Purim

We’re always hearing about the importance of Simcha, especially from the Chassidic sources, mitzvah gedola leihiyos besimcha, and all the more so in Adar… Meshenichnas Adar Marbim Besimcha… But what does it really mean to be besimcha? And how can Hashem expect us to just ...

In the beginning of "Machshivos charutz," R' Tzadok Hacohen of Lublin explains the deepest secrets of milchemes hayetzer. He explains that there are two "drachim" in milchemes hayetzer that are both legitimate but only when used together. IE: Although some people have mor...

In the spirit of Purim, I figured I would share a thought of Torah with everyone here. The Bnei Yisaschar (Rav Zmi Elimelech Shapiro of Dinov) points out something very interesting about Purim. In naming the Moadim, the Torah refers to each particular holiday with a name ...

The Klausenberger Rebbe zy"a after the war was in the DP camps and it was Purim and he was at the seudah surrounded by many people, each one with a tragic story, this one lost a wife, this one his parents, this one his children and so on. the matzav ruach was very low. th...

Did Mordechai really suspect that Esther would do something so low? hamispalel ba'ad chavero vehoo tzarich leee'oso davar hu nenah techila. There is a power in a tefila that comes from a lev nishbar. A persn who needs something and his heart is broken because of it, and e...

I heard some tremendous Chizuk from Rabbi Efriam Wachsman in a shiur titled "Megilas Esther: Discovering the Depths of Our Neshomos":(Note: In general, Rabbi Wachsman's shiurim often give chizuk to those who struggle with the Yetzer Harrah.To hear his Shiurim, call the Ye...

Hashem inspired me to respond as follows: That's a good question. Chazal actually ask, "Where can we find Haman in the Torah?" And they answer, from the pasuk where Hashem asks Adam Harishon if he ate from the tree that he was commanded not to: הֲמִן-הָעֵץ, אֲשֶׁר צִוִּי...

The Gemara in Chulin (139b) asks, where can we find “Haman” (from the story of Purim) in the Torah? Says Rav Masnah, "from the pasuk after the sin of the Eitz Hadaas when Hashem asks Adam: 'Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?'” In Lashon Kode...

Reb Chaim Shulevitz asks the obvious question: Why is there an obligation to become intoxicated on Purim? He magnifies his question with the famous Shl"a hakadosh that says Purim in spiritually more elevating than Yom Kippur??? His basic answer (after all his proofs) is ...

If there is any time of the year to get help from Hashem to break free it is Purim, when all who ask are given. One case in point is our Feature Story where the writer writes as follows: One Purim, some eight years into our marriage, I got drunk. I was reading Psalms and ...