Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Tetzaveh-Zachor-Purim 5773 (From the archives) Shabbos in the Parasha gematria, numerical value. These words are ephod, malach, haElokim, and In this week’s parashah the Torah Sukkah. All these words equal 91 in records the instruction that HaShem gematria. What is the association gave to Moshe regarding the holy between these words? A Sukkah vestments to be worn by the Kohen symbolizes protection from foreign Gadol, the High Priest, and his sons. One influences. When the Kohen Gadol of the eight garments worn by the Kohen would enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Gadol was the Ephod, which was like an Kippur, he was required to be apron. It is said (Shemos 28:6) completely focused on his role of vicheishev afudaso asher alav gaining atonement for the Jewish People. kimaaseihu mimenu yihyeh zahav Were the Kohen Gadol to entertain one techeiles veargaman visolaas shani deviant thought, he would die inside the visheishes mashzar, the belt with which Holy of Holies. Thus, the Kohen Gadol it is emplaced, which is on it, shall be of was required to be akin to a malach, an the same workmanship, it shall be made angel. Elokim means G-d, and this Name of it, of gold; turquoise, purple, and is also used to depict one who has scarlet wool, and twisted linen. The ascended to great spiritual heights. The Meshech Chochmah writes that the manner in which one gains spiritual Gemara (Erchin 16a) states that the perfection is by not allowing foreign Ephod served to atone for the sin of influences to penetrate one’s inner idolatry. The Gemara elsewhere domain. Thus, it is fitting that the ephod (Kiddushin 40a) states that regarding served to atone for idolatry. The ephod idolatry, even if one has an idolatrous was worn over the tunic and the robe, thought, it is akin to having actually thus symbolizing protection from all worshipped idols. Thus, our verse external influences. We do not currently alludes to this idea, as the word have the Bais HaMikdash and the Kohen vicheishev can be interpreted to mean Gadol serving within, but HaShem has thoughts, and the words kimaaseihu bestowed upon us His precious gift of mimenu yihyeh alludes to the idea that the Holy Shabbos every week. Shabbos the thoughts are considered like a is the opportunity that we need to be maaseh, an action. Perhaps we can shielded from foreign influences so that expound further on this idea. Why is this we can ascend the spiritual ladder. On idea hinted to specifically regarding the Shabbos one is prohibited from ephod? It is noteworthy that there are a performing meleches machasheves, few words that equal the same number in intended labor. On Shabbos one should 1 focus on avoiding the performance of said (Esther 4:13-14) vayomer any prohibited act. Furthermore, one Mordechai lihashiv el Esther al tidami should focus on delighting in the vinafsheich lihamaleit bais hamelech Shabbos, and he will then be spared mikol haYehudim ki im hachareish from any negative influences. tacharishi baeis hazos revach vihatzalah yaamod layehudim mimakom acher viat This week is Parashas Zachor, when we uveis avich toveidu umi yodeia im laeis read aloud how Amalek, the archenemy kazoos higaat lamalchus, then of the Jewish People, sought to infiltrate Mordechai said to reply to Esther, “Do the Jewish camp and they were defeated not imagine in your soul that you will be by Yehoshua and the Jewish army. We able to escape in the king’s palace any read Parashas Zachor prior to Purim as more than the rest of the Jews. For if you Haman, the enemy of the Jewish People persist in keeping silent at a time like in Persia, was a descendant of Agag, the this, relief and deliverance will come to Amalekite king. The commentators point the Jews from another place, while you out that for all practical purposes, the and your father’s house will perish.” The true Amalekite does not exist amongst us conventional understanding of these anymore. Yet, we are still biblically verses is that Mordechai was warning commanded to remember the evil that Esther that if she did not act, then Amalek sought to perpetrate towards the HaShem would save the Jewish People Jewish People and how HaShem has through other means, but Esther and her promised us that the memory of Amalek family would not survive. The Gerrer will eventually be obliterated. One must Rebbe, however, understands that wonder how we can be required to Mordechai was informing Esther that the remember the evil wrought by Amalek way to accomplish the salvation was by and how we can be instructed to viat uveis avich toveidu. The Gerrer obliterate the memory of Amalek, when Rebbe renders the word toveidu, Amalek does not exist in the physical normally translated to mean perish, as to form. In order to gain a better forfeit your life. Thus, Mordechai was understanding of this obligation, we instructing Esther that the vehicle to must first examine the festival of Purim salvation was by forfeiting her life for and how we relate to this holiday in a the Jewish People. Based on this practical manner. We celebrate Purim by premise, we can begin to understand the reading Megillas Esther, making a feast, particular manner in which we can giving presents of food to our friends approach our requirement to remember and by proffering charity to the indigent. what Amalek sought to do the Jewish What is the significance in these four People and how we are required to rabbinically ordained mitzvos? I recently obliterate the memory of Amalek. saw a fascinating explanation from one Amalek was willing to forfeit their lives of the Gerrer Rebbes regarding in order to destroy the Jewish People, so Mordechai’s exhortation to Esther. It is 2 we must act in the same manner and poor, to the extent that we must fulfill sacrifice our lives for HaShem and His the rabbinic dictum that kol haposehit Torah. The Gemara (Megillah 7b) states yad nosnim lo, anyone who extends his that one is obligated to become hand on Purim receives charity. This intoxicated on Purim until he cannot certainly is a sacrifice on our parts. distinguish between cursed is Haman Lastly, we are required to read the and blessed is Mordechai. The Seder Megillah, and we must even forgo Torah Hayom writes that one is required to study to fulfill this mitzvah. For a Jew, become so intoxicated that he falls to the studying Torah is akin to a fish ground. The reason for this, writes the swimming in water, and we are still Seder Hayom, is because Haman sought required to interrupt our Torah study for to spill our blood to the ground, so we the reading of the Megillah. There can must act in a manner that counters be no greater sacrifice than forgoing Haman’s desires. Based on the Torah study. Thus, the four mitzvos that interpretation of the Gerrer Rebbe, we we perform on Purim all reflect a degree can place this ruling in perspective and of sacrifice, which counters the sacrifice also understand an incident recorded in that Amalek and their descendant the Gemara. We become intoxicated to Haman demonstrated in threatening the the point that we are willing to forfeit Jewish People. The Gemara (Shabbos our lives for HaShem, and the Gemara 118b) states that had the Jewish People demonstrates this with an incident where only observed the first Shabbos in the Rabbah and Rabbi Zeira celebrated the Wilderness, no race or nation could have Purim feast together. Rabbah killed assailed them. Proof of this is because Rabbi Zeira and then brought him back some of the Jewish People violated the to life. This Gemara clearly is telling us first Shabbos and this violation was that on Purim one must attain a level followed by the arrival of Amalek. We where he is willing to forfeit his life for are required to sacrifice everything HaShem. Now we can understand the except our lives to observe Shabbos. The function of the four mitzvos that we Medrash (Esther Rabbah 1:9) states that perform on Purim. We feast and drink the reason Achashveirosh was able to and become intoxicated, and we thus conduct his parties is because the Jewish demonstrate that we are willing to forfeit People had desecrated the Shabbos. It is our lives for HaShem. Furthermore, we well known that when we slack off in give each other food gifts. Unlike the our sacrifice for mitzvah performance, rest of the festivals where we essentially the gentiles are allowed to dominate us. conduct private feasts, on Purim we are It should be HaShem’s will that we required to give of our food to others. observe the Shabbos and the festivals This also reflects on our sacrifice for properly, and then we will merit the HaShem and His people. Additionally, fulfillment of the verse that the Jewish we are obligated to give alms to the children quoted to Haman (Yeshaya 3 8:10) utzu eitzah visufar daberu davar Iyun Tefillah writes that it is said vilo yakum ki imanu kel, plan a (Yeshaya 6:3) vikara zeh el zeh viamar, conspiracy and it shall be annulled; and one would call to another and say… speak your piece and it shall not stand, Targum Yonasan renders these words to for G-d is with us. mean umikablin dein min dein, which Rashi explains to mean that the angels Shabbos in the Zemiros take permission from each other. Perhaps we can offer an alternative Eishes Chayil explanation to this passage.