15 Mar TZAV: PURIM

Purim

In the times of the Baal Shem Tov, there was a drought. The Baal Shem Tov advised his students to go to a certain drunkard and ask him to pray for rain. “I am unable to cancel this decree,” the Baal Shem Tov told them, “but his tefillos can.” The students were surprised. “Why should they go to a drunkard? What power of tefillah could he possibly have?” But they knew that they should follow the Baal Shem Tov’s counsel. The Baal Shem Tov said, “He drinks all day until he falls asleep, and when he wakes up, he starts drinking again. He is only sober the moment he awakens. You must catch him at that moment and ask him to pray for rain.” The students traveled to the town where this yid lived and waited for the opportunity. One day, they were present when the drunkard woke up. He reached for his bottle, but the students stopped him. “We have a problem and we want you to pray for us.” “You want me to pray for you? Don’t you see who I am? I’m a drunk. I’m a nobody…” “The Baal Shem Tov said that if you will pray for us, we will be helped.” “There must be some mistake. The Baal Shem Tov told you to come to me!? It doesn’t make sense.” “But that is the reality. He wants you to pray for rain…” The man raised his hands and prayed. It started to rain immediately. When the students returned, the Baal Shem Tov explained: As you saw, this man isn’t the greatest tzaddik. Once, he took a bundle of money and set out on his way to commit a severe sin. En route, he passed a poor family sitting on the roadside. The children were crying, and the parents looked forlorn. It was a pitiful sight, and he had mercy on them. “What happened?” he asked them. “We couldn’t pay the rent, and the poritz put us out on the street,” the father said. “How much money do you need?” They told him. It was exactly the amount that he had in his pouch. He deliberated at first, but his yetzer tov won and he gave them the money. “You can keep it,” he said. “It’s a gift.” Every good deed is rewarded, and this mitzvah of tzedakah created a great commotion in heaven. He saved an entire family. As a reward, heaven granted him an unusual power of tefillah. All his prayers would be answered. TorahWellsprings- Purim But this can be a problem, because Hashem has a plan for the world, and this person had the potential to change everything with his prayers. Tefillah can be compared to a very powerful tool, and like all tools, when used incorrectly, they can be hazardous. The problem was augmented by the fact that he was an ignoramus and not too G-d fearing. He might use this power to do bad things for people. Therefore, it was decided in the heavenly court that this man will be a drunkard. He would hardly have time to pray, because he will always be drinking and not be aware of his amazing powers. But the Baal Shem Tov knew of his super-abilities, and therefore he wanted him to pray for rains. The Chidushei HaRim repeated this story on Purim and said that this is the reason Chazal say one should be happy with wine on Purim. On Purim everyone receives the great power of tefillah. That’s why Chazal decreed that people should be distracted by the drinking. This story teaches us another lesson too. The man in this story was a low person, but he performed a remarkably good deed, and he was rewarded immensely. This reminds us that no matter what level one is on, he can merit doing great things that will be compensated significantly. One can never know when he will do a good deed that will stir the heavens. The Midrash says that chapter 30 of Tehillim (which is recited daily) “Mizmor shir chanukas habayis l’david…” was composed by Mordechai HaTzaddik, his students, Haman HaRasha, Esther HaMalkah, Kneses Yisrael, and Ruach Hakadosh. (Each one said one or two pesukim of this chapter.) The Midrash says, “When Haman came to Mordechai he said, ‘Get up and get dressed! How bad is my mazal! Yestherday, I prepared the gallows, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu prepared a crown for you. I was preparing rope and nails [to hang you], and Hakadosh Baruch Hu was preparing the king’s clothing for you. I wanted to tell the king to hang you on the gallows, and he told me to lead you on his horse.’ Haman dressed him… When Mordechai was riding, he praised Hakadosh Baruch Hu. “I exult you Hashem, because You raised me, and you didn’t allow my enemies to rejoice…I shouted to you, and you healed me…’” The Midrash also cites the words that Haman said: “That rasha [Haman], what did he say [as he led Mordechai through the streets]? He said, “When things were tranquil, I said that I would never fall. [But now I realize] that it was Your will that made me mighty. You concealed Your face, and I was frightened.’”… It was an unusual moment of truth, when Haman said these few wonderful words to Hashem. He recognized that his might, wealth, and fame were given to him from Hashem, and Hashem could easily take them away from him. His righteousness lasted a short moment. Immediately afterwards, Haman reverted being the rasha he always was, but for one moment he was righteous. What was his reward? The Gemara tells us that one of Haman’s descendents taught Torah to his students in Bnei Brak. How did Haman merit this? The Sheim MiShmuel said that he merited it because of the righteous words that he said while leading Mordechai through the streets of Shushan. Even Haman’s good deed didn’t go to waste. All good deeds, from each and every person, are rewarded. The Sheim MiShmuel concludes, “This is a lesson for all people, even those who are on terribly low levels – may Hashem save us. They shouldn’t consider it to be insignificant every [good] word they say, and even every good thought they have. Even when one doesn’t have the strength to continue on this good path, nevertheless, it will be extremely beneficial for him, to the extent that no mouth can say it, and no heart can comprehend just how far these matters go.” We learn from this the extraordinary reward that awaits us. If Haman was rewarded with a descendent, a Tanna, because of the two pesukim he said, how much reward should we expect for the many good deeds we do! Esther’s father died before she was born. Her mother died in childbirth. She was an orphan her entire life. In that era, an orphan was hopeless and couldn’t expect much of a future. But Esther became the queen of 127 provinces – which according to some opinions, was the entire civilized world1 – and she saved the Jewish nation from destruction. Against all odds, she reached the greatest heights. She requested from the chachamim “Write about me, for the future generations… [Let there be a Megillas Esther]….” And the chachamim agreed, and that’s the reason we have a Megillas Esther today. Esther requested, “Write about me, for the future generations,” because she wanted the miracle to be remembered and celebrated in every generation. But we can add, bederech tzachus, that Esther requested, “write about me.” Let people hear how an orphan woman, with almost no hope for her future, became a mighty queen and the savior of the Jewish people. Esther wanted people to be aware of their potential. They shouldn’t underestimate themselves. They should be aware of what happened to Esther, and realize that the same can happen to them. In spite of how things seem, they can reach unforeseen heights of greatness. Likewise, when one performs mitzvos, he should know that he is building immeasurable greatness for himself. As the Sheim MiShmuel wrote, “[the mitzvah] will be extremely beneficial for him, to the extent that no mouth can say it, and no heart can comprehend just how far these matters go.” He is acquiring greatness that he never knew was possible.