Description: Purim 03
Sichos Rav Shimshon Pincus
Purim 03
In order to understand the nature of Purim, we must first discuss the concept of ‘Hester Panim,’ Hashem hiding Himself. Typically, we understand this to mean, that when tzaros happen, terrible things occur – that’s Hashem being hidden. This is a true understanding. As we see in the Tochachah, as the pasuk says, ‘vi’histarti panay mi’hem,’ I will hide My face from them, to which the consequence is, ‘vi’hayah lechol,’ they will be destroyed. On the flip side, when Hashem shines His countenance on Klal Yisrael, we are zocheh to an outpouring of brachah. ‘Ki bi’or panechah na’satah lanu,’ with the light of Your countenance You gave us. During the time of Shlomo Hamelech, Klal Yisrael had everything. There was no sickness and no trouble. We can’t begin to understand how much better it was while we had the Bais Hamikdash, and now with it destroyed, every day is worse than the previous one.
However, if we think a little deeper into this concept, we will see that there is another level to it. There’s no way for to have even the slightest inkling in the way this world is run. Why is this person rich and this one poor, why does one person get ill lo alainu, and another is healthy, why do some people live long and others unfortunately pass away young? Are we capable of understanding this? Think of a child who is on his way to school for the first time, and we ask him, “Why are you going to school?” What will he say? “My mother told me they play games and have fun, and you get prizes!” Is that how school will benefit him? He will learn everything he needs to know for life, he will learn Torah and mitzvos – but can he understand that? Even if you explain it to him, he simply lacks the capability to understand the importance of school. The distance between us and Hashem is infinitely greater than the distance between us and that child.
But here we find a fascinating thing. Hashem wants us to understand how the world works! Chazal say that the world was created with ‘asarah maamaros,’ ten commands, whereas Hashem could have just as easily done it in one, ‘yehi olam,’ let there be a world, but He did it in ten. Why? He wanted us to understand how the world was created! Hashem wanted us to be able to study the world and learn its ways. Likewise, the whole Torah, from Beraishis until l’Einei kol Yisrael, is there to teach us how Hashem runs the world. As we say in Krias Shema every day, ‘vi’hayah im shamoah tishma’u,’ if you will listen to Hashem, then it will rain. Every believing Jew knows, that there is a direct correlation between us doing mitzvos and davening, to rain falling and food becoming available. Either a tzaddik davened for rain, or people are learning Torah, doing mitzvos – and that’s why it rains. If there’s no rain, we understand that we have to search for the cause.
Not only has Hashem given us the tools to understand how the world works, but He has also put control of the world in our hands! There’s nothing in this world that hasn’t been designed around Klal Yisrael. It seems as if we run the world so to speak, through either our mitzvos or avairos. This is a deeper concept of hester panim – meaning that Hashem has seemingly withdrawn from controlling the world, and handed it over to us – allowing us to call the shots with our actions. In this way, Hashem is hidden.
All the Yamim Tovim work according to this principle. On Pesach Klal Yisrael believed in Hashem, so they were redeemed. On Shavuos they said Naaseh v’Nishmah, so they were given the Torah. On Chanukah they threw themselves into a war for Kvod Shamayim, so they merited a miracle. Our actions determined the outcome, just as Hashem designed the world to run.
However, here’s where Purim is different.
Sichos Rav Shimshon Pincus
Purim 03
In order to understand the nature of Purim, we must first discuss the concept of ‘Hester Panim,’ Hashem hiding Himself. Typically, we understand this to mean, that when tzaros happen, terrible things occur – that’s Hashem being hidden. This is a true understanding. As we see in the Tochachah, as the pasuk says, ‘vi’histarti panay mi’hem,’ I will hide My face from them, to which the consequence is, ‘vi’hayah lechol,’ they will be destroyed. On the flip side, when Hashem shines His countenance on Klal Yisrael, we are zocheh to an outpouring of brachah. ‘Ki bi’or panechah na’satah lanu,’ with the light of Your countenance You gave us. During the time of Shlomo Hamelech, Klal Yisrael had everything. There was no sickness and no trouble. We can’t begin to understand how much better it was while we had the Bais Hamikdash, and now with it destroyed, every day is worse than the previous one.
However, if we think a little deeper into this concept, we will see that there is another level to it. There’s no way for to have even the slightest inkling in the way this world is run. Why is this person rich and this one poor, why does one person get ill lo alainu, and another is healthy, why do some people live long and others unfortunately pass away young? Are we capable of understanding this? Think of a child who is on his way to school for the first time, and we ask him, “Why are you going to school?” What will he say? “My mother told me they play games and have fun, and you get prizes!” Is that how school will benefit him? He will learn everything he needs to know for life, he will learn Torah and mitzvos – but can he understand that? Even if you explain it to him, he simply lacks the capability to understand the importance of school. The distance between us and Hashem is infinitely greater than the distance between us and that child.
But here we find a fascinating thing. Hashem wants us to understand how the world works! Chazal say that the world was created with ‘asarah maamaros,’ ten commands, whereas Hashem could have just as easily done it in one, ‘yehi olam,’ let there be a world, but He did it in ten. Why? He wanted us to understand how the world was created! Hashem wanted us to be able to study the world and learn its ways. Likewise, the whole Torah, from Beraishis until l’Einei kol Yisrael, is there to teach us how Hashem runs the world. As we say in Krias Shema every day, ‘vi’hayah im shamoah tishma’u,’ if you will listen to Hashem, then it will rain. Every believing Jew knows, that there is a direct correlation between us doing mitzvos and davening, to rain falling and food becoming available. Either a tzaddik davened for rain, or people are learning Torah, doing mitzvos – and that’s why it rains. If there’s no rain, we understand that we have to search for the cause.
Not only has Hashem given us the tools to understand how the world works, but He has also put control of the world in our hands! There’s nothing in this world that hasn’t been designed around Klal Yisrael. It seems as if we run the world so to speak, through either our mitzvos or avairos. This is a deeper concept of hester panim – meaning that Hashem has seemingly withdrawn from controlling the world, and handed it over to us – allowing us to call the shots with our actions. In this way, Hashem is hidden.
All the Yamim Tovim work according to this principle. On Pesach Klal Yisrael believed in Hashem, so they were redeemed. On Shavuos they said Naaseh v’Nishmah, so they were given the Torah. On Chanukah they threw themselves into a war for Kvod Shamayim, so they merited a miracle. Our actions determined the outcome, just as Hashem designed the world to run.
However, here’s where Purim is different.