PURIM 5773/2013
A PUBLICATION OF THE MONTREAL TORAH CENTER BAIS MENACHEM CHABAD LUBAVITCH
JOANNE AND JONATHAN GURMAN COMMUNITY CENTER • LOU ADLER SHUL
MTC has great pleasure in presenting
the MOSAIC’S Holiday Guide Issue
in honour of Purim. ENJOY!
The Story of Purim
The Royal Feast
MONTREAL TORAH CENTER
BAIS MENACHEM
CHABAD LUBAVITCH
Joanne and Jonathan Gurman
Community Center
Lou Adler Shul
The Kenny Chankowsky
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Day Camp Director
Zeldie Treitel
Program Director
Rabbi Zalman Kaplan
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Administrator
Mushka New
Rivkah New
Youth Programming
Chanie Teitlebaum
Accounting
Esty Altein
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Administration
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This Purim Edition of the MOSAIC
is distributed to:
Akiva School
Batshaw Foster Care Department
Batshaw Youth & Family Services
Bialik High School
Free Hebrew for Juniors
Hillel Montreal
Jewish General Hospital
Jewish People’s & Peretz School
Maimonides Hospital
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Royal Vale School
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Waldorf Residence Home
Our thanks and appreciation to
Ponctuation Grafix
2
ore than two thousand years ago (368 BCE),
M
King Achashverosh ascended to the throne
of Persia. He was not the rightful heir to the Persian
throne, but he succeeded in impressing the populace with his riches and power, establishing his
government throughout all Persian territories.
King Achashverosh ruled over a vast kingdom of
127 countries, extending from India to Ethopia and
was constantly seeking to become popular with
his subjects. One of the ways he did this was to
have a royal feast which lasted one hundred and
eighty days. At the end of this grand feast, he made
a special seven-day feast for all the inhabitants of
the capital city of Shushan.
Mordechai, the great Jewish leader at that time
begged the Jews to avoid the palace and the King’s
scheme of luring Jews into eating non-kosher food
and drink.
The majority of Jews listened to Mordechai, but
many did not heed his words of caution. They
attended the feast, eating and drinking. Even on
Shabbat the wild revels at the palace continued.
The king, whose tongue was loosened by wine,
boasted of the beauty of his queen, Vashti. He sent
for her immediately to appear before his guests.
Vashti refused to be summoned like a common
slave. The king became enraged at her insolence
and called upon the wise men of the kingdom to
pass sentence upon her. All were afraid to answer
except for the wicked Haman who advised that she
be executed, which she was, on that very Shabbat.
Esther
ow the king needed a new queen. All the
N
beautiful daughters of the country were
brought to the palace so that the King might choose
one whom he desired for a wife. Mordechai dreaded the moment when the King’s men might come
knocking on his door in search of a possible queen,
for he was in charge of the beautiful and charming
Esther. In the end, Esther was chosen as queen.
When she found out her destiny, she surrounded
herself with faithful Jewish servants who provided
her with kosher food and did not betray the fact
that she was a Jew, for Mordechai had told her to
keep her identity a secret until it was necessary for
her to reveal it.
Thus Esther became the new queen, not revealing that she was Jewish. Mordechai comforted and
gave strength to Esther telling her that perhaps she
had been chosen by G-d to help the Jewish nation
in a time of need.
Mordechai
fter Esther was chosen queen of Persia, she
A
asked the king why he had not chosen a Jewish
advisor, as other kings had. He replied that he did
not know one. She suggested Mordechai, who was
wise, pious and loyal. The king agreed.
One day in the court, Mordechai overheard two
attendants planning to poison the king. He told
Esther of the plot and she in turn informed the king
of it in Mordechai’s name. The attendants attempted
their plan, it failed and Mordechai was credited with
saving the king’s life.
Haman
aman, a descendant of the tribe of Amalek,
H
the sworn enemy of the Jewish people since
the beginning of our people, rose to power in King
Achashverosh’s court, becoming Prime Minister.
The king issued an order commanding everyone in
the palace to bow down in deference to Haman who
wore an image of the idol which he worshiped on
his chest. Mordechai refused to bow down before
Haman, despite many warnings he had received
from various officials. When Haman himself reprimanded him for not doing what the king ordered,
Mordechai answered: I am a Jew, and would never
bow down to any human being wearing the image
of a pagan idol on his chest.
Haman despised Mordechai and his people. He
worked out a scheme by which he hoped to anni-
The Story of Purim
Haman (continued)
hilate all the Jews in the Kingdom of Achashverosh,
especially his most hated enemy, Mordechai.
Although the king was reluctant to carry out the
scheme, Haman persuaded him. Two royal decrees
were issued. The first was an open order to all governors to arm the population for the thirteenth of
Adar, when they should rise and massacre ‘a certain
group of harmful people’. The identity of those who
were to be killed was in the second, sealed decree.
The second decree was that the people of Persia
should attack and kill all the Jews, young and old,
women and children.
Mordechai who was standing outside the gates
of the royal palace, noticed an expression of
glee on Haman’s wicked face and knew that he
had something up his sleeve. Haman then saw
Mordechai speaking to a group of Jewish children
and demanded to know what they had told him.
“They told me what they learned that day, to have
no fear of your evil designs” Mordechai answered
triumphantly. Haman flew into a rage and told
Mordedchai that “I will get even with the Jewish
children first!”
The Fast of Esther
same night the Prophet Eliyahu appeared
T hat
to Mordechai in a dream and revealed Haman’s
wicked plan. When Mordechai awoke he rent his
clothes, donned a sackcloth and wept bitterly. His
anguish aroused all the Jews of Shushan and they
understood that they were doomed to perish on the
13th of Adar.
Mordechai went to Esther, told her of Haman’s
plan and pleaded with her to speak to the King on
behalf of all the Jewish people. Esther realized the
grave danger facing the Jewish people and agreed
to speak to the King, risking her life in the process.
However she made one request of Mordechai - that
she and all the Jews undertake a three-day-fast
in prayer and repentance. Haman found out about
the fast and mocked them saying that “Nothing
can save you now! Your prayers will be of no avail.”
Victory
a dream that Haman wanted
T heto killkinghim.had When
he awoke, Haman was
in fact right outside the king’s room. The king
decided to test Haman. He told him, find someone
whom the king could honour. Haman assumed that
it was him, but the king told Haman to honour
Mordechai. Haman was dumbfounded, but did
as the king requested. The next day, at the festive
banquet honouring Mordechai, the king asked
Esther, his queen, if there was any special request
she wished to make. She decided that honouring
Mordechai was an auspicious sign from Heaven.
She asked the king to spare her life and the lives
of her people. He asked Esther who would do such
a thing and she replied that it was none other than
the wicked Haman, pointing an accusing finger at
him. Haman realized what was happening and
began to beg the queen for mercy. A few moments
later one of the king’s attendants told the king that
Haman had erected a gallows fifty cubits high for
the loyal Mordechai. This infuriated the king, as he
remembered that Mordechai had saved his life and
he ordered Haman hung on those very gallows.
Though Haman was now dead, his cruel decree
remained unchanged, and unless it was withdrawn
the Jews would be lost. Esther again pleaded with
the king to avert the terrible fate that threatened
her people. Although very difficult, a new decree
was finally issued. The new documents were immediately dispatched by royal couriers to the 127
provinces of the Persian empire. By these royal
decrees, permission was granted to the Jews to
gather on the thirteenth of Adar and defend themselves against their enemies and to attack and slay
all those who would assault them.
On the thirteenth of Adar, by order of the king,
all those who had revealed themselves as part of
Haman’s evil plot were executed, including the ten
sons of Haman. When the king brought the news to
Esther she still had one more request. There were
still many dangerous enemies at large, and they
must be executed or there would never be peace in
the land. Esther’s request was immediately granted.
From that time, the fourteenth day of Adar was
consecrated as the festival of Purim, to commemorate the great miracle of our people’s salvation and
the downfall of the wicked Haman.
At the same time the Jews obligated themselves
to observe, every year, the Fast of Esther, on the
thirteenth day of Adar, the day before Purim, to
commemorate the fasts and prayers of the Jews in
those days.
3
The Mitzvot of Purim
The Fast of Esther
Gifts for the Poor
To commemorate the day of prayer
and fasting which the Jews held before
their victory, we fast on the day before
Purim. This year, as Purim falls out on
Sunday, we fast on
Giving charity, while a year-round
responsibility, is a particularly special
mitzvah on Purim. Give charity to at least
two, but preferably more, needy individuals on
Thursday, February 21
The mitzvah is best fulfilled by giving directly
to the person. If this is not possible, place
at least several coins into pushkas
(charity boxes). Young children
should also fulfill this mitzvah.
Sunday, February 24 during the daytime.
(The fast begins at 5:30 am and
ends at 6:01 pm.)
Half a Shekel Machatzit Hashekel
It is a tradition to give 3 half-dollar coins
to charity to commemorate the half-shekel
given by each Jew in the time of the Holy
Temple. This is usually performed in
the synagogue and should be done on
Thursday, February 21.
Listen to the Megillah
The scroll of Esther, Megillat Esther, recounts
the story of Haman’s plot to destroy the Jewish
people and how the plot was miraculously
foiled. We listen to the reading of the megillah
twice during the holiday. The first time is on
the evening of Saturday, February
and again, on the following day,
23
Sunday, February 24.
When Haman’s name is mentioned, we twirl
‘graggers’ and stamp our feet to ‘drown out’
his evil name.
The Purim Meal
Purim is celebrated with
a special festive and
joyous meal on
Sunday, February 24,
during the daytime. Soup with ‘kreplach’ (dumplings)
and hamantaschen are two of the customary
foods eaten on Purim. Both foods have a hidden
filling. This reminds us that G-d’s involvement
in the Purim episode, although ever present,
was hidden and not openly revealed.
Special Prayers
On Purim the ‘Al HaNissim’ liturgy is
recited in the Amidah (Silent Prayer)
for evening, morning and afternoon,
as well as in the Grace After Meals.
In the morning service there is a
special reading from the Torah Scroll
in the synagogue.
Send Gifts of Food
Purim is emphasized by the importance of Jewish unity and friendship.
Gifts of food containing at least two kinds of ready-to-eat
food (e.g. pastry, fruit and beverage)
are sent to at least one friend on
Sunday, February 24.
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No. #40030976
Questions or return undeliverable Canadian
addresses to:
The Montreal Torah Center
28 Cleve Road,
Hampstead PQ H3X 1A6
Tel. 739-0770 Fax 739-5925
Email: [email protected]
4
If possible these gifts, called mishloach
manot (sending gifts) should be sent by
a third party. It is customary to observe this
mitzvah on the day of Purim rather than the night before.
A Feast and a Fast
Why was annihilation decreed on the Jews of that generation?
Because they enjoyed the feast of the wicked [King Achashveirosh]
Talmud, Megillah 12a
people had many compelling reasons
Theto Jewish
attend the week-long banquet thrown by
King Achashveirosh to celebrate the consolidation
of his rule over the 127 provinces of the Persian
Empire.
All residents of the capital were invited, and to turn
down the royal invitation would have been a
grievous insult – something that a small minority,
scattered throughout the empire and threatened by
many enemies, could ill afford to do. It is true that
the Jews are not like the other nations of the world,
whose fortune rises and falls with the political tide;
in the words of the Talmud, "The people of Israel are
not subject to ‘fate,’" for they are under the singular
province of G-d. Indeed, our millennia of survival
as a "lone sheep surrounded by seventy wolves"
belies every law of history. But it is also true that
we are commanded to construct a natural "vessel"
through which the divine protection and blessing
might flow. Surely the Jews of Persia recalled the
words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah seventy
years earlier, when they were first exiled from their
homeland: "Seek the peace of the city to which
I have exiled you, and pray for it ... for in its peace
shall you have peace."
And even if participating in the feast of Achashveirosh
was neither desirable nor necessary, was it forbidden
by the laws of the Torah? The Book of Esther implies
that it was not. We are told that Achashveirosh
had instructed that no man be pressured to partake
of any food or drink that did not agree with his
constitution or his religious beliefs. He had even
arranged for kosher food for his Jewish subjects, in
full conformity with the exacting standards of none
other than Mordechai himself! (see Esther 1:8; Targum
ibid.; Talmud, Megillah 12a).
In any case, even if there were something amiss in
the Jewish attendance at the feast of Achashveirosh,
was this a transgression so terrible that it warranted
Haman being given license to "annihilate, slaughter
and destroy every Jew, young and old, women and
children, in a single day"?
Jews in Politics
But the problem was not that they participated
in the feast; it was, as the above-quoted Talmudic
passage emphasizes, that "they enjoyed the feast"
of the Emperor of Persia.
Certainly, the Jew in exile is commanded to employ
the tools that, by natural criteria, aid his survival
under foreign rule. But he must always remember
that this is no more than a "vessel" for G-d’s
protection. Politics, business, natural law – these
are no more than a front, an elaborate facade which
G-d desires that we construct to encase and
disguise His supra-natural providence of our lives;
they are not something to be revered, much less to
get excited about.
But the Jews experienced joy at having been invited
to Achashveirosh’s feast. As they took their
places among the Persians, Medians, Babylonians,
Chaldeans and the other nationalities of the realm,
they felt content and secure. After seventy years of
exile, they had "made it"; they were now a member
of equal standing in the family of nations at
Achashveirosh’s table, with glatt kosher dinners
issuing from the royal kitchens.
With their joy over their invitation to Achashveirosh’s
feast, the Jews disavowed their uniqueness as a
nation under the special protection of G-d. Their
feelings demonstrated that they now perceived the
niche they had carved for themselves in the good
graces of an earthly emperor as the basis for their
survival. But the world they so gleefully entered is
a capricious one. One day a Jew, Mordechai, is a
high-ranking minister in Achashveirosh’s court and
another Jew, Esther, is his favorite queen; a day
later, Haman becomes Prime Minister and prevails
upon Achashveirosh to sign a decree of annihilation
against the Jewish people.
The Reversal
When Mordechai informed Esther of Haman’s plans
and enjoined her to use her influence with the king
to annul the decree, Esther told him to "gather
all the Jews who are in Shushan, and fast for my
sake – do not eat or drink for three days, night and
day; I and my maidens will likewise fast. Thus I shall
go to the king, against the law..." (Esther 4:16).
As Esther explained to Mordechai earlier in the
same chapter, it was forbidden, on pain of death, for
5
A Feast and a Fast (continued)
anyone – including the queen – to go to the king
unsummoned. Esther’s only chance was to charm
the king into not killing her and to turn him against
his favorite minister in favor of her people. The last
thing for her to do under such circumstances was to
approach the king looking like a woman who had
not eaten for three days!
way, because that is what G-d wants her to do –
because this is the garment in which He chooses
to cloak His salvation. But she will not appeal less
fervently to G-d because she fears it will make
her less attractive to Achashveirosh – that would be
like a soldier discarding his rifle because it creases
his uniform.
So would dictate the norms of human nature and
palace politics. But Esther recognized that the key
to saving her people was to reestablish the
relationship between G-d and Israel on its original,
supra-natural terms. The Jews must repent their
regression to a political people; they must draw on
their only true resource – G-d’s love for them and
His commitment to their survival. They must storm
the gates of heaven with their fasting and prayer,
and rouse His compassion for His people.
Thus Esther rectified the error of those who enjoyed
Achashveirosh’s feast. They had exalted the facade,
abandoning the essence of Jewish survival for
the sake of the external vessel. Esther’s approach
to dealing with the threat of Haman’s decree
reiterated the true priority of the Jew, and evoked
G-d’s reassertion of His singular providence over
the fate of Israel.
Of course, she must go to Achashveirosh and do
everything in her power to make him change his
mind. But this is merely a formality. She must go
through the motions of doing things the "normal"
Purim
All these words have something to do
with Purim, can you find and circle
them? (Can appear forwards, backwards,
angled...)
Haman
Party
Groger
Persia
Megila
Shushan
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Purim
Zeres
Esther
Vashti
Harvona
Mordechai
Word Find
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Did you know that...
... Every single Jew in the world lived in Achashverosh's kingdom,
so that they were all included in Haman's decree.
... Mordechai, who refused to bow to Haman, was a descendant of
Benjamin, the only one of Jacob's sons who didn't bow to Haman's
ancestor, Esau.
... Vashti (Achashverosh's first queen) was the great-granddaughter
of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian emperor who destroyed the first
Holy Temple
... Mordechai was the first person in history to be called a "Jew"
("Yehudi"). Before then, Jews were called "Hebrews" or "Israelites".
H
amantashen, the classic Purim cookies, are eagerly awaited
by everyone young and old. They are versatile and can be made from a
good sweet yeast dough, flaky dough or from a traditional cookie dough.
The fillings can be mixed and matched. Prune butter and poppy seed
are traditional but one can use any kind of jam or preserves.
Ingredients
4 cups flour
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup margarine,
softened
1
1
2
A
1
tbsp. orange juice
tsp. vanilla extract
tsps. baking powder
pinch of salt
tsp. orange rind
Fillings
1 pound prepared poppy seed filling
or, 1 pound lekvar (apple or prune butter)
or 1 pound strawberry or apricot preserves
Preheat oven to 350, grease cookie sheets.
Place all ingredients in a large mixer bowl and beat
together. You may add a drop more juice or flour,
depending in consistency of dough. Roll dough into
a ball. Divide into four parts.
Proceed to assemble and bake according to
Hamantashen illustrated.
1 Prepare dough of your choice.
Divide into four portions.
2 On a floured board roll out each portion to about
1/8-inch thick. Using a round bicuit or cookie
cutter cut 3-inch circles.
3 Place 1/2 to 2/3 teaspoon of desired filling in
the center of each circle.
4 To shape into triangle, lift up right and left sides,
leaving the bottom down and bring both side to
meet at the center above the filling.
5 Bring top flap down to the center to meet the
two sides. Pinch edges together.
6 Place on grease cookie sheet 1 inch apart and
bake at 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes.
7
A Month of Happiness
The month that was reversed for them from grief to joy. Esther 9:22
When the month of Adar enters, we increase in joy. Talmud, Taanit 26b
T
here are many joyous dates on the Jewish calendar, but besides Purim, none of them affect the entire
month, causing it to be auspicious and joyous. What is the intrinsic connection between Purim and
Adar? Perhaps a comprehension of the unique nature of Purim will allow us to understand why its joy
extends throughout the entire month of Adar.
Haman thought to take advantage of the Jews when they were at their lowest point. After nearly a
millennium of freedom, independence, and constant reliance on miracles, they were now banished from
their land, helpless and seemingly at the mercy of the laws of nature. This was a completely
new experience for the Jewish nation. Their spiritual status was also significantly affected.
The Temple in Jerusalem where G-d's presence was manifest, a symbol of the special
relationship He shares with His chosen nation, laid in ruins. As for the prospects of its
reconstruction – even the gentiles were aware of Jeremiah's prophesy that after seventy
years of exile G-d would return the Jews to their land and rebuild the Temple. Seventy
years had elapsed (or so everyone thought, due to erroneous calculations), and the awaited
redemption had not arrived.
"The timing has never been better," Haman thought. "Surely the Chosen People have lost
their exalted status. Now is the perfect moment to implement the Final Solution."
Haman, however, was not yet satisfied. He needed one more sign indicating the Jews'
vulnerability. The lottery would have the final say. And indeed, the lottery provided the
exact sign he anxiously awaited. The lottery designated Adar to be the month when his
nefarious plan would be put into motion. The Talmud tells us that Haman was overjoyed
by this favorable omen. "My lottery fell on the month when Moses died," he exclaimed. The
demise of Moses, the "head" of the Jewish nation, was surely a metaphor for the demise
of the entire nation!
Haman successfully pinpointed the moment when the Jews were at their lowest point –
historically as well as calendar-wise – to implement his plan... But his plan still did not succeed.
Why?
The history of our nation is very much compared to the human lifespan. Through the course of a lifetime
every person undergoes drastic changes; fluctuation being the most consistent feature of life. The helpless
newborn has virtually nothing in common with the independent, talented personality which will emerge
years down the line. Adulthood, too, has ups and downs, happy days and depressing days, fulfilling days
and seemingly wasted days. There is, however, one constant: the very identity and essence of the person.
John Doe remains John Doe from the day he is born until the day he dies.
The same is true with our nation. We have ups and downs, both spiritually and materially, but our very
identity, the fact that we are G-d's chosen nation, is never affected.
It can actually be argued that, in a certain sense, our perpetual relationship with G-d is more evident
when we are exiled and downtrodden due to our sins, and G-d still interferes on our behalf, as was
demonstrated by the Purim miracle. This phenomenon demonstrates the durability of our relationship; the
ability of our essential identity to survive no matter our external state.
All other holidays celebrate the "highs" of our nation. And therefore their joy is limited, because highs
don't last. Purim celebrates a time when we were at a low point in our history – but our relationship with
G-d remained intact. Its joy is therefore greater than the joy of any other holiday, because it demonstrates
the essential nature of our relationship with G-d – and that is a constant.
The month of Adar, the month which Haman understood to be the most inauspicious month for the Jews,
is the happiest month of the year—the month when we bear in mind that "inauspicious" has absolutely
no bearing on our relationship with G-d.
PM40030976
by NAFTALI SILBERBERG