Wikigillah

There is an inescapable logic and interconeectedness to the events described in the «Megilas Esther». It so happens that the material world is a reflection of the spiritual worlds. The following is a brief explanation of some basic concepts brought out in the Megillah.
«The King» - the essence of the Infinite Divine light, showing in all the worlds connected with the Creator, as He is.

«King Achashverosh» - a name consisting of two words: «achash» - «silence», which means a very high, undisclosed level of Divine light, «Rosh» - a bitter poisonous grass, a symbol of sin and evil (the lowest level of creation) and the connection of these two words by means of a flow of light from the «top» and its enclothing down below to help the souls of Jews to rise from that level.

«The Royal Palace» - The World of Atzilus.

«The Garden Courtyard of the Royal Palace» - The Gan Eden of the world of Briya.

«Women's House» - Jewish souls in the Gan Eden of the world of Briya.

«Queen Vashti» - the light of the sfira of Malchus of the world of Atzilus, creating «klipot» in the lower world and concealing itself within them (the vital force of the most unclean «klipot»).
«Shushan the capital» - means a concealment of the light of Machus of Atzilus in our lower world full of evil and unclean klipos (Shushan, literally «a rose», there’s a known expression of the Sages - «a rose, hiding in the prickly thorns»).

«Egay» - (from the word «egen», which means the thoughts of the heart prior to the emergence of speech) - an intermediate step between the worlds of Atzilus and Briya. This stage is a downward «mediator» making possible the disclosure of its external dimensions to the lower worlds of creation.

«Egay - King’s eunuch, guardian of women» - the internal goal of this stage is to be a source of light crating Jewish souls ( «women») in the world of Briya ( «The Women’s House ») and provides them with everything necessary.

«Mordechai» - the sfira of «chochma» of Atzilus, the source of self-sacrifice in the name of God, which grants its force to the Jewish people.

«Esther» - the totality of the Jewish souls in exile (Divine Light and Divine forces are hidden in them at this time), the source of the souls is Malchus ( «Queen Esther»), whose root is in the highest levels of the Divine Light.

The name Homan is the embodiment of the Serpent who seduced Chava. This is hinted at by the mention of the Tree of Good and Evil: «…is it form this tree…» (הַמִן העץ... .הָמַן)

The spiritual source of Haman, however, is higher than the Tree of the Good and Evil, above Daas (knowledge). In order to overwhelm this klipah there needs to an involvement of the light from a level above Daas, a level not reachable by consciousness. This is what is meant by “ a tree with a heigt of 50 amos” a hint at the 50 gates of Binah (understanding) connected with the Ein Sof which is above Atzilus.

Ad Lo Yoda

CHAYAV INISH LEVESUMEH B'PURYA
A person must get inebriated on Purim

There are two types of love:

a) there is the love a man has for his friend, which is conditional and goes according to ta'am v'da'as (reason). Because he understands in his mind (da'as) the benefit to himself, he has love for this thing. This ahava is inherently limited according to his degree of appreciation, more or less appreciation (da'as) leads to more or less love.

b) The love of a son to his father, even if his father hits him and gives him rebuke his love remains firm because it is not dependent on his mind (da'as) because he himself doesn't know the reason he loves his father--it is without ta'am v'da'as (reason).

Both kinds of love exist between Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He. The first is not for everyone except one who has a deeply developed knowledge of G-dliness. However the second kind of love is in all Israel, even the rebellious and willful sinners, because, they are called "sons" and they are a chelek Eloka mi'ma'al ("truly a piece of G-dliness from Above"). This love is very concealed in them, in a state of exile, and only through being trodden down by suffering does it get released from concealment.

The avodah (Divine service) which comes from the core ahava doesn't change ever since it's source is the "piece of G-dliness from Above", as it states "I am YKVK, I didn't change", and is called the Tree of Life which lives forever, without change, because he doesn't take his own being into account to see whether it seems to him good or bad, rather all that he sees is that everything is Hashem's G-dly life force, and there is nothing else besides Him, seeing nothing but Hashem. His very existence is nullified before the will of Hashem, which is the level of Mordechai, refined without any impurities, not seeing himself as separate at all from Him and not wanting anything for himself at all since he is considered as nothing before the Ein Sof, baruch Hu (the Endless, blessed is He).

Haman was the total opposite of this, all of his deeds were only to benefit himself like the nations of the world that "all the good they do is for their own aggrandizement." So the gemara asks Where is Haman in the Torah what is his source? The answer: hamin ha'etz, from the tree, meaning the Tree of Knowledge. Haman is the level of Amalek, of whom it is said "when you will be given relief from your enemies...wipe out the memory of Amalek."

First a person needs to know how to love Hashem, and if he wants then to wipe out Amalek, which is the level of "for his own benefit" (i.e., to serve Hashem without any benefit to himself), he won't succeed and the result will be that he won't do any avodah at all. First, he needs to go out of Mitzrayim (Egypt), which refers to the limitations of gashmiyus (physicality), even the limitation of "for his own sake", and afterwards he will wipe out the memory of Amalek.

Amalek attacked Israel when they came out of Mitzrayim, meaning in the middle of the way as they go from limited to unlimited in mind (da'as). This pains Amalek, the level of "for his own sake". Also, the meraglim (spies) mention Amalek, as they wanted to go up to Eretz Yisrael, which is above spacial limitations. This is where Amalek sits and conceals himself.

One who reaches such a level where he perceives G-dliness in everything can transform his heart and can wipe out Amalek, but this requires a tremendous battle. It is preferable to reveal the hidden love within, that he will nullify his will before His will, and so This is why a person is obligated to drink on Purim, meaning "to make others drink" until "ad d'lo yada" ("he doesn't know"), meaning there is no level of da'as, until he doesn't know the difference between "cursed in Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai", which (between them) is the level of Amalek. One who is extraordinarily holy and wise can come to a "complete heart" ("lev shalem") via his da'as, and then to a "desirous soul" ("nefesh chafeitza") as well. This is not the case for one who is not complete, has not perfected his mind (da'as) -- it is impossible to overcome Amalek (i.e., self-interest) other than through joy, which is above da'as... himself as the Good Inclination, basing himself on the rationale of Torah. enters, secrets come out" because wine can reveal the hidden things, just as the wine itself was concealed in the grapes and pressed out from them, so too one who drinks the wine will reveal what is inside him (i.e., this hidden love of Hashem). This is "wine makes joyful the heart of man", since the concealed is brought out to revelation his joy is awakened, because joy is also a revelation of his inner being (pnimiyuso), and thus the entire tochacha (rebuke) is "because you didn't serve Hashem your G-d with joy".

The Fall of Paras and the Coming of Moshiach

Paras refers to Persia (Iran). The sages tell us that before Moshiach comes Paras will fall at the hands of Rome (according to another opinion: Rome falls at the hands of Paras). On an external level, all eyes are on the simmering confrontation around Iran's nuclear development. But the chessboard of world politics is merely the playing out of an internal spiritual drama of the Jewish people. Based on the words of our sages and the teachings of Chassidus, we can understand the inner dimension of the fall of Paras.

I. The Gemara in Yoma 10a

“Rebbi states that Rome is destined to fall at the hands of Persia. Rav states that Persia is destined to fall at the hands of Rome. Question: Can the builders (Paras, who permitted the rebuilding of the Holy Temple) fall before the destroyers (Rome, who destroyed the Temple)? The sages answer: If the King (Hashem) so decrees.”

II. Rabbi Yonasan Eibshetz, ztvk"l (Yaaros Dvash)

“At certain moment the time will come when Moshiach should have already arrived but the redemption has not yet come. The Moshiach will ask how it could be that the time for redemption has arrived and he still undergoes sufferings? The response that he will receive is that he must wait for nine months. Why? In order to wait for the fall of Persia at the hands of Edom, and then the final redemption will come.”

III. Lubavitcher Rebbe, Shabbos Vayeira, 5752

“According to the announcement of the Rebbe, my father-in-law, leader of our generation, Moshiach of our generation, that all areas of our Divine service throughout Golus have been completed and perfected, we are standing ready to greet the righteous Moshiach. This means that all impediments and obstacles have been nullified.”

IV. Mitteler Rebbe, Toras Chaim, Beshallach p.312

“[The level of Moshiach elevates Torah and Mitzvos that are performed to refine the 288 sparks of kedusha that fell]. But there is a second level of mitzvos which is from the essence of performing the mitzvah alone even without intent and reason and secrets at all. Which means [mitzvos performed] not for the sake of tikkun or refinement of the 288 sparks at all, but rather only because He said and His will is done. Because this is the essence, similar to the mitzvos we will do in the time to come which are above the level of refining sparks.

What is the connection between the “decree of the King” that Persia must fall and the Yaaro Dvash that says that when Moshiach should have come we still have to wait for Persia's fall? What is the relevance of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s statement that our divine service is done and the Mitteler Rebbe’s teaching that there is a special level of mitzvos that do not refine sparks at all?

All the Divine Sparks Have Been Elevated

In 5752 (late 1991) the Lubavitcher Rebbe made the astonishing statement: that the divine service of the Jewish people in exile—refining the sparks of kedusha that had fallen into this lowest of worlds—has been completed. Even the tshuva of the Jewish people has been done. The Rebbe himself said that it is completely beyond understanding how Moshiach hasn't come. That was 15 years ago! How much more inexplicable it is today!

This situation fits the description of the Yaaros Dvash (quoted above), that a moment will come when Moshiach should have arrived, but he is still delayed. The reason: we are waiting for the fall of Persia (Paras). In order to understand this, we must understand the spiritual dimension of the nation of Paras.

What is Paras (סרפ)

Every nation in the world (70 distinct entities, according to Torah) is an expression of a different underlying spiritual quality. For example, the nation of Bavel (Babylon) is related to "bilbul"—confusion, the confusion the hinders a Jew's divine service. Yavan (Greece) had their spiritual root in the klipa of chochma, impure wisdom. When the Jewish people were challenged by these nations in the physical world it was a reflection of being challenged by their spiritual sources. When the Jews overcame their spiritual source, these nations fell. So we must ask: what is Paras (Persia/Iran) and what is its spiritual source?

Serving Hashem for Reward

According to Rashi on Bereishis 10:2, Paras is Tiras, the seventh son of Yefes ben Noach. Paras is from the Hebrew root which means reward. As explained in Chassidus, Paras (פרס) is from the word פרוסה meaning a "slice", a fraction of something much greater (a slice of the whole pie). In this case, it refers to the Divine revelation in Gan Eden that results from the sparks of G-dliness that are refined through learning Torah and performing mitzvos.

The neshoma gets tremendous motivation from the spiritual reward it receives for doing mitzvos. We can find evidence of this in the Shema that is recited twice daily: the second paragraph of the Shema mentions reward and punishment for keeping the mitzvos (“I will give the rains in their times”, etc.) whereas the first paragraph does not (instead emphasizing the service of G-d “b’chol ma’odecha”—“with everything you have”). Serving Hashem for spiritual reward is clearly a lower level of divine service, yet as a preliminary stage of development it is completely “kosher”.

Serving Hashem in order to receive spiritual reward is acceptable as a preliminary step, as a Jew trains himself to desire Torah and mitzvos and a life devoted to serving Hashem. But it is not the ultimate goal. The very first chapter of Pirkei Avos, third Mishna, states:

“Antigonus of Socho received the Torah from Shimon the Righteous. He used to say: Be not like servants who minister unto their master for the sake of receiving a reward [p’ras סרפ], but be like servants who serve their master not upon the condition of receiving a reward [p’ras סרפ]; and let the fear (awe) of Heaven be upon you.”

The time comes when the level of serving Hashem for spiritual reward (expressed in the second paragraph of Shema) must give way to the higher level of serving Hashem for its own sake (the first paragraph of Shema). The sages of this Mishna are instructing us not to serve our Master (Hashem) for the "reward", the spiritual revelation that is generated by our divine service in refining sparks of kedusha. This revelation is merely a "slice" (p’ras). The revelation of the essence will only be experienced after the coming of Moshiach and the revival of the dead.

Based on this, we can understand why the fall of Paras precedes the redemption: because as long as our neshomas are enjoying the "slice" of the reward for refining the world through mitzvos, they are distracted, so to speak, and delaying the ultimate goal: the coming of Moshiach and the revelation of the complete essence.

Moshiach Delayed?

The preceding explanation also helps us understand why the Yaaros Dvash describes a time when Moshiach should have already arrived—meaning that the refinement of the sparks of kedusha has been finished and thus Moshiach should come to bring about the elevation of these sparks. Because it is exceedingly difficult for Paras to fall as long as the mitzvos are refining the world and providing divine revelation to the neshomas in Gan Eden. Only when this aspect of reward ends, after the refinement of the world through Torah and Mitzvos has been completed, are neshomas able to properly forget about the reward and instead perform the mitzvos for the sake of the essence of the mitzvah (as described by the Mitteler Rebbe above), which is the level of "only because He said and His will is done". Or, as the sages say in the Mishna, not for a reward but because we have let the fear (awe) of Heaven be upon us.

And from this we can see why the sages in the gemara give the reason for the fall of Paras at the hands of Rome as "if the King so decrees"—if the mitzvos are done simply because they are the decrees of the King, not for a reward, this brings about the fall of Paras!

Why Paras Falls at the Hands of Rome

Why does Paras fall at the hands of Rome? To answer this we need to identify the spiritual dimension of Rome.

Rome is “romemus”, meaning aggrandizement. Chazal tell us that Rome descends from Edom. Edom represents the root of desire. The present fourth and final exile of the Jewish people is in Edom (which includes within it all the previous exiles). As such, Rome and Edom are in opposition to the mission of the Jewish people which is to reveal G-dliness. While the power of Paras, the “kosher” desire to serve Hashem for spiritual reward, had allowed the Jews to rebuild that second Beis Hamikdash, the power of Rome/Edom destroyed it. This is Edom as representing the desire of a Jew’s yetzer hara for worldly pleasures; Rome as manifested in haughtiness and self-aggrandizement.

The Dollar Purim

* This year, 5768 (2008 למניינם) is the last time ever (at least till the year 6,000) that Purim falls on a Friday, in the year of Shemita, leap year, and meshulash (3-day).

* A tremendeous insight, chasdei HaShem, came to my mind regarding the collapse of the dollar value. Dollar in gematria is 240, same as Amalek. For those that see with eyes of Emunah, HaShem is sending us a very clear message. The collapse of the dollar is very very good news -- it is actually the collapse of Amalek.

* Another very interesting reflection is HaRav Tidhar Shlita said that by Purim, the value of a dollar will be worth $3.36, the same gematria value as PURIM!!!

Purim - a lesson in crisis management

The Purim story is unusual in many aspects not the least of which is the way Mordechai and Esther handled the crisis. To set the the scene: a vindictive high government official – Haman, conspires and plots to destroy an entire population. His argument - “there is in our midst a people whose laws are different than anybody else’s…” Thus we have the first “reasoned” argument in history to eliminate an entire nation. Indeed we find that, as explained by the Alter Rebbe, Haman’s problem was not really with all the Jews at the time. His wrath and indignation were directed at those Jews who chose to identify themselves as ‘yehudim’ and indeed this is how Mordechai is referred to in the Megila – “Ish Yehudi”. This in itself is strange because both Mordechai and Esther were from the tribe of Benjamin.

The situation will be understood by first realizing that at that time in Persia a rift had developed within the Jewish people. The majority had come to refer to themselves as “Ivriim” or “Hebrews”; they were well integrated into the Persian society and were for the most part secular. The smaller “orthodox” minority came to be known as “Yehudim”, irrespective of their actual tribe. The name “Yehudi” has the connotation of someone who opposes idol worship. Persia at the time was thoroughly steeped in idol worship of all types and so the Yehudis’ stance, among other things, raised the ire of Haman.

As in all things affecting the Jewish people, what happens on the material plane is a reflection of a higher, spiritual reality. This will help us understand Mordechai’s and Esther’s actions in the wake of Haman’s genocidal decree. By all accounts, Mordechai and Esther were well-connected, influential people, with access to the highest echelons of government. Realistically, they should have immediately contacted all those in positions of power, lobbyists, politicians, etc. to annul or mitigate the decree. Yet we see Mordechai and Esther following a completely different course of action: they put all of their efforts into increasing Torah learning and performing acts of repentance including the three-day fast. The question is why? Why not follow the prescribed, “natural” channels of trying to deal with a crisis situation? Mordechait and Esther had realized that what Haman had in mind was but a reflection of a higher reality, a manifestation of a different layer of creation. They quickly understood that the Jews as a whole were not innocent and thus the first order of business was to remove the spiritual cause of Haman’s decree. That done, the material manifestations of that decree automatically were removed.

And this is the meaning of the special Torah reading of Parshas Ki Seitzei when we read about how Amalek attacked the Jewish people shortly after they left Egypt. In that reading we are instructed, among others things, how Amalek “met you on you way”. The word used for “met” or “chanced” - “korach” has the connotation of “cooling off” as well as of something happening by pure chance. Thus the mandate is clear: a Jew must always be aware that nothing happens by mere happenstance, everything is guided from on high down to the minutest details and this is the lesson Mordechai and Esther brought home during the events of Purim: they reconfirmed that “Purim” (lots) were not coincidental at all but a “pre-planned” event and so to confront that they had to reach beyond the materialistic veneer of life and tap into the true, higher reality whence all things originate.