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The Chronicle Purim 5779 Congregation Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob & David A Shul, A Community, A Torah Way of Life The Chronicle Purim 2019 Issue III Adar II 5760 Rabbi’s Message President’s Message Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler Bryan Bier [email protected] [email protected] When is the first time in Megillat Esther that Esther is referred to by the royal title of “Esther Hamalka”? Esther is first introduced to us in the beginning of the 2nd perek and The focus of the month of Adar is simcha, becomes queen in that same perek, yet, she happiness. According to the Bnei Yissaschar, is not referred to as “Esther HaMalka” until the the only thing that stands in the way of simcha 5th perek. Why so? Perhaps, as some is jealousy. As long as a person is jealous of mefarshim suggest, after accepting her Divine their neighbor or friend, he or she cannot bring given role of risking her life for the survival of themselves to be happy. Such an individual is the Jewish people, Esther became prophetess fixated by what they think they are missing and was then clothed with a spiritual Malchut that others have. Only when a person is free and called “Esther HaMalka” at this point in of jealousy can he or she truly experience Megillat Esther. happiness. The Bnei Yissaschar explains that each month of the year corresponds to a How many of us are put in the situation where different shevet (tribe). The month of Adar we are asked to put our lives on the line for corresponds to the shevet of Yosef. When we have an extra month of Adar in a leap year, (continued on page 2) the two months correspond to Yosef’s sons Menashe and Efraim respectively. The beauty of the relationship between Menashe and Efraim was that they were not jealous of each other. Despite the fact that the younger Purim Efraim received the stronger bracha from their grandfather Yaakov, the relationship between the brothers became a model for our people Edition as it reflected respect, and avoided jealousy. It is for this reason that we bless our (Continued on page 2) Laws of Purim ................................................................... 4 Together on Tuesday ....................................................... 8 Available on Lauren Elise Bier Nursery School .............................. 10 Youth ................................................................................ 12 Inclusion ........................................................................... 14 Mazel Tovs & Condolences ......................................... 16 www.aabjd.org Get Involved!................................................................... 20 The Chronicle Purim 5779 Rabbi’s Message cont’d President’s Message cont’d sons on Friday night that they should be like the Jewish people as Esther Hamalka was? Efraim and Menashe. During this month of Probably not many of us, but how often are we Adar may we work to rid our characters of faced with putting aside our own personal any jealousy thereby allowing ourselves to situation in life for the success of Jewish experience true simcha in life. May we merit people? Well, our Annual Dinner Honorees are an Adar full of true, heartfelt, and sincere such people; people who accept their Divine simcha. Purim Sameach!! given roll. Agreeing to be honored is not simple and many deserving people chose not to do so. Those who are accepting to be honored, recognize the importance of doing so for the betterment of our shul and community. For this reason alone, our honorees this year should be applauded for their courageous act. Just like Esther HaMalka told Mordechai to gather all of the Jewish people, so too, our Annual Dinner is a gathering of our Jewish people. No one should be left out and no one should exempt themselves. All are invited to take part in order to make this year’s Dinner a great success. We all should be aware of the financial demands of our shul and put aside our personal “pet peeves”. Even those who are in their year of mourning for a parent are invited to attend and take part in this essential community event, even if only for the speeches, if that satisfies one’s comfort level. Congregation AABJ&D Executive Committee Saying kaddish requires a minyan and so we all need to support our shul in order to President................................................... Bryan Bier guarantee the makom that houses our First VP ............................................ Gary Eisenberg minyanim. VP ......................................................... Jerry Blugrind VP ......................................................... Andrew Yolin I ask each member to look inside and say to yourselves “our Annual Dinner will not be VP ............................................................ Sally Malech ensured of being successful unless I Secretary ................................... Michelle Goldstein personally take part”. Don’t wait for someone to turn you upside down to shake out your Financial Secretary ............................... Jay Hartman contribution, although I am working on a Treasurer .................................................... Avi Laub committee for that. Just like Esther Hamalka Board Chair ................................ Ahava Podhorcer stepped up to her Divine given role, so may all Vice Board Chair ................................ Harold Fluss of us step up to our task at hand. So, get President Emeritus .......................... Larry Liebman involved! I look forward to greeting all of you on May 15th at the Wilshire Grand. Sisterhood Co-Presidents ................................... Bess Adler & Alisha Blugrind Bryan Bier Mens Club President ........................... Tully Rubin 2 The Chronicle Purim 5779 The Sum Is Greater Purim Than The Parts Shmuel Kresch Rabbinic Fellow Yosef Sharbat [email protected] Assistant Rabbi [email protected] Sharon & Jerry Volk The Megillah [Esther 3:9] states that Haman One of the unique features of Purim is the extra offered to increase the King’s treasury by 10,000 mitzvos of giving presents and charity to fellow kikar silver in exchange for the right to get rid of Jews - mishloach manos and matanos la'evyonim. the Jews. An analysis of the story will reveal Achashverosh’s craving for power and wealth. However, there is no other festival in which there Perhaps Haman was afraid that Achashverosh is a similar obligation of kindness. Why now? would object to the loss of Jewish tax revenue if What is the connection between these unique he killed them all so he offered money to commandments and the story of Purim? Achashverosh to fill the financial gap. When Haman approached Achashverosh with his plan to destroy the Jews, he referred to them as “a The Gemara in Megilla 13b makes a connection people scattered and dispersed among the nations between the money that Haman offered and the mitzvah of machatzit ha-shekel, the mitzvah of (Esther 3:8)." Our rabbis teach us that Haman was giving a half a shekel to the Bet Hamikdash. indeed correct. The Jewish people were not Haman was trying to negate the merit of the Jews’ unified and, therefore, were lacking the Divine annual half a shekel contribution as he knew the protection that they merited when they were significance of this mitzvah. united. Accordingly, one of the most critical ways to Rav Yerachmiel Yisroel Yitzchok Danziger, the Yismach Yisrael, writes that Haman had the remove the decree of destruction was to renew the potential to destroy the Jewish people as he said sense of unity amongst the Jewish people. Rabbi they are a people dispersed and divided. Their Yonasan Ebeshitz zt"l explains that this was the division and unjustified hatred for one another intention of Esther when she instructed Mordechai gives their enemies the ability to harm them. When how to overturn the decree. "Go assemble all the they are divided they are individuals and no longer Jews to be found in Shushan and fast for me. a community, thus losing their strength. Haman “ (Esther 4:16). The gathering of all the dispersed wanted to keep them divided and spread across the Persian Empire. The half a shekel combated Jews was equally important as the fast itself. She individuality and emphasised the importance of recognized that only a unified effort would overturn attaching oneself to the klal, the community. The the decree. half a shekel shows that we are a fraction of a With this understanding of the significance of unity group and need to combine with our fellow Jew to in the Purim story, it is easy to understand why make a significant contribution. Chazal instituted mitzvos in the realm of bein adam lechaveiro, interpersonal behavior. Purim As Rav Soloveitchik says, a slave is someone who is alone, isolated from the greater community, and reminds us of the importance of unity amongst the only concerned with his own welfare. Free people Jewish people. Giving to one's fellow Jew is an have the ability to connect to someone else and to excellent tool to help us care more about him or show that the sum is greater than the parts. As the her. Moreover, it is not enough for a person to Jews then united to fight anti-semitism, let us too give to one's friends alone; we must also not connect to our fellow Jewish brothers and sisters ignore those who are far less fortunate-the to combat modern anti-semitism. impoverished people who are easily forgotten Purim Sa'meach! about. Therefore, in addition to Mishloach Manos, Chazal instructed us to provide sustenance to the poor, as well. 3 The Chronicle Purim 5779 listeners must have intent to fulfill the mitzvah of reading and to fulfill the obligation of the blessings Laws of Purim before and after. It is customary to make noise when the name of Haman is mentioned. It is forbidden to speak from the time of the brachot before the reading until the end of the brachot after the reading. Ideally, the Megillah should Shabbat Zachor - Parshat Vayikra be read in the presence of a Shabbat, March 16, 2019 minyan. It is a biblical obligation for everyone to hear parshat Zachor read on Shabbat Morning.

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