Description: Purim 02
Sefer Yemay HaPurim
Purim - 02
The Gr”a writes, this neis of Purim was through ‘hester panim.’ The nais of Mitzrayim was an open display of Hashem’s glory and greatness, and therefore we mention it every Yom Tov. Purim we don’t mention every Yom Tov, although the outcome of the neis of Purim was more significant – on Purim we were saved from death, whereas in Mitzrayim we were saved from slavery. But since the miracle of Purim was performed through Hashem manipulating the tevah, as we see in many ways (the Gr”a goes through almost every pasuk in the Megillah to demonstrate how every single point contributed to Hashem’s plan and manipulation,) and it was a hidden nais, we don’t emphasize this every Yom Tov.
The Gr”a writes that this is the meaning of the pasuk: ויט אלינו חסד, which the Gemarah explains means during the time of Haman, which means that Hashem tilted the scales and events, va’yait, so that we benefitted from His kindness – it wasn’t done explicitly, rather all subtlety.
The Gr”a continues to explain how the miracle of Purim is so different than Yetzias Mitzrayim. He quotes a Gemarah in Chullin, which asks a puzzling question. ‘Esther min haTorah minayin?’ Where do we derive Esther Hamalkah from the Torah? The Gemarah answers, from the pasuk, ‘ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא’, Hashem says, I will hide My face on that day. This Gemarah is perplexing. Since when do we need a source for a tzaddik or tzaddekes in the Torah?! The Gr”a explains, that a neis which happened in Eretz Yisrael, such as the Nissim which occurred throughout the period of nevi’im, done by Eliyahu or Elishah and others, were not as impressive as the neis of Esther and Mordechai. In Eretz Yisrael, when the Jews ruled, Hashem’s presence was openly displayed, and a miracle was another aspect of the Shechinah which resided among them. But in galus, when Hashem is hiding Himself, where does the Torah tell us and teach us, that Hashem will still perform miracles, through hester panim, behind the cloak of tevah, of natural events? That is the gemarah’s question! What is the source for this method of Hashem? The Gemarah answers, from the pasuk in the Tochachah, that even during hester panim, Hashem will send Esther, to be the shaliach to bring about the hidden miracle.
The Gr”a quotes another Gemarah which we will get to soon.
In short, the Gr”a is explaining that the nature of the neis of Purim, was a neis performed during hester panim, when Hashem is disguising His actions through tevah, through seemingly natural, self-occuring events. The Gr”a explains that these miracles are actually much greater and impressive in a way than the open miracles which occurred in Eretz Yisrael when the Bais Hamikdash stood – that was to be expected – Hashem was displaying Himself. But the nais that happen during galus is a great miracle indeed.
In order to understand the depth of this concept, let’s examine a Gemarah in Maseches Yomah. The Gemarah says that the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah, were given the title ‘gedolah’, the great ones, because they were able to reinstitute Shemonah Esray as it was. Originally, Klal Yisrael would say in the very first brachah of Shemonah Esray, Ha’kail, Hagadol, Hagibor, vi’Hanorah. Then as Klal Yisrael suffered through Nevuchadnezzar, Yirmiyahu said, we have to stop saying, Hanorah, because Hashem isn’t displaying any awesome acts now. Then Daniel said, as they went into galus, we have to stop saying Hagibor, because Hashem isn’t displaying gevurah. But the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah said, on the contrary, the way we survived through galus demonstrates Hashem’s strength and awesomeness – so they reestablished Shemonah Esray as it was originally. The Maharshah explains, that the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah witnessed the miracle of Purim – and through that understood that on the contrary, the hanhagah of Hashem through hester panim, the miracles that occur when Hashem is hiding His countenance, are actually greater and more impressive miracles, and demonstrate more than ever Hashem’s greatness and strength.
Sefer Yemay HaPurim
Purim - 02
The Gr”a writes, this neis of Purim was through ‘hester panim.’ The nais of Mitzrayim was an open display of Hashem’s glory and greatness, and therefore we mention it every Yom Tov. Purim we don’t mention every Yom Tov, although the outcome of the neis of Purim was more significant – on Purim we were saved from death, whereas in Mitzrayim we were saved from slavery. But since the miracle of Purim was performed through Hashem manipulating the tevah, as we see in many ways (the Gr”a goes through almost every pasuk in the Megillah to demonstrate how every single point contributed to Hashem’s plan and manipulation,) and it was a hidden nais, we don’t emphasize this every Yom Tov.
The Gr”a writes that this is the meaning of the pasuk: ויט אלינו חסד, which the Gemarah explains means during the time of Haman, which means that Hashem tilted the scales and events, va’yait, so that we benefitted from His kindness – it wasn’t done explicitly, rather all subtlety.
The Gr”a continues to explain how the miracle of Purim is so different than Yetzias Mitzrayim. He quotes a Gemarah in Chullin, which asks a puzzling question. ‘Esther min haTorah minayin?’ Where do we derive Esther Hamalkah from the Torah? The Gemarah answers, from the pasuk, ‘ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא’, Hashem says, I will hide My face on that day. This Gemarah is perplexing. Since when do we need a source for a tzaddik or tzaddekes in the Torah?! The Gr”a explains, that a neis which happened in Eretz Yisrael, such as the Nissim which occurred throughout the period of nevi’im, done by Eliyahu or Elishah and others, were not as impressive as the neis of Esther and Mordechai. In Eretz Yisrael, when the Jews ruled, Hashem’s presence was openly displayed, and a miracle was another aspect of the Shechinah which resided among them. But in galus, when Hashem is hiding Himself, where does the Torah tell us and teach us, that Hashem will still perform miracles, through hester panim, behind the cloak of tevah, of natural events? That is the gemarah’s question! What is the source for this method of Hashem? The Gemarah answers, from the pasuk in the Tochachah, that even during hester panim, Hashem will send Esther, to be the shaliach to bring about the hidden miracle.
The Gr”a quotes another Gemarah which we will get to soon.
In short, the Gr”a is explaining that the nature of the neis of Purim, was a neis performed during hester panim, when Hashem is disguising His actions through tevah, through seemingly natural, self-occuring events. The Gr”a explains that these miracles are actually much greater and impressive in a way than the open miracles which occurred in Eretz Yisrael when the Bais Hamikdash stood – that was to be expected – Hashem was displaying Himself. But the nais that happen during galus is a great miracle indeed.
In order to understand the depth of this concept, let’s examine a Gemarah in Maseches Yomah. The Gemarah says that the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah, were given the title ‘gedolah’, the great ones, because they were able to reinstitute Shemonah Esray as it was. Originally, Klal Yisrael would say in the very first brachah of Shemonah Esray, Ha’kail, Hagadol, Hagibor, vi’Hanorah. Then as Klal Yisrael suffered through Nevuchadnezzar, Yirmiyahu said, we have to stop saying, Hanorah, because Hashem isn’t displaying any awesome acts now. Then Daniel said, as they went into galus, we have to stop saying Hagibor, because Hashem isn’t displaying gevurah. But the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah said, on the contrary, the way we survived through galus demonstrates Hashem’s strength and awesomeness – so they reestablished Shemonah Esray as it was originally. The Maharshah explains, that the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah witnessed the miracle of Purim – and through that understood that on the contrary, the hanhagah of Hashem through hester panim, the miracles that occur when Hashem is hiding His countenance, are actually greater and more impressive miracles, and demonstrate more than ever Hashem’s greatness and strength.