating a Kiddush Please kindly contact the Rabbi. Tizke Lemizvot!

• This Week’s Congregational Seudat Shelishit is still available for Sponsorship!

• This Week’s Breakfast is still available for Sponsorship!

Anyone interested in sponsoring Breakfast for this week or on any day please contact the Rabbi. • This Week’s Daf Yomi is still available for Sponsorship!

• If anyone is interested in creating a weekly class in your house or an individual class with the Rabbi, please do not hesitate to contact the Rabbi.

• We are trying to update our Congregant’s contact information. We would like to start sending texts about different Events and Shiurim. We would also like to start emailing the weekly bulletin. We would like to start a list of Nahalot/Azkarot/Yahrzeits. We would also like to make a Refuah Shelema list. Please send your contact information to the Rabbi at rabbi@oroziel.com

• Please feel free to contact any of the board members either in person, or via email with suggestions or comments. Our email addresses are: board member’s first name @oroziel.com

Important Message!!!

Eruv Update: Surfside: The Eruv in Surfside now includes the walking paths along the beach. Pushing strollers and carrying is permitted on the paths, but not beyond the path or onto the beach. Bal Harbour: The Eruv in Bal Harbour included the inner (western) walking path only. The pier at Haulover Cut is not included.

• Due to the recent reorganization of seats in the Bet Hakenesset, We are happy to announce the NEW possibility of purchasing seats in the Bet Hakenesset. For more information, please contact the Board.

• Before hanging up anything anywhere in the Bet Hakenesset, please seek authorization from the Rabbi. This includes flyers etc. • Please be advised that prior to bringing any food or drinks for any occasion, you must first seek the authorization from the Rabbi.

Special Announcements

• We are pleased to announce that Ness 26 is part of the Amazon Charity Program, which would allow our community to collect 0.5% of all the orders made by any of you on Amazon.com. In order to register you need to log on smile.amazon.com and select Ness 26, Inc as the Charitable Organization you want to support, and from then shop on smile.amazon.com instead of www.amazon.com. It won’t cost anything more, and is an easy way to contribute to our budget needs.

• Anyone wishing to receive the Daily Halacha by the Rabbi please send a whatsapp message to Simon Chocron 786-351-1573

Community Calendar: • The program for Teenaged Boys ages 13-18 Started again with Great Succes with Shiur by the Rabbi & Supper

on Sunday Evenings after Arvit at around at 6:00 pm With Supper. New Participants Welcome! Anyone wishing to sponsor this Shiur Please contact the Rabbi. Tizke Lemitzvot!

• We have started the Mishmar Program Every other Thursday evening at 8:00 pm with Chulent, Beer, & Snacks. Everyone is welcome!

Avot Ubanim: This Mosae Shabbat at 7:45pm

Youth Minyan • We are proud to announce the inauguration of our YOUTH/TEEN MINYAN geared to train and teach our future

generations on the different tefillot and parashiot.

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We would like to Whole Heartedly Thank our Dear Friends,

Mr. & Mrs. Albert Gad for generously Donating the TORAH LEARNING of

Adar Bet 5779 Leiluy Nishmat his Dear Father:

David Gad Ben Nissan z”l the 4th of Adar We truly appreciate it. In this merit,

may Hashem Bless you & your wonderful family with all the Berachot of the Torah. Amen.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday To • Mrs. Anat Michael – Shab. Mar. 16th, • Rachel Aquinin – Sun. Mar. 17th, • Emanuel Courchia – Sun. Mar. 17th, • Saadia Aquinin – Fri. Mar. 29th, • Mr. Irving Levine – Fri. Mar. 29th, • Mrs. Evelyn Belecen – Sun. Mar. 31st.

Happy Anniversary To

• Sammy & Naama Maya March 19th • Shabetai & Fortuna Maya March 21st

Nahalot

• Rabbi Raphael Avakra Ammar z”l the 13th of Adar (Grandfather of Mr. Raphael Ammar)

Next Shabbat: • Rabbi Raphael Avakra Ammar z”l the 13th of Adar

(Grandfather of Mr. Raphael Ammar) • Salmon Guenoun Bar David z”l the 16th of Adar

(Brother of Mr. Abraham Guenoun) (Next Shabbat)

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Community Shiurim Weekday mornings:

• 6:10AM to 6:45AM: Laws of Nidah. New participants welcome!

• 7:30AM Shiur on Hok Leyisrael with Breakfast! Everyone Is Welcome to

Join. • 7:45AM to 8:30AM: Daf Yomi Masechet Hulin. NEW DAF YOMI

MASECHET! New participants are welcome! It is a great time to start learning the Daf and join thousands of Jews across the world in this incredible project.

• 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM: Mishna Berura Dirshu Cycle! New participants welcome!

Weekday afternoons:

• Before Minha o Monday through Thursday: Shiurim in Spanish on assorted topics.

• After Arvit: o Mondays & Wednesdays: Hoshen Mishpat – Business Halacha o Monday through Thursday: Shiurim in Spanish on assorted topics. o Every Thursday evening after Arvit Hilchot Nida in Depth for Men. o Tuesday Assorted Topics

In Recess for the Summer o Monday & Tuesday at 7:00pm Masechet Berachot in French o Every other Monday evening at 8:30pm Shalom Bayit Class to Women. o Every other Tuesday evening at 8:30pm Shalom Bayit Classes to Men.

• SHIUR for Ladies! The Rabbi’s Shiur on Halachot of Kashrut NEW SERIES ON Hilchot Basar Vechalav, (Laws pertaining to Meat & Milk) to Ladies, in the Bet Hakenesset, every Tuesday afternoon at 2:05 pm. New Participants are always Welcome! In Recess

Shabbat:

• Shabbat night before Arvit: Short lecture on the Parasha of the week. • Shabbat Morning: Lecture on the Parashah of the week. • Shabbat Morning – Daf Yomi at 8:00am. • Shabbat Afternoon – Shiur at 4:40pm • Spanish Shiur – with Simon Chocron One hour before Minha • Seudat Shelishit: Short lecture on the Parasha of the week.

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Purim: Correcting the Mistake of the Jews of

Shushan (Rabbi Eli Mansour Daily Halacha)

The Gemara teaches that the Jews of the time of the Purim story were initially deserving of annihilation “because they enjoyed the feast of that wicked person.” The Jews of Shushan participated in the lavish feast which Ahashverosh hosted, the feast described at the beginning of the Megilla, and for this they were condemned to death, until they repented and annulled the decree. What exactly was the Jews’ sin? Why was their participation considered such a grave infraction that they deserved annihilation? In a different passage, the Gemara teaches that at this feast, Ahashverosh wore the special garments that the Kohen Gadol would wear in the Bet Ha’mikdash. This is the clothing that the king decided to wear at this feast. The Gemara reaches this conclusion based on the Megilla’s description of Ahashverosh displaying at his feast “Yekar Tiferet Gedulato” (“the glorious splendor of his greatness” – 1:4), and the priestly garments are described as being worn “Le’kavod U’le’tifaret” (“for honor and splendor” – Shemot 28:2). For what reason did Ahashverosh decide to wear specifically these clothes at the party? What message was he trying to convey to the Jews? The lesson of the Bigdeh Kehuna (priestly garments) is that we are to take the delights and beauty of our physical world and elevate them, by using them for sacred purposes. The Kohen Gadol’s garments were magnificent, made with golden thread and the finest dyes, and they were used for Kedusha, for holiness, to serve G-d. One of our most important jobs as observant Jews is to sanctify the mundane, to elevate the physical world by utilizing it in the service of G-d. Adam and Hava sinned in Gan Eden by

partaking of the physical world in violation of G-d’s command, and we correct their sin by partaking of the physical world in serving G-d and bringing Him honor. This is the symbolism of the priestly garments. Significantly, the Gemara does not say that the Jews deserved annihilation because they ate at Ahashverosh’s party. Rather, it says that they were deserving of annihilation because they “enjoyed” the feast. They lost sight of their sacred mission to elevate the mundane, and they indulged for the sake of indulgence, purely for their physical enjoyment. When Ahashverosh saw the Jews betraying one of their most important and cherished values, he donned the Bigdeh Kehuna, as though telling them, “You’re no better than us. You’re no more special than us. You indulge just like we do. You don’t deserve the priestly garments any more than we do.” This was Ahashverosh’s message: that the Jews no longer deserved the priestly garments, because they no longer lived according to the ideal that these special garments represented – the ideal of sanctifying the mundane. And thus the Megilla relates that when Ester prepared to approach Ahashverosh, “Va’tilbash Ester Malchut” – “Ester donned royalty” (5:1). She wore her garments for the sake of “Malchut” – referring to the Kingship of G-d. In order to correct the Jews’ vanity and indulgence, she wore her royal garb for the sake of Hashem, and not for vain purposes. With this in mind, we can perhaps understand the otherwise perplexing custom cited by the Mishna Berura (695:2) that one wears Shabbat clothes on Purim, and he comes home from the synagogue to lit candles and a set table, prepared for a festive meal. According to this custom, Purim evening is like Shabbat – one wears Shabbat clothing, and the candles are lit and the table is set, just like on Friday night. The explanation might be that Shabbat, too, represents the notion of elevating the physical pleasures of the world. On Shabbat, we enjoy fine delicacies and wear our finest clothing – but

WEEKLY INSPIRATION

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in an atmosphere of Kedusha, for the sake of spirituality and as part of our effort to uplift ourselves. This is precisely the message that was lost on the Jews of Shushan, and the message which we need to reinforce through our Purim celebration. At no point on the Jewish calendar do we indulge like we indulge on Purim. We do so in order to correct the mistake of our ancestors in Persia, to remind ourselves that the delights and pleasures of this world are given to us in order for us to elevate them and make them sacred, by utilizing them in the service of Hashem. There is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying the comforts and delights of the world – but only if we are mindful at all times of the purpose for which we have been brought into this world, that we are here not to indulge, but to serve our Creator.

Making Sacrifices for Our

Children (Rabbi Eli Mansour)

Ironically, there are many Jewish schools that omit the Book of Vayikra from their curriculum, figuring that it is too detailed, intricate and difficult for their students. These schools would rather focus their attention on the exciting stories of the Torah, rather than burden the students with the complex laws of the sacrifices. This is ironic because the Midrash records a tradition to do just the opposite – to make Vayikra the first section of Humash that schoolchildren are taught. The Midrash writes, “Let the pure ones come and study that which is pure.” According to this tradition, the best introduction to the world of Torah study for children is precisely the subjects of Vayikra. Why would the Book of Vayikra be the first section of Humash taught to children? One explanation might be that the study of Vayikra sends a powerful message not to the children – but to their parents. Communities adopted this custom because they wanted

the schoolchildren to return home and report to their parents that they learned about sacrifices. One of the critical foundations of Torah education is sacrifice. Parents must make enormous sacrifices to provide their children with a proper Torah education. Tuition expenses require parents to work long hours and to forego on luxuries. Without doubt, the cost of Jewish education causes many families to live on a much lower standard of living than they would otherwise enjoy. Appropriately, then, the very first subject children were taught was sacrifices – conveying to parents the message that they must be prepared to make significant sacrifices for the sake of their children’s education. The story is told of a family in early 20th-century Poland that was struggling to make ends meet. The father decided that the family should relocate to the United States where he could open a business and support the family more comfortably than he could in Poland. He sailed to the United States to open a business and get settled, planning to bring his family over after his initial arrangements were completed. Unfortunately, World War I erupted while he was in America, and international travel was brought to a halt. As a result of the war’s upheavals, the family was separated for ten years. During this time, the wife worked very hard to support herself and her two children, and to pay for their Torah education. One day, she was notified that one of her sons was a child prodigy and has the potential to become a leading Torah scholar. The school informed the mother that the child’s level far exceeded that of the other students, and she would have to hire private tutors to study with him so he could realize his potential. The mother promptly took on a nighttime job delivering milk. After a full day of work and caring for her children, when the children were in bed, she would go around town delivering milk in order to earn some extra money for her son’s tutors. Her efforts paid off. That boy grew to become Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, one of our generation’s leading Torah sages. One can only wonder whether he would have attained this stature without the monumental sacrifices

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made by his mother on behalf of his education. In order to educate our children, we must be prepared to make significant sacrifices. Besides the financial sacrifices, we might have to forego on certain activities for the sake of our children’s spiritual growth. Parents might enjoy watching television, but they need to consider the harmful effects a television could have on their children. Parents certainly deserve a luxurious family vacation, but many vacation spots must be labeled as off-limits because of what the children might be exposed to at these locations. We can’t have our cake and eat it, too. If we want our children to grow to become committed, conscientious Jewish adults, we have no choice but to make sacrifices for their education. The Torah says that as Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son at the Akeda, an angel called to him “from the heavens” and commanded him to withdraw his sword (Bereshit 22:11). Curiously, the angel did not descend to Abraham and speak to him on earth, but rather called to him from the heavens. Rav Moshe Siman-Tov explained that the area around Abraham Abinu at that moment was so sacred, that even the angels could not approach him. When a parent makes a great sacrifice for the sake of his or her children, this sacrifice generates intense Kedusha. Abraham was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, and thus he generated such a high level of sanctity that even the angels had to keep their distance. This is a crucial message that parents must remember at all times. Every time a parent writes out a check for the child’s education, this creates Kedusha. Every time parents decide against purchasing a luxury item so they can afford their tuition payments, they generate more holiness. And every time parents scratch an idea for vacation out of concern for their children’s spiritual wellbeing, they produce sanctity. This is one of the fundamental lessons of Vayikra. Torah education requires sacrifice. As parents, we must accept this

basic truth and be prepared to make sacrifices for our children’s growth. Indeed, education begins with Vayikra – with the awareness of the central role of sacrifice in the educational process.

The “Yitzchak Effect” Impacted The Mishkan Service For All Future

Generations (Rabbi Frand from Torah.org)

The first day of Nisan is a very important date in Jewish history. On that date the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was first set up. In truth, the entire construction of the Mishkan was finished on the 25th of Kislev. Moshe Rabbeinu came down from Mt. Sinai on Yom Kippur and announced that Hashem had forgiven the people for the sin of the Golden Calf. On the day after Yom Kippur — 11 Tishrei — Moshe gave Klal Yisrael the mitzvah to build the Mishkan. The building of the Mishkan was in fact the topic of the last five Parshiyot of Sefer Shemot — Terumah, Tezaveh, Ki Tisa, Vayakhel and Pekude. The process took place during the end of the month of Tishri, throughout the month of Cheshvan and was ultimately completed on the twenty-fifth day of Kislev. The Mishkan sat unassembled in its component parts during the end of Kislev, throughout Tevet, Shvat, and Adar all the way until Rosh Chodesh Nisan. The Medrash Tanchuma comments on this delay in setting up the Mishkan: Rabbi Shmuel Bar Nachman states that the Mishkan was completed in less than 3 months, but sat unassembled for another three months. Why was this so? It is because G-d wanted to mix the simcha (rejoicing) of the day in which the Mishkan would first be set up with the simcha of the day in which Yitzchak Avinu was born. Yitzchak Avinu was born on Rosh Chodesh Nisan! The Medrash goes on to say that the scoffers of the generation were mocking and saying

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“Why is there such a delay? Why isn’t the Mishkan being set up right away when it was completed?” (Some things never change — the kibitzers always find something to focus on to express their cynicism.) The Medrash states about these scoffers “But they didn’t know that the Almighty had a Master Plan”. Concerning this plan King David said “For you have gladdened me, Hashem, with Your deeds; at the works of Your hands I sing glad song. How great are Your deeds, Hashem, exceedingly profound are Your thoughts.” [Tehillim 92:5-6]. The Medrash interprets “For you have gladdened me, Hashem, with Your deeds” refers to the Tent of Meeting (Ohel Moed); “at the works of Your hands I sing” refers to the Bet HaMikdash; “How great are Your deeds, Hashem, exceedingly profound are Your thoughts” refers to the fact G-d planned to mix one joy with that of another (i.e. — the setting up of the Tabernacle with the birthdate of Yitzchak). The next verse goes on to say: “A boor cannot know, nor can a fool understand this” [Tehillim 92:7]. The clueless did not get the great significance of the convergence of these two joyful dates. The scoffers who wanted to know why the Mishkan was not set up when it was first completed did not understand the Divine Thought Process which waited until Nisan 1 to first set it up. G-d had a plan — to set up the Mishkan on the very day that the Patriarch Yitzchak was born. Rav Dovid Kviat raises two difficulties with this Medrash: 1) The rule of thumb normally is that we do not mix one joyous event with another (ayn m’arvin simcha b’simcha). 2) What does the birth of Yitzchak have to do with putting up the Mishkan? He suggests that Yitzchak is the “pillar of Avodah“. He is the patriarch that represents Divine Service. Yitzchak himself was a “korban” — he was about to be sacrificed. Not only was he “about to be sacrificed” against his will, he did it willingly! He did it joyfully (b’simcha). He set the tone of Divine Service performed with joy. Chazal tell us

that he wanted to make sure that he would not be accidentally invalidated and asked his father to bind him tightly to make sure he did not move and thereby make the sacrifice pasul (invalid). When one is contemplating putting up a Mishkan — which is all about Korbanot, the Ribono shel Olam wanted the influence of Yitzchak Avinu and his joyful approach to Divine Service to be present as a segulah (fortuitous omen) for the initial erection of the Tabernacle. In Judaism, as we all know, dates on the calendar are not merely commemorative. What happened on a particular day in history has impact on all future generations. The Yom Tov of Pessach is the Time of Freedom and every single year on Pesach there are emanations of holiness and redemption that we can also take part in. When the Torah was given on Shavuot emanations of Torah learning potential are forever more present on that date which is the reason we make extra efforts to learn on Shavuot — to seize those Heavenly emanations. Likewise, the fact that Yitzchak was born on Rosh Chodesh Nisan and b’simcha went to do the Avodah (Divine Service of Sacrifice) made an effect on the first day of Nisan for all future generations. Therefore when G-d established a Mishkan, he wanted that effect — the “Yitzchak effect” to lend character to the Service that would take place in this Mishkan during all future generations. So therefore even though the normal rule of thumb is that “ayn m’arvin simcha b’simcha” — here there is no difficulty understanding why G-d decided to set aside this rule. The rule means we do not take two disparate reasons for rejoicing (e.g. — rejoicing on a holiday and rejoicing over taking a new bride) and mix them by, for example, getting married during a Jewish holiday. But here we are talking about the same “simcha” — the “simcha of Avodah” (joy of Divine Service). Here there is no conflict. On the contrary G-d wanted to take this Divine Influence which existed within creation (by virtue of Yitzchak’s birth on Nisan 1) and place it within the Mishkan, so therefore the Mishkan was first

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erected on Rosh Chodesh Nisan, to mix one joy with another — the joy of the new Tabernacle with the joy of the day in which Yitzchak was born.

A Novel Interpretation of the Term “Ray-ach Nichoach

L’Hashem” (Rabbi Frand)

I saw in the sefer HaKsav V’HaKabbalah a beautiful observation. There is a recurrent theme throughout Sefer Vayikra: When the Torah speaks of the burnt offering, it refers to it quite often as olah, eeshay, ray-ach nichoach l’Hashem — an olah-offering, a fire-offering, a pleasing fragrance to Hashem. Most of us understand that the term ray-ach nichoach (a pleasing fragrance) refers to the sacrifice. For some reason, the Ribono shel Olam gets some type of pleasure from the aroma of Korbanot. HaKsav V’Hakabbalah brings from a sefer called Ma’aseh HaShem an opinion that this is incorrect. He interprets that the term ray-ach nichoach L’Hashem is not referring to the Korban. It is referring to the person who brings the korban. To what can the matter be compared? Erev Shabbat most of us walk into our homes and we smell something delicious. Maybe it will be the chicken soup coming to a boil, maybe it will be freshly baked Challah, maybe it will be the chicken that is roasting in the oven. Whatever it is going to be, when one walks into the door of a traditional Jewish home on Erev Shabbat — even if one is on a different floor, even if he is 50 feet away from the kitchen — Aaah! It smells so good! Smell, to use an idiom from the business world can be called “a leading economic indicator.” This means that one does not have to taste the chicken soup, one does not even have to see the chicken soup to know that “tonight I am going to have a delicious meal.” I know I am going to have fresh challah and kugel and chicken soup and it is all going to be geshmak! I know that already

without having tasted a morsel, because I smell it. The nature of smell is that it is anticipatory. Our sense of smell allows us to anticipate what it going to be. HaKtav v’HaKabalah writes that when a person brings a korban he wants to do Teshuva. It is not the korban that the Almighty wants so much — it is what the korban is going to bring out in the person. Korban comes from the word karev — which means coming closer. When a person brings a korban that says he wants to be better. Either it is a sin offering and he wants to bring atonement for what he has done or it is a burn offering (olah) or a peace offering (shelamim). In any event his bringing the Korban is an anticipatory act. He thereby anticipates what is going to happen by virtue of him having brought the sacrifice. The ray-ach nichoach l’Hashem is that now the Ribono shel olam sees — smells, if you will — from this activity of bringing a korban that this person is going to be better in the future. The Korban is the “smell” that indicates what is going to be. His offering is indicative of what he is going to do and who he is going to be in the future. That which is going to happen in the future is always referred to as smell. One “smells it” before one is actually there. HaKadosh Baruch Hu loves the smell of the person who wants to become better and who wants to become closer to Him. That is why a korban is “ray-ach nichoach l’Hashem” — the person, not the animal.

The Gates of Prayer

(Rabbi Zev Leff) And G-d called to Moshe... (Vayikra 1:1) Rosh in his commentary to the Torah explains that the aleph in the word vayikra, with which the third book of Torah begins, is reduced in size to reflect the humility of Moshe Rabbeinu. Remaining to be understood is why this hint to Moshe's humility is placed specifically at the beginning of Sefer Vayikra.

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Vayikra opens with the numerous and complex laws concerning the Temple sacrifices. With the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash, prayer - avodah (service) of the heart - replaced the avodah of the sacrifices. Yet in the Gemara (Berachot 32b), we are informed that from the time the Bet Hamikdash was destroyed, the gates of prayer were also locked. But the gates of tears were not locked. Rashi explains that the gates of tears refers to another type of prayer - prayer with tears. Thus we learn that there are two distinct types of prayer - prayer with tears and prayer without tears. Let us examine these two types of tefillah. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin in Nefesh HaChaim describes how Hashem created the world with an intricate system of spiritual powers, through which G-d's bounty and influence is brought into the physical world. This system is activated by Torah learning, mitzvot and tefillah. G-d put us into this physical world so that we could earn the ultimate spiritual reward which He desires to bestow upon us - an intimate relationship with him. We do not simply earn this reward. Rather we create that relationship through our actions in this world. By learning Torah, doing mitzvot and davening, we furnish the energy to activate the framework through which G-d relates to this world. It is in this context that the Gemera says in Berachot (7a) that Hashem prays. Rashbah explains that Hashem's desire is to bestow His Divine benevolence upon us. But He has decreed that we must initiate this relationship. It is as if He prays for us to do our part so that He can fulfill His true desires. When we daven to '...Give power to Hashem ', it is this to which we refer. By fulilling the conditions He has set, we give, as it were, the power to Hashem to shower His bounty upon us. Berachah, the Rashbah continues, refers to something which increases, enhances and intensifies. (A breichah, for instance, is a stream in which the flow of water is constantly increasing and intensifying). Our berachah is a means to open up the conduits of Hashem's good to the world by entering

into a relationship with Him. When one makes a berachah before he eats, he activates those spiritual realms through which G-d provides food and opens wider the conduits of G-d's bounty. He thereby replenishes that which he is eating. On the other hand, one who does not make a berachah is like a thief, for he does not compensate for what he removes from the world (Berachot 35a). Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch in Shiurei Da'at on the Korbanot (sacrifices) shows how the sacrifices served to unite and elevate all mundane powers towards the service of Hashem and thereby activated the system G-d created to bring the world to fulfillment of His purpose. Maharal adds that the greatest power to activate the spiritual realms emanated from the Bet Hamikdash and with its destruction those specific gates were locked. (One can still penetrate even locked gates but only with great effort and difficulty.) There is, however, another type of tefillah that was not affected by the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash, the passive tefillah of tears and submission. In this context, berachah has a totally different connotation. The Jew stands before G-d and bends his knee and says: "Baruch - You, G-d, are the source of all blessing and without You I don't even have a leg to stand on. I bend my knees in recognition of this, Atah - It is you, G-d, and not I, who can provide for my very existence and for my most basic needs." At the beginning of Shemoneh Esrei, which replaced the temple sacrifices, the Jew bows his body in total subjugation and submission as he proclaims these words. But once he recognizes this fact and submits himself into G-d's hands and calls upon His name - Hashem - then he can stand erect knowing that Hashem is his support. This is the tefillah of tears, a passive, yet very potent power. All of tefillah expresses this idea: "Heal us G-d and we will be healed." is not only an entreaty but also a statement of dependence and submission. Even when the sacrifices were still brought and were offered with the intention of affecting the celestial realms and opening the conduits of Hashem's blessing,

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this attitude of complete submission was still part of the offering. Both Ramban and Sefer Hahinuch explain that one must identify with the animal being slaughtered as an act of self-negation and submission to G-d. R' Simchah Bunim of Pshischa, said that even though the gates of tears remain open, nevertheless gates are necessary to prevent improper tears from entering. The tefillah of tears must be composed of tears of hope, trust and faith that G-d will help, not tears of depression, dejection or despair. Sefer Vayikra, which details the sacrifices of the Bet Hamikdash, begins with a hint to

Moshe's humility because all avodah - whether avodah of the heart or that of the sacrifices - requires self-negation and submission. It requires, even in its active form, a realization that ultimately all emanates from G-d and all that we do is, in the final analysis, only an expression of submission to G-d's will. For this one needs humility. Hence, the small aleph - both a sign of humility and the letter which represents G-d's oneness and unity. It is with this word: Vayikra, with its small aleph, that G-d calls to man to serve Him both actively and passively, to bring the world to its completion.

Reprinted with permission from Artscroll Mesorah Publications, ltd. This article is provided as part of Shema Yisrael Torah Network Permission is granted to redistribute electronically or on paper, provided that this notice is included intact. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema Yisrael Classes, send mail to parsha@shemayisrael.co.il

Teens, Drinking & Purim Giving your teens helpful, safe guidelines. (By Adina Soclof) Purim is right around the corner and it is one of our most joyous holidays. Along with all the revelry comes drinking and often unsafe behavior ensues. Some parents are at a loss how to talk to their teens about drinking. But we need to find the way to do so, not only on Purim, but all year round. According to the NIAAA (The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), teen drinking has been steadily increasing in recent years and alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among teens in America. There are many negative consequences to this trend. Drinking impairs judgment, causing teens to make poor decisions making them more susceptible to physical or sexual attacks. Injuries and death can result from alcohol poisoning and drunken driving incidents. Our brains develop well into our 20’s, alcohol can hinder brain development, causing learning and cognitive issues. According the NIAAA, people who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.

According to Rabbi Abraham Twerski, there is no mitzvah on Purim to drink irresponsibly. Rabbi Twerski has been alerting the community of the increasing problem of alcohol abuse and marijuana smoking among Jewish adolescents. Due to the gravity of the problem he entreats parents to avoid encouraging intoxication. Rabbi Twerski says that “many people drink to excess because of the mistaken notion that there is a mitzvah to get drunk on Purim. Rabbi Shneur Zalman in his Shulchan Aruch (529) says, "It is impossible to serve G-d either in levity or drunkenness." One of the final authorities on halacha, the Chafetz Chaim in Mishna Berura (695) states clearly that the proper thing to do is not to drink to intoxication, but rather to drink just a bit more than is customary (which would be a glass or two of wine), and go to sleep. This is the proper way to fulfil "not distinguishing between 'cursed be Haman' and 'blessed be Mordechai.' There is certainly no justification for drinking anything but wine. Aruch Hashulchan (695) condemns drinking spirits (liquor) in very sharp terms.” Now that we are aware of the issues, what is a parent to do? Here are four simple ways to talk to your teens about drinking and other

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unsafe behaviors on Purim and throughout the year: 1. Don't talk just, role model: Sometimes it’s best if we don't talk. Children do as we do, they do not do what we say. That means that lectures usually fall on deaf ears. Kids learn best by example. If we want our kids to have a healthy attitude about drinking, then they need us to model a healthy attitude towards drinking. Rabbi Twerski advocates that parents should set a model on Purim for their children and not drink to excess. According to the NIAAA, parents can do the following:

• Use alcohol moderately. • Don’t communicate to your child that

alcohol is a good way to handle problems. For example, don’t come home from work and say, “I had a rotten day. I need a drink.”

• Let your child see that you have other, healthier ways to cope with stress, such as exercise; listening to music; or talking things over with your spouse, or friend.

• Don’t tell your kids stories about your own drinking in a way that conveys the message that alcohol use is funny or glamorous. (Understand that the media and peers portray alcohol in a glamorous ways.)

• Never drink and drive or ride in a car with a driver who has been drinking.

2. Agree to Disagree: Teens have a hard time listening to their parents. Many times parents will give their child advice and are annoyed when their child does not listen. It is even more frustrating when their child’s friend or mentor gives the same advice and their child listens readily, even if it was the same exact advice. Our teens can hear us if we can deliver the message in a kind and diplomatic way. We need to let our children know our values in a way that does not demean them.

Jim Fay of Love and Logic encourages parents to agree to disagree. When a child says something that goes against our values, rules, or our better judgment, like “Drinking is no big deal. I can handle it!” we can say: “I am glad you told me your thoughts and feelings about drinking. I am glad you feel like you can handle it. But I am concerned that drinking is illegal under 21 years of age. And I don't agree that ‘drinking is no big deal.’” In this way, our true message, “drinking is illegal under 21 and it is a big deal” is couched by respectful language, so that our teens can truly hear it. It is a kind and gentle way to help our teens understand our values and rules. 3. Talk about yourself and take little opportunities to talk: Many times our conversations with our teens end up in anger. Our teens can push our buttons. Why? Because they need to test their independence and they need to push us away in order to do that. In a normal bid to grow to be healthy adults, teens need to reject what parents say so that they can define and refine their sense of self. Their egos are fragile and they are overly sensitive as they navigate this tough time in their life. It is difficult for parents to watch their teens grow up, make their own decisions (sometimes not very smart decisions) and struggle for their independence. In their frustration, parents often use language that rankles teens, putting them in a position where they need to defend themselves and their decisions. Parent will say: You better not do anything stupid when it comes to drinking! You need to pick a better group of friends! To avoid placing our teens in a corner where there only recourse is to fight back, we want to talk about ourselves using “I” messages: “I don't like to read about kids drinking themselves sick.” “I get upset when kids use drinking to feel cool, I wish they could find other things to do that would help them feel good about themselves.”

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We also don't want to lecture. There is nothing a teen hates more than when parent gets on a soap box. Instead it is better if we take little opportunities to talk when things are calm, when we are reading the newspaper, watching TV, or when we witness another person engaging in unsafe behaviors: When reading the newspaper: “Here is an article on the effects of drinking on your mind, what do you think about what it says?” On TV: “Those kids are making some bad decisions about drinking and drugs. What do you think is making him do that? What would be a better way to handle that?” Witnessing a person’s bad behavior: “Smoking is a hard habit to break! I am glad I never got started! It is at those times that we can also ask our teens: “What do your friends say about smoking, drugs, drinking?” “What plans do you and your friends have in place if you are put into a difficult situation with drinking?” 4. Be your teens safety net: Kids need to know that if they find themselves in a sticky situation they have a way out. It’s important to tell your teens that if they are ever in trouble they can call you at any time of the day or night. Reassure them that you will not be angry just happy that they called you when they needed you. 5. Invite them to come up with some rules for themselves: Teens need to learn to think for themselves. If they come up with rules and regulation for their own behavior they are more likely to stick with them. We want to use language that is encouraging and affirms our belief that they can make good decisions. We can ask them the following questions: “You know the challenges of drinking and drugs. What rules should be in place for teens like you?” “How can parents help kids make good decisions? What do you need from us?”

“What guidelines do you think you need to help keep yourself safe?” Before Purim and any other social event where there might be drinking make sure to go over the rules that you have put in place with your teens. Rabbi Abraham Twerski encourages close supervisions of teens on Purim. Have your teen tell you where they are going and who they will be with. Make sure that they have a cell phone and remind them that they can call you at anytime if they are in a bind or if they feel at all uncomfortable. Reiterate the dangers of drinking and driving and that they may never get into a car with someone who is not sober. Teens need us to be supportive and loving as they move through these years towards adulthood. Talking to them in respectful ways about tough issues and having rules in place can help.

4 Small Investments to Improve Your Marriage

How to prevent entropy in your relationship. (By Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin) One of the laws of thermodynamics is entropy – the natural tendency of things when left alone to deteriorate into disorder. This also happen in relationships. Take a good, healthy relationship between a husband and wife – they like each other, appreciate each other, spend time together. But then work gets busy, or a new baby enters the picture and suddenly there’s not so much time for the relationship, nor a whole lot of sleep or patience either. Throw in a sharp word here, a thoughtless moment there, and eventually all the criticisms and misunderstandings lead to this couple having more negative interactions than positive ones. What happened? They needed to take a few minutes every day to appreciate each other and to put positive energy into the relationship, to keep this decline from occurring.

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Here are four ideas to help strengthen the marriage and avoid entropy. 1. Small gestures Do something unexpected for your spouse on a regular day (one that isn’t a birthday or an anniversary). Buy flowers, make a special dinner you know they’ll enjoy, take them to a concert, or just take a walk around the block to spend time together. These little “extra” things can help break through the routine that, while usually good, can sometimes distract us from connecting to our significant other. 2. Compliment instead criticize It is easy to fall into a pattern of criticism, and once you’re in the mode of looking for faults, there are often plenty to find. Judaism gives us the concept of having an ayin tovah, a good eye. This encourages us to look for the good in things. When you find yourself thinking of something negatively, challenge yourself to turn it around and find something nice about the situation. And then compliment your spouse on the positive thing you found! 3. Keep a list Now that we’re in the habit of looking for good things, don’t just let them go in and out of your head, but keep them in one place so that when you’re feeling frustrated, you can remind yourself of all the good there is in your relationship. Make a list in your phone, or in a notebook, or wherever it will be accessible. “Like water reflects a face, so does a person’s heart reflect another’s” (Proverbs 27:19). Whatever we are feeling in our heart toward our spouse will be reflected back to us, so it’s in our best interest to develop feelings of gratitude and appreciation. 4. Let them know During the middle of the day, send a text or leave a note where you know they’ll find it, in their lunch, or with the coffee. It could just be saying “hi, I’m thinking of you,” or, even more potent, let them know how much you appreciate them and that you’re grateful to be in a relationship together. The name “Jew”, yehudi, comes from Yehudah, which means to give thanks. It’s in our DNA to be grateful,

and expressing this gratitude can be a powerful tool for connection. It doesn’t take much time to keep the forces of relationship entropy at bay, though it does take some thought and effort. These relatively small investments lead to the very large return of a healthy, nurtured relationship.

The Wife's Gigabyte

Memory Elephants are famous for their memories. Among human beings, there's nothing like a wife. (By Emuna Braverman)

In the animal kingdom, elephants are famous for their memories. Among human beings, there's nothing like a wife. Every social faux pas, every missed birthday, every fight, is stored up inside, available to be trotted out on "appropriate" occasions. An ill-advised comment, a chore left unfinished, an extra business trip... we have plenty of megabytes for all this data. We amass a list of grievances from the petty to the large and we cleverly use them "as needed" against our hapless spouses. Like all gifts, memory can be used for positive purposes -- or for negative ones. Storing up a list of our husbands' mistakes, diligently adding to the list as new errors arise may be an innate skill, but its use in this forum is only destructive. One of the keys to successful relationships is to stop dwelling on the past and to move forward into the future. "Maybe I shouldn't have made that comment; I'll try not to from now on." It seems to be much easier for men to move on. Like a football game where brutal tackles are following by hand-shaking and hugs, many men are able to keep their emotions a little more disengaged, to not invest every interaction with disproportionate importance. (A gift is not a symbol of the whole relationship; it's just a gift.) Let go and move on. The evidence is only experiential and anecdotal but observe your friends. Do you

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notice that women tend much more to bear to a grudge, to nurture it and strengthen it? This is destructive to all relationships but none more so than marriage. We all make plenty of mistakes. Daily. Hourly. No relationship can survive being called to account for every infraction. There are two possible strategies for dealing with these regular struggles. And one possible piece of advice. Let go and move on. If the complaints are of a minor nature -- a phone call that didn't come, a (still) unchanged light bulb, a bounced check, even a forgotten anniversary (the ability to remember dates is not an essential qualification for being a good husband) -- forget about it. It's just not a big deal. Don't invest it with inappropriate emotion or significance. (There are really big problems out there in the world). Let go and move on. If the complaints are of a more serious nature, discuss them. Work through them. Then let go and move on. Do not keep raising old issues. (There will be plenty of new ones!) Everyone deserves a fresh start. (Don't you want one?!) Marriage is challenging. We add to that effort by holding on to past grievances. We hurt ourselves, our spouses, and our marriages. (We also violate the commandment not to bear a grudge). It may be a too-perky platitude but "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." Of the rest of your marriage. Let's go forwards, not backwards.

Halachot of Purim (Daily Halacha)

• It is proper to celebrate the Purim meal together with one’s family, as it says in the Megila that Purim is observed by “each and every family” (“Mishpaha U’mishpaha”).

Additionally, one cannot experience true joy when he is alone. Special care must be taken that the men and women do not mingle, even more so than during the rest of the year, in order to avoid improper behavior on the sacred day of Purim. If there is any concern that the celebration will lead to meaningless frivolity or impropriety, then it is better to have the meal alone and not in the company of family and friends.

• One should change into Shabbat clothes already on Purim night. Some people wear Shabbat clothes only during the day of Purim, but this is improper; Shabbat clothes should be worn already on Purim night, as the special spiritual light of Mordechai is upon us once Purim begins in the evening. Women, too, should change into their Shabbat clothes, and wear jewelry, on Purim night and wear them throughout Purim day. This Halacha is mentioned by the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in his work Ateret Tiferet.

• The Shulhan Aruch rules (Orah Haim 695:1) that one does not fulfill the Misva of the Purim feast on Purim night; the meal must be eaten specifically during the day of Purim. Nevertheless, the Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles of Cracow, 1525-1572) notes that there is a Misva to have a somewhat festive meal even on Purim night. It is customary to eat seeds on Purim night, as Ester ate seeds in Ahashverosh’s palace, since she could not eat the meat. Furthermore, Daniel – who, according to some opinions, was Ester’s messenger, Hatach – ate seeds while he served under the Babylonian emperor Nevuchadnesar.

One should be especially careful to avoid fighting and discord throughout Purim, both at night and during the day. The flurry of activity that characterizes the Purim celebration can oftentimes create pressure and tension in the home, and it is thus crucial to make a special effort to exercise patience and forbearance on Purim, in order not to disturb the festive

DAILY HALACHOT

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atmosphere.

Additionally, one should make a special effort to make time for Torah learning on the night of Purim. A famous verse describes that at the time of the Purim miracle the Jews experienced “Ora Ve’simha” – “light and joy” – and the Sages teach that “light” refers to Torah study and “joy” refers to festive celebration. “Light” is mentioned before “joy” because the “joy” – the Purim festivity – is observed during the day, and thus the “light” – Torah learning – should be done the previous night. It is therefore proper to spend Purim night engaged in Torah learning, since there often is not much time available during the daytime for learning.

More generally, the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azoulai, 1724-1807) commented that if the Jewish people would conduct themselves with sanctity on Purim day, rejoicing for the sake of Heaven and then spending time learning Torah, we would immediately earn redemption. Most people, unfortunately, do not allocate time for Torah study on Purim, and this itself is reason to make an effort to spend time learning on this day. The Sefer Hasidim (work by Rabbenu Yehuda Hahasid of Regensburg, Germany, late 12th-early 13th century) teaches that one should make a special effort to fulfill Misvot that few others fulfill, and one will thereby earn great reward. Thus, it is appropriate and worthwhile to try to spend time studying Torah on Purim, as it is a day when few people make a point of fulfilling this Misva of Torah learning.

• If a person forgot to insert Al Ha’nissim in Birkat Ha’mazon on Purim, he does not have to repeat Birkat Ha’mazon. Even if he realizes his mistake immediately after reciting the words “Baruch Ata Hashem” at the end of that Beracha in Birkat Ha’mazon, he simply continues reciting Birkat Ha’mazon as usual

• It is customary to wear costumes on Purim, and this custom has strong basis in Halacha. However, it is forbidden for

men to dress up as women, and vice versa. Children, too, should not be allowed to dress up as the opposite gender

• It is permissible to send Mishlo'ah Manot to a mourner on Purim, and a mourner may receive Mishlo'ah Manot on Purim.

• It is forbidden to eat or drink on Purim night and on Purim morning before hearing the Megila reading. One who finds it difficult to refrain from food and drink may eat and drink small amounts.

• The Misva of Mishlo’ah Manot requires sending at least two food items to at least one person. Strictly speaking, beverages count as one food or even as both food items. Nevertheless, it is proper to send at least one Mishlo’ah Manot package that contains at least two dry food items.

• Purim – Drinking and Conducting Oneself Responsibly (Daily Halacha) There is a Misva to eat a large, festive meal on Purim. One fulfills this obligation with a single meal; there is no requirement to conduct more than one meal. Preferably, this meal should consist of bread, and it should be as large and festive as one can afford. One must eat meat at this Se’uda (meal), and it is preferable to eat red meat, as opposed to poultry or fish, as according to some opinions the Misva is fulfilled only through the consumption of red meat. There is also an obligation to drink wine on Purim. One should drink more wine than he is accustomed to drinking so that he grows tired and falls asleep.

Women are included in the obligation of the Purim meal. They should not, however, drink large quantities of wine, and should instead drink slightly more than they are accustomed to. Hacham Ovadia Yosef rules that if a person becomes intoxicated on Purim, and as a result he acts in a reckless manner, causing damage to other people – such as if spills food on people’s clothes, or gets into some kind of accident

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in which people are hurt or property is damaged – he is liable to pay compensation. The Purim festivities are not an excuse for reckless behavior, and one is fully responsible for his actions on Purim just as he is at any other point throughout the year. It is very unfortunate that people distort the Misva of the Purim celebration, feeling it gives them license to act in a reckless and unruly manner. People who drink on Purim and then get into their cars to drive violate American law, run the risk of imprisonment, and endanger their own lives and the lives of all motorists and pedestrians in the vicinity. Much to our shame, members of Hatzalah have reported that Purim is the organization’s busiest day of the year, as they must tend to people who have fainted or become dangerously ill as a result of drinking, or gotten into serious accidents because of drinking under the influence of alcoholic. Nowhere in Halachic literature does it say that the Purim festivities override Pikua’h Nefesh (concern for the protection of human life). Quite to the contrary, Piku’ah Nefesh overrides virtually all Misvot in the Torah. Although it is a Misva to drink wine on Purim, there is no Misva to act irresponsibly, and in fact, as mentioned above, acting irresponsibly on Purim is no less grievous a sin than it is on any other day of the year. It is truly shameful that people who are fairly lax when it comes to matters such as the recitation of Shema in its proper time, praying with a Minyan and the laws of Shabbat, are suddenly “meticulous” and uncompromising regarding the requirement to drink on Purim. Quite obviously, if somebody is not generally meticulous about Halachic observance but insists on getting completely drunk on Purim because of the Misva, his sincerity is highly questionable, to say the least. Many people unfortunately abuse this Halacha of drinking, turning it into an excuse to act without restraint or

discipline, which is hardly a Misva, and is, in fact, a sin. To repeat what was mentioned earlier, the Misva of drinking on Purim is fulfilled by drinking more than one is accustomed to so that he grows tired and falls asleep. This way, one reaches the point described by the Gemara as “where one cannot distinguish between ‘Cursed is Haman’ and ‘Blessed is Mordechai.’” Moreover, if there is even the slightest concern that drinking wine will lead one to dangerous or inappropriate behavior, it is Halachically preferable for him not to drink on Purim. This concern is, without question, a valid basis for an exemption from this requirement. Especially in today’s day and age, when addictions and alcohol abuse are, tragically, so rampant, even in our community, it is preferable to forego on drinking altogether on Purim if there is even a small risk of irresponsible drinking. Many people mistakenly consider drinking on Purim the primary Misva of the holiday. This is absolutely incorrect. It is just one of numerous Misvot, such as Mishlo’ah Manot, charity to the poor, reading and studying the Megila, and so on, and if one wants to be stringent about the laws of Purim, he should be stringent in these areas, not about drinking. And, as mentioned, if there is any risk of drinking leading to dangerous or improper behavior, one is entirely exempt from the obligation to drink. To the contrary, it would be a Misva not to drink, in order to avoid danger and impropriety. I have been privileged to observe many great Rabbis and Sadikim celebrating Purim, and their celebration can best be described by the famous verse, “Ibdu Et Hashem Be’simha Ve’gilu Bi’r’ada” – “Serve G-d with joy, and celebrate with trembling.” The joy of Purim must be conducted with “Re’ada,” with a degree of awe and reverence toward Hashem. As the Sages comment regarding this verse, “Where there is joy – there must be trembling.” True, there are some Sadikim

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who reach great spiritual heights and speak profound words of Torah as a result of intoxication on Purim. This is because of the concept of “Nichnas Yayin Yasa Sod” – “When wine goes in, the secret comes out.” When people who are filled with Torah and fear of G-d become inebriated, the spiritual depths of their souls are revealed. But for the rest of us, whose inner “secrets” are far less sublime, it would be inappropriate to become intoxicated.

The Purim festivities are not meant to commemorate the feast of Ahashverosh, but rather serve to correct his feast, as we celebrate and enjoy ourselves in an aura of Kedusha. Purim is not a day of Hefker (lawlessness), but ra1ther a day of profound service of Hashem through festive celebration. Let us ensure that this is how we observe it, and we do not distort it into something very different from what Purim is meant to be.

Daf Yomi Masechet Hulin (Daf Notes)

Why No Pillow? Our Gemora says that the stones that Yaakov took to put under his head argued till they became one stone. “If so,” someone asked, “why didn’t they become a pillow? Because from an argument nothing good ever comes.”

Defending People Alone Rebbe Yoel of Satmar zt”l explained: Avraham went to pray alone for the people of Sedom, without servants or anyone else. Why? Because he wanted to defend the evil. Such a thing should be done in private, that someone unworthy should not hear and become convinced that they’re really tzadikim…

The Gid Hanasheh and Tishah B’Av HaGaon Rav Chayim Kanievski related: The holy sefarim say that someone who eats the gid hanasheh is as though he ate on Tishah B’Av. I asked my father, the author of Kehilos Ya’akov, to explain this and he replied: There are 365 negative mitzvos like the days of the solar year. Each negative mitzvah corresponds to a certain day. The prohibition of gid hanasheh corresponds to Tishah B’Av and therefore they were compared (Peninei Rabeinu Kehilot Ya’akov, 92).

Is the danger of a mixture of meat and fish still in effect? In conclusion, the poskim relate to the fact that in our era we don’t see that eating meat and fish together causes tzara’as. Some poskim stated that it could be that natural orders have changed and the mixture is not so harmful today (see Magen Avraham, 173, S.K. 1, and Mishnah Berurah, ibid, S.K. 3). Also, according to certain opinions only one fish is dangerous if mixed with meat and that is the binta (see Shemiras HaGuf Vehanefesh, 1, S.K. 1; see further regarding meat and fish in Meoros HaDaf HaYomi, Kidushin 75a, in the article “Animals that ate poison

InterestIng MIdrash

(from Torah Tots) Salt of the Earth (And the Heavens Too) As if our adventures in the Midbar aren't spicy enough with the Erev rav and all... Hashem commands the Bne Yisrael to build a Mishkan as a sign of healing and just as Moshe's about to offer the first sacrifice, Hashem adds salt to the mixture... Salt. This Midrash is all about salt. Apparently, Hashem had a soft spot for salt since day two of creation. Here's what happened: Once the chaos of creation cleared, day two brought on a new challenge.

KID’Z KORNER

Daf yomi

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The waters just ran rampant - up in the heavens, down on earth, mixing and sloshing with no clear divide. Hashem commanded the waters to divide into "heavenly waters" above the earth, and lower waters that cover the earth. Well, that was fine for the "heavenly" water. They got to be closer to Shamayim. But what about the water that got stuck on earth. They too yearned to be close to Hashem. That's where the salt comes in. To comfort the lower waters, Hashem made a pact with the sea that its salt would be placed on any Korban that would be put on the Mizbayach. Additionally, fresh water would be poured on the Mizbayach every Sukkot in a special service called Nisuch Ha'mayim (water libation). So here's a good question: Why wait until Sukkot? Why not splash the Mizbayach with fresh water everytime? (Don't worry, the heavenly fire can cut through a little dampness if necessary!). One answer is that all water eventually makes it up to the sky by evaporation. It is only the salt of the sea that is condemned to earth permanently. Salt is a sign of the covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people. Just as no person can live without salt, the world cannot survive without the study of Torah. That's why we place salt on the table at meal time to remind us to speak words of Torah at the table where people are eating. As long as there were Mishkan and Bet Hamikdash Korban ot, salt was an important part of the Avodah. When the Bet Hamikdash was destroyed, salt found its way to the table of every Jewish home. Our Rabbis teach that the table in a Jewish home is like a Mizbayach. Whenever we eat bread, we should sprinkle some salt on it to remind us that we are in the presence of Hashem.

Kid’z Korner (Revach)

The Pauper's Present (Adapted from Mishlei Yaakov, pp. 197-198)

Once an important minister arrived at a certain city. Thousands of local residents came to greet the high-ranking visitor. Many brought gifts. So many, in fact, that the minister appointed a secretary to receive all of the gifts. Among the crowds there was a destitute man carrying a small present. He refused to hand his gift to the secretary, insisting that he must deliver it to the minister in person. With great effort and perseverance, he succeeded in obtaining a brief appointment with the minister. The minister met with the poor man and graciously accepted his gift. But when he opened the wrapping, the minister saw that there was nothing particularly special or expensive about it. The minister was puzzled. "Tell me, why did you insist on delivering this present personally? You could have just handed it to my secretary, who handles hese matters in a very responsible fashion?" The poor man explained: "You see, your honor, my present is a very small gift - especially for a great man like you. I knew that only if you would see the person who gave it - only when you met me and realized how truly poor I am - that you would be able to properly appreciate my gift. Therefore I had no choice but to come here and present my gift to you in person, so that you would value my humble gift like the expensive gifts of the rich and wealthy." The Meal Offering So often we get caught up with quantity - how big, how much, how expensive - and forget about about quality. This is true even in our service of G-d. We look at how much money a neighbor donated, how long he stood in prayer, and so on. But the Sages taught: "The amount is not important, but whether one directs his heart to heaven" (Menachot 110a). "A person [nefesh] who brings a meal offering..." (Lev. 2:1) Of all of the Temple offerings, only regarding the minchah offering of flour does the Torah

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describe the one bringing it as a nefesh, a soul. "Who usually donates a meal-offering? A poor man [because flour is less expensive than birds or animals]. Therefore the Holy One says: “I account if for him as if he has sacrificed his very soul!” (Menachot 104 b) The Midrash expands this idea by quoting the verse, "For [G-d] did not despise nor abhor the cry of the poor." (Psalms 22:25). The Midrash clarifies: "Just as G-d did not despise [the poor man's] prayer, so too He did not despise his offering. As it is written, "A person who brings a meal offering..." The Maggid used the above parable to explain the continuation of the verse in Tehillim - "he did not hide his face from Him." G-d does not despise the poor person's offering, as long as "he did not hide his face from Him." We judge others by external factors - the style of clothing, the length of the beard, the type of head-covering. Especially with regard to offerings and donations which are in the public domain, we tend to judge according to their size and expense. "For a man sees [what is visible] to the eyes, but the Eternal sees into the heart" (I Sam. 16:7). G-d sees into the heart - if we "do not hide our face from Him." If, like the poor man in the parable, we "bring ourselves" in our offering to G-d. Purim: Meshech Chochma - Klal Yisrael Rejoices In A Different Kind Of Victory The days we celebrate Purim seem to be an odd choice. A more logical choice would be to celebrate on the 13th, the day we defeated our enemies or on the day that Haman was hung. Why do we celebrate on the day after Purim the day after the war? The Meshech Chochma in Parshat Bo answers that this teaches a great lesson about the goals and the victories of Am Yisrael. We don't fight wars to take revenge and we don't rejoice in our enemy's downfall. Our simcha is that we are free from the things

that constrain our Avodas Hashem and harmful to our existence. There is no great joy for us on the day of the war. We do not commemorate the great victory in battle. We celebrate the day the war was over and we were Mikabel the Torah with renewed vigor. Am Yisrael Chai. Am Yisrael lives on by the grace of our Father in Heaven who we can serve with joy. That is true cause for celebration. Purim: Rav Elyashiv - Haman's Dead, But You Cannot Assassinate Your Way To Security After Haman and his children were dead and no longer a threat, Esther comes to Achashverosh and pleads with him, L'Haavir Et Ra'at Haman HaAgagi V'Et Machshavto", to rid the world of the evil of Haman and his ideas (Esther 8:3). Why was Esther still pleading and crying? Rav Elyashiv answers that we think after we eliminate one threat, we are free and are security is now guaranteed. And then behold yet again we find our existence threatened. It makes no difference if it is from the east or the west. Names are not important either. For everyone killed there are many more to take his place. Hitler Yimach Shemo was not the last of the anti-semites. Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai said, "Halacha! BiYadua SheEsav Sone LeYaakov". It is written in stone that Esav hates Yaakov, and it is a Halacha for all generations. Haman may be dead, but Machsehves Haman still lives on whether we see it or not. No matter what dark clouds passed, we must never stop to plead and throw ourselves at the feet of our King and beg him to rid the world of Sinat HaYehudim and reveal His glory to the world.

Rav Shimshoin Pincus - Esther's Betrayal of The Jewish People? Haman's decree is sealed and becomes law. The Jews are doomed. All over the world Jews are despondent. But then comes a glimmer of hope. Esther the Jewish Queen sends word that she will make a heroic effort and sacrifice her life by going uninvited to the King to plead for her people. She asks that all

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Yehudim, men women and children fast for three days and nights so that with their tefilos her impossible mission can succeed. With the entire nation starving and crying all eyes are turned to the royal palace waiting to hear the outcome of the meeting that can give the Jews a new lease on life. What happens? Word comes out from the royal court that Esther invited Haman and Achashveirosh to a party. Betrayal at its worst! The Queen chooses to save her own life and switch over to the enemy side rather that save her people. It's all over now. The Yehudim have no hope. Could you imagine how one feels when the Gadol HaDor converts to the enemy side? What do they do now? Despite this they continue fasting and crying to Hashem only this time with 100% dedication knowing that there isn't a person in the world they can count on after even their Tzadiekes and savior has betrayed them. Only this pure bitachon in Hashem was able to save Klal Yisrael from a Gezeira that was already sealed. This says Rav Shimshon Pincus (Sichot Purim: V'Nichtav BaSefer) was all part of Esther's plan to save the Yehudim. Only by removing herself as their savior would their true emunah shine through. "En Lanu Al Mi L'Hishaein Elah Al Avinu ShebaShamayim." Chazal tell us that the final geula will only come when we truly have nothing and nobody to rely on except our father in Heaven!

(Rav Itshak Nabet)

Une Courtoisie Indispensable Nous ouvrons cette semaine le troisième livre de la Torah, le livre de Vayikra. Comme nous l'avons lu dans les parachiottes précédentes, les bné Israël ont apporté leurs offrandes et construit le Temple portatif et ses ustensiles. Puis une nuée descendit sur le Temple. Moché rabénou attendait avec révérence.

Notre paracha s'ouvre avec cette phrase: " Hachem appela Moché et lui parla de la tente d'assignation afin de lui dire..." Imaginons un instant cet événement: Nos sages enseignent que le Michkan fut terminé le 25 Kisslev. Depuis un peu plus de trois mois, les bné Israël regardent cet édifice vide et se demandent si cette construction ne fut pas une perte de temps et d'argent. Finalement, le premier Nissan, la Présence Divine réside enfin dans le Temple. En outre, le Michkan représente le lieu de rencontre entre Hachem et Moché Rabénou. S'il en est ainsi, pourquoi Moché ne pénétra-t-il pas dans le Temple lorsqu'il vit la Présence Divine? Nos sages, dans le Midrach Yalkout Chimoni, enseignent une leçon terrifiante: " La Torah nous précise qu'Hachem appela Moché afin de nous donner une leçon de courtoisie: un homme ne doit pas entrer chez son ami, à l'improviste, sans que celui-ci l'ait appelé. De là, nous apprenons qu'un sage qui ne possède pas de discernement est pire qu'un cadavre d'animal." Ainsi, même si Moché Rabénou fut le père de la sagesse, le prince des prophètes, l'homme qui monta au ciel afin de descendre la Torah et qui l'enseigna au peuple... s'il avait enfreint à cette règle de courtoisie, il aurait tout perdu!! Il aurait été pire qu'un cadavre d'animal, nous le dit le Midrach. C’est pour cela que Moché Rabénou patienta jusqu'à l'appel de son Maître, quand bien même avait-il lui même construit ce Temple, et malgré les trois mois d'attente et la pression du peuple . Nous apprenons de cette paracha combien la courtoisie est importante aux yeux d'Hachem. Le rav Wolkin chlita insiste souvent sur l'importance d'être spécifique. Chaque peuple possède ses défauts et ses qualités. Nous avons eu la chance, nous les juifs de France, d'avoir reçu en héritage culturel de nombreuses coutumes de courtoisie. Nous devons absolument veiller à ne pas perdre notre spécificité en véhiculant cette courtoisie que nous avons puisée de notre exil. Cependant, le rav Yonathan Domb soulève une question intéressante: pourquoi le Midrach apprit-il de cette paracha qu'un

POUR LES FRANCOPHONES

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homme qui ne possède pas de discernement est pire qu'un cadavre? N'aurait-il pas été plus logique de dire: " un homme sans courtoisie est pire qu'un cadavre?" Quel rapport avec le discernement? Dans un des plus vieux livre de Moussar, Maalot AMidot, écrit il y a plus de sept cents ans, nous trouvons la définition suivante: " le Derer Eretz, la courtoisie, est le fait de réfléchir à ses actions. Lorsqu'un homme doit faire quelque chose, il doit vérifier si cet acte va trouver grâce aux yeux d'Hachem et aux yeux des hommes. S'il pense que son action sera agréée par Hachem et les hommes, qu'il la fasse, ou sinon qu'il s'en s'abstienne." Ainsi la courtoisie ne consiste-t-elle pas à dire merci ou ouvrir la porte à quelqu'un... La courtoisie est de discerner, à chacune de mes décisions, si je ne vais pas faire quelque chose contre Hachem ou contre mon entourage. Il nous arrive en effet de croire que nous faisons une grande Mitsva en embrassant le Sefer Torah ou la tombe d'un juste, mais si pour ce faire nous devons pousser quelqu'un, est-ce vraiment une Mitsva? Certains Tsadikim veulent absolument construire leur Souca le soir après le jeûne de Kippour. Pour cela, ils n'hésitent pas à utiliser leur perceuse électrique à 23h. La Torah nous prescrit de vérifier, dans chaque Mitsva, si la bonne action ne s'effectue pas sur le compte de quelqu'un. Mais l'inverse existe également. Nous pensons parfois que la courtoisie nous oblige à faire la bise à toutes les femmes que l'on rencontre, ou à accepter d'aller dans des endroits déconseillés pour faire plaisir à notre entourage. Si la courtoisie va à l'encontre de la Torah, elle est, dans ce cas, négative. Pour conclure, la Torah, cette semaine, nous demande d'être vigilant. Un juif doit surveiller chacun de ces actes afin de suivre les règles de la Torah et de la courtoisie. En cela, cette dernière ne peut exister sans discernement. Alors qu'Hachem nous aide à sanctifier son nom en chaque circonstance, et qu'Il nous protège des erreurs, amen ken yéhi ratson.

Apportons des Sacrifices... Nous ouvrons, Béézrat Hachem, ce Chabat, le troisième livre de la Torah, qui s'intitule Vayikra. Le Ramban zal, dans l'introduction de notre paracha explique que Vayikra représente la Torah des Cohanim et des Léviim. En effet, le sujet principal de ce livre est le service Divin qui se déroulait au Beth Amikdach. Après avoir décrit la construction du Temple portatif et de ses ustensiles dans les parachiottes précédentes, la Torah enseigne les lois des différents sacrifices. Certains étaient apportés par le peuple lors des fêtes, d'autres par des particuliers après une faute ou après avoir été en contact avec une source d'impureté...Ainsi, il est expliqué dans ce livre comment les Cohanim devaient apporter les sacrifices. Nous constatons que ces sujets, bien souvent compliqués, nous parlent peu. Toutes ces lois semblent abstraites. En outre, si la Torah ne fait que quelques allusions aux lois du Chabat, elle détaille chacune de celles relatives aux sacrifices. Même si nos sages surent retirer de nombreux enseignements de ces parachiottes, nous devons essayer de comprendre pourquoi la Torah s'étend autant sur la description des sacrifices. Avant de répondre à cette question, nous allons établir un petit lien avec la fête de Pourim qui se déroulera, si Dieu veut, dimanche 16 mars (sauf pour les gens qui habitent des villes qui étaient entourées de murailles, comme Jérusalem, et qui liront le lundi 17...). Après avoir découvert la menace qui pesait sur les juifs, Mordékhaï et Esther firent tout pour changer le destin de notre peuple. Les juifs firent Téchouva, jeûnèrent et prièrent Hachem de les sauver. Entre temps, Esther invita le Roi Arachvéroch et Haman à un dîner. Le soir, le roi n'arrivait pas à dormir et soupçonnait Esther et Haman de comploter contre lui. Il demanda à son scribe de lui lire les recueils du pays. On lui rappela que Mordékhaï l'avait déjà sauvé d'un complot et qu'il ne fut pas récompensé. Le roi Arachvéroch ordonna à Haman de vêtir Mordékhaï de ses vêtements royaux, de sa couronne, et de monter son cheval personnel. Puis de l'accompagner dans toute la ville en

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criant: " Voici ce que l'on fait à celui que le Roi désire honorer." Le traité Mégila (16, a) et le Midrach racontent que lorsque Mordékhaï vit Haman aux portes de la maison d'étude, il dit à ses élèves: " Ce Racha vient pour me tuer. » Puis il mit son Talith, fit le Kryat Chéma et la prière. Après avoir fini, il enseigna à ses élèves les lois du Omer, un sacrifice que l'on offrait le lendemain de Pessah... Haman habilla Mordékhaï et l'accompagna à travers la ville. La Hafetz Haïm zal pose une question. Puisque Mordékhaï pensait qu'Haman allait le tuer, pourquoi enseigna-t-il les lois du Omer à ce moment là? N'avait- il pas d'autres choses à faire pour préparer son départ que d'étudier les lois des sacrifices? Le Midrach Vayikra Raba (7,3) au nom de Rabi Hanina bar Papa, répond à ces deux questions : " Que les bné Israël ne disent pas: lorsque nous avions le Temple, nous apportions des sacrifices et nous étions pardonnés. Désormais qu'il n'y a plus de sacrifices, comment serons- nous absous ?" Car Hachem a dit aux enfants d'Israël:" Lorsque vous étudiez les lois des sacrifices, Je vous donne le même mérite que si vous les aviez apportés." Ainsi, la Torah détailla-t-elle chaque sacrifice afin de nous donner la possibilité de nous purifier. En lisant ce livre de Vayikra et,

surtout, en étudiant les lois de ces sacrifices, chaque juif a la possibilité d'apporter des sacrifices au Maître du Monde et d'expier ses fautes. Plus encore, le Zohar dit que lorsqu'un juif se trouve dans une synagogue ou une maison d'étude et qu'il étudie les lois des sacrifices, c'est une alliance scellée, que son étude le protège même des anges qui veulent lui faire du mal. Et c'est pourquoi, conclut le Hafetz Haïm, que Mordékhaï, au moment le plus critique, décida d'enseigner les sacrifices à ses élèves. Car il savait que le mérite de cette étude le protégerait d'Haman Aracha. Comme nous l'avons dit, ce livre de Vayikra paraît compliqué et loin de nous. Cependant, nous devons comprendre que chaque Rachi, chaque commentaire nous apporte la pureté du Temple, le pardon et la bénédiction. Mais plus que cela, nous devons prendre conscience de l'importance de réciter les passages des Qorbanot et des Kétoret que les sages ont recommandé de lire avant la prière le matin et l'après-midi. Car, grâce à ces lectures, nous pouvons apporter à notre époque des sacrifices, faire plaisir à Hachem et amener la bénédiction sur notre peuple.

(Rav Yonatan Gefen)

La Buena Envidia Durante su descripción de los varios korbanot (sacrificios), la Torá prohíbe traer ofrendas de levadura y miel (1) e inmediatamente nos dice que, en contraste, deberíamos incluir sal en todas las ofrendas comestibles (2). ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la sal, la miel y la levadura, al punto en que la sal es obligatoria, mientras que las otras dos sustancias están prohibidas? Los comentaristas señalan que hay un gran

simbolismo en los sacrificios, y que cada una de estas tres sustancias representa diferentes rasgos personales. Al analizar su simbolismo, podemos responder la pregunta. El Séfer Hajinuj (3) escribe que la miel representa el deseo físico básico (taavá) porque es un alimento dulce. La prohibición de agregar miel a las ofrendas nos enseña que deberíamos evitar el consumo de alimentos dulces, enfocándonos en comer solamente alimentos necesarios para el sustento y el bienestar. El Séfer Hajinuj continúa diciendo que la levadura simboliza la arrogancia, porque se “infla”, como el ego. Respecto a la arrogancia, cita el versículo de

REFLEXION SEMANAL

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Proverbios que declara: “El de corazón altivo es una abominación para Di-s” (4). El Jatam Sofer continúa dentro de la misma línea del Séfer Hajinuj respecto a la miel y a la levadura, y habla luego del simbolismo de la sal. Él alude al dicho de los sabios, que explica el contexto de la obligación de incluir sal en las ofrendas comestibles. En el segundo día de Creación, Di-s separó las aguas en dos, colocando parte de las aguas en los cielos y dejando otra parte en la tierra. Las aguas de abajo se quejaron y dijeron que ellas también querían subir a los sublimes cielos en lugar de permanecer en la humilde tierra. Di-s las calmó diciéndoles que, en el futuro, la sal que estaba en ellas sería ofrecida en el Altar junto con los sacrificios (5). Basado en este Midrash, el Jatam Sofer explica que la sal representa el rasgo de la envidia, porque es ofrecida como resultado de los celos que las aguas inferiores sintieron hacia las superiores. Continúa diciendo que la miel, la levadura y la sal representan los tres rasgos negativos básicos: kiná ‘envidia’, kavod ‘deseo de honor’ y taavá ‘búsqueda de placer’ (6). Sin embargo, dice que la envidia tiene cabida en el servicio a Di-s. Vemos esto de la Guemará que dice: “kinat sofrim tarbé jojmá” ‘la envidia entre los estudiosos causa un aumento en sabiduría’ (7). Esto significa que, en la espiritualidad, la envidia tiene un beneficio, porque puede motivar el crecimiento en espiritualidad, cuando la persona ve a otros actuando en un nivel superior al propio. Así, explica que la envidia de las aguas inferiores hacia las superiores fue un ejemplo del tipo válido de envidia, ya que las primeras querían estar tan cerca de Di-s como las segundas. Su recompensa fue que la sal sería ofrecida en el Altar. Así, esta sal permanece como un recordatorio eterno de la forma alabable de envidia (8). La explicación del Jatam Sofer nos enseña que cuando el rasgo de la envidia, que en general es negativo, es usado de manera correcta, puede mejorar el servicio Divino de la persona. Es importante analizar la diferencia entre la envidia en el mundo espiritual y el material. Pareciera haber dos diferencias principales.

Primero, la motivación de los dos tipos de envidia es muy distinta. La envidia en el mundo material tiene un aspecto aborrecible: no se limita a querer lo mismo que tiene la otra persona, sino que el envidioso quiere que la otra persona no tenga nada. De hecho, la prohibición de la Torá sobre la envidia, lo tajmod ‘no codiciarás’ (9), aplica sólo cuando Rubén quiere lo que tiene Shimón, mientras que si sólo quiere un ítem igual no hay prohibición de la Torá (10). En contraste, la envidia en el ámbito espiritual sólo es aceptable cuando la persona celosa no resiente a su prójimo por su éxito, sino que usa ese éxito como herramienta para motivarse a alcanzar una altura similar. Sin embargo, si resiente el éxito de su prójimo, su envidia es considerada inaceptable porque, claramente, no es motivada por intenciones puras. La segunda diferencia aparece en la explicación de Ibn Ezra sobre la mitzvá de lo tajmod. Él ofrece una analogía, de un campesino que desea casarse con una princesa. El campesino debería darse cuenta de que ella simplemente no está a su alcance, y no tiene derecho a esperar obtener su mano. De la misma forma, cada persona recibe, en el mundo material, exactamente lo que necesita. Todo lo que otra persona posee es totalmente irrelevante y está fuera de su alcance. No tiene motivo para desearlo, porque Di-s le da a cada persona exactamente lo que necesita (11). El razonamiento de Ibn Ezra aplica solamente a la envidia en el ámbito material, porque no hay esfuerzo físico que pueda alterar las posesiones de una persona, ya que eso está en manos de Di-s. La única área en donde Di-s da un paso atrás, por así decir, es en espiritualidad. En el ámbito espiritual, no hay un límite predestinado para lo que una persona puede lograr, sino que depende completamente del libre albedrío de la persona. En consecuencia, no es fútil desear copiar los logros espirituales de otra persona, ya que, mediante el esfuerzo personal, una persona puede alcanzar nuevas alturas en el ámbito espiritual. Teniendo esos dos puntos en mente —que kinat sofrim induce a una persona a emular a

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su prójimo sin resentirlo por su propio éxito, y que uno tiene derecho a intentar lograr más que lo que tiene en el presente— alcanzamos un entendimiento más profundo del rol de la envidia en nuestra vida. El Jatam Sofer nos enseña que, si bien en muchas circunstancias la envidia es un rasgo negativo, cuando es utilizada de la manera correcta puede ayudarnos a acercarnos a Di-s. Y, así, emular a las aguas inferiores, cuyo ardiente deseo de acercarse a Di-s produjo resultados deseados.

Notas: (1) La miel referida aquí no es miel de abeja, sino el néctar dulce producido por las frutas. (2) Vaikrá, 2:11-13. (3) Parashat Vaikrá, Mitzvá 117. (4) Mishlé, 16:5. (5) Rashi, Vaikrá, 2:13. Ver Gur Arié, Siftei Jajamim y Emet LeYaakov para aprender por qué fue ofrecida la sal del agua, en lugar del agua misma. (6) De hecho, la Mishná en Pirkei Avot (4:28) nos enseña que son esos tres los rasgos que sacan al hombre del mundo. (7) Baba Batra, 21a. (8) Jatam Sofer, Vaikrá, 2:11. (9) Shemot, 20:14. (10) Debería notarse que uno sólo transgrede lo tajmod cuando hace un esfuerzo para adquirir el ítem; el mero deseo no constituye una transgresión, aunque igualmente es criticado por las fuentes que lo tratan. (11) Ibn Ezra, Shemot, 20:14.

Ofrendas Voluntarias

El libro de Vaikrá se enfoca, en gran medida, en las diferentes ofrendas (Korbanot) (1) que eran ofrecidas primero en el Tabernáculo (Mishkán) y luego en el Templo (Bet HaMikdash). Muchos de estos Korban ot son conocidos como Korbanot nedavá (2) (ofrendas voluntarias); no son obligatorios, pero si una persona deseaba llevar una de estas ofrendas, cumplía una mitzvá muy loable. El Staipler Gaón, Rav Yaakov Israel Kanievsky, hace una profunda pregunta sobre la naturaleza de estos Korban ot nedavá (3): la mayoría de las mitzvot son obligatorias porque Di-s decretó que un judío debe cumplirlas, lo cual las convierte en un aspecto esencial del Servicio Divino (Avodat Hashem). Los Korban ot nedavá no son obligatorios, lo cual implica que no son esenciales para el servicio de un judío pero, al mismo tiempo, ofrecerlos sí se considera una mitzvá, lo que implica que sí existe cierto beneficio para quien lo ofrece y que sí tienen un lugar en el servicio Divino. ¿Cómo

podemos entender la naturaleza de esta mitzvá? Para responder, el Staipler se refiere primero a otra pregunta importante de filosofía judía. Una de las mitzvot más fundamentales es la de amar a Di-s (Ahavat Hashem), lo cual obliga a un judío a manejar sus emociones para desarrollar un fuerte amor por Di-s. Pero, ¿cómo puede obligarnos la Torá a sentir una emoción particular? ¡Con seguridad eso está más allá de nuestro control! Para responder, el Staipler trae el principio del Mesilat Iesharim (‘La senda de los rectos’) sobre el rasgo de la diligencia (4), el cual explica que tal como la inspiración interna lleva a acciones externas, asimismo las acciones externas pueden despertar sentimientos en el interior. Entonces, actuar de una manera particular puede generar las emociones deseadas. El Staipler dice que este principio aplica fuertemente a la mitzvá de Ahavat Hashem. Sabemos que el sentimiento de amor nos lleva a realizar acciones que reflejan nuestro amor por Di-s y nuestra voluntad de ignorar nuestros propios deseos en virtud del honor de Di-s. De la misma manera, realizar acciones voluntarias que involucren poner la voluntad de Di-s por encima de nuestros propios deseos incrementará nuestro amor por Él. Con este principio, el Staipler explica la naturaleza de los Korban ot nedavá. Estos Korban ot nos brindan una gran oportunidad para acercarnos a Di-s dándole prioridad a Él por sobre nosotros mismos: dejamos de lado nuestras propias necesidades y hacemos una considerable inversión de tiempo, esfuerzo y dinero para llevar un animal al Templo y ofrendarlo a Di-s. Mostrar semejante generosidad hacia Di-s es una manera muy efectiva de encender nuestro amor por Él. Esto explica por qué llevar una ofrenda voluntaria es un acto tan loable. Sin embargo, si la Torá obligara a todos los judíos a llevar este tipo de Korban ot se perdería el propósito de los mismos, ya que cuando una persona está obligada a dar, no desarrolla el mismo sentimiento de amor, sino que siente solamente que está pagando

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una deuda. Por lo tanto, al hacer que el korbán nedavá sea opcional, la Torá le dio a cada judío la oportunidad de motivarse para realizar un acto que con seguridad incrementaría su ahavat Hashem. Al mismo tiempo, ofrecer este korbán se considera una gran mitzvá debido a su efectividad para generar amor por Di-s. El Staipler escribe que este principio no se limita a los Korban ot, sino que una persona puede elegir cualquier área en la que desee hacer un esfuerzo extra más allá de lo que exige la ley. Al dar de sí mismo voluntariamente, uno puede aumentar su amor por Di-s. Esta idea queda demostrada por la siguiente historia que cuenta Rav Isajar Frand: una vez un judío aparentemente común y corriente le estaba dando un aventón. En el curso de la conversación, emergió que este judío ponía un énfasis particular en la mitzvá de la

plegaria; no había perdido un minián (quórum de diez hombres) en varios años. Este hombre había elegido un área en la cual poner ese esfuerzo adicional y, de esta forma, él había conseguido despertar en sí mismo un gran amor por Di-s. Aprendemos de este principio del Staipler que una manera clave para acercarse a Di-s es realizar acciones que la Torá no considera obligatorias pero que ciertamente son loables.

Notas: (1) La palabra korbán es comúnmente traducida como sacrificio, pero ésta no es una traducción precisa; su raíz es kareb, que significa acercar. Un korbán es, en esencia, un acto de acercamiento a Di-s, por lo que cuando un judío ofrece un korbán no se enfoca en el sacrificio que está haciendo al ofrendarle el animal a Di-s, sino en la cercanía que está obteniendo con Di-s. (2) Como Olot, Shelamim y Menajot. (3) Birkat Peretz, parashat Vaikrá. (4) Mesilat Iesharim, Cap. 7.

Nahala of the Rav Hid”a zt”l this Monday 11th of Adar

Rav Chaim Yosef David Azoulay, (the Chida), (1724-1806). Arguably the Sephardic equivalent to the Vilna Gaon, the Chida, was born in Jerusalem. At the age of 18, he learned under Rav Chaim ben Atar (the Ohr Hachaim). His works include a collection of responsa known as Yoseif Ometz, the Shem HaGedolim (a biographical work on 1300 authors and 1200 writings, dating back to the Gaonim), and many others. He passed away in Livorno, Italy.

In the month of Sivan in the year 5484 (1724), the oldest son of Rabbi Yitzchak Zerahya Azulai and his wife Sarah was born in the old city of Jerusalem.

He was named Yosef, from the name of his maternal grandfather, and the names of Chaim and David were given to him to well. When later he became famous as an adult, people were content to call him “the Chida”, after the initials of his complete name Chaim Yosef David Azulai.

The Azulai family was considered among one of the oldest and most respected of those in Eretz Israel. The Chida was a descendant of the famous Tzaddik Rabbi Avraham Azulai, author of Chesed leAvraham, who immigrated to Eretz Israel from the town of Fez, Morocco around the year 1620.

From his most tender age, one could discern exceptional traits in the young Yosef. Frail by nature, he nevertheless studied with great concentration and without respite from morning till night.

At the age of 8, following an epidemic, his mother rendered her soul to her Creator. This death tremendously affected Yosef. He matured ahead of time and became serious for his age. He didn’t play with other children, but rather put himself to studying our holy Torah day and night. At hardly 9 years of age his father enrolled him in the Beit Yaakov Beit Midrash, an institution renown for the quality of its instruction, and from which the majority of Jerusalem’s scholars emanated. It was in this house of study that the incredible talent of the young prodigy blossomed.

Already, at the age of 12, he put into writing some original laws concerning Kashrut and also composed responsum on some aspects of Halachah.

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Moreover, the young boy revealed a brilliant ability as a speaker, appearing in public to give uplifting drashot.

Not long after his marriage in 5502 (1742), Jerusalem was visited by the extraordinary Gaon and Kabbalist Rabbi Haim ben Attar (known by his nickname Ohr HaHayim Hakadosh), who set up his Knesset Israel Yeshiva.

The Chida became a member of his Yeshiva, and this brief period was time enough for him to enter into a profoundly deep relationship with the Tzaddik Rabbi Haim ben Attar.

In the works that he wrote afterwards, the Chida very often cites the teachings and customs of Rabbi Haim ben Attar, whom he considered to be his teacher par excellence.

Soon after this period in his life, the Chida managed to become one of the disciples of Rabbi Shalom Sharabi, (the Rashash) in his Beit El Yeshiva. This Beit Midrash was the headquarters of great Tzaddikim and Kabbalists who, by completely consecrating themselves to Torah study, aspired to hasten the arrival of the Messiah.

The saintly Rabbi Shalom Sharabi and two of his disciples, the Chida and Rabbi Haim de la Rosa, felt that the time was right to hasten the final redemption. These three Tzaddikim, great men of their generation, removed themselves from all earthy matters and chose to live an ascetic life of fasting and self-mortification in order to sanctify and purify themselves.

The following story takes place in winter, when a thick blanket of snow covered the city of Jerusalem. These Tzaddikim rolled about in the snow, praying with incredible devotion and fasting afterwards for three consecutive days. At the end of the fast, they went to an isolated place and began to concentrate on the “Yehudim” in order to hasten the coming of the Messiah.

However, they were suddenly petrified by the sound of a heavenly voice: “My sons, you don’t have the right to hasten the Geula [Final Redemption]. The hour has not yet come, and to prevent you from together attempting to do it again, one of you will be exiled abroad.”

Since the heavenly voice did not declare who among them would suffer this fate, they drew lots and designated the Chida.

Without hesitation, the Chida accepted the verdict and put himself on route for a long exile, during which time he would meet the great men of his generation and travel to many countries, including Egypt, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Sicily, Crete, and Turkey.

It is not without reason that the Chida acquired a reputation, while still alive, as a man possessed of supreme holiness, towards whom everyone looked. It is not only though his numerous praiseworthy books that he gained perpetual renown. He was a truly complete man, one who with remarkable harmony combined in himself traits and virtues that are rarely found in a single person.

Certainly, with the Chida everything was exemplary: His eminence in all domains of Torah, the influence he had on his contemporaries, the depth of his knowledge in worldly matters, and the prestige he garnered that commanded the respect and esteem of the great men of the nations. And yet his most remarkable trait was, incontestably, his characteristic humility.

We have a faithful witness in his journal, entitled Ma’agal Tov, in which the Chida recorded his personal observations as a keepsake, without any intention of publishing it. The following can be found in his journal.

“As for myself, the least of the inhabitants of the Jerusalem and Amsterdam, G-d made me find grace in the eyes of the ministers and deputies – me, the least of my brothers. I praise G-d, blessed be He, Who made my name grow even though I am devoid of all abilities.”

This is but an infinitesimally small portion of the thousands of entries abounding in his personal journal, entries that attest to his great modesty. Looking over his works, when we examine the greatness of the Chida’s genius we are left breathless before the abundance of talent that Heaven bestowed upon him. It is almost impossible for us to evaluate this spiritual giant by our own gauge. He had acquired a mastery of character that he constantly used to elevate himself in the scale of perfection.

The Chida wrote more than 100 books. One can hardly imagine how so many quality works could have been written by a single man, a man that was otherwise constantly devoted to so many other things.

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The Friday night of Shabbat Zachor, on the 11th of Adar 5566 (1806), Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai rendered his pure soul to his Creator. May his merit protect us. Amen.

Nahala of Rav Moshe Feinstein

This Wednesday the 13th of Adar

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein was born in the year 1895 in Uzda, near Minsk, Belorussia where his father was Rabbi. In 1921, he became Rabbi of Luban, near Minsk, where he remained until he came to the United States in 1937. In America he became the Rosh Yeshiva (dean) of Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim, a yeshiva in New York. Rabbi Feinstein became the leading halachic (religious law) authority of his time and his rulings were accepted worldwide. Rabbi Feinstein was a dedicated and selfless leader for the Jewish people to whom anyone could approach at any time with any problem. Rabbi Feinstein’s halachic decisions have been published in a multi-volumed collection titled Igrot Moshe (The Letters of Moshe). He also published several volumes of in depth discussions about the Talmud called Dibrot Moshe. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein was one of the last of the great leaders and sages from Europe and was a representative of the greatness the Jewish people had before the destruction of the Jewish communities during World War II. We were greatly privileged to have such a giant here in America. When he passed away in 1986, the Jewish people lost a great and caring leader and one of our last connections to the greatness of European Jewry

Torah Teasers on the Megilla

1. Aside from Achashverosh, which other kings appear in the Megillah? 2. Which two people in the Megillah have names that begin with the letter Vav? 3. Aside from wine, what other item mentioned in the Megillah is served at the Passover seder? 4. The gallows that Haman intended to hang Mordechai on were 50 cubits long (Esther 5:14). Where in the book of Genesis do we find wood measuring 50 cubits?

5. What golden item appears in the Megillah four times, but nowhere else in the Bible? 6. Aside from the month of Adar, what other months are mentioned in the Megillah? 7. "I killed my wife because of my friend, and killed my friend because of my wife." Who am I? 8. What is the connection between the first verse of the Megillah and the first verse of Parshat Chaye Sarah? 9. About whom and about what does it state, "And the matter pleased [him]"? (3 answers)

Answers

1) Yechanya the king of Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Bavel (Esther 2:6). 2) Queen Vashti and Vayzasa, the tenth son of Haman (Esther 9:9). 3) Karpas, the vegetable dipped in salt water, is mentioned in the Megillah, albeit with a different meaning (Esther 1:6). 4) In Parshat Noach, the width of the ark was 50 cubits (Genesis 6:15). 5) A golden scepter is mentioned four times but nowhere else in the Bible (Esther 4:11, 5:2, 8:4). 6) Esther was taken to the king in the month of Teves (Esther 2:16). Haman arranged the lottery in Nissan (Esther 3:7). Mordechai's letters allowing the Jews to destroy their enemies were sent in Sivan (Esther 8:9). 7) Achashverosh killed his wife Vashti upon the advice of Memuchan (Haman), and later killed Haman upon the words of his wife Esther. 8) The first verse of the Megillah states that Achashverosh ruled over 127 provinces. The first verse of Parshat Chaye Sarah states that Sarah lived for 127 years (Genesis 23:1). 9) It pleased Achashverosh to execute Vashti and to send letters declaring that every man should dominate his household (Esther 1:21). Achashverosh was also pleased by the idea of choosing a new queen (Esther 2:4). Haman was pleased to make gallows to hang Mordechai (Esther 5:13).

The Choice of Adar Purim teaches us to appreciate the world's awesome beauty, amidst so much chaos and horror. (By Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller)

Everyone knows that the Jewish year begins in Tishrei, with Rosh Hashana. But surprise, surprise -- there are actually two ways of calculating the order of our calendar. The more

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familiar version follows the calculations made by Hillel the Elder in the Talmudic era, and refers to the months by their Babylonian names -- Tishrei, Cheshvan, etc. The other method is that used by the Torah itself. The Torah text does not assign names to the months, but rather refers to the "first month," "second month," etc. The "first month" is Nissan, featuring Passover, the anniversary of our liberation from Egypt. In the other calendar, Nissan would be the seventh month! Jews seem to have a knack for complicating things. Actually, it is the natural result of looking at things deeply. From that perspective, something fascinating emerges from the two ways we count time: Tishrei is the month that marks the creation of mankind. For us mortal beings, this is the central event of human history. Thus, Tishrei is the first month. G-d, however, sees things from a different angle. As expressed by His Torah, the emergence of the Jewish nation is the beginning of meaningful history. Thus, Nissan is the first month. Adar, the last month, is often described as the "month of darkness." Through the miracle of Purim, the darkness turned to light. Which brings us to Adar, the month of Purim, the month that directly precedes Nissan. From the Torah's perspective, Adar is the last month of the Hebrew calendar. Adar is often described as the "month of darkness," because during Haman's time we were closer than ever to suffering total annihilation. The light of Nissan, the light of liberation, could have been extinguished, had Haman's plot succeeded. Through the miracle of Purim, the darkness turned to light. Fish and Fertility

Adar is the Jewish month of good fortune. In fact, Purim is the most joyful time of the entire year. "When Adar arrives, we increase our joy," say the Sages. How did Adar get its well-earned reputation for joy? The astral sign of Adar is the fish (Pisces). Fish are very fertile, and for that reason are seen as a sign of blessing and fruitfulness. The Hebrew

word for blessing is bracha, from the root letters bet, reish, kaff. In Jewish numerology (gematria), the letter bet has a value of 2, reish is 200 and kaff is 20. Each of these is the first plural in their number unit. What this tells us is that the Jewish concept of "blessing" is intertwined with fertility, represented by the fish of Adar. After all, if there is something good, why not let it increase? The opposite of blessing is constraint or limitation. Adar is the month in which Haman threatened to not only limit our presence, but to erase it entirely. But destiny had a different plan. Moshe' Birth and Death

At the time of the destruction of the First Temple, the Jews were exiled to Babylon, which was later ruled by the Persian Empire. This empire eventually included most of the known world, placing the entire Jewish population under Persian authority, regardless of where they lived. Haman, the wicked prime minister of Persia, threw lots and came up with a designated day to make his entire kingdom Judenrein, cleansed of Jews. Haman's "lucky day" was the 13th of Adar. And when he observed that this day came up, seemingly by chance, he rejoiced -- because the 7th of Adar was the day that Moshe died. Moshe was the quintessential Jew; the Sages say that he is equal to the Jewish people collectively -- the head that controls the "body" of the nation, providing it with vision, articulation and direction. To Haman, the lot falling in Adar meant that his plan to destroy everything that Moshe built was bound to succeed. What Haman didn't know, however, was that the same 7th of Adar was also the day that Moshe was born. What Haman presumed would be the day of Jewish national death, turned out to be a day of national rebirth. Humility and the Fish

There is yet more significance to the fish as the astral sign of Adar. Fish live their entire lives underwater, unobserved by the human eye. Our Sages tell us that blessing does not come to something

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that is under close observation, but only to something that is hidden from the eye. This is due to the direct relationship between modesty and blessing. Of course, from a Western view, where fame and success are identical twins, modesty seems inversely related to blessing. The Torah teaches, however, that the cost of all this exposure -- rather than a blessing, i.e. maximizing oneself -- is to risk becoming the sort of person who has no self, other than the mask that is donned in order to be the person that you think others would like to see. Moshe is described in the Torah as "the most humble person." He lived with modesty, and this became engrained in our national Jewish identity. We have always prized humility over pride. For this reason, the fish, the sign of Adar, is the penultimate sign of the Jewish people. Celebration of Hidden Miracles

One might expect the Megillah to be replete with descriptions of the miracle of Haman's defeat, giving credit to the Author of all miracles. Yet what we find is very different. G-d's name is not mentioned even once in the entire narrative. The Megillah is a great dichotomy, where the Hero is always off stage, but yet the most central figure of the entire drama. Of course, not everyone who reads the Megillah will notice G-d's subtle yet compelling presence. The events that He orchestrated are covered with many layers of seeming coincidence, political machinations, natural cause and effect. The Sages refer to this event as a "hidden miracle," meaning that it is within our ability to appreciate the multi-layered reality unfolded before us -- or just as easily to deny it and attribute everything to chance. Which brings us to an important question: Why would G-d simultaneously conceal and reveal His presence? Why not rescue the Jews through a thunder and lightning extravaganza that would merit an MGM movie on the scale of The Ten Commandments? To answer this question, we must first ask a far more fundamental one: Why is the world so complex, so full of apparent contradictions? The world has intricate order and awesome beauty,

yet at the same time there is so much chaos and unspeakable horror. Why? The answer is that the choice is up to us to look deep and acknowledge both aspects of reality. It is tempting to take refuge in superficial simplification, to ignore the cracks in the facade of perfection that we like to see when we look in the mirror. Of course, this requires its own bit of effort, like avoiding the news and ensconcing ourselves in the secure refuge of our comfortable cars and homes. All this entails some major denial. Every so often G-d opens the gates wide enough to give us a message that can sustain us when things seem hopeless. The opposite approach is to take masochistic pleasure in painting the world black. The toll that such people pay in bitterness and jaded cynicism is high, but they feel they are getting something precious in return, which is "seeing things as they are." The problem is that such people are as much in denial of reality as the first group. The Jewish view is to see that chaos and order in fact do co-exist, and that each one has a purpose. We are meant to meet the challenges presented by life's hard side, and to find inspiration in the beauty and joy that we see just as readily when our eyes are open. Every so often G-d opens the gates wide enough to give us a message that can sustain us when things seem hopeless. The message is: "I am here now, as I have been all along, and I will always be here for you. Not just when the sea splits, or when My presence overwhelms you, but when you elect to choose to see Me." And this is the essential message of Purim. It is about making that sort of choice -- the most significant and joyous choice you will ever make. Purim Practices

1) We read the Megillah twice, both at night (to celebrate the faith that we found in the midst of darkness) and during the day (to celebrate the fact that our faith was validated openly and joyously). 2) We give two kinds of food to at least one friend. This gift is not meant to alleviate need,

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but rather to create unity. We celebrate being part of a people who lives on miracles. 3) We give money to the poor. This spreads the pleasure of feeling cared for, and opens the hearts of both giver and recipient. 4) We strengthen our belief in G-d's presence in the real world by having a whopper of a feast. Invite all your friends. Wear a costume to celebrate the fact that things are not always as they seem. Drink until you are so intoxicated that you recognize there are no longer heroes and villains -- just characters in G-d's unending play that reveals His love and presence.

Recipe Corner Purim Bread

Moroccan Jews bake a special type of bread in honor of Purim, called “Einei Haman” or “Haman’s eyes.” The custom is to distribute this delicacy for mishlo’ach manot as well. The bread is adorned with almonds and unpeeled hardboiled eggs. The eggs are sunken into the

dough and held down by two strips of dough in an X shape.

Ingrediants: 2 tablespoons dry yeast

1 tablespoon salt

2 ¼ cups lukewarm water

9 1/4 cups flour

½ cup sugar ½ cup oil 4 eggs beaten Directions: Dissolve the yeast in the water with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Beat well and leave 10 minutes, until it froths. In a very large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Then add the salt, sugar, and oil and beat again. Add the frothy yeast mixture and beat well. Now add the flour gradually, and just enough to make a soft dough that holds together, mixing well, first with a large spoon, then working it in with your hands. Knead vigorously for about 15 minutes, until it is very smooth and elastic, adding flour if the dough is too sticky. Pour a little oil in the bowl and turn the dough, so that it is greased all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place to rise for 2-3 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and knead again, then divide into four pieces to make 4 loaves. To make round challah: Take 1 piece of dough, roll it between your palms, and pull it out into a long fat rope 18 Take the fatter end and put it in the middle of an oiled baking sheet, then coil the rest of the rope around it like a snail. Continue with the remaining pieces. Put you boil egg in the middle do an x on top if you’ll like. Put in the oven to bake.

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