Supplement-THE NEWS-March, 1984
Thoughts From The LUBAVITCHER REBBE
PURIM
At the outset of the events of Purim, Mordechai “sat in the gate of
the king,” an expression denoting his position as royal counselor. This
position, though important, was incomparably less than the advancement
he received after Haman’s downfall, when he became second to the
king. Achashveirosh elevated him after discovering the full extent of
Mordechai’s unswerving loyalty to Judaism. When Achashveirosh heard
that Mordechai would not bow to Haman, what was the king’s reaction?
Did he lose respect for Mordechai? Not at all! On the contrary; once
Esther had told the king that Mordechai belonged to Israel, the noblest
of nations, and that he was related to her, Achashveirosh saw that
Mordechai was a person who could really be trusted. The king realized
that Mordechai was totally sincere, and faithful to himself and to his be
liefs under all circumstances and despite all social environmental pres
sures. Such a person, reasoned Achashveirosh, could safely be appointed
second to the king, with all the responsibility that position entailed.
The lesson for our generation is obvious. People think that one should
be an observant Jew in order to earn 01am Haba, the spiritual World to
Come. Glam Haba? — of course; but one must be Torah-observant for
01am Hazeh, to live life to the full in this world. Do you want to earn the
respect of the non-Jew? (Whether you should just assume you have this
desire.) Rest assured you will not get it by running after him. If you run
after the gentile he will not let you in, not by the front door nor by the
back door. If you climb through the window he will throw you out! For
when the non-Jew sees that you are running after him and courting his
attention, he realizes that you are a syncophant, a “lianger-on" who imi
tates others and becomes their follower for the sake of money or honor.
“Today he mi^t be running after me, seeking my friendship,” muses the
gentile; “if tomorrow someone else will give him an additional dollar or
an additional honor, he will run after him.” Likewise if one wishes to oc
cupy a position of eminence in “Shushan the capital” (or in the capital of
any country) he must remain faithful to the laws which are “different
thk those (tf other nations;” he must not “observe the laws of the king”
where they conflict with Torah. Remaining faithful to Torah is the only
way to earn true respect and become “second to the king” — if this is
indeed one’s purpose in life, for if it is not his purpose then all efforts in
that direction are a shameful waste of time.
A person should be cautious about pursuing a position of excessive
power or material wealth under any circumstances, as the following
analogy illustntes; The essence of man is spiritual. In 01am Hazeh (the
[^ysical workl) this inner essence is covered, clothed in the material as
pects of life like a garment. A garment, if too short, is undesirable. On
the other hand, what if someone declares that since clothing is a good
thing — “the more the merrier,” and proceeds to make his clothing un
necessarily large, with an abundance of material? Naturally, the exces
sive cloth gathers under his feet, renders him awkward, and may trip
him up; the sleeves are too long and hamper his hands; his oversize hat
hangs over his nose. The outsize garments not only fail to improve his
appearance, but greatly detract from it.
If one tries to achieve more than is fitting for him in the way of mate
rial wealth or importance of position, not oiJy does it fail to ei^nce his
situation, it makes it much worse. The “garment,” the external aspect of
his existence, is too long. Let him entreat G-d to whom wealth belongs,
for all his needs; then he can be sure of receiving exactly as much as is
necessary for his needs.
People delude themselves that one must emulate fashion, follow the
majority — or be ejected from society. They are in grievous error. Each
person, Jew or gentile, must fulfill his mission. The non-Jew should not
keep the Shabbos, but should observe the seven Mitzvos given to the
descendants of Noah. It is demanded of a Jew that he should observe
the precepts incumbent upon him, that which his inner nature demands.
Israel’s obligation is sensed even by the non-Jew who will eventually ex
pect it of a Jew. The gentile does not understand compromise in this
area; it must be one way or the other: If you are a Jew then you have to
live like one, proudly. If you imitate them and run after them, they lose
all trust in you and respect for you. They want nothing to do with you
— and justifiably so. For they reason, “Just as this unfaithful person is
deceiving himself, his essence, his being, his Judaism, his father, his
mothers, his Zeida and Bobba, so will he eventually deceive me and his
partner, his employees etc. How could he possibly be trusted with any
thing? He has no character, no belief or principle for which he will fight;
he always lamely and tamely follows the majority.”
Maintaining one’s Judaism in the way that Mordechai and Esther did,
is not only for the world to come but is vital for this world. The United
States is a country which takes particular pride in people who had an in
novative approach to problems, or who made new ^scoveries and built
"empires” on the strength of their innovation. Expressed differently, this
country takes pride in those who go against the stream against the ma
jority, and hold steadfast to their own unique approach.
In conclusion, let us return to the story of Pi^: King Achashveirosh
at first wanted to destroy the Jews even more than Haman. However,
once Esther brought it to his attention that Israel has existed for so
many years, and that it was her people etc. than Achashveirosh drasti
cally changd his mind. Not only did he reinstate Mordechai, but he ele
vated him to a far higher position. The king gave the house of Haman to
Esther and his own ring to Mordechai. He elevated Mordechai to the
position of “second to ^e king” and entrusted him with all matters of
the kingdom.
The story of Purim carries a powerful lesson for each of us. When we
walk in the way of the Torah it becomes a teaching for life. The Torah
teaches us how to acquire life in the external world to come, and how to
live — truly live — in this world — a world in which we are “scattered
and disper^ among the nations.” Torah shows us that Israel is as a fish
in the sea of Torah and Mitzvos. When the sea surrounds it day after
day the fish remains alive. It is not sufficient that the Jew find himself in
the sea of Torah and Yiddishkeit only on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur
or Shabbos; he must be immersed in it every day and every hour. Then
he remains a live creature who also imparts vitality to others and-euc-
ceeds in establishing a family with “live” children and grandchildren who,
like himself, fill their lives with the Torah.
PRAYERS FOR OUR TIMES
Due to the increasing state of
instability in the world, Jews should
increase in their prayers to G-d,
prayers which express the ideas of
love for a fellow Jew and peace in the
world.
The following prayers were sug
gested by the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Shlita;
n'Tip pa:
'to nwv niyn '’»?P
5|ia5 WW'
h I* proper 10 **y morninK pr«ym
I hereby take upon mytcU to
fulfill the mittvah. "Love your
Mlowman at yourself."
nnnS
nn "V*
o, o-.tn, ni€ inrp
ll proper 10 pr««rr
Indeed, the righteout will extol
Your Name; the upright will
dwell in Your presence.
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