The Rebbe(lhavdil) Defeats Stalin

Difficulty 1

Story from Farbrengen in Toras Menachem 5713:

At the Purim Farbrengen of 5713(1953) the Rebbe told a story of a Chosid(pious devotee) of the Rebbe Rashab N“E(whose soul is in the garden of Eden). The Rebbe Rashab instructed the Chosid to go and vote in the elections for(L"H) the local government official. It was well known that the popular candidate was someone who particularly hated and sought to destroy Jews and for this reason he was vastly popular among the populous. The Chosid who took anything the Rebbe told him to do very seriously prepared himself for the vote, he put on his finest Shabbos clothes and tied his Gartel(sash used for religious ceremonies to separated your lower faculties from your higher faculties) around his waist. When he arrived to the voting both, the older Chosid heard the assembled Russians celebrating the imminent victory of the anti-Semite previously mentioned. They shouted Hoo-Rah, Hoo-Rah, which is the Russian version of Hoo-Ray. The Chosid thought they were shouting in Hebrew Hoo Rah, which means, he is evil. With all his might the Chosid began shouting Hoo Rah…

As it happens, The Rebbe concluded the official died the very next day from the power of this Chosid. We have Haman in our times, people who want to destroy the Jewish people where ever they are to be found, G-d forbid! In that time the biggest Haman was Stalin Yimacht Shmo(his name should be destroyed!), it was known he sought to kill out his major opponents and blame the killings on the Jewish community, sparking pogroms and their destruction, G-d forbid! The Rebbe instructed to audience to shout Hu Ra, Hu Ra!, the crowd shouted three times and the Farbrengen came to an end.

At that moment across the world Stalin was found unconscious in his library, having suffered a major stroke. He died five days later.

At this time the Jews have the power to conquer all their enemies, it should happen know through the Tefillah(prayer) of the Jewish people that no evil person will threaten the existence of Yidden. This will come through the whole world serving G-d as one, which will come through Moshiach Tzidkenu, it should happen now!

Avodas Tzedakah (How to Give Charity)

Difficulty 2

Based on Lekutei Sichos Chelek Alef:

The commentators on the Torah ask the question; Why is the Golden Alter mention at the end of Parshas Tetzaveh, where as the rest of the vessels of the Mishkan(tent of meeting) are mentioned in the previous Parsha, Parshas Terumah?

One can possibly answer that the reason the the construction of the Golden Alter is mentioned after all the other vessels and services in the Mishkan, the dwelling place for G-d in this physical world, is that the service of the Golden Alter was the culmination and ultimate expression of all the other holy services.

It states in the Yerushalmi Talmud(m. Yoma) on the Posuk(verse), "No man shall enter the Tent of Meeting", that this means that no one, not even angels can enter there, rather only the Cohen(priest) to do his divine service and G-d with him. The only service that was done there every day was that which took place on the Golden Alter, the burning of the incense. From this we can see the loftiness of the Golden alter and the burning of the incense that took place upon it.

This idea of Divine Service in the Mishkan also has its parallel in man's personal Divine service, even in todays day and age.

This high level of Avodah(Divine Service) that took place in the Mishkan corresponds in general to Torah and Mitzvos in mans service and specifically to the Mitzvah of Tzedakah(literally righteousness, i.e. charity). In the same way that when the Cohen burned the incense on the Golden Alter, i.e. that he was alone, himself and G-d, so too we should give Charity alone. One should not strive to be known for the charity he gives, but rather it should be personal between him and G-d.

By doing this Avodah properly it will arouse G-d to return us the Avodah that Tzedakah parallels, the burning of the incense in Beis Hamikdash HaShlishi(the third Temple), the eternal edifice for G-dliness and Righteousness in this world, which will come about through Moshiach Tzidkenu, may it happen now.

Pilpul Purim Kabalas Ol (The Yoke of Heaven)

Difficulty 6

Based on the words of the אוסטרובצא Rebbe.

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Background on the Rav: A Gaon who fasted for 40 years, only eating at night in order to prevent the harsh decrees that were hanging over the heads of Jewish people in his time. After his death the decrees seemingly fell on the head of his son and successor who was murdered in the Holocaust with our countless brothers and sisters, G-d should avenge their Blood. He used complex mathematics to explain Jewish Law and its reasoning.

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"Our Rabbis taught us that one celebrates Purim in cities that were walled(in the land of Israel) in the days of Yehoshua Bin Nun on the 15th of Adar, in order to bequeath honor to the land of Israel."

The only city that was given the honor to celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar was Shushan due to the fact that it was the city in which the miracle of Purim occurred and the Jews there had to fight a day longer than the Jews outside that city who celebrated their redemption of the 14th of Adar, while in the capital(Shushan) the celebration did not begin until the 15th . However the Rabbis wanted to honor all of Israel so they said all the cities in Israel that were walled in the times of Yehoshua Bin Nun(Joshua the successor of Moses) will also have this status, to celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar(as though the miracle happened there too).

We have a question to contemplate: Why during this time(after the miracle of Purim, which occurred in Babylon) did the Rabbis deem fit to honor the land of Israel?

The answer can be explained according to this logic:

The story is told in Medresh, that Mordechai was starving with Haman in the wilderness. While Haman ate all his rations immediately, Mordechai wisely portioned them. Soon Haman was starving and begged Mordechai to give him some of his food, Mordechai agreed, if Haman agreed to sell himself as a slave to Mordechai.

It is brought down(m. Megilah p.15) that after this incident Haman grew in wealth and influence to the extent that he purchased the Jewish people from Achashveyrosh for a vast sum of silver. When Haman informed Mordechai of this, Mordechai asked rhetorically, "if a slave acquires something, who really acquires it? the slave himself or the master?". The answer being clearly, the master.

We have to understand, why did G-d create a situation in which the Jewish people were sold to the slave of a Jew?

The answer can be explained as thus: We learn(m. Sandhedrin p.105) The reason the the Jews came to idolatry was due to the fact that they reasoned "G-d has sold us into slavery(we were exiled into Babylon, slaves to Nebuchadenetzar) , after a master sells a slave is there any connection left between the two?". i.e., why should we still be required to serve G-d and do his commandments?! "So, G-d answered in the Megilah through the prophet, "Nebuchadenetzar is my slave...".

The Jewish people believed that they were slaves of Nebuchadenetzar and did not contemplate on the fact that G-d is the ultimate master, since "all that a slave acquires, his master acquires". That truly it was G-d, Nebuchadenetzar's master who acquired them. This lack of realization was the source of their sin. So once again G-d sold the Jewish people to a slave of a master(the Jews to Haman, the slave of Mordechai).

If the Jewish people would realize and contemplate on the principle that a master acquires what his slave acquires, that all along they were G-d's people and would return to Torah and Mitzvos, they would also come upon the reality that they had not been sold into their destruction by being sold to Haman(who was a descendant of Amalek and desired to destroy the Jewish people, G-d fordbid), but rather Aderaba(the opposite is true) , by being sold to Haman they were delivered from the slavery into the hands of a Jew, a servant of G-d, and were truly receiving their freedom!

Had they not come to that realization, then just like they would practically not serve G-d because they mistakenly thought they now belonged to Nebuchadenetzar, they would practically also be destroyed by Haman as they also regard themselves as sold to him(G-d forbid!).

G-d gave over to the hearts of the Jewish people to realize the truth, that they were Jews, servants of G-d and they were free from their bonds and conquered Haman, B"H.

Now we can understand why our sages gave honor to The Land of Israel in connection to the miracle of Purim.

It says(m. Sanhedrin p. 91) that "the sons of Afrika(not necessarily modern day Africa), complained to the Jewish people, "it is written that Canan will inherit the land of Canan, behold, we are the sons of Canan and the Jewish people the sons of Shem we should receive the land!". The Jewish people responded, "true however the Torah also says that Canan will be a slave to his brothers and therefore, all that a slave acquires, it is truly his master who acquires it!"

So we understand now, that the Jewish people realized the truth that all that a slave acquires is not truly his, but rather belongs to his master. Therefore, after the miracle of Purim the Jewish people understood that the land of Israel was truly theirs. Although it was once called the land of Canan, these people have no true claim on the land.

Through accepting the Yoke of heaven and realizing who is the true king of kings, we should not just pay honor to the land of Israel, but all our exiles should return and inhabit the land securely without any more contention for its ownership, all this with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkenu, Teikef u'mi'Yad!

Simcha Chodesh Adar ( The month of Adar )

Difficulty: 3

Based on Lekutei Sichos Chelek Alef:

The Mishna(Taanis c. 26 m. 2) States:

"When we enter month of Adar(the month of Purim) we increase in Simcha(joy)".

The Talmud(in explaining this statement) says: "In the same way we decrease in Simcha in the month of Av, so too we increase in Simcha in the month of Adar". This statement is not entirely understood, seemingly the increase in Simcha in the month on Adar is very different from the decrease that occurs in Av. To explain: The Hebrew word used to describe the decrease in Simcha that occurs in Av is ממעטין(m'Me'atin), which is m'Lashon(related in its etymology) with the Hebrew word מעט(Me'at) meaning a small measure. This implies that that decrease in Av is limited in the extent of its decrease, this is in stark contrast to the increase of Simcha that occurs in Adar. To explain: Simcha is Paretz Geder(breaking through limitation), furthermore the level of Simcha which is demanded from us on Purim(which is in Adar), is described at Ad d'Lo Yodey(to the extent that you do not know, i.e., that one should be consumed with happiness to the extent that ones human limitations of intellect no longer exist)!

So we now understand that The Talmud is making a comparison between two opposite ideas; something which is very limited, i.e., the decrease in Simcha that occurs in Av, with the exact opposite, the limitless increase in Simcha that occurs in Adar! How, and why does the Gemara make this comparison(and equalization)?

To question further, is there not a commandment which exists to serve G-d with Simcha? How then can we be asked to decrease in Simcha at all?

The explanation is as thus: The Tachlis Ha'Kavana(Ultimate Intention) of mans Devine Service in this world is to create a Dirah B'Tachtonim(a Home in this physical world, i.e. just like a mans true self is revealed when behind the doors of his house, so too our Devine Service is intended to reveal G-dliness in this physical world which can be peceived as entirely devoid of it, G-d forbid). We know that our holy books say(see m. Chagiga p. 5, Avodas HaKodesh c. 3, and many other places explained at length), that "wherever Simcha is to be found so too is G-d".

From this we understand that the ultimate way to reveal G-dliness in this world, is through living with a constant Simcha, an overwhelming Joy. So if the whole point of our Devine Service is to make a dwelling place for G-d and the way to do that is with Simcha, how can we possibly be asked, in regards to that very Devine Service, to decrease in Simcha!?

This can be understood according to the following parable: One who wishes to prepare a messy home for a special guest or important person, before furnishing it with fine furnishings, must first clean out the house to remove the dirt and grime.

The Analogue for this in our spiritual service is removing the Shmutz that exists in onces soul(which is compared to a candle and wick) which comes about through the bitterness of Av(cleaning the candle), before refining it with the Simcha of Adar(lighting the fire).

This is why the Talmud likened the two ideas; The limited decrease of Simcha in the month of Av with the limitless increase of Simcha in the month of Adar. For really these two ideas are one in the same, a way to make a dwelling place for G-d in this Physical World.

This is true to the extent that only though the decrease of the Simcha in Av can the increase of Simcha in Adar truly be limitless, for in this way it achieves the powerful level Described by King Shlomo, "Light which comes out of Darkness". Through this process of these two ideas, one and the same, can we achieve the ultimate level of revelation in this world.

The whole Month of Adar should be filled with this limitless Simcha to the extent that it reveals G-dliness in the world in an open and revealed way and brings about an eternity of Simcha with T'Chiyas HaMesim al yedey Moshiach Tzidkenu, Bimhera v'Yomenu, Mamash!