Author Topic: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More  (Read 8259 times)

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Offline muman613

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Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« on: February 12, 2013, 08:54:46 PM »
In this thread I will post several videos on the Jewish Holiday of Purim which is coming up this February 24th, on the Jewish Calander it is Adar 14th... Here are some posted by Rabbi Richman...







You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2013, 09:13:07 PM »
Just found Part 5 of this series...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2013, 09:23:52 PM »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2013, 11:17:30 PM »
Rabbi Yehuda Moses talks about Purim during his Parsha Zachor talk...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2013, 11:27:58 PM »
Here is Rabbi Chaim Miller with the Mystical interpretation of Purim:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2013, 11:47:00 PM »
Rabbi Svirsky from Jerusalem...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2013, 11:59:16 PM »
Rabbi Greenbaum on the thoughts of Purim:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2013, 12:04:55 AM »
From the yeshiva Rabbi Lazer Brody is associated with, Yeshiva Shel Chessed in Jerusalem, here is Rabbi Dror Moshe Cassouto...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2013, 01:14:33 AM »
Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi has done several long lectures on Purim...  I doubt anyone will watch all three in one sitting, but here they are anyway...





You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2013, 12:54:47 AM »
We are quickly approaching Purim and I do not know yet (although I think I know) when we fast for Taanit Esther. Since Purim 'falls out' on Sunday and usually Taanit Esther happens the day before, we would usually fast on Saturday. BUT since Saturday is Shabbat, and we do not fast on Shabbat (Except for Yom Kippur I believe) the fast is moved up to Friday.

Let me check the Calendar...

Ok, I was wrong.... I had a sneaky suspicion that the fast of Esther cannot fall on a Friday due to the preparation for Shabbat, and it seems that is the reason... So Taanit Esther falls on Thursday of this week...

http://www.aish.com/h/pur/m/48971661.html
Quote
4)   If the 13th falls on Shabbat, we don't fast that day, due to the honor of Shabbat. The fast is not even held on Friday, since this would adversely affect Shabbat preparations. Rather, we observe the fast on Thursday, the 11th of Adar.

And I am correct about the Fast of Yom Kippur being the only fast which we observe on Shabbat:

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/561824/jewish/Fasting-on-Yom-Kippur-Which-Falls-on-Shabbat.htm

Quote
Question:

Since it is forbidden to fast on Shabbat, do we fast on Yom Kippur if it falls on Shabbat?

Answer:

Your premise is correct; all other fast days are postponed until Sunday when they fall on Shabbat.1 However, unlike all other fasts, Yom Kippur is not postponed, and is fully observed even on Shabbat.2 The Torah dubs Yom Kippur, "Shabbat Shabbaton" -- the "Shabbat of Shabbats,"3 implying that it takes precedence over Shabbat.

According to chassidic teachings, Yom Kippur falling on Shabbat doesn't "deprive" us of the pleasures -- eating, drinking, resting, etc. -- which Shabbat normally affords us. Rather the extremely holy nature of Yom Kippur accomplishes the same objectives, albeit in a higher, more spiritual manner.

Here is the always loving Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach teaching a lesson on Purim:











« Last Edit: February 20, 2013, 01:41:13 AM by muman613 »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2013, 03:29:21 AM »
Here is an example of a Rabbi who discusses the Amalek who is trying to kill us. Rabbi Berel Wein is a Rabbi I greatly respect. He has done a lot of work on documenting recent Jewish history.



http://www.torah.org/learning/rabbiwein/5773/purim.html

Don't Lose Hope

The current spate of anti-Semitic media cartoons, op-eds and boycott movements serve to remind us that Amalek is alive and thriving as usual. There was a short period of time a few decades ago when many Jews were lulled into thinking that all of this baseless hatred and nastiness was a thing of the past. Even the most naive among us today realize that this is unfortunately not the case. Therefore, remembering Amalek is a relatively easy commandment to fulfill today - one need only read the newspaper or listen to the radio or TV or view the internet to meet Amalek face to face, live and in person.

How to counteract and deal with Amalek has been a continuing and never ending problem throughout Jewish history. Apparently, no satisfactory and permanent solution to the problem has ever been found. Perhaps that in itself is the basic lesson of the commandment of remembering Amalek. We have to remember that the problem is constant and continuing and that it has remained insoluble for millennia.

We should not be surprised or even overly discouraged by its sinister presence in our lives and world today. We must do everything possible to combat it but we should always remember that it is not given to pat solutions or wishful thinking. It is apparently part of the Jewish condition - our very terms of existence.

The story of Purim is the story of Amalek contained, but not completely defeated and destroyed. Haman is hydra- headed and has always had disciples and followers. Haman and his sons were thwarted and hanged but that did not prove to be much of a deterrent to all of the Hamans that have followed throughout history.

In terms of the destruction of Jews, Hitler was far more successful than was Haman having killed six million Jews in five years of hate and terror. Yet Hitler destroyed Germany completely as well, with far more Germans than Jews being killed in that terrible and tragic war.

So again, one would think that the lesson of Amalek would have been learned by now. But the reality of Amalek is that it defies logic, self-interest and history and its lessons. Purim is our only hope in containing Amalek. Purim is always hidden, unpredictable, surprising and unexpected. Yet it is also a constant in Jewish life and history.

The survival of the Jewish people remains as the miracle of all history and that miracle is omnipresent in our current world. The existence and accomplishments of the State of Israel is an offshoot of this constant and continuing miracle. Israel and its achievements give us a sense of Purim every day of the year. The miracle may not be superficially visible but it is certainly present and alive.

The Talmud's statement about the inability to distinguish between Haman and Mordechai is indicative of the mystery of Purim. Purim is not always what it appears to be at first glance. It is the hidden part of Purim that fascinates and confuses us. Our salvation is always unexpected and many times defies any form of human wisdom and expertise.

Purim tells us never to despair or lose hope regarding our current difficulties and uncertain future. It is easy to fall into a funk when viewing all of the difficulties that surround us. Purim preaches to us that such a dark attitude is inconsistent with Jewish faith and Torah values. That is why the rabbis stated that only Purim is the only eternal holiday on the Jewish calendar.

We will always need Purim and its message to continue to function and achieve. For without Purim present and operative, we fall into fearing that Amalek may yet, God forbid, triumph. So let us rejoice in the knowledge that Purim is here with us and all will yet be well for the nation and people of Mordechai and Esther.

Shabat shalom
Purim samech

Berel Wein
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2013, 12:50:39 AM »
The Lubavitch Rebbe reading the Haftorah on the Fast of Esther...




Reading from the Megillah on Purim:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2013, 01:00:49 AM »
Tomorrow is the Ta'anit of Esther, the fast day we observe to remember the fast which Queen Esther implemented (she actually fasted for three whole days)...







Quote
http://www.aish.com/h/pur/m/48971661.html

Every year, the Fast of Esther is held on one of the days prior to Purim. Usually it is the day immediately before Purim, though there are exceptions. (see Law #4 below)

What is the source of this fast?

In the Megillah (4:16), Esther agrees to see the king uninvited, and asks the Jewish People to fast for three days beforehand.

Why did she call for a fast? Because a fast helps to lower the volume on our physical pursuits in order to focus more acutely on our spiritual selves. This facilitates the process of "teshuva" -- literally "return." We return to our essential state of purity. Esther called for a fast, knowing that through soul-searching the Jews would forge a spiritual connection necessary to make her mission successful. (And it paid off!)
This is not a fast of sadness. Rather, the purpose of the fast is elevation and inspiration.

PRE-WAR FASTING

Similarly, there was another fast during the Purim story: The Jews fasted and prayed on the 13th of Adar in preparation for their defense against Haman's decree. The Torah prescribes that whenever a Jewish army goes to war, the soldiers should spend the previous day fasting. This is in stark contrast to a secular army which spends the day preparing weapons and armaments. A Jew's best weapon is the recognition that strength and victory come only through God (see Exodus 17:10). Additionally, the fact that we are physically weakened when the battle begins, assures us that any victory cannot be attributed to our physical prowess.

Mortals have limits, but God can achieve the impossible. (Case in point: the Six Day War.) As Mark Twain wrote, "All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"

It is actually this one-day pre-battle fast that we commemorate every year before Purim. However, in honor of the Purim heroine, it is called Taanit Esther -- the Fast of Esther.

HALACHAS (LAWS) OF FAST OF ESTHER

1)   The fast begins at dawn ("Alot Hashachar") and ends after nightfall ("Tzait Hakochavim").
2)   No eating or drinking is permitted. Though other aspects -- like wearing shoes and washing -- are permitted.
3)   Since this is not a major fast, pregnant or nursing women are exempt from the fast, as are moderately ill people. If one is otherwise healthy but has a headache and finds it difficult to fast, he may eat, but is obligated to "make up" the fast another time. In all cases, a competent rabbi should be consulted.
4)   If the 13th falls on Shabbat, we don't fast that day, due to the honor of Shabbat. The fast is not even held on Friday, since this would adversely affect Shabbat preparations. Rather, we observe the fast on Thursday, the 11th of Adar.
5)   It is customary to extend the fast until after the Megillah is read. (Except in walled cities, where the Megillah is read on the night of the 15th.)
6)   During the afternoon Mincha prayers, the paragraph of Aneinu is added to the silent Amidah, during the blessing of Shema Koleinu. In both Shacharit and Mincha, the chazan inserts Aneinu as a separate blessing between Geulah and Refuah.
7)   As on other public fasts, the Torah reading of Vayechal Moshe (Exodus 32:11-14, 34:1-10) is read both at Shacharit and Mincha.
8) If a Brit Milah falls on the Fast of Esther, the Seudat Mitzvah should be be postponed until the evening. The father, mother, and Sandek may even eat during the afternoon of the fast day, since it is considered like their "holiday." (Sha'ar HaTziun 686:16)
9)   Avinu Malkeinu is said only in Shacharit, but not in Mincha. (An exception is if Purim falls on Sunday and the fast is observed on Thursday, then Avinu Malkeinu is in fact said in Mincha.)
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2013, 02:12:49 AM »
A video on the Halachas of Ta'anit Esther..

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2013, 02:21:38 AM »
A bunch of short videos from Rabbi Shafier with a Purim theme:









You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #15 on: February 21, 2013, 02:50:57 AM »
Not entirely related to Purim, but this video shows how great Rabbi Yitzak Ginsburg is. In 2010 the Rabbi was taken in for interrogation by the Israeli police.



I also just learned the following :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yitzchak_Ginsburgh
Quote
In 1994, Ginsburgh received widespread criticism for his article "Baruch Hagever"[17] in which he praised Baruch Goldstein who had massacred 29 Arab worshippers at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.[18][19] Rabbi Ginsburgh wrote that it is possible to view Baruch Goldstein's act as following five Halachic principles, namely "sanctification of God's name", "saving life" (referring to testimonies that he had allegedly received regarding a planned Arab massacre of Jews[20]), "revenge", "eradication of the seed of Amalek" and "war".[21] Motti Inbari commented on this:


You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2013, 03:07:02 AM »
Rabbi Weisblum learning/teaching from Talmud Tractate Megillah 6b & 7a...



7b & 8a

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #17 on: February 24, 2013, 03:28:20 AM »
Here is a Megillah Reading at the Carlebach Shul:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #18 on: February 24, 2013, 03:37:09 AM »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #19 on: February 24, 2013, 03:43:21 AM »
Just posted from 770 Chabad Headquarters...

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #20 on: February 24, 2013, 03:24:50 PM »
A Sephardic Megillah Reading:

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #21 on: February 24, 2013, 03:29:13 PM »
I should inform everyone that according to Halacha listening to a recording of the Megillah reading is not counted as a mitzvah, only hearing the actual live voice of the Baal Koreh himself...

Quote
The Baal Koreh or Baal Keriah (master of the reading) is the officiant who reads the Torah from the scroll in the synagogue.

Prior to the 12th century it was customary that each person called up for an Aliyah would himself read his own portion. However, reading the Torah requires a great deal of skill for the proper intonation and accentuation. In order not to embarrass those who were unable to read properly themselves, the official role of the Baal Koreh was introduced.

Quote
http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5760/bereishis.html

CORRECTING THE BA'AL KOREH

Every adult male(1) is obligated to hear a portion of the Torah read from a kosher Sefer Torah every Shabbos. While this is an ancient obligation dating back to the days of Moshe Rabbeinu(2), it is considered a Rabbinical mitzvah(3). Initially, there were various customs as to the length of the portion to be read every Shabbos(4), but eventually it became universally accepted to complete the entire Torah each year, beginning from Shabbos Bereishis and ending on Simchas Torah(5).

The reader must read, and the congregation must hear, every single word of the weekly parshah. Even if one word was omitted, the reading must be repeated(6). This is true even if the missing word did not in any way alter the meaning of the phrase or verse(7).

The ba'al koreh should read each word clearly, with the proper accentuation (mileil and milra), vocalization (nikud) and cantillation (trop). In order to read the Torah properly he must prepare thoroughly(8) so that the reading will "flow out of his mouth". The reading itself should not be hurried, lest he swallow a word or a letter(9).
« Last Edit: February 24, 2013, 03:44:15 PM by muman613 »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #22 on: February 24, 2013, 03:39:14 PM »
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/1451514/jewish/No-One-Can-Hear-The-Megillah-Reading.htm

Question:

We have a very large congregation, and it is hard for everyone to hear the reading of the Scroll of Esther (Megillah) properly. Because the use of electricity is allowed on the holiday of Purim (as opposed to Shabbat and other major holidays), I was wondering if it would be proper to perhaps have the Megillah read over a microphone. Is it?

Answer:

The obligation to hear the Megillah is to hear the actual voice of the reader—not soundwaves emitted from a speaker system. As such, the great decisors of the previous generation, including the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory, ruled that hearing the Megillah over the telephone, radio or a P.A. system is not sufficient.1

So, what can you do? Here are some tips you may want to consider:

Hire a reader with a loud voice.

* Have the reader stand in a place that is central and/or elevated (typically the podium at the center of the synagogue), so that his voice will carry better to the far corners of the sanctuary.
* Announce before the reading how important it is to hear every word, and that the congregation asks everyone to do their best to remain quiet for the duration of the reading.
* Suggest that there be several smaller readings, at different times or places.


Wishing you a joyous Purim,

Rabbi Menachem Posner
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2013, 04:05:39 PM »
An interesting article on the history and the background of the Purim story...



http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/12918#.USvQqocQRrc

Purim: Why Pretend?

Confronted with extermination, the Jews threw aside their costume of idol-worship and returned to G-d in complete repentance.
From Daniel Pinner

(Note: There is a 164-year discrepancy between the traditional Jewish chronology and the secular chronology of the events related here. This is not the place to reconcile the discrepancy; I simply present the years in both Jewish and secular counting, blithely ignoring the discrepancy.)

The Talmud (Megillah 12a) records a discussion between Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay and his students regarding the Purim narrative. The students asked their master: Why did the Jews of that generation deserve extermination? Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay threw the question back at his students: You tell me! They gave the simple answer which Megillat Esther itself suggests: “Because they enjoyed themselves at the evil man’s feast”.

On the face of it, threatening them with extermination seems an unreasonably harsh punishment for a relatively minor sin. What was so terrible about enjoying themselves at Achavesrosh’s half-year party which climaxed with a one-week feast for everyone in the capital city, Shushan, with which Megillat Esther opens?

To understand why Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay’s students considered that such a heinous sin, we have to understand what was that celebration was about. And to understand that, we have to go back into history.

We start two generations before the events of Purim.

The year was 3319 (605 B.C.E.), and 700 miles east of Jerusalem Nebuchadnezzar had just become king of Babylon. The First Temple was still standing in Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Judea was still independent, and the prophet Jeremiah was warning his beloved people of impending exile and destruction: “You did not listen to Me, says HaShem…because you did not listen to My words…I shall bring [the Babylonians] upon this Land and upon its inhabitants…” (Jeremiah 25:7-9).

But then the prophet told the Jews that their exile would be limited: “This entire Land will be ruin and desolation and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years; and then, on the completion of seventy years, I will visit their iniquity upon the king of Babylon and upon that nation…” (verses 11-12; see also Jeremiah 29:10).

When Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquered Judea two years later in the year 3321 (603 B.C.E.), he was well aware of this prophecy. But he wasn’t too concerned: seventy years in the future was going to be someone else’s problem.

But the Babylonian Empire stuck difficulties earlier than expected: after just three years of Babylonian subjugation, King Yehoyakim (who had ruled as a vassal king under Nebuchadnezzar) rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and restored Judean independence (2 Kings 24:1).

Two years later King Yehoyakim died, and his eighteen-year-old son Yehoyachin (Jehoiachin) became king. Three months later, in 3327 (597 B.C.E.), Nebuchadnezzar re-conquered Judea, captured and exiled King Yehoyachin, installed his brother Tzidkiyahu (Zedekiah) as vassal king, and exiled many of the Jews throughout the Babylonian Empire. Eleven years later in 3338 (586 B.C.E.), the Babylonians destroyed the Holy Temple, which King Solomon had built 410 years earlier.

The destruction of Judea, which Jeremiah had warned of nineteen years earlier, was complete, and the overwhelming majority of the nation was in exile.

The seventy-year prophecy hung, like the proverbial sword of Damocles, over the subsequent kings of the Babylonian Empire. Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 45 years, and was succeeded by Evil Merodach who ruled the Babylonian Empire for 23 years, who in 3387 (537 B.C.E.) was succeeded by Belshazzar.

In Belshazzar’s third year, 3389 (535 B.C.E.), he made a feast (Daniel Chapter 5, Megillah 11b, Seder Olam Rabbah 28). His calculation was simple: seventy years had elapsed since Nebuchadnezzar had ascended the throne of Babylon – and he, Belshazzar, had survived the dreaded seventy-year deadline, so this was his reason to celebrate. He had defeated the Jews, their G-d, and their famous prophecy. “Belshazzar, whilst under the influence of wine, called to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had plundered from the Temple in Jerusalem” (Daniel 5:2). This was his way of demonstrating that the Jews and their G-d no longer held any terrors for him.

It was at this celebration that Belshazzar saw the famous writing on the wall. None of his astrologers or magicians could read it, much less interpret it – until the Jewish prophet Daniel was brought to the palace. He read and interpreted the words “Mene Mene Tekeil Ufarsin” (Daniel 5:25): “Mene – G-d has counted your kingship and brought it to its end. Tekeil – you have been weighed in the scales and been found wanting. Pereis – your kingship is broken and given to Media and Persia” (verses 26-28).

No one in the palace knew it yet, but the Persian army was already pouring across Babylon’s eastern border. By morning Belshazzar would be dead, his throne and empire inherited by King Daryavesh (Darius) the Mede.

When Daryavesh died two years later in 3391 (533 B.C.E.) he was succeeded by Koresh (Cyrus), who immediately proclaimed the Jews’ right to return to the Land of Israel and to start rebuilding the Holy Temple (Ezra 1:1-3, 2 Chronicles 36:22-23). It was seventy years since Nebuchadnezzar’s first invasion and conquest of Judea.

When Koresh died after three years, Achashverosh (Ahasuerus) became king of Persia in 3394 (530 B.C.E.) and almost immediately he ordered a building freeze on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Holy Temple would remain half-built for 18 years until Daryavesh II, king of Persia, would allow the Jews to continue construction (Ezra 4:6-24).

King Achashverosh too was aware of Jeremiah’s seventy year prophecy, just as he knew that Belshazzar’s celebration of the Jews’ defeat had ended in disaster. So he was far more careful in reading history.

He calibrated the seventy-year countdown from Nebuchadnezzar’s second conquest of Judea in 3327 (597 B.C.E.). So in the third year of his reign, the year 3397 (527 B.C.E.), with which Megillat Esther opens, seventy years after the second conquest of Judea, Achashverosh made a huge feast to celebrate his defeat of the Jews, their G-d, and their famous prophecy. As Belshazzar had done eight years previously, Achashverosh called for the vessels plundered from the Holy Temple to be brought for his celebration (Esther 1:7, Esther Rabbah 2:12), to demonstrate that the Jews and their G-d no longer held any terrors for him.

And Achashverosh wanted to out-Belshazzar Belshazzar: not content with merely using the vessels from the Holy Temple, he also dressed himself in the garments of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) – the garments described in this week’s Torah-reading, Parashat Tetzaveh – which Nebuchadnezzar had plundered from the Holy Temple (Megillah 12a with Rashi and the Bach there).

We now understand why Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay’s students believed that the Jews of that generation deserved extermination “because they enjoyed themselves at the evil man’s feast”. It was not merely an idolatrous feast – it was the celebration of their own defeat, an orgy of proclamation that the G-d of Israel had been vanquished! It was the blasphemy of a king whose empire ruled Israel, who arrogantly strutted around in the Kohen Gadol’s clothing, serving wine in the Holy Temple vessels, showing all his subjects that Jeremiah’s prophecy had failed, that the Jews were defeated, that G-d could no longer run His world.

And Jews enjoyed themselves there?!

But as the Talmud continues, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay rejected his students’ explanation. This would explain why the Jews of Shushan deserved to be killed – but Haman’s decree was not limited to Shushan: it extended throughout all 127 provinces of the Persian Empire.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay’s students conceded defeat, and asked the master for his explanation.

So Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay explained that they had to go further back into history. Haman’s decree of genocide, he said, was because the Jews had bowed en masse to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol in the plain of Dura (Daniel 3:1). So according to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay the sin had happened two generations earlier, but G-d deferred His punishment to give the Jews time to repent.

But Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay’s students challenged their master’s explanation: If they really worshipped Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, then surely they deserved death! Why, then, were they reprieved?

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay had an answer: They only pretended to worship the idol – so G-d responded with only a pretend threat. Sure, Jews from throughout the Babylonian Empire bowed to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol – but of course they didn’t really believe in it! They bowed to it out of fear of repercussions for disobeying the king, due to social pressure, their wish to show themselves loyal subjects – any number of reasons. But they certainly did not impute any real power to that idol.

Maybe we can compare the Jews of that generation with Jews in the USA or Europe who put Xmas trees in their homes. Of course they have not converted, of course they do not really believe in other religions; they simply want to fit in with the society around them.

And that being the case, they did not really deserve to be exterminated. Just as their bowing to the idol was no more than a façade, so too G-d’s response to them was no more than a façade.

The Talmud asks: “Where is Esther in the Torah?” (Chullin 139b), implying that the Torah had to allude to someone so crucial to Jewish history, even though Esther lived almost a thousand years after the Torah was given. And the Talmud answers its question: The Torah alludes to Esther by saying, “I will assuredly hide My face on that day because of all the evil that [Israel] will have committed, because it turned to other gods” (Deuteronomy 31:18).

This relies primarily on the assonance of the Hebrew “haster astir” (“assuredly hide”), suggesting the name Esther. But it also implies the reason as well as the result: Because we have turned to idols, G-d hides His face from us. He dons His mask, so to speak, to hide His true face.

The Purim story is full of masquerading, nothing is what it seems. The Jews masquerade as idolaters, Achashverosh masquerades as Kohen Gadol, Esther hides her Jewish identity from her own husband and masquerades as a Persian, G-d masquerades as random chance.

But by the end of Megillat Esther, they have all doffed their fancy-dress costumes and revealed themselves for who they really are.

Confronted with extermination, the Jews threw aside their costume of idol-worship and returned to G-d in complete repentance.

Achashverosh cast off the Kohen Gadol’s garments and revealed himself to be wicked but manipulable, by his second-in-command Haman, his wife Esther, and his new second-in-command Mordechai.

Esther took off her Persian fancy-dress and revealed her true Jewish identity to her husband.

And G-d allowed us a tiny glimpse behind His mask by revealing His exquisitely subtle control over history. The events which spanned almost a century must have seemed random happenstance to anyone living through them at the time. But with the benefit of hindsight we perceive how every event, from the conquest of a mighty empire to a king’s capricious whim to get rid of his wife, from a king’s construction of a massive idol to an attempt at assassination, was an integral part of G-d’s plan for Israel’s destiny.

Purim is the day of “nahafoch hu” (Esther 9:1) – the day when everything is the opposite of what it seems, the day when we don fancy-dress to recognise that the rest of the year everything can be make-belief.

Summing up the exchange between himself and his students, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay cited the verse, “Because He does not afflict capriciously” – that is to say, if G-d sends any evil against us, then there is a reason. Intriguingly, this verse comes from Lamentations 3:33, and we can now understand better why Rabbi Shimon bar Yochay used Jeremiah’s dirge for the destruction of the Holy Temple to illumine the events of Purim.
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Purim Videos : About the Miracle and More
« Reply #24 on: February 26, 2013, 12:42:49 AM »
How great and endless is the knowledge in G-d's Torah. Whose word is like unto his?

Amen!



You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14