HAFTR Haftorah Purim Edition

HAF

The Silent Lottery

By Sasha Bokor / Class of 2026

When we think of Purim, coincidentally one of my favorite holidays, we tend to think of dressing in costume, the fun activities at HAFTR and, of course, the Jews prevailing over the evil Haman Another big part of Purim are the four main mitzvot of the day; Megillah, Seudah, Mishloach Manot, and Matanot L'evyonim

We do each of these Mitzvot for easily understandable reasons Megillah, to retell the story of Purim, Seudah, to celebrate the Jewish victory, and Mishloach Manot and Matanot L'evyonim to show our Achdut during the time that we prevailed Even the reason for Purim's name seems to be fairly straightforward When Haman tried to destroy us, he cast lots, a Pur This Pur selected the date on which he would destroy the Jews Esther and Mordechai then found out, tried to stop him, and the rest is history But why is Purim named for the method used to select the best day to kill the Jews? Couldn’t a better name be found? Possibly ‘Esther day,’ or ‘Triumph over Persia Day’? In The Queen You Thought You Knew, Rabbi David Fohrman raises this very question.

In the fourth perek of Megillat Esther, Mordechai discovers Haman’s decree, tears his clothes, starts to mourn, and tells Esther what is happening He then asks her to beg Achashverosh to save the Jewish people Esther is reluctant, as she knows that coming before the king without being summoned is punishable by death But even after hearing her hesitation, Mordechai urges Esther to take on the danger and intervene anyway He says, “For if you remain silent at this time rescue will arise for the Jews elsewhere ”

The exact words in Hebrew that are used are, “Im hachareysh tacharishi,” if you remain silent This particular word for

silence, used twice in repetition, is repeated as a double verb in Sefer Bamidbar

There, the context is the process of “hatarat nedarim,” the annulment of vows, and specifically how these laws relate to a young girl, or a “na’arah,” who marries Esther too is referred to as a “na’arah” who marries

The word for “annulling” is “yephierna,” which has the shoresh (root) pei, vav, reish This spells out the word Pur, which takes us back to Purim Rashi explains that even just keeping silent when hearing a vow is enough to show support In the context of Purim, after hearing Haman’s evil plan, Esther does not remain silent Instead, she bravely goes to King Achashverosh With her actions, she annuls the decree of Haman and saves the Jews

Esther didn’t remain silent when she realized that Haman’s decree, sealed by the king's signet ring, could not be repealed. Esther went to Achashverosh, and made a new law with his ring, thereby allowing the Jews to defend themselves Even though Achashverosh would have saved Esther and those close to her, Esther couldn’t help but be concerned for all of Bnei Yisroel, and so she took action to save them Her actions worked to annul (with the root of “Pur”) the evil decree put in place by Haman This is perhaps a better reason for this holiday to be named Purim

This is a wonderful lesson for all of us to learn from the story of Purim, and to keep in mind all the time We can’t just sit back and let things take place around us. We need to get involved and be active In this way, we can annul the bad and strive for the good We must “do” these four Mitzvot of Purim and get involved in our community on Purim and every other day.

D I T O R S

FACULTY ADVISORS

NATE DEUTSCH

MEIR FARKAS

ELISABETH GURTMAN

ABBI KAMMERMAN

ELIANA PERL

SYDNEY SCHNEIDER

HAYLEE SOSHTAIN

The Ongoing Battle

By Ethan Muchnick / Class of 2024

This week we read Parshat Zachor This parsha discusses Amalek’s attack on the Jews at a vulnerable moment when they were still newly freed slaves Amalek's guerrilla armies launched a vicious attack, seeking to shed blood. Hashem commanded us to remember what Amalek did to us and eradicate their memory

However, the nation of Amalek no longer exists How can the Torah, which is eternal, command us to eradicate Amalek when they are no longer a people?

The story of Amalek teaches an important lesson about human history and society As society

evolves, we have seen an increase of national civility and sensitivity In fact in modern times, abusive institutions like slavery have been reduced or eliminated, and discriminatory attitudes are frowned upon. However, this does not mean that evil does not exist in the world

The story of Amalek reminds us that evil will always exist and threatens humanity It also reminds us that part of the Jewish mission is to oppose and defeat evil The Jews serve not only as religious leaders who display exemplary behavior but also as protectors of Hashem’s will and presence When evil forces attempt to erase Hashem's

presence, the Jews must stand tall and defeat those forces This reminder is important as it shows that the battle against evil is continuous and part of the Jewish mission.

The story of Amalek serves as a reminder of the existence of evil and the importance of opposing it We are eradicating the idea and concept of evil behavior The story of Amalek serves as a constant reminder of the ongoing battle against evil, making it a meaningful part of our history.

urim urim urimtrivia trivia trivia

By Meir Farkas / Class of 2023

Esther’s other name? is Hashem’s name men

vot are there on Purim?

ord Purim mean in Per

How many times is one obligated to liste Megillah reading?

How many provinces did Achashverosh rule over?

What was Haman’s wife’s name?

How long did Esther tell Mordechai to tell the Jews of Shushan to fast for?

How were Mordechai and Esther related?

What were Bigtan and Teresh planning to do?

Why do Jews in walled cities celebrate Purim a day later?

Which shevet was Mordechai from?

On what day did Haman make the lot?

Hamantashen get their name from the

Yiddish word meaning?

two 127 Zeresh Three days Cousins Kill Achashverosh

Because in the walled city of Shushan, the Jews took an extra day to defeat the enemy. Binyamin

13th day of Nisan

AROUND THE AROUND THE SCHOOL SCHOOL

The Prime Mishloach Manot: Sending Mishloach Manot through Amazon

By Rabbi Moshe Greene

We live in a time of wonders and modern conveniences Few of us can say that we are not using Amazon to get something or other for our home As we approach our ancient chag of Purim, I would like to pose the question, does one fulfill the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot with a food basket bought and sent by Amazon before Purim that arrives on Purim?

In order to understand this question we need to have a deeper understanding of the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot We find two basic approaches for the reasons for this mitzvah The first approach is the Terumas Hadeshen (Siman 111) He explains that the idea of Mishloach Manot is to ensure that every Jew is taken care of and provided with food for their Purim Seudah The alternate approach is the approach of the Manot Halevy (Esther 9), Rabbi Shlomo

Alkabetz, author of the Piyut of “Lecha Dodi” we say Friday night He explains that the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot is to enhance friendship and camaraderie between fellow Jews by giving two Manot/portions one to the other on Purim

This question is disputed by the Kaf Hachaim (O”C Siman 694:16) and the Aruch Hashulchan (O”C Siman 695:17) The Kaf Hachaim writes that if someone sends Mishloach Manot before Purim and it arrives on Purim then the sender is Yotze the mitzvah. However, according to the Aruch Hashulchan the person is not Yotze The sefer Berurei Halacha (1:32) explains that the dispute between the Aruch Hashulchan and the Kaf Hachaim is based on the dispute between the Manot Halevy and the Terumas Hadeshen The Berurei

Halacha says that the dispute between the Terumas Hadeshen and Manot Halevy affects if the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot is focused on the recipient or is it focused on the sender According to the Terumas Hadeshen, the primary concern is for the recipient to have food for the Seudah, therefore as long as he has the food by Purim the mitzvah is fulfilled

According to the Manot Halevy, the most important point is for joy and camaraderie to be created on Purim, therefore if it is sent before Purim the sender is not experiencing that joy on Purim

We try to be stringent for both opinions We want Purim to be a day where every Jew is taken care of for their Seudah and for everyone to have an opportunity to experience simcha through giving to their friend

A Freilichin Purim!

Tetzaveh Stats (Exodus 27:20 - 30:10)

• 20th of 54 sedras; 8th of 11 in Shmot

• Written on 179 2 lines in a Torah, rank: #33

• 10 Parshiot; 2 open, 8 closed

• 101 pasukim - ranks #35 (#8 in Shmot)

• 1412 words - ranks #35 (#8 in Shmot)

• 5430 letters - ranks #32 (#7 in Shmot)

BY THE

BY

THE BY THENumbers

Mitzvot - 7 mitzvot are found in Tetzaveh;

4 positive and 3 prohibitions

Positive:

1 To have candles constantly lit before Hashem in the Temple (27:20)

2 The Kohanim must wear their priestly garments during service (28:2)

3 The Kohanim must eat the sacrificial meat in the Temple (29:33)

4 To burn incense every day (30:7)

Prohibitions:

1 The Kohen Gadol's breastplate must not be loosened from the Ephod (28:28)

2 Not to tear the priestly garments (28:32)

3 Not to burn anything on the Golden Altar besides incense (30:9)

By Nate Deutsch / Class of 2023

Maftir- Zachor (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)

• 3 pasukim

• 47 words

• 178 letters

• 1 single parsha petucha written on 6 lines in the Torah

Mitzvot - 3 mitzvot are found in the Maftir; 3 positive commandments

1. Remember what Amalek did to the Jewish people (25:17)

2 Wipe out the descendants of Amalek (25:19)

3 Not to forget Amalek's atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt in the desert (25:19)

No Shadow of a Doubt True Simcha

By Kaitlin Pollack / Class of 2024

Every year, on the Shabbat before Purim, we read a special Torah portion from the book of Devarim, in which we are instructed to recall Amalek's sin and drive it from the face of the world We read this portion, known as Parshat Zachor, to commemorate the thwarted plans of Haman (a descendant of Amalek) to destroy all the Jews

The text reads:

“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt; how he met you on the way and cut down all the weak who straggled behind you when you were weary and exhausted; and he did not fear G-d. Therefore, when the L-rd your G-d will relieve you of all your enemies around you, in the Land which the L-rd your G d gives you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven Do not forget”

(Deuteronomy 25:17-19)

What’s interesting about Parshat Zachor, however, is that of the six events which we are commanded to remember each day, only Parshat Zachor is read out loud in shul for everyone to hear It’s quite peculiar for there to be so much emphasis placed on one mitzvah of remembering a nation that doesn’t even exist anymore. What’s the significance?

According to Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, the gematria of the work Amalek is the same as the word Safek or doubt This embodies Amalek; their goal was to tamper with

the pure faith of the Jewish people and the divinely inspired Jewish intellect by infusing a sense of doubt into our thoughts Amalek made an effort to lessen our faith and fervor as we headed toward Har Sinai to receive and embrace the Torah.

Fulfilling this mitzvah is a way to actively fight against Amalek By doing so, one essentially eliminates any doubt and uncertainty that Amalek tried to instill in us, and instead strengthens our faith and the words of Hashem The timing in which we read Parshat Zachor is also critical to our understanding of the Mitzvah

Yes, Haman was a descendant of Amalek, so celebrating Purim is fulfilling that part of the mitzvah, but we accomplish much more than that We go straight from Zachor to Purim: a day of remembering to a day of mitzvot, a day of action. The mitzvot of Purim are related to joy, love for one ' s fellow Jew, and solidarity among our nation These are the most effective weapons against Amalek It is obvious that light will ultimately triumph, and that we may contribute to that victory by performing good deeds. By doing these mitzvot we eliminate the safek that Amalek tried to instill in us, and instead we strengthen our beliefs and our unity as a nation

Chag Sameach!

By Jeffrey Zelmanovich / Class of 2023

It was in the times of Rebbe Dovid of Dinov that the true spirit of Purim came to life. What started out as a perfectly normal Purim day for the Rebbe and his Chasidim turned worrisome Rumor was spreading that Ovdei Kochavim, the nonJews of the city of Dinov, were planning a Pogrom However, unlike Haman, their plan wasn’t as random The men purposely picked the night of Pesach, as each Jew would be at their seder with their entire family around Again, just like any other Purim for Rebbe Dovid, he and his students were on a different level, both spiritually and mentally Despite this rumor, nothing stopped the Rebbe and his Chasidim from doing what needed to be done The Rebbe called out for each of his men to come dance and sing in order to prove a message All the men that he called did as they were told and went to the center of the quarter, where the men who planned the Pogrom would be. With all their might, the Rebbe and his men were dancing and singing like Mashiach had arrived The non-Jews were in shock and realized the holiness of the Jewish people The Rebbe asked the leader of this evil group, “Who hates us, who planned this attack?” He responded, “Certainly not me, and I'm sure the rest of my group didn’t either.” The simcha of the Jews inspired even our enemies to respect and leave our beautiful nation alone Until the end of Purim, this group joined Rebbe Dovid and his Chasidim in dancing One important message that can be gleaned from this beautiful story is that when we are true to our beliefs and proud of our identity, we foster even more respect from the nations around us Oftentimes we may believe that behaving, dressing and acting like the other nations will save us from being hated This story demonstrates the opposite When we gather together and are proud of who we are, without fear, we in turn are understood and respected and in this case even spared from death

ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA RESPONSA RESPONSA

Preparing for Purim at HAFTR begins well before Purim and not just in the classroom

Each year, I have had the unique opportunity of working on the Purim carnival with the fifth grade students The carnival is held on Shushan Purim

Choosing a theme, tracing it through the megillah and then bringing smiles to students' faces in all grades becomes a memorable experience for all Students know that they will work hard; designing games and posters, finding a pasuk in the megillah that describes their game theme, and decorating the gym.

Watching the grade work cohesively to create something spectacular for the rest of the school, and seeing how proud they are of what they created, is the joy I experience as an administrator at HAFTR during the month of Adar

Ms. Tova Zucke r

YaliWerzberg e r

“What unique joy do you experience as an administrator at HAFTR on Purim?”

I love seeing our students in their costumes, excitedly celebrating the miracles and story of Purim today The camaraderie that Purim brings, with people celebrating together, exchanging mishloach manot with friends and faculty, and celebrating megillah together, is particularly heart warming for me

“What has been your favorite student costume that you have seen over the years?”

We have had our fair share of creative costumes over the years, and I am always impressed by those that incorporate current events or creatively combine different topics that students have learned in class

Assistant Principal, Lower School

Assistant Principal, Middle School

ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA

“What unique joy do you experience as an administrator at HAFTR on Purim?”

I enjoy taking a moment to reflect on the fact that the HAFTR children are not only dressing up and having fun on Purim They have been so well prepared for Purim by their rebbeim and morot that they know the story behind WHY they are doing what they do, and that they understand that the holiday is really a chance to thank Hashem for being so good to us.

“What has been your favorite student costume that you have seen over the years?”

A student who came into school dressed up as a fully set shabbos table

RabbiAsherKlei n

“What unique joy do you experience as an administrator at HAFTR on Purim?”

Celebrating Purim with our high school students is especially uplifting and gratifying. Our students fully appreciate the meaningful lessons of Esther and Mordechai’s emunah, courage and heroism in the face of an existential threat to the Jewish people They enthusiastically engage in the performance of the mitzvot, including reading Megillat Esther together and exchanging beautiful, delicious mishloach manot with friends, classmates and teachers And they fully embrace the jubilant nature of this chag, with wonderful costumes and warm camaraderie that enhance the joyful celebration of every member of the HAFTR High School community

“What has been your favorite student costume that you have seen over the years?”

Over the years, I have loved students’ costumes that reflect social commentary in a creative and good-natured way

s. Naomi Lippma

Mashgiach Ruchani, Lower and Middle School

Principal, HAFTR High School

ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA ADMINISTRATION RESPONSA

“What unique joy do you experience as an administrator at HAFTR on Purim?”

The miracle of Purim led Klal Yisrael to recommit their devotion to Hashem and His Torah - na ' ase v 'nishma Overcoming any challenge requires sincere dedication and persistence For the Jews living in the kingdom of Achashverosh, that manifested in their renewed faith in Hashem through acts of teshuva and tefillah After the nearly catastrophic decree was removed Klal Yisrael was reinvigorated as they reconnected b'achdut performing the mitzvot of Purim Ultimately, this resulted in genuine feelings of simcha, happiness, elevating the Jewish people to a level of contentment that was unique and everlasting Serving as an administrator in HAFTR, I have witnessed many students dedicate themselves to their goals, overcoming challenges with incredible persistence and motivation Purim is about fostering the spirit of joy in our lives and we are grateful for our students' passionate determination and commitment which has enabled them to reach their potential while enhancing the feeling of true simcha around us

“What has been your favorite student costume that you have seen over the years?”

When students dress up like their teachers and faculty members we are always impressed with their creativity and respectful humor Our students’ admiration for their teachers is on display as they emulate them and perhaps aspire to be in their shoes one day!

“What unique joy do you experience as an administrator at HAFTR on Purim?”

I always enjoy when my talmidim would come over to my house and bring mishloach manot on Purim. It is so special to sit down and sing with them and enjoy those great, genuine, out-of-school moments with them

“What has been your favorite student costume that you have seen over the years?”

I always love the costumes that are the two-person costumes like the horse costume with one student being the head and the other the tail

Limudei Kodesh Coordinator

Dr. Josh Wyner

RabbiIra Wallach

Associate Principal, High School

Absence is Present

By Yocheved Kalen / Class of 2025

Parshat Tetzaveh continues with commandments and descriptions of the elements that are necessary for the building and running of the Mishkan There is something very unique that is missing from this parsha Moshe’s name is mentioned in every parsha in the books of Shemot, Vayikra, and Bamidbar The Baal HaTurim on this week’s parsha asks why Moshe

Rabbeinu’s name does not appear in the Sedra

The Baal HaTurim explains that after the Jews sinned with the golden calf, Moshe went up to Hashem to daven for forgiveness When speaking to Hashem, Moshe stated (Shmot 32:32), “And now if You will forgive their sin! But, if not, erase me now from Your book that You have written ” Although

Hashem did forgive Bnei Yisrael, Moshe’s statement left a mark in the Torah. The Baal HaTurim explains, based on the gemara, that when a wise man utters a curse even a conditional curse the curse is destined to be fulfilled This is specifically done for this parsha since the reading of this parsha falls out during the week of the Yahrtzeit [anniversary of the death] of Moshe Rabbeinu

R’ Weintraub offers a deeper explanation to this question The Gemara (Bava Kamma 61a) relates that certain people risked their lives to deliver a new Torah teaching to Dovid HaMelech. Because they risked their lives to do it, their teachings are not taught in their names Why should

they be punished and their names forgotten because of their great devotion to the Torah? R’ Weintraub explains that the omission of their names is not a punishment, rather it is a sign of great accomplishment A person’s name is not coincidental, because the name reflects the person’s soul’s manifestation through his body Thus we find individuals in Tanach who are called by different names on different occasions, reflecting different accomplishments. It follows that when one risks his life for a mitzvah for which he is willing to give up his body, he no longer relates to his name Moshe was willing to give his life for the Jewish People, and he thus didn’t need his name When a person takes that step, only his real essence–the real “You”–remains

By Livana Hofman / Class of 2025

haftorah@haftr.org