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Word from the Rabbi -Meshugah for Moshiach
Shalom,
L’chayim, L’chayim v’leevrocho! (to life, to life and to blessings). Such are the customary salutations Chasidim confer upon each other when having a little…, well it’s Purim in the air and some guessing to what that may be we’ll leave to you. Is this a "silly season"? A fool’s day? A drunken day? A let loose party? A topsy turvy day? Well, the response to all of the above is…. Yes AND No!!! huh? Yep!!!
Indeed, Purim is one of the most profound Jewish holy days. It is even compared with Yom Kippur - WOW!
Purim is a time of "joy that breaks boundaries" as opposed to drunkenness that can place a person into depression or an even greater expression of their ego.
Purim is a time that one is more easily able to transform darkness into light, as opposed to mistaking darkness for light.
Purim is a time of thanksgiving for our very life and of the unconditional bond with G-d, as opposed to a greater demand for selfish attention. Purim is a time for sharing with each other our basic needs, and beyond, without discrimination or judgment, as opposed to thinking that everything is owing to us.
In short, Purim is a time for positive growth, a day of transformation from selfishness to selflessness. On Purim, the primary power used to attain this, is unbounded joy.
On the Shabbat preceding Purim, we read about annihilating Amalek. The numerical value of the Hebrew word for Amalek is the same as the Hebrew word Safek, which means doubt. Our sages state that true joy is attained when there is no doubt. Thus, one can truly rejoice on Purim and reach the level of "ad dlo yoda" (until not known) without that much (if any at all) to drink. In fact, a little too much can be a spoiler. The removal of doubt allows for clarity, truth and purity, it allows the G-dly soul, our essence that in our day to day life may be "not known", to shine forth. So on this Purim, let us try to reach new levels of joy. A joy that comes from our very essence, the "not known".
When each person reveals his or her own essence, then the essence of everything will be revealed and shine forth through Moshiach, Now!!! L’chayim!!!
Rabbi Mosheh M. Serebryanski
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