Purim Katan Today - an Auspicious Day for Prayer!

From Halacha for Today email:

The Dvar Torah below, submitted by a daily reader, is from Rav Avraham Schorr Shlita regarding the power of Tefilah on Purim Katan (today)

He quoted a Chidushei Harim that explained a reason for the mitzvah of "chayav inush lbisumei bepuryah", the mitzvah of drinking on Purim.

He told a story that happened in the times of the Bal Shem Tov. There was a terrible decree against the Jews, everybody prayed and did various mitzvahs but nothing changed and the decree was still in place. Finally the Bal Shem Tov instructed one of his followers to go to a distant town and find a certain drunkard and bring him back to the Bal Shem Tov. The messenger was advised not to allow the drunkard to drink so that he would be sober when he was brought to the Bal Shem Tov. When the drunkard was brought to the Bal Shem Tov, he asked the drunkard for a bracha that the decree be abolished, he gave a bracha and immediately the decree was annulled.

The Bal Shem Tov explained to his close followers that this person had done an unbelievable mitzvah of saving a girl; the mitzvah of Pidyun Shevuyim and in shamayim they were so moved that it was decreed that whatever this person would ask for would be granted immediately. Suddenly in shamayim there was a big debate, how can a simple person be given such unbelievable power of blessing, maybe he will use it for the wrong things? So they decreed that he would be a drunkard all the time so he would not even realize this power that was given to him.

"THE CHIDUSHEI HARIM EXPLAINED THAT ON PURIM THERE IS A LAW THAT "KOL HAPOSHET YAD NOSNIN". ANYONE WHO ASKS YOU HAVE TO GIVE. THIS IS TRUE ALSO REGARDING PRAYING, WHEN WE DAVEN TO HASHEM HE HAS TO ANSWER OUR REQUESTS. SO TO COUNTER THIS UNBELIEVABLE POWER OF PRAYER, THE CHACHOMIM MADE THE LAW OF DRINKING ON PURIM SO THAT WE DON'T USE THE DAY FOR PRAYING FOR THE WRONG THINGS. THE CHIDUSHEI HARIM CONTINUES THAT IF SOMEBODY FEELS THAT HE WANTS TO BE SMARTER THEN THE CHACHOMIM AND HE WON'T DRINK AND WILL SIT AND DAVEN ALL DAY LONG, HE IS WRONG FOR NOT LISTENING TO THE CHACHOMIM."

THERE IS A MISHNA IN MEGILLAH THAT SAYS "EIN BAIN ADAR RISHON L'ADAR SHENIE ELE KRIAS MEGILLAH UMATONAS LEVYONIM BILVAD"; THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIRST ADAR AND THE SECOND ADAR ONLY THAT YOU CAN NOT DO YOUR OBLIGATION OF READING MEGILLAH AND PRESENTS FOR THE POOR.

THE POWER OF PRAYER REMAINS EXACTLY THE SAME; HOWEVER, BY THE FIRST ADAR THE RABBIS DID NOT MAKE AN OBLIGATION TO DRINK.

SO HERE WE HAVE A DAY THAT HAS THE TREMENDOUS POWER OF PRAYER AND THE CHACHOMIM DID NOT COUNTER IT WITH AN OBLIGATION TO DRINK.

LET US USE THIS FRIDAY TO DAVEN TO HASHEM FOR ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, KLAL YISROEL IS LIVING THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO DAVEN FOR...WE SHOULD BE ALL BE ZOCHE TO SEE MOSHIACH BMIHERA BYOMEINU.

THIS SHOULD BE A ZECHUS FOR THE NESHAMA OF MOSHE DOVID BEN PINCHUS DOV, HIS NESHAMA SHOULD HAVE AN ALIYA.

Adar, Increasing Simcha, Bitachon, Kiruvim

From today's Hakhel Email:

Special Note One: Now that we are at the third day of Adar Rishon (!), we are reminded of the words of Rav Dessler, Z’tl in Michtav Mai’Eliyahu (Volume 2, p.123). Rav Dessler teaches that just as there are stages in the aveilus of Av beginning with Rosh Chodesh --which climax on Tisha B’Av, so too is there an increase in the Simcha one is to feel as he moves daily through Adar- reaching a pinnacle on Purim and Shushan Purim. This avodah is not something that one waits until the last moment with. This year, with the extra month of Adar, a person is given more and greater opportunity to develop this joyfulness. A person’s joy is never marked by a one-time chuckle at a joke or one-liner, but at the Simcha of one’s relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as the world turns on the axle of His Hashgacha Pratis over someone.

In connection with this fundamental point, we received the following correspondence from a reader: “HaRav Avrohom Schorr, Shlita just explained at his Rosh Chodesh Adar Seudah that the Sefer Chovos Halevavos writes that one who trusts Hashem, i.e., a Ba’al Bitochon, is always BeSimcha. It follows that if one wants to be Marbeh Besimcha, it would mean that he should work on increasing Bitachon (such as by studying the Chovos Halevavos Sha’ar HaBitochon) in Chodesh Adar”.
Hakhel Note: The Sefer Orchos Tzaddikim, which consists of 28 Sha’arim or Chapters, each of which is named by and describes a particularMidah, also contains a discussion of Bitachon--can you guess the name of the Sha’ar--the topic, in which the discussion of Bitachon is contained? Let us get the message from these most classic of Seforim--and let us use this precious time period to expand our Simcha horizons!


Special Note Two: Rabbi Eli Mansour, Shlita brings Chazal who teach about how the Yetzer Hora operates: “HaYom Omeir Lo Aseh Kacha, U’lemachar Aseh Kacha--today the Yetzer Hora says ‘do this’ and tomorrow ‘do this’. Why is the same term--do this today, do this tomorrow used? Rabbi Mansour beautifully teaches that the tachlis of the Yetzer Hora is to keep you at status quo--whatever you are doing today--do it tomorrow. Don’t grow, don’t become better, don’t get anywhere in life. You are five minutes late every day to Shul, that’s just fine--keep it like that; you don’t have time to go over the Parsha--hey, you did that when you were younger, no need to start something new now; you sometimes lose yourself--that’s good, you have to every once in a while--keep it up. Our task in life is to fight him at his “Kacha’s”--just do it and do it again. We have to become better than yesteday--and not allow yesterday’s Kacha in!
Hakhel Note : Rebbe Yisroel Salanter, Z’tl, explains that the Keruvim had the appearance of children--for us to realize that in our relationship with Hashem and with others we should view ourselves as children--not stuck in any kind of bad habit or rut--and always willing to try something new, always trying to explore--to get up and grow. Let us be guided by the light of doing more than in the past, doing Yoseir MiMah She’Hayisi--not being a Kacha Jew--but being like the Keruvim --better today than the day before!