Maamar Vata Titzave 1981 #8 - Self Sacrifice during Purim & today - Rabbi Chaim Dalfin

Today, we're learning the Mimer Va'yavo the Tavo the Rebbe in 780 1981 and and distributed 1992. And we learned yesterday uh interesting statement the difference between Matisyahu and the time of Chanukah that the mesiras nefesh by the Jewish people at the time was not by all Jews. Whereas during Purim Mordechai's time it was. And to that Reb Reb Shimon here um left me a message even though he wasn't at the shiur, which is wonderful to see that he's preparing. Like a real student. And want to tell us what your question is, your questions. Well, that first of all, the what was the mesiras nefesh at the times of Purim? Other than fasting for 3 days there was a there was a a gzeirah against them, but it wasn't to convert. It was just a gzeirah. Haman wanted to wipe out the Jews. It wasn't if you convert, if you worship avodah zarah, then you'll be safe. So, what was the mesiras nefesh? And and the the idea that the the the the the Moshiach of the door affected all of the Yidden but we see that Mordechai was not successful in keeping the Jews from attending Achashverosh's seudah. Okay. >> So, that was was my question, a two-part question. >> Two-part question. So, first to answer your second question and going back to the first. Historically, um your your statement is erroneous, is is wrong. Simply historically. There was a long time between their eating at the seudah and and and Mordechai involved. That's look into the commentaries into his Mordecai become the most remain of the of the door. Wait. Wait. So in other words, I want to You're right that during the time when they went to eat from the seder, they were not having mesiras nefesh. That's correct. But but that was much earlier. When Mordecai shows up and gets involved with the story of Purim, that part of the story, that part of that's the story part part of the what happened they did. And where is the source for this? It's the Alter Rebbe in Torah Or. I'm surprised that he doesn't bring it in the references. I'm very surprised. And the Alter Rebbe says it, no one else says it. So it's a chiddush of the Alter Rebbe. The Alter Rebbe says that for an entire year Look look don't remember the exact verbatim quote, but the idea is like this. Like all of machshavos chutz, I think those are part of the words of the Alter Rebbe. It didn't enter the mindset of anyone the homent dicum to rebel against their Jewishness. And they stayed with mesiras nefesh to be Jewish. A chavrusa of mine told me that he recently saw but he doesn't remember where a source for the Alter Rebbe. But the Alter Rebbe doesn't need a source. IF THE ALTER REBBE SAYS IT, then as far as we're concerned, it's okay. But it's always good to have a another source, but I don't have that right now for you. So that's that's as far as that's concerned. Now, to explain that another a little a little better. When we talk about Messiah's love and and you said your question part of your question was well, Haman wanted to kill the Jews. And um it it doesn't it doesn't imply that if they if they converted he wouldn't kill them. That's also wrong. According to the Alter Rebbe. If in other words from what we understand from the Alter Rebbe's words is that if they would have converted to to Haman, you know, to goyishkeit right? If they would have given away their yiddishkeit, their faith he would have left them alone. Because he was looking to kill Jews, Israel. If you're not Jewish anymore, I'm not killing you. Why would he kill them? But perhaps it would help if we knew the mar makom for the Alter Rebbe but I don't recall reading anything of that in in the Gemara. I know. In Megillah. I know. I know. So this is a real chiddush. It is a real chiddush. But if that the Alter Rebbe knew the same Gemara that you and I knew. And if the Alter Rebbe writes it This is this this is maybe this is in Likkutei Torah. No. No, the Alter Rebbe I mean it's brought in Likkutei Torah, it's brought in in Torah Or which is the Alter Rebbe's safer of Chassidus. But the Alter Rebbe is not saying he's not saying a Kabbalah thing. He's saying a he's saying a factual thing on the ground. And by the way, could could you prove could you prove it otherwise? You can't prove it otherwise. How can you prove it Go ahead. Do you have a counter argument to what he's saying? That with proof? Well, if if you show me a Medrash if you show me that it's in a Medrash, if you show me that it's in a There's There's got to be a m- core for it. No, no, you're not You're not You're not You're not You didn't understand what I just said. Where does it say otherwise that it can't be? You can't disprove a negative. You can't disprove a negative. That's a logical fallacy. It's >> disprove A NEGATIVE. >> NO, NO, NO, WAIT. The fact is that the Jews were saved. So >> Okay. So the Alter Rebbe's way of thinking >> the the logical extension of that, according to what you're saying, is being saved requires mesiras nefesh. That's right. That's right. What that That's the exact That's THE POINT IN THE MAAMAR. AND THAT'S THE And the point even gets stronger in the maamar that he the Rebbe makes the comparison in this in in in yesterday's and today's chapter we're going to learn that that that the difference between MORDECHAI AND MOSHE. MORDECHAI AND MOSHE, FORGET ABOUT MATISYAHU. MOSHE. And the Rebbe says that Moshe's period didn't involve mesiras nefesh. And it's And that's a fact on the ground, too. It didn't. The the mesiras nefesh came during the time of In other words, during Matisyahu's time, it couldn't use mesiras nefesh. And he did use, but it didn't impact everyone. Whereas whereas Mordechai did, and that's why they were saved. So if you're going to argue, "Well, if they If Matisyahu didn't have mesiras nefesh, if not everyone had mesiras nefesh during Matisyahu's time, why did Hashem say say save them?" Well, number one, we know I mean, I was a down there in in in in in in King uh Yar David and I uh in Jerusalem, right outside of the the wall, and they found over there, if it's true, they found written in Greek here was a shul. So, I asked the guy, "Why was it written in Greek?" He says, "Cuz they were Hellenists." They had shul, and they were Hellenists. So, that's not that's not mesiras nefesh. If you're Hellenist, you're not having mesiras nefesh. And when you say there's no midrashim, there are midrashim. And the Gemara says it, too. THE GEMARA SAYS THAT MORDECAI GATHERED 24,000 CHILDREN. SO, what do you mean they weren't there? So, the the that So, the Alter Rebbe's position that >> gather all the children you want. How is that mesiras nefesh? They're going to SHOOT YOU. THEY'RE YOU'RE CELEBRATING IN THE STREETS, AND THEY'RE AGAINST IT. THEY'RE GOING to kill you. What do you mean? How is that mesiras nefesh? They They had a They They had it all planned out. It wasn't going to happen now. It's going to be on the that's for the whole point of the goral that that Haman made. I'm asking you, if Haman if it's not the decree, AND THE AHASUERUS IS SIDING WITH HAMAN, and you go and gather children in a public forum, you're not fearful they're going to kill you? There's only one thing that will stop you from killing them. If you say, "We're not Jewish." And therefore, you're going to dis- mantle the gathering, and we're not going to say the psukim. They could have done that. And they would have The sister says uh the decree was scheduled. It's going to happen then. Until that day, we do nothing. Until that day, the Jews are safe. On that day, one day which Haman picked, that's going to happen. So, you can gather 24,000 kids, and you know nothing's going to happen because the scheduled date is like, you know, almost a year in advance. >> Wait. Wait. Another thing, another thing, didn't Mordecai tell them way back at the beginning, didn't Mordecai tell the people not to attend Ahasuerus' dinner? Okay. But you're arguing that >> Yeah, but they didn't but they didn't listen. That's exactly what he suggested. BUT BUT THAT'S A YEAR BEFORE. You you Fine, but that's that's a year before. The Alter Rebbe is is arguing and positioning and saying that they did teshuvah. And that itself brought about That's exactly his point. That that was the mesirus nefesh. And as far as your question, which is a good question, Nachshon, and Yisrael said it before, to the date, the date means that on this DAY WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTE YOU. BUT NOT THAT NOT THAT BEFORE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO AND DO YOUR THINGS, IT'S NOT GOING TO contribute to uh the It's like in Russia. THE PEOPLE FOR YEARS WERE teaching in the underground, and one day they caught them, and they killed them on that day in 1938. The same people, and we know their names, and their family, some of them live in Crown Heights and in Crown Heights and Crown Heights, right? They were teaching from 1930, '31, '32, '33. Caught yet. This is in the Purim story, it's dead man walking. The decree was already sealed. Okay. So, what Yeah, so therefore, what's your point? >> had a date. So, fine. >> the same as saying somebody who's underground and they haven't been caught yet and they're at risk and that's a mesiras nefesh? So I'm asking you if if you know there's a decree against Hashem Shalom a community a person all that you feel at ease until the decree happens? Of course not. >> No. They could have No. Right. And and and and they had THEY HAD A SIMPLE OUT. YOUR ANSWER to my question your answer to my question is the mesiras nefesh was 24,000 children gathering together to learn. >> That's only That's only one example. That's an example BECAUSE THE GEMARA BRINGS THAT. I I you know I don't know other If they would have converted if they would have converted I'm asking you would there be a problem? Would the Would the Would the What? >> Yes according to my understanding of how Chazal learned the the whole difference between Chanukah and Purim was that the Yevanim davka wanted the Jews to stop being Jews and that's why we say Hallel and on Purim we celebrate with gashmius because it was to wipe out the physicality of the Jewish nation regardless of their de'ah. No not regardless of their de'ah. That You added those words not regardless of their de'ah. IF THEY WOULD HAVE CONVERTED THEY would have not been killed. Who are you talking about? Now you bring me YOU YOU BRING ME NO I want TO SAY YOU BRING A SOURCE FOR THOSE LAST WORDS. WHAT? Bring a source FOR THOSE LAST WORDS. >> GEMARA THAT SAYS IT. WHAT? Give me a Gemara in the Gemara that says it. No but you said you quoted a Gemara and you added to the Gemara. The Gemara doesn't say that if they would have converted they would have not they would have been killed. >> Gemara Does the Gamorah say that if they had if they had converted they would have been saved? >> It's logical. But I don't see the I I don't know. I I I I think the Gamorah teaches otherwise. How does the Gamorah teach otherwise? There's a There's a decree for being Jew for for Jews to be killed. If you're not Jewish any longer, would you be killed? It's logical. You don't NEED A GAMORAH FOR THAT. I I I think history disproves you. It's like what Hitler Yimach Shmo did. Even if you had a trace of Jewish blood and you weren't a Jew, he wanted to wipe out the Jewish nation. That was Haman, the Amalekite. That was Amalek. I'm asking you Did Did Hitler Did Hitler uh kill uh Christians? I mean, I'm saying Yeah. Yeah. No. No. NO. NO. I'M SAYING DID HE WIPE OUT THE He He selected Gypsies, Jews, you know? But I'm saying even people who did not identify as being Jewish if they >> Who converted? Jewish ancestor, they were also killed. They themselves could have been the furthest thing from a Torah-observant Jew or even a Halakhic Jew. And yet they were wiped out. Again, you know, um I I don't think we can make com- comparison to Hitler. I mean, it's a different a different time, a different time. >> Amalekite. Amalekites. That's That's That's not >> Thank you, Manasha. I have someone on my side. Yeah. Um Anyway, so when and if I find a source with the Alter Rebbe, I'll share it with you. But >> Thank you. this is This is the source for what the Rebbe says here, and this is not the first time it's said in many my moral, and then a chiddush. And that's it. Now, regarding your Austrians, that that that basically this discussion tackles both questions. What? Yeah. Yeah, it's good. Yeah. Okay, let's go now. Chaim Zev, I hope it didn't bore you. Um I hope you followed the conversation, but it it was a it was a very good conversation. We made a discussion about the p'shat. Okay. Uh zayin on page 370. Ve'hinei yedua she'amoserus nefesh bepo'el al teiroh u'mitzvos that the actual sacrifice mesirus nefesh for teiroh u'mitzvos shel kol Yisroel of all Jews hoiseh bePurim No, sorry. Sorry, ches. Wrong chapter. Page 374. Piza yash le'vaya keshev vesayder in yonesh bemaymer the Rebbe says based on what we said before we can explain the flow of the previous Rebbe's maymer vekiblu hayehudim be'er aposik in explaining the verse ve'atah tetzaveh Hashem and Mosheh should command the Jews to bring the the oil shel betchilah me'vayer es apiyur div'atah metzaveh me'Yisroel. First my father-in-law explains the verse va'atah tetzaveh. And what does he explain? She'Mosheh hu mekashir es bnei Yisroel that Mosheh is the one that connects the Jews with Hashem in may'ein sovev. How? Ayedei she'hu zorei'a emunah es ha'emunah by sustaining and feeding faith. After my father-in-law explains that, ul'achar zayn me'vayer after this he explains she'gam ro'ei Yisroel she'bechol dor that all those leaders of the Jews in each generation is the Moshiach which are the extension of Moshiach. They strengthen the faith of In other words, not only Moshiach, but also the the leaders of every generation. For example, for example, Mordecai which is Moshiach Mordecai who was the Moshiach of his generation who strengthened the faith of the hidden during his time to stand strong and do the mitzvahs. Finally, my father-in-law for the third point in this mind says because it's He explains in the mind the meaning of crushed to the luminary. Which is found possible Moshiach. Seemingly, this part of the mind which explains this crushed oil is referring to Moshiach. Bring the oil Moshiach should command the Jews to bring oil. What type of oil? Crushed for the luminary. So, who who is the This is for Moshiach. So, in other words, like this. I'm I'm going to tell you about orally what the question is going to be here in this chapter. The order doesn't seem to flow. He starts off with Moshiach. He goes to the extension of Moshiach of every generation and he ends off with Moshiach. HE SHOULD HAVE FIRST SAID YOU KNOW, ABOUT MOSHIACH. Then say this explains why the the Hashem's command is to bring the crushed oil to Moshiach and THEN THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A MOSHIACH IN EVERY GENERATION. That's not the order of the mind. That's the question in this chapter. Let's continue. Who be are you The primary actualization of the crushed oil concept is through THE EXTENSION OF MOSHIACH IS CRUSHED. WHICH LED TO THE arousal within the Yidden is the POWER OF MESIRUS NEFESH TO THEM THAT THEY HAD. THROUGH THIS who he can go give me at SOME OF THE SHAMANS MORE THIS REVEALS THE essence which is the luminary. So again, the question is the order is out of sequence seemingly. But that look at the question but love it. I told you the question that's coming up now before inside. We're on top of page 376. Based on the explanation that we mentioned earlier the concept of crushed to the luminary is applicable TO THE FIRST IDEA THAT YOU MOSHIACH should command the Jews. To the fact that Moshiach in his extension in each generation they connect the Yidden in MY LIFE WITH HASHEM WITH THE WITH HASHEM. Over possible and in the verse that my closest love way But but but the Rebbi says the fact is that in the verse the words crushed to the luminary we're on 377 SAID IT'S SAID AFTER THE CONCEPT YOU SHALL take to yourself. She is rolling in shamans Moshiach that the Jews are to bring the oil to Mosha who she is thrown with Steve him twice with oil and Mosha. That the Eden something that Mosha didn't have. The Rebbe says that the classic causes the words causes follows the words of Shemen Zayis. Take to yourself oil crushed olives crushed oil for the illuminary. So the Rebbe says that doesn't that doesn't in the classic it doesn't COME AFTER THE IT COMES AFTER THE OIL. And we learned earlier what is the idea why why why is say bring to Mosha because the Eden by by by experiencing causes more the crushed feeling of being in Golus and all that THEY GIVE MOSHA SOMETHING MOSHA didn't have as we explained them in the first and second year etc. So the Rebbe's question in this chapter is that it's out of sequence. I want to read some of the notes here because they're important. Okay. So and also yeah I I I I I wanted to yesterday when I told you one second Mosha yeah Mosha yeah what? So Rebbe good question I actually asked this earlier but the illuminary crushed with illuminary as we say in English illuminary meaning for the light. Is that correct? The source of light. So what that what does that mean the source of light? Where does where does where does light come from? Where where does our when the sun shines where does the the shine? What is the shine come from? The shine that you have here, where does it come from? It comes from the sun itself. >> Ah. That's called the luminary, the sun bowl. So, in this case the the the the the menorah. No, in this case it says bring oil, crush the olives, right? Should be well well crushed for the purpose of lighting the menorah. But, the word lamar doesn't mean to light. It means the actual It means something IT MEANS LIKE SOMEHOW IT TOUCHES THE SOURCE of light, WHICH WHICH DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE'S what he's working on here in the mind of It should have said cos is laha'ir. Look, it should be crushed for the purpose so that it will shine and brighten up the menorah in a way that'll be proper. So, the word the proper Hebrew word would be laha'ir. It doesn't say that. It says cos is lamar. Somehow this crushed uh olives and and and you know, and oil will not will illuminate WILL WILL WILL CAUSE SOMETHING TO THE SOURCE OF LIGHT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? That's his question. And and and his answer is that that you have TO TOUCH THE SOURCE. CUZ IF YOU DON'T TOUCH THE SOURCE, THE LIGHT IS WEAK. The light is not as deep and powerful that it it could be and should be, especially during the time of self-sacrifice. So, in other words, let let let me let me just give you an example so that in a normal situation, having light is adequate, right? You get up in the morning, you go to shul. But when you have to run into bombshells into into miklatim and all that, it's not la hoyer. WHEN YOU'RE DAVENING, WHEN YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE YOU'RE STANDING you're in the middle of the you have to run here. In other words, there's a situation when la hoyer doesn't work. La hoyer is the norm. Here is oil POURED INTO THE MENORAH and it shines. Then there's a situation when that's not adequate. Because we have a chaotic state. We need we need we need a transcendent experience. We need something that touches much deeper. Cut and and the Rebbe says, that's the the significance of the word kosis. That that there's a position and a time that that you need kosis. IN OTHER WORDS, WHY WHY DOES THE TORAH HAVE TO SAY THE WORD KOSIS, CRUSHED? EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT IF YOU WANT OIL, you have TO CRUSH AN OLIVE. I mean, why what the you the after the Shabbos Bnei Yisrael the yeekveila shamen zayis. Would that not be adequate to explain what Hashem wants? Moshe, tell the Jews we need oil, finished. All of a sudden he adds word that Hashem adds words in the Torah, KOSIS LA MOY, TOTALLY UNNECESSARY. AND then what does it mean? Well, it means crushed. Oh, like we didn't know it means to crush. IF IT WOULDN'T SAY THAT, JUST IT WOULD SAY BRING OIL. OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO CRUSH OLIVES. YOU GET NO OIL FROM YOU DON'T CRUSH OLIVES. So there So there's idea of shamen zayis and so on, but the Rebbe in the siddur in this ma'amar he says kosis represents a mindset. Kosis and that's why because we're talking about a specific mindset, i.e. mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice during THE TIME OF GOLUS, it touches and and brings into the experience the illuminary more, not only just a regular shine. That's that's the conject- the thing here. What I wanted to say from yesterday is that that why a a witness cannot be a judge. So it's No, I'm sorry. That's something else. What I wanted to say yesterday is the that the previous the Rebbe says that the Rebbe says that my father-in-law wrote this about Mordechai, so he he made the ruling about himself. That's based on in Pirkei Avot, din v'cheshbon. Right? First comes the din and then comes the cheshbon. Shouldn't it be just the opposite? It's a famous question. First you make a cheshbon, you make an account, and then you have a judgment. You have a decision. Doesn't say cheshbon v'din. So the Rebbe explained once a very famous talk of his that No, based on the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch, one of the two, that a person renders the cheshbon based on them making a judgment making a judgment. WHEN THEY JUDGE SOMEONE ELSE, they're really it's going to come back to them. So the cheshbon does follow the din cuz the din is referring to when you judge others. And when you judge others, cheshbon, then that accounting is going to come back to you both in negative stuff and and in good stuff and good things. In this case, good things. The fact that the Friediker Rebbe says my father-in-law made a din saying that Mordechai is the is the is the the Midrash says the extension of Moshe, but explaining it, he that judgment that he made in explaining that concept bounces back to him that he himself is in that situation. And finally, let's go here back to page um very bottom of page 375 cuz it gives good clarity here. To summarize the note to summarize the mind of people are you holding discusses the following three fundamental concepts. A. That Moshiach connects to Tsaveh, the word Tsaveh. Moshiach connects the Jewish people to Hashem by bringing the essence next page of their souls into revelation. Moshiach does that. He brings He He brings the the essence of the of Jew of the Jewish people's souls into revelation. It's alluded to by the phrase "And you shall command the children of Israel." That's the first point in the mind of the previous Rebbe. Point number two, B. That the extension in exclamation marks of Moshiach perform the same function Um uh to and and there's no Okay, and C. That the essential spark of Hashem's God of godliness within the Jewish soul is revealed through self-sacrifice in the era of exile, which is alluded to BY THE PHRASE "CRUSHED FOR the luminary." One might have expected the mind of the people are you holding have explained the first and the third concepts and then to explain the second concept. The second concept is introduced between the first and the and the first the first two. However, because it is through the extension of Moshiach who brings the essence of the Jewish souls into revelation that the Jewish that the Jews are able to su- to summon up the Mesiras Nefesh so to confront the challenges of exile. So anyway, that that that's that point. And uh That's it. Okay, so next week in Mitzvah Sham, we will continue the Mimer and uh we'll start a very interesting latter half of this Mimer that will uh be very inspiring. And um I will see and ask and if I can find a source um a source to um for the Alter Rebbe's words. But the first thing is maybe Isur, I'd like you to look into that yourself over Shabbos. Torah Or, I'll find the reference meaning I did and I'll send it out. Um I want you to see the Alter Rebbe's words himself. And then uh yeah, that's it. Okay, have a great Shabbos everyone. Today is the Rebbe's Today is the Rebbe's brother's Yahrtzeit, Reb Yisroel Aryeh Leib. Reb Yisroel Aryeh Leib ben Reb Levi Yitzchak Schneerson. He He passed away in France and the Rebbe had his um had him buried in Tzfas. So he's in Tzfas in the in the same cemetery as the Arizal. Shabbat Shalom and have a good week. Zei gezunt. Bye-bye. Bye. Shabbat Shalom and have a good week. Bye-bye.