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Volume 23: Number 37

Fri, 02 Mar 2007

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Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Message: 1
From: "kennethgmiller@juno.com" <kennethgmiller@juno.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 04:02:10 GMT
Subject:
Re: [Avodah] end of fast


R' Eli Turkel asked:
> In Israel the fast seems to end about 10 minutes before
> motzei shabbat time. Whenever I am in the US the fast ends
> about the same time as motzei shabbat. Any reason for the
> discrepancy?

My guess is that your Israeli rabbis come up with different 
definitions of "tzeis" for varying halachic scenarios. In contrast, 
the rabbis of the places you visit in the the US might not want to 
confuse their congregations by giving them different definitions of 
the same word.

My LOR (listmember Rabbi Elazar Teitz of Elizabeth NJ) follows an 
interesting mix of keeping things simple so as not to confuse people, 
and also allowing some variations: For most of the year, the official 
Motzaei Shabbos is at 45 minutes after shkiah. But for all of May, 
June and July, we end at 50 minutes. We sacrifice a little bit of 
accuracy for the sake of simplicity. (Or maybe we sacrifice a little 
simplicity to end Shabbos five minutes earlier for nine months of the 
year?)

On the other hand, all fasts - both winter and summer - end at 42 
minutes, except for Yom Kippur which ends at 54 minutes.

Similarly, to keep things simple for the community, the zmanim for 
Erev Pesach are exactly the same every year, regardless of whether 
Pesach is "early" or "late" --- Sof Zman Achilas Chometz at 9:20 a.m. 
(10:20 daylight time), and Sof Zman Biur Chometz at 10:30 a.m. (11:30 
daylight time).

(This post has been checked for numeric accuracy. The times cited for 
tzeis are at forty-five, fifty, forty-two, and fifty-four minutes.)

Akiva Miller




Go to top.

Message: 2
From: Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer <ygbechhofer@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 02 Mar 2007 02:46:04 -0500
Subject:
[Avodah] Toras Purim 5767


Purim 5767
 
Some of this is based on material from previous years, but it is mostly 
new. You can find previous years' Toros Purim by running a search at my 
blog: rygb.blogspot.com <http://rygb.blogspot.com>.
 
HaMelech ???? = 95
Haman ??? = 95
Kes Y|h ?? ?|? = 95 (Shemos 17:16).
 
The state of Olam HaZeh is an ongoing battle between HaMelech --- the 
recognition of Hashgocho and a Tachlis for the Beriah [ ???? ??? ???? ?' 
?: ?' ???? ??' ??? ??? ?' ????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ???? 
??????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ????. ] --- vs. 
Haman --- the denial of the Hashgocho and the pursuit of a Seder shel 
Mikreh --- asher korcha baderech ??? ??? ???? (Devarim 25:18).
 
[By the way, one can explain this statement slightly differently: Asher 
korcha --- Amalek turned the rak of Rak ba'avosecha choshak Hashem 
l'ahavah osam va'yivchar b'zar'am achareihem me'kol ho'amim ?? ?????? 
??? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??? ??? ????? (Devarim 10:15) and 
denied the unique nature of Am Yisroel's relationship with Hashem. This 
denial doubtless stems from Timna, who, when turned away by the Avos 
turned to Elifaz (Sanhedrin 99b) --- Amalek makes an Eilu va'Eilu 
between the Avos and Elifaz the son of Esav!]
 
How is Haman different than HaMelech? The former has a nun sofis and the 
latter a lamed---chof-sofis. The nun sofis is the nun that Dovid 
HaMelech wanted to exclude from Tehilah l'Dovid because it represents 
nefilah, falling (Berachos 4b), in that ragleha yordos maves ????? 
?????? ??? (Mishlei 5:5), to the kelipos "below the line." And why the 
nun-sofis? Because its line on top, the one that is on the etched sirtut 
in a Sefer Torah, is very short, and poorly anchored.
 
On the other hand, the chof-sofis has a longer line on top, and is 
firmly anchored in the sirtut, and though it may come into contact with 
the same kelipos, is sustained from falling into them. Why? Because of 
its connection to the lamed.
 
The lamed, representing limud, is the only letter to rise above the line 
of sirtut. Rashi (Sanhedrin 106b) in one interpretation identifies the 
Migdal Ha'Porei'ach Ba'Avir expounded by Doeg and Achitofel as the 
letter lamed. Reb Tzadok, in several places (see, at length, Machashavos 
Charutz #12), quotes the Zohar (Yisro 91a and other places) that states 
that Knesses Yisroel dwells in that tower. This tower is the vav 
ha'chibur (the six middle sefiros) between the Olomos Elyonim and the 
Olomos Tachtonim, and Knesses Yisroel (through the twin concepts of 
tzaddik yesod olam [Mishlei 10:25] and v'amech kulam tzaddikim [Yeshaya 
60:21]) drives that connection. Because it is juxtaposed to the lamed 
that stretches up high, the chof-sofis is anchored, despite its contact 
below.
 
[The Gemara there says that learning is not enought, and that is why 
Doeg and Achitofel were doomed --- HaKadosh Baruch Hu liba ba'ei --- 
Hashem wants the heart. The word lev is constructed of two letters that 
serve as prefixes. The lamed is the prefix for "to" --- the drive to 
connect upwards to the Heavens. But the beis is the prefix for "in" --- 
if that which a person perceives is not internalized, then he is still 
in very grave danger.]
 
 
So this is the state of Kes Y/h --- the state in which the throne is not 
complete, nor the name complete, as Am Yisroel is charged with the 
mission of its completions. What is missing, what is lacking? An aleph 
from kisei and the v/h from the Shem Havayah. Altogether: 12. The 
imperfect state of struggle is 95, perfection is 107.
 
Of course, s'iz doch pashut why 107 is perfection. 107 is ohr ??? --- 
and raz ?? and zer ?? . When we overcome Amalek we merit the light, and 
we are the light --- ohr la'goyim (Yeshaya 49:6) [ ???? ?' ?"?: ????? 
???? ???? ??????? ]. We will then perceive the raz, the secret of 
Hashem's masterplan, and it will be our zer [ ???? ?' ?"?: ?????? ??? 
????? ????... ????? ??? ????? ].
 
There is more, however. The 95th pasuk in Esther is: ???? ?' ?': ????? 
???? ?? ???? ???? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?? 
??? ??? ???? ?? . This pasuk represents the penultimate stage of the 
HaMelech-Haman battle in the Megillah --- would the 50 amah gallows be a 
nefilah for Mordechai or for Haman?
 
And the 107th pasuk? ???? ?' ?': ????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????? 
???? ?? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? . What 
happened here that did not happen previously. Yonoson ben Uziel gives us 
the answer. Achashverosh asked Esther three times what she wanted, and 
these are the three respective passages in the Targum:
 
????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ?' ?':
???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ???? 
?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ????? 
?????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? 
???? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? 
????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ??? 
????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???:
 
????? ????? ?? ???? ?' ?':
???? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ??? 
??? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ???? 
????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? 
?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ??????:
 
????? ????? ?? ???? ?' ?':
???? ???? ????? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?????? 
??? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? 
????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? 
??????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????:
 
It is only the third time that Achashverosh promises (predicts?) the 
rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. The building of the Beis HaMikdash is 
the completion of the Kisei and the Shem (except that b'avonoseinu 
ho'rabbim we were not zocheh that the first two Battei Mikdash should 
attain that level). As Reb Tzadok writes:
 
 
???? ????? - ??? ??"?:
??????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ????? ???? ???? ????? ?? 
????? ???? ????? ????. ????? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ????? ??? ????? ?"? 
(??????? ?' ?"?) ???? ????? ????? ??????? ???' ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? 
??? ?????. ??? ???? ??"? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ????? 
????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ????? ???? (????? ?"? ?"?). 
????? ?"? (????? ?"? ??? ?"?) ????? ??????? ???? ???????? ????? ????? 
??? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ???????? ????? 
?????. ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?"? (?? 
?"?.) ??????? ?????? ???? ?????. ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ???:
??? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?"? (??) 
????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???. ?? ?????? ???? ??? ?? 
???? ????? ????. ?????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? (????? ?'.) ?????? 
????? ????? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????. 
????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ???. ????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? 
????? (????? ??? ?' ?') ????? ?? ?????. ????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ?? ???? 
???. ?????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? 
????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??? 
??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????. ?? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?? 
???? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??. ??? ???????? ??? ????? ??? ?????? 
???????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ???????? ????? ???? 
?? ??? ?? ????:
 
(This is alluded to in the text of the Megillah --- the first time 
Achashverosh calls her Esther HaMalkah, but only says Mah lach. The 
second time he says Mah She'eilaseich, but does not address here as 
Esther HaMalkah. Only the third time does he say Mah She'eilaseich and 
address her as Esther HaMalkah, ???? .)
 
There is still more. The 95th pasuk in the Torah is: ?????? ?' ?"?: 
????? ?? ?' ??? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ?' ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? 
???? . What does this have to do with Purim?
 
Firstly, the first time the word ???? appears in the Torah is in a 
statement made by Kayin: ?????? ?' ?"?: ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? 
?????? ???? . But there is still more. Without attempting an 
explanation, let us cite al pi sod: ???? ?????? ?? ????? - ???? ????: 
...???? ??? ?"? ?????? ??????? ???? ??' ????? ????? ?????? ???? ??' ??? 
????? ???? ?????? ?"? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ?"? ??????? ???? ?"? 
??? ???? ????? ??? ??????? ??"? ??????... . There are numerous other 
connections between Amalek and Kayin (especially since they are 
explicitly linked in Parashas Balak), but al pi nigleh:
 
???? ?????? ????? ?':
????? ????? ?????. ?? ???, ????? (?????? ?, ??) ???? ??? ????? ?'. ??? 
??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?? ????, ??? ???, ????? ????? (???? ?, ?) ???? 
??? ???? ???? ???. ??? ?? ??? ??????, ??? ??, ?? ???? ?????. ??? ??, 
????? ????? ????????. ??? ?? ??? ??????, ??? ?????? ????, ???, (????? 
??, ?) ??? ?????? ??'.
 
??? ????? ????? - ???? ?':
[?] ????? (???? ??? ????? ?') ???? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??? ???. ?????? 
??? ???. ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???. 
?? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????? 
?????. ???? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??????? ??? ?? 
??? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ????? 
????? ?? ?? ?? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ??? ????? 
(?????? ?"? ?"?) ??? ???? ????? ??????. ??????? ??????...
 
????? ???? ?? ???????, ???? ?????:
???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??. ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? 
??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ??. ???? ????? ???. ?? ??' ??????? ??' ???? ?' 
???? (???? ??, ??) ?? ?? ?? ?? ?"? ??? ?' ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???"? 
????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???' ????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ???? 
?? ??? ???? (????? ?, ? ??) ?? ??? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ???. ???? ??? 
??? ??' ????? ????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ???? ???' ???' (????? ??, ?) 
???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???. ??? ??"? ??"? ?? ?????? ????? 
??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ??? ?"? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ???? 
???? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ????? ???' ??? ?"? 
???? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ???? ??"? ??? ???? ??. ??? ???? ???? 
??????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ???:
 
(?"? ???"? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ?'.)
 
The Seforim (see, for example, ????? ???"? ????? ???????? - ??? ?': 
????? ??? ??? ??"? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ??' ?????? ?? ???????? ???? 
??? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ??' ?? ???? ???? ??' ???? ?? ????? ?????? 
???? ?' ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??"? ????? ?? ??? ??' ?????? 
?? ??' ???? ???"? ?? ?"? ?"? ????? ???? ?? ???"? ??? ??? ?' ?? ???? ??"? 
?? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ?' ???? 
??? ????? ???? ??' ?? ???"? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??"? ?' ??? ??? ????? 
??"? ????? ??"?. ???? ??? ????? ???? ????? ??? ???? ???? ??' ???? ???? 
?' ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ?' ??? ????. ????? ???? ?' ??? ??? 
????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??"? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??' ???? ???? ???? ??? 
???? ????? ????? ??? ?' ???? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? 
??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ?' ???? ????? ????? ???? ???? ??'. ??? 
????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??"? ????: ) say that the letter given 
to Kayin was the vav of the Shem Havayah.
 
It is known that it is possible (and correct al pi Kabbalah) to 
interpret the Shem Hashem as an acronym for Yismechu HaShomayim V'sagel 
Ha'aretz. With his murder of Hevel, Kayin created a Hester (Esther) 
between the Heavens and the Earth. The Name was not complete. Even after 
his Teshuvah, the Name was not complete, but in this pasuk he receives 
the vav ha'chibbur back.
 
Amalek's purpose, through the Seder shel Mikreh (which we find manifest 
also in Migdal Bovel and in Bil'am's curse, ????"? ) is to maintain the 
barrier between Hashem in the Heavens and his ascendance on Earth. To 
remove the vav of the lamed as well. Thus, the 95th pasuk in the Torah 
is also one about the struggle between the HaMelech and the Haman --- 
the Hisgalus vs. the Hester.
 
And the 107th pasuk? ?????? ?' ?': ?? ??? ????? ??? ???? ??? ????? ??? 
????? ????? ??? ???: .
 
As the Yerushalmi relates: ??????? ????? ?? ?' ?"?: (????? ??) ????? 
???? ????. ??? ????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????. ?? ???? ???? (?????? ?) ?? 
??? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ??? . Why?
 
??? ???? ?? ????? ?' ?"?:
??? ???? ??' ?? ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? (?????? ??"?), ?????? ??? ???? 
??? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????, ???? ??? ???????? 
????? (?-?) ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???, 
???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? 
??????? ??????, ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???"? ?????? ??????, ?? 
???? ????? ???? ???? ???, ??? ???? ???? ????? ??' (?????? ?, ??) ???? 
??????? ???? ???? ??? ??? (?? ??"?) ????? ???? ???? ???"?.
 
?????? ???? ?"? ???? ???? ??? ?"?:
?????? ?????? ??' ?????? ?' ????? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ????? 
?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ?????. ?' ????? ???? ????? ???? 
?? ??? ???? ????? ??? ???? ????? ???????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ???????? 
????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ???? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?"?. 
????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???' ??? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? 
?? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ????, ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? 
??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ?? ??? 
?????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ????, ?? ????? ??? ??? ??"? ??' ??????, ?? ????? 
?"?:
 
Thus, the shleymus of Tzelem Elokim is congruent --- in an individual, 
on a small scale, but in Knesses Yisroel, in the ultimate scale --- with 
the completion and perfection of the Shem and the Kisei in this world.
 
?? ???? ????? ???... (We still have to explain why as a result of all 
this we eat hamantaschen on Purim!)
 
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