בס׳׳ד
Chabad of Los Alamitos
Chabad Magazine PURIM 5782
A LITTLE NOSH FOR THE SOUL
Magical Purim Party Wednesday, March 16 at 7pm
{FROM THE RABBI’S DESK} Dear Friend, I wait all year for the joy of Purim. Sure, I look forward to reading the Scroll of Esther, the festive meal, tasty baskets of foods, and the gifts we give to the poor. Yet, there is something in the colorful story of Queen Esther and how a string of seemingly natural events led to one of the most significant victories in Jewish history that is relatable and seems to speak to me personally. DEDICATED TO THE LOVE AND INSPIRATION OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE
This magazine is made possible by:
bluemark.com
stonelain.co
limestonedigital.com
Don't we all struggle with darkness and Haman-like characters that try to bring us down? To me, Purim is that unexpected moment in our lives when G-d somehow transforms a dark situation into incredible light. The story of Purim doesn't have an open miracle like the splitting of the sea or oil that burns for eight days. Instead, natural events that lead to bitter sadness ultimately end in intense joy. That's why Purim is that unique Jewish holiday termed the Happiest Day of the Year! This magazine is our way of sharing that joy.
SRDesign
reddoorcp.com
Published by Chabad of Los Alamitos 12340 Seal Beach Blvd. #219 Seal Beach, CA 90740 (714) 828-1851 www.ChabadLosAl.com
You'll find the perfect How-To Celebrate Purim with our step-by-step guide and plenty of meaning and inspiration in all of our traditions. Please RSVP to join www.MyJewishClub.com.
us
for
Purim
Sincerely,
Rabbi Shmuel and Bluma Marcus Executive Director, Chabad of Los Alamitos
DIRECTORS: Rabbi Shmuel and Bluma Marcus EDITOR IN-CHIEF: Bluma Marcus EDITOR: Rabbi Shmuel Marcus DESIGN: Carasmatic Design COVER ARTWORK: Marc Lumer & Miri Rooney ARTWORK: Yehuda Lang
CREATE A LEGACY PUT CHABAD OF LOS ALAMITOS IN YOUR WILL
COPY EDITOR: JewD Fields
©2022 by Soulwise Magazine. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce any portion of This magazine in any form, without prior written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages. Printed in the USA
Purim 5782 / 2022
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PLANNED GIVING PLEASE CONTACT RABBI MARCUS AT (714) 828-1851.
festivities
by
visiting
A LETTER from
Queen Esther Dear People of Mine,
When I was a young girl (circa 4th Century BCE) the Persian
Empire basically ruled the world. King Ahasuerus ruled over 127 lands, and all the Jews were his subjects. In the third year to his rule, King Ahasuerus threw a massive party, got drunk, and had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders. After that, I heard about a beauty pageant to find the new queen. I was a modest Jewish girl named Esther, I had no interest in the TikTok or Instagram of the day. I lived a very private life with my cousin Mordechai. Yet, somehow, I won the beauty contest and would become the new queen. On my way to the palace, my cousin told me not to divulge my nationality. There was no kosher food for me in the palace and I survived on seeds. Although I was queen, I quickly learned that I needed an appointment to see the king. Meanwhile, the Jew-hating Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. My cousin Mordechai, the leader of the Jews, refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed, and he convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar, a date chosen by a lottery Haman made. It was a scary time to be Jewish, as there was absolutely nowhere to run. I instructed Mordechai to galvanize the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray. Meanwhile, I asked the king and Haman to join me for a feast. At a subsequent feast, I revealed
to the king my Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies. On the 13th of Adar, the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar, they rested and celebrated. In the capital city of Shushan, they took one more day to finish the job. Purim means “lots” in ancient Persian. The holiday was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme. I wrote the full story of what happened in what’s called the Megilah or Scroll of Esther. I asked that all Jews observe Purim by doing the following 4 things: 1) Read the Megilah (Scroll of Esther). This is done once on the eve of Purim and then again on the following day. 2) Give money gifts to at least two poor people. 3) Send gifts of two kinds of food to one person. 4) Enjoy a festive Purim meal, which often includes wine or other intoxicating beverages. By order of the queen, I bless you with a Happy Purim! Yours truly,
Esther D Purim 5782 / 2022
how-to
PU RIM
Shabbat, Adar 9 / march. 12 PARSHAT ZACHOR
Do Not Forget: The Shabbat before Purim is called Zachor, because Zachor means to remember, and the Torah commands us to “Remember to blot out the name of Amalek.” Haman (a great grandson of Amalek) is blotted out with graggers while reading the Megilah on Purim.
Wednesday, Adar 13 / March 16 FAST OF ESTHER
Ta'anit Esther is observed as a fast day in commemoration of the fast observed by Mordechai, Esther, and all Israel. On the thirteenth of Adar, the enemies of the Jews had planned to subjugate and destroy them, but the opposite occurred, and the Jews held dominion over their enemies. "The Jews gathered in their cities..." Unlike Yom Kippur, this fast is a custom, therefore, if you have any health issues or you are living through a pandemic, contact your Rabbi for guidance.
Purim Night - Wednesday, Adar 14 / March 16
Purim 5782 / 2022
HALF SHEKEL
HEAR THE MEGILAH
It is customary to give three half dollars to charity. This custom is in memory of the half shekel given by Jews in Temple times. This biblical tax supported the supply of Divine offerings used in the Temple service. Spiritually, the half shekel reminds us that G-d Himself is our other “half,” and He completes us by making us His partners in perfecting creation. The sages advise us to give three half shekels since the Hebrew word terumah donation, and the words "half a shekel," are mentioned three times in the Torah.
Head to your local Chabad for (an outdoor) reading of the whole Megilah. The Megilah, a.k.a. “The Book of Esther,” is the scroll that tells the Purim story. In her letter to the Jews, Queen Esther asked that we listen to the reading of the Megilah twice: once on Purim night, and again on Purim day. Custom: When Haman’s name is mentioned (Chabad custom is that this is only when it is accompanied with a title), you can twirl graggers (noisemakers) or stamp your feet to eradicate his evil name.
purim day - Thursday, Adar 14 / March 17
the 4 mitzvot of purim MEGILAH
CHARITY
GIFTS OF FOOD
FESTIVE MEAL
The Megilah, a.k.a. “The Book of Esther,” is the scroll that tells the Purim story. In her letter to the Jews, Queen Esther asked that we listen to the reading of the Megilah twice: once on Purim night, and again on Purim day.
Give money (or food) to at least two needy people during the daylight hours of Purim. This mitzvah obviously brings joy to the poor and, surprisingly, you will notice that the giver also experiences intense joy by giving. So, give joy to get joy.
Send a package containing at least two different readyto-eat food items and/or beverages (e.g., pastry, fruit, beverage) to at least one Jewish acquaintance during the daylight hours of Purim. Men send to men, and women to women.
Enjoy a festive Purim meal with challah or bread, celebrate with good food and fine wine. Note: On a year when Purim falls on a Friday, and out of deference to the approaching Shabbat, we start the meal earlier, ideally before midday.
Dress up! On Purim, children—and some adventurous adults too—traditionally dress in costumes, an allusion to G‑d’s vailed hand in the Purim miracle, which was hidden behind natural events.
Special Prayers On Purim, we include the brief V’al Hanissim section in all the day’s prayers, as well as in the day’s Grace after Meals. This prayer describes the Purim story and thanks G‑d for the “miracles, redemptions, mighty deeds, saving acts and wonders” that He wrought for our ancestors on this day many years ago.
Friday, Adar 15 / March 18 SHUSHAN PURIM If you live in a ancient walled cities—Jerusalem is the primary example—Purim is again observed on the 15th of Adar. This is to commemorate the fact that in the ancient walled city of Shushan, the battles between the Jews and their enemies extended for an additional day.
Purim 5782 / 2022
Inside the M
y grandmother Rosa came from Russia with only memories and recipes. She, and my grandfather Jakob, somehow survived Europe's 1930's and arrived at Ellis Island in 1946. I always knew what time of year it was from the smells coming from her small Brooklyn kitchen. It was easy to sense the round raison challahs browning in the oven before the Jewish New Year. We all knew Chanukah was coming when we caught a whiff her signature latkes. As the seasons changed and New York's snow started to melt back into rain, Bubby would spread a large plastic sheet over the kitchen table and start rolling out a thin cookie dough. What started out as the size of a small tennis ball was soon as large and round as a full size pizza. But more importantly, that dough was paper thin. I would watch as she used a wine glass to cut perfect circles in the dough. Bubby was not a
Purim 5782 / 2022
Hamantash drinker, and those poor wine glasses waited all year for this moment. Off to the side was the same filling she used every year, poppy seeds. With a teaspoon and a lot of love, she gently served each circle a dose of poppy seeds before closing them into a triangle. And that was it. Bubby's hamantashen would cheerfully announce the arrival of Purim. As I grew older, and television went from black and white to color, so did Bubby's hamantashen. First, the bright red cherry jelly came along, then the flavorful orange apricot. The old black and white poppy seed hamantash was over. Just imagine how far we've come—I recently met a kid who had a raspberry chocolate chip hamantash! Honestly, the classic hamantash was always filled with poppy seeds. Indeed, the very word “haman” can either refer to the wicked Haman or poppy seeds (mohn), and the Yiddish word “tash” means pocket. Thus, “hamantashen” means “poppy-seedfilled pockets!” This is in line with the classic explanation given in the Code of Jewish Law for eating hamantashen on Purim: Some say that one should eat a food made out of seeds on Purim in memory of the seeds that Daniel and his friends ate in the house of the king of Babylon, as the verse states, “And he gave them seeds.” But what in the world does Daniel eating seeds have to do with Purim? The Talmud explains that Hatach, Queen Esther’s faithful messenger, and one of the lesser-known heroes of the Purim story, is a pseudonym for none other than Daniel. Furthermore, as we read in the Purim story, when Esther was in the
By Shira Gold
king’s palace, she kept her identity secret. The Talmud explains that since the food was unkosher, she survived on various beans and seeds. It is in commemoration of both Daniel and Esther that there is a custom to eat beans and seeds on Purim. The way this custom is traditionally observed is by eating pastry pockets, a.k.a. tashen filled with mohn, poppy seeds. In addition to the classic reason for hamantashen, many other explanations have been offered to explain this custom. Indeed, just about every aspect of this treat is laden with symbolism. Here are some explanations given.
The Weakening of Haman “Tash” in Hebrew means “weaken.” Thus, the hamantash celebrates the weakening of Haman and our wish that G‑d always saves us by weakening our enemies.
Hidden Messages During the Purim story, Mordechai sent numerous letters to his followers, warning them of the impending doom. Afraid to send the letters by conventional routes lest their enemies intercept them, he sent the letters hidden inside pastries. In commemoration of this, we eat pastries with a filling.
Hidden Sweetness The hidden hand of G-d is a major theme of Purim. G‑d's protection and blessings are ever present. However, sometimes, like in the story of Purim, the hand of G-d is hidden, operating in a behind-the-scenes fashion. To celebrate this idea we eat hamantashen with filling that is hidden within the dough. •
{recipe}
Classic Hamantashen By Fleishigs Magazine Pick up a copy at your local Kosher supermarket, Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble. Give the gift that keeps on coming or subscribe for yourself at www.fleishigs.com.
INGREDIENTS Dough: 3 cups flour 1⁄2 cup sugar 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup frozen non-dairy margarine 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons water Filling: Use the traditional fillings of poppy, apricot or prune or use your favorite flavors of preserves.
PREPARATION 1. Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse processor three or four times. Cut margarine into tablespoons and add to the flour mixture. Pulse several times until mixture resembles small crumbs. 2. Beat egg with vanilla and two tablespoons of water. Turn on the food processor and pour liquid through the feeding tube. Dough will form in less than a minute.
Add one tablespoon more water if the mixture seems too dry. Scrape dough onto a sheet of wax paper. Wrap well and chill for several hours or up to two weeks.
ASSEMBLY 1. Allow dough to return to room temperature before rolling. Cover cookie sheets with parchment. Preheat oven to 375° F. 2. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface. Divide dough in thirds. Take one portion and roll out until it is about 1/8th inch thick. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter. Place about 1 teaspoon desired filling towards the top of the circle. 3. Fold over the top and two sides to form a triangle. Pinch corners together and place carefully on cookie sheet. Repeat process until all the dough has been used. 4. Combine scraps and roll again to produce a few more hamantashen. Before baking, seal corners by pinching them together with water. 5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until hamantashen are lightly browned. Cool completely before eating or freezing. •
This page was co-sponsored by the Handicap Ski Association. Logo created by SRDesigns
Purim 5782 / 2022
President/Project Manager
562-233-9934 alan@solarwholesalegroup.com ·
Now offering BATTERY BACKUP for your home
·
Save up to 40% off of your electric bill per year with ZERO DOWN
·
PROTECT YOURSELF from rate increases
·
26% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT AVAILABLE NOW!
·
Long Beach Local & Jewish Community member 30+ yrs
·
$500 donation to Chabad Los Al (or non-profit choice) for your completed project.
www.solarwholesalegroup.com
Resort Style Senior Living!
Westmont of Cypress
I N F O R M AT I O N C E N T E R
NOW OPEN! Westmont of Cypress is a full-service luxury senior living community offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care. Ask about our Founder’s Club!
SAVINGS UP TO $5,000!* OPENING SOON IN 2021! CALL TODAY!
RCFE: #306005908 *Terms & Conditions Apply
(619) 320-6550 4931 Katella Ave, Los Alamitos, CA 90720
www.westmontofcypress.com
o s g in h ot n is t e er ar e h T h en k o br a s a L e ol h wM
By Sara Esther Crispe, reprinted with permission from Chabad.org
W
hen I was a teenager, I used to have a book of quotes. It was orange, with lined white paper, and the cover was decorated with colorful puffy paint of peace signs and hearts. I started writing in it at the age of 14, and by the time I was 17, it was completely full. I took this book with me everywhere I went and hid it in a secret spot so that my younger siblings wouldn't find it. I would copy over poems, bumper stickers, or billboard messages anything that moved or inspired me. When I was looking through old things, I recently found this book. I was flipping through, reminiscing at the passages that tugged at my heart and soul, when I found one that completely astounded me. For the life of me, I can't figure out where I would have seen this quote or what I thought it meant at the time, but clearly, the seed was planted many years before this quote would become even more relevant in my life. The statement was from Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, a Chasidic Rebbe, long before I had ever heard the word "Chasidic." I had written the quote on its own page, for I must have intrinsically felt its importance. It read: "There is nothing so whole as a broken heart." When I saw these words, they shook me to my core. While I can't figure out what it meant to me then or how I understood it, I know what it means to me now. Our wholeness, our completeness, is a process. And part of that process is allowing ourselves to feel and be vulnerable enough to be broken. If we have never been broken, we can never be whole. I love that. I need that. Willingness to acknowledge our mistakes, the pain we caused, and our missed opportunities can be challenging. It is so much easier to just close that door and tell ourselves we are just focusing on moving forward. But if we want our future to be different than our past, we better take a long and hard look at it, learn from those mistakes and commit to not making them again. Looking back is the best way to ensure that the past remains there and does not follow us into our present. Living with a broken heart is hard because we wouldn't be growing or developing if it wasn't. And it hurts, but that is the point. It is not that we want the pain or ask for it, but it makes us who we are, and if utilized correctly, makes us better because of it. Purim 5782 / 2022
I can't even begin to remember what heartache I must have experienced at fifteen when I wrote down that quote. It must have been pretty painful, though, if the words of a broken heart moved me and connected to me. And I bet if you asked me then, I would have believed that the pain was something I never would forget, and probably something I never would get over. But I did. And at the same time, it changed me. That 15-year-old is part of who I am today. And what that 15-year-old saw and related to still moves me and even defines me to a point. Those words still inspire me today, reminding me that whatever pain I currently experience will one day be lessened. Still, the lesson from that pain will remain with me forever. For those words are so true: "There is nothing as whole as a broken heart." • >> Sara Esther Crispe, a writer, inspirational speaker and mother of four, is the co-director of Interinclusion, a nonprofit multi-layered educational initiative celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom. Prior to that she was the editor of TheJewishWoman.org.
The Book of Esther From a Classic and Chasidic Perspective
J
Interpretive Translation
J
Commentary from Talmud, Midrash and Chasidut
J
Intuitive Design
J
Original Artwork
J
Deluxe Gift Edition in Leatherette with 225 Gilded Pages
J
From Rabbi Yosef B. Marcus compiler of Kehot's acclaimed Tehillim, Haggadah and Pirkei Avot!
kehot.com | 877-4-Merkos
JEWISH? By Rabbi Naftali Silberberg
The word Jew has a unique history and meaning behind it. The Scroll of Esther’s Jewish leader is called “Mordechai the Jew.” So we thought this would be a good time to analyze the word itself. What does “Jew” really mean?
Purim 5782 / 2022
W
hat is the significance of the name "Jew"? Where does the word come from, and what does it mean? The word Jew (Yehudi in the Hebrew) is a derivative of the name Judah (Yehudah), Jacob's fourth son; hence calling someone by this name would seemingly imply that the person is a descendant of that particular tribe. However, Jacob had twelve sons, progenitors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, all of whom comprise our great nation. Why, then, is the entire Israelite nation known as "Jews"? (The conventional answer to this question is that most Jews today are descendants from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin-—the two tribes which comprised the "Kingdom of Judea." The other ten tribes, the "Northern Kingdom," were exiled to unknown lands. However, there's a deeper reason for this name and why "Jew" is the name that describes us. Perhaps we can gain insight by analyzing the first individual dubbed "Jew." The first instance of this word appears in the biblical Book of Esther, which chronicles the story of Purim: "There was a Jewish man in Shushan the capital, whose name was Mordechai the son of Yair... a Benjaminite" (Esther 2:5). That's right: the first "Jew" was actually from the tribe of Benjamin! The entire incident develops from this "Jew" and his refusal to bow to Haman. Mordechai was an elderly rabbi who recalled days when the Holy Temple stood in Jerusalem, and Torah Law was supreme. But things had changed dramatically. The people of Israel were now in exile. So why would Mordechai risk putting his entire nation in danger of extinction by slighting the king's favorite minister? Mordechai, however, had a famous precedent supporting his actions. An influential Egyptian ruler wished to take his ancestor, Benjamin, as a slave many years earlier. Benjamin's brother Judah wouldn't hear of such a possibility. So, in what would be his proudest and most defining moment, Judah completely ignored all royal protocol, angrily approached the powerful ruler – who, unbeknownst to him, was actually their brother Joseph – and threateningly demanded Benjamin's release.
Judah embodies the exiled Israelite who must walk a thin line. Although Judah must live peacefully with his neighbors, follow local laws, and "pray for the peace of the regime," he dares to stand up against all the powers that be to defend his ideals. In the words of Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch, "Only our bodies were sent into exile; not our souls!" Mordechai "the Jew" was a proud student of his great-uncle Judah. He knew that Jewish law forbids a Jew from bowing to Haman (and the statuette which dangled from a chain around his neck), and for him, that was the final word. Indeed, Mordechai was vindicated, and we have the holiday of Purim today due to his brave conduct. Leading by example, Mordechai succeeded in implanting this sense of pride in the hearts of the masses. When Haman issued his decree of destruction, not one Israelite even considered abandoning his religion to escape Haman's plot. At that moment, we all became "Jews." Accordingly, the Book of Esther is the first place where our nation as a whole is referred to as Jews. The name stuck. Because the next 2,500 years would repeatedly test our "Jewishness." Under countless regimes – both friendly and, as was usually the case, hostile – we struggled against friends and enemies who wished to impose their will upon us at the expense of our relationship with G‑d. Yet, again and again, we proved ourselves true to G-d, earning the name Jew through oceans of blood and tears. The grand story of history concludes similarly to the Purim story: we are here to tell the tale, and our enemies aren't. In a way, the joy of Purim is more significant than any other holiday because it tells the story of the nation that never allowed its soul to be shackled—the story of the Jew. •
AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE PROVED OURSELVES TRUE TO G-D, EARNING THE NAME JEW THROUGH OCEANS OF BLOOD AND TEARS.
>> Rabbi Silberberg resides in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Chaya Mushka, and their children.
Purim 5782 / 2022
Rethinking
CHARITY
A uniquely Jewish view of the gift that keeps giving By Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson
Purim 5782 / 2022
T
he Code of Jewish Law stipulates that: "Everyone is obligated to give charity. Even people supported by the charity must contribute from what they receive." This law seems radical on the one hand and absurd on the other. It is revolutionary because it demands a man so poor as to need handouts to assist others in need. The pauper is obligated to become a philanthropist even as he is the subject of philanthropy! And absurd in that effectively, this law obligates the wealthy to provide the poor with enough money not only to live but to give! If the pauper donates some of the donations he receives, he's left with less and automatically needs more. This instance is one example of Judaism's profound departure from conventional moral thought. Your typical code of ethics would not only exempt the poor man from giving charity, but it would also forbid him from doing so. The pauper's "generosity" only comes at the expense of his benefactor and solidifies his dependency on support. Besides, since when does giving charity qualify as one of life's necessities, why include that in the rich man's moral obligation towards the poor? It's here that the Torah redefines the thing we call charity. The kabbalists teach that G‑d was looking to exercise and express His kindness before creating our world. But you can't do charity with yourself; it's like taking money from one pocket and putting it in another. So He created the world and its inhabitants to give, making us beneficiaries of the first known act of charity, making man a taker by birth. Herein lays the novelty of the Biblical verse, which tells that "G‑d created us in His image." As He is essentially a giver, so are we. While G-d created us to take his kindness, we were created in His image, leaving us with an inherent need to give. It's part of our spiritual and moral makeup and necessary to keep up our (divine) image. The moment we stop giving, parts of us stop living. Giving then is not a luxury but a necessity of life. Giving is not about what we do; it's about who we are; it's part of our definition. Reaching out, then, is reaching in.
Consequently, since giving charity means providing a poor man's needs, and giving charity so happens to be one of them, denying him that necessity of life is like denying him life itself. How wrong it would be to let a pauper lose touch with his inner self, even if only for a short period, and how right it is, then, to include the wherewithal to give charity in his aid package. In Judaism, giving is not just a hobby, repaying a debt to society, or even just the good or right thing to do; it is, rather, part of what makes us tick, like nutrition, energy, and oxygen. In ways, it's even more than those, for they contribute to the physical element of us that comes and goes, while the charity and good deeds we do give birth to the part of us that lives on forever in the memories of our beloved, contributing to the collective human legacy of giving. So although sometimes we are forced to take to live, giving is life itself. •
Giving then is not a luxury but a necessity of life. Giving is not about what we do; it's about who we are; it's part of our definition. Reaching out, then, is reaching in.
>> Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson is the rabbi of Beit Baruch and executive director of Chabad of Belgravia, London, where he lives with his wife, Chana, and children.
Purim 5782 / 2022
The Insane Power of the
based on the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe By Ben Sherman Haman the evil villain of the Purim story is hated for much more than just his diabolical plan to abolish the Jews. On Purim, it is important to know Haman's backstory, so we can identify the Haman in our own lives. We did research into Haman’s history, and discovered the invisible force that holds us back in life. Grab your gragger and let's get started.
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW The hatred in Haman's heart has its roots in events that occurred centuries earlier. Let's flashback to the Jews as they were leaving Egypt. News of the ten miraculous plagues and the splitting of the sea had spread across the region. Moses was untouchable and unstoppable in his march towards the Promised Land. Everything was going well, until the nation of Amalek attacked the Jews. Although Moses won the war, the Jews lost the status of untouchable. (G-d would blame Amalek for this attack and every future attack waged against the Jews. The Torah commands us to never forget Amalek.) Two generations later, the Prophet Samuel directed King Shaul to capture Agag, King of Amalek, and eventually Samuel killed Agag. Yet, Agag was able to father a child while in captivity, and that child was Haman's great grandfather. Haman was a living, breathing, descendant of Amalek. Apparently, everyone knew that Mordechai and Esther were scions of the royal family of Shaul, the first king of Israel. Now, it was personal. Haman would repay Shaul for the capture and killing Agag, by killing Mordechai and the Jews. Was it just revenge? Or is there more to the flashback? “Remember what Amalek did to you...as you came forth from Egypt, how he encountered you on the way and cut down all the weak who straggled behind you.” Purim 5782 / 2022
The Midrash explains that the Hebrew word "korcha" (“he encountered you”) can also be rendered as “he cooled you off.” Amalek represents the cold rationality which makes us question everything we do or experience. The untouchable nation that had brought down the mighty Pharaoh, was faced with a new enemy: Doubt and fear. Spiritually, Amalek pierced our sense of security, inflicting us with negative thoughts and doubts. Haman and Amalek are your most dangerous enemy because they get into your head. As a result of this, the Jews were commanded, "When G‑d will relieve you of all your enemies... blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” When it comes to doubt, you need to get rid of it totally. If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it may smolder, a fire will eventually break out. Jewish self-doubt must be crushed completely. (Boo!!) (Naturally, the numerical value of Amalek is the same as the Hebrew word safek “doubt.”)
HAMAN'S DIAGNOSIS Why would Amalek attack a nation that just turned the great Nile into blood and had recently walked through a raging sea? Why would Amalek start a war they knew they would lose? To truly appreciate the Haman and Amalek condition we need to examine the Jewish condition they so fiercely reacted to.
THE FORCE OF THE IRRATIONAL The Jewish people showed their true colors when they declared, Naaseh VeNishma — “We will do, and we will listen.” This happened at the foot of Mount Sinai as G-d was offering the Torah. Without reading the fine print at all, the Jews said “We will do,” referring to the desire to carry out G‑d’s will, and later “we will listen,” referring to understanding what and why. By proclaiming “We will do,” before “we will listen,” our ancestors implied that they would fulfill G‑d’s will without hesitation or doubt, whether they understood it or not. You could say, we were crazy about being Jewish. The Jewish condition is an irrational love and commitment to G-d and the Torah. Sadly, this unique quality has a very dark flip side and enemy. Amalek's hatred and dedication to destroy the Jews is irrational, and they will happily wage a losing battle. You could say, Amalek hates for no reason, similar to when we have non-rational fears and doubts. The persistent Haman in our life is our non-rational hesitation to doing the right thing.
The only way we can connect with an infinite G‑d is by actualizing a potential within ourselves that is similarly unbounded.
THE SUBPLOT Now the Purim subplot comes to life. The ugly pull of irrational hatred, the desire to kill a people for no reason, can only be won with irrational dedication. Approaching Jewish life with reason alone is flawed. The only way we can connect with an infinite G‑d is by actualizing a potential within ourselves that is similarly unbounded. One of the craziest things we know about Jewish survival, is that there is an insane amount of power in the irrational. The Jew does G-d's work and later asks for the why. This is how we go beyond our limited selves and activate the infinite G‑dly potential of our souls.
PURIM TREATMENT If Haman's condition is irrational hate and baseless ego, than his nemesis is thus irrational dedication and humility. The treatment for this can be called "Yehudi" as the scroll of Esther refers to Mordechai, the ultimate poster child for irrational commitment. The Jewish people are also called Yehudim, a word that shares a common root with Hoda'ah, signifying self-effacing acknowledgment — i.e., serving G‑d with complete dedication. In order to counter Haman's plans, Mordechai and Esther showed a complete and unquestioning commitment to G‑d’s Will, even when challenged by the severest conditions. They encouraged their fellow Jews to turn to G‑d and strengthen their observance of Torah, even while under threat of Haman’s decree. • >> Ben Sherman is a staff writer at Chabad Magazine.
Purim 5782 / 2022
CHABAD OF LOS ALAMITOS 12340 Seal Beach Blvd. #219 Seal Beach, CA 90740 (714) 828-1851 www.ChabadLosAl.com
Non Profit Org U.S. Postage
PAID
Long Beach, CA Permit No. 368
join us for
Community Magical Purim
March 16, 2022 at 7pm Chabad House Rossmoor Food and drink, the whole megila, and the magic of Stoil!
RSVP at www.MyJewishClub.com or text (714) 828-1851