Don't Be a Haman | Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff

Purim is a time for משתה ושמחה. In fact, the entire month משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה and it evolves and revolves around Purim. We celebrate so many things on Purim. Most importantly, we celebrate what we have and we appreciate each other. We strengthen בין אדם לחבירו with Mishlo’ach Manos, Matanos LaEvyonim, and Seudas Purim. And the עיקר חיוב of Simcha is משתה ושמחה. The Simcha comes from the משתה. So what's the takeaway? The Gemara in Chulin asks this question, These experiences and personalities are directly connected to קיימו וקיבלו היהודים. When it comes to Haman, the Gemara says: המן העץ. The Torah says that the Ribono shel Olam asks Adam HaRishon, Did you eat from the Etz HaDa’as? And Rashi says and explains that that's exactly what the Gemara is saying. המן העץ, did you eat from the Etz HaDa’as? What connection is that to Haman? It's nice that you have the ה-מ-ן. Adam HaRishon had everything in the world. He was installed in Gan Eden. The Gemara says, according to one Shitah, that the Etz HaDa’as was wheat. But wheat doesn't grow on trees. In Gan Eden, the wheat grew on trees. There was no plowing and seeding and planting, harvesting, threshing, winnowing, grinding, milling, kneading of the dough. The seven-layer cake grew on the tree. The Yerushalmi Kugel, gut farfefert, grew on the tree. The Mal’achim grilled meat for Adam HaRishon. They poured wine into his throat. What does Adam HaRishon say? He says exactly what Haman said. The Gemara can't understand וכל זה איננו שווה לי? Where Haman says: It's all worthless to me. Everything I eat tastes like ashes, because מרדכי היהודי לא יכרע ולא ישתחווה. That one elusive power grab. So Mordechai doesn't bow down, one little Jew. He is the king. Achashverosh is the pretended to the throne. Haman has everything, רוב בניו, עושרו. And he says the most incredible statement, Says the Gemara: It’s rooted in Adam, המן העץ. Adam HaRishon had everything, and he says: אינו שווה לי if I can't have from the Etz HaDa’as. The takeaway is You don't need to look, you don't need to be jealous, you have everything right there in front of you. Don't be a כל זה איננו שווה לי. There's always going to be something in life that's elusive, a friendship, a relationship, a Chiddush in some Masechta, a business deal. Enjoy life. Don't be like Adam and don't be like Haman. The way to enhance our Shmiras Einayim is to focus on what we have, to celebrate what we have. Be a person who says, Ribono shel Olam, I appreciate all that I have and I appreciate it by not desiring what I don't have, not looking in the wrong direction, or coveting after something that's not mine. It's Purim the whole year round, if we're able to appreciate what Hashem has given us. ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר כן תהיה לנו.