Purim
1. When the Megillah relates the outcome and the sum total of the miracle that took place on Purim, the Megillah says it in a few brief words: "ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר" ("The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor"). On this the Gemara says1: "אורה זו תורה, שמחה זה יום טוב, ששון זו מילה, ויקר אלו תפלין" ("'Light' — this is Torah; 'gladness' — this is Yom Tov; 'joy' — this is circumcision; 'honor' — these are tefillin"). These2 four things are osios — signs — which point to the covenant between the Jewish people and the Almighty. Haman the wicked brought it about that Jews should not fulfill these four things, because he did not want, and could not bear, that the Jews stand out from all the nations through their covenant with the Almighty. When the miracle of Purim took place and the Jews were rid of Haman and his decrees, then — "The Jews had light — this is Torah; and gladness — this is Yom Tov; and joy — this is circumcision; and honor — these are tefillin."
When one makes a sign, a mark, on a thing in order to set it apart from another thing, the "sign" must be present only in that thing and not in the other. If the sign were present in both, it would not be a mark of true distinction by which one could recognize a fundamental difference between the one thing and the other.
The same applies when we speak of a sign that is to set the Jewish people apart from all other nations with a fundamental and essential difference: surely this must be through such things as exist nowhere but among Jews. In practice, however, we see that all four of these things — Torah, Yom Tov, circumcision and tefillin — are found among other nations as well (albeit in a different manner).
Torah — non-Jews, too, recognize it and study it in a way that they know the great wisdom contained in the Torah, as it is written3: "כי היא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים" ("For it is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations") — meaning that also "in the eyes of the nations" the Torah is a great wisdom. Yom Tov — non-Jews, too, have their holidays of freedom, and so on. Likewise circumcision — there are many non-Jews who circumcise themselves (for the sake of health). And so too regarding tefillin: just as Jews put on tefillin to show that they belong to the Almighty (as the Gemara states4, that through putting on tefillin "כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עליך" ("all the peoples of the earth [shall see] that the Name of G‑d is called upon you")5), so too various nations, lehavdil, have the custom of wearing a certain emblem on themselves, so that one may recognize to which nation or tribe they belong.
This is not understood: When the Almighty wished to make signs that would set the Jewish people apart from all the nations, He should surely have chosen such mitzvos and matters to which the nations of the world have no connection whatsoever, and not the four matters mentioned above, something similar to which is found among the nations of the world as well!
2. The explanation is as follows: When does one need a sign to distinguish one thing from another? Specifically when the two have some point of comparison between them; then one needs a mark to tell them apart. But when they have no comparison at all between them, no sign is needed.
That is to say: the signs that come to distinguish "between Israel and the nations" are not meant to distinguish the Jewish soul from the souls of other nations. For from the standpoint of the soul there is, from the very outset, no comparison whatsoever between a Jew and a non-Jew, lehavdil (as explained at the beginning of Tanya). The signs come to distinguish the Jewish body from the bodies of the nations of the world. Outwardly, the body resembles non-Jewish bodies, since the body of a Jew is also a physical one, and on the surface no difference is visible between a Jewish body and a non-Jewish one. This is what the signs come to demonstrate: that even the physical body of a Jew is entirely different from all other bodies — the Jewish body is holy6.
And since the signs come to mark the holiness of the Jewish body, they too are therefore matters that outwardly are found among the nations of the world as well, yet among Jews they are entirely different. This also demonstrates that the physical activities connected with a Jewish body — even though the same actions are performed by the nations of the world too (a Jew eats and, lehavdil, a non-Jew eats; a Jew sleeps and, lehavdil, a non-Jew sleeps; a Jew does business and, lehavdil, a non-Jew does business, and so forth) — nevertheless among Jews they are something altogether different: among Jews even physical things are holy, as in "בכל דרכיך דעהו" ("In all your ways know Him")7.
For a Jew does not merely possess holiness within himself as an addition to his being; rather, the very essence of a Jew is holiness. Therefore it is demanded of a Jew that all his matters (even those that are the same as among the nations of the world) be holy.
3. On the Gemara's interpretation "אורה זו תורה" ("'Light' — this is Torah"), the question is asked: Torah is always called by the name "אור" (ohr, light), in the masculine form; why does it say here "אורה" (orah), in the feminine form?
The Alter Rebbe answers8 that "Torah" here refers to the Oral Torah, which is a recipient from the Written Torah; therefore it says here "אורה", in the feminine form.
The difference between the Written Torah and the Oral Torah is this: the Written Torah is higher than a matter of intellect9. Everyone knows that the Written Torah was given by the Almighty to Moshe Rabbeinu on Mount Sinai, and it goes without saying that one approaches the Written Torah not with intellectual inquiries and pilpul, but with faith. The Oral Torah, by contrast — its whole purpose is to explain with intellectual reasoning what is stated briefly in the Written Torah, and likewise to derive laws that are not stated explicitly in the Written Torah, by comparing and bringing logical proofs: since in the Written Torah the law is stated thus and thus, it must be understood that in another case too the same law must apply (hekesh, kal vachomer, and the like).
It follows, then, that the Oral Torah is a matter that has been handed over to the intellect. Nevertheless, the Jewish approach to the Oral Torah too is with faith. One does not rule according to how it comes out in one's own intellect — even when one has various strong proofs for it — if it contradicts the earlier and later halachic authorities (Rishonim and Acharonim) whose halachic rulings have been accepted throughout the Jewish dispersions. Even in the time of the Mishnah, among the Tannaim, the rule was: "אם הלכה היא נקבל" ("If it is a received halachah, we will accept it") — even though "לדין יש תשובה" ("for a logical argument there is a rebuttal")10.
One could argue: How so? If it concerned a matter of the Written Torah, that was not handed over to the intellect. But since the law is not stated explicitly in the Written Torah, but is a matter of the Oral Torah, which was handed over to the intellect — and the authorities who ruled on this law a generation earlier apparently ruled so only because they had logical proofs for it — then, since according to him, in his own intellect, it comes out differently, why should he have to take their ruling into account?
The answer to this is that the Jewish approach even to the Oral Torah is faith and fear of Heaven, as our Sages say11: "כל שיראת חטאו קודמת לחכמתו חכמתו מתקיימת" ("Anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom endures"). Certainly there must and indeed has to be "his wisdom" — that is the very substance of the Oral Torah, wisdom and intellect. But when does "his wisdom endure"? When can the wisdom have permanence? When "his fear of sin precedes his wisdom" — when his fear of sin comes first for him, as a preface to the wisdom.
This was also the difference between the Tzedukim (Sadducees) and the Perushim (Pharisees). Regarding the Written Torah, the Tzedukim did not dispute; they too understood that the Written Torah must be accepted — whether the intellect wants to or not — since it was given to Moshe from Sinai. What did they dispute? The Oral Torah. Since it is a matter of intellect — they argued — they could interpret it themselves as they understood it, and they need not take into account the tradition received by the Sages. The approach of the Perushim, however, was that just as the Almighty gave Moshe Rabbeinu the Written Torah, so at the same time12 He gave him the Oral Torah as well. The only difference is that the one He gave him in writing and the other He gave him orally; the Written Torah is not clothed in intellect, while the Oral Torah is clothed in intellect. But it is nothing more than that the Oral Torah came in a garment of intellect; it is, however, the same Torah, which comes from the Almighty, Who is higher than intellect, and the approach to it, too, must be — faith.
And this — specifically the Oral Torah ("Torah" in the feminine form) — is the "sign" that sets the Jewish people apart from the nations of the world13: even in the Oral Torah, which is clothed in intellect, one senses among Jews sanctity and holiness; in this too the main thing for them is faith, which is higher than intellect.
4. The same applies to the second sign, "שמחה זה יום טוב" ("'Gladness' — this is Yom Tov"). As said earlier, the non-Jews too have their holidays, and yet among Jews it is entirely different: among Jews, Yom Tov is holiness.
When "gladness — this is Yom Tov" comes, people gather together and rejoice; they eat meat and drink wine, and so on — and these are not spiritual things. But here the difference between Jews and non-Jews, lehavdil, becomes visible: among non-Jews these things lead to frivolity and the like. Among Jews, however, Yom Tov is entirely different14. They too rejoice then and drink, and so on, but it does not lead them to any frivolity, G‑d forbid; on the contrary, it brings them to greater fear of Heaven. And even at the rejoicing of Purim, when it is a mitzvah to drink "עד דלא ידע" ("until one does not know")15, the joy adds fear of Heaven and holiness. And even when the Jew is already at the stage of "until one does not know," he senses even then (though not through intellect) that it is "ארור המן" ("cursed is Haman") and "ברוך מרדכי" ("blessed is Mordechai") (as explained further on).
5. The same applies to "ששון זו מילה" ("'Joy' — this is circumcision"). Certain non-Jews too circumcise themselves, but among Jews circumcision is in an entirely different manner.
That "joy — this is circumcision," the Gemara proves from the verse "שש אנכי על אמרתך כמוצא שלל רב" ("I rejoice over Your word as one who finds great spoil"), which King David said regarding the mitzvah of circumcision. From this we see two things: a) that with circumcision there is a special joy, "ששון" (sasson) ("sasson" signifies a greater joy than "simchah")16; b) and that the mitzvah of circumcision is like taking much spoil from an enemy.
Why is the joy so great specifically with the mitzvah of circumcision, and who is the enemy from whom one takes "great spoil" through the mitzvah of circumcision? This will be understood from what the Rambam says17: that circumcision weakens the cravings for this world in the one who is circumcised. This world, with its many pleasures and cravings, is called "עולם הקליפות" ("the world of the kelipos")18, and this is the greatest enemy of a Jew. And when a Jew weakens the cravings for this world — and even more, when he takes all the pleasures of this world and uses them for holiness (as it is written19: "כל חלב לה'" ("All the fat is to G‑d") — the fattest and the best of everything must be given to the Almighty) — he thereby takes away a great deal, of the very best, as spoil from the enemy, and gives it over to holiness. Therefore a Jew rejoices with great joy.
And in this lies the difference between circumcision among Jews and circumcision among non-Jews, lehavdil. For a non-Jew, circumcision causes him only distress and pain. He has physical pain from it; and all the more so since through it his cravings are weakened — that is for him a particular pain and distress, since the pleasures and cravings are what give him enjoyment in this world, in his life, and when they are taken from him, it is for him the greatest distress. They circumcise themselves only for lack of choice, in order to protect themselves from a still greater distress. For a Jew, by contrast, circumcision brings him, on the contrary, "I rejoice" — he is glad of it. The fact that he separates himself from the pleasures of this world is in fact a joy for him, because the inner essence of a Jew is not the enjoyment of this world but, lehavdil, the delight in G‑dliness. This world, physical matter (chomer — chamor), is his enemy, and plundering his enemy brings the Jew the greatest joy.
6. So it is also regarding "ויקר אלו תפלין" ("'Honor' — these are tefillin"). As said earlier, tefillin are a sign for the one who wears them that he belongs to the Almighty: "וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עליך" ("And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of G‑d is called upon you"). Although the nations of the world too have various symbols that show to which people and tribe they belong, among Jews this is in an entirely different manner.
Tefillin consist of the parshiyos (scriptural passages), the batim (housings) and the retzuos (straps), and they are all made from the leather (from the hide) of an animal. The tefillin are placed on the left arm and on the head, and through this one subjugates the heart and the head; they become a "vessel" for the tefillin.
On the face of it, what place does it have in reason that a person, a being of intellect, should encircle his head with a strap made from an animal and subjugate his mind and heart to the animal hide of the batim and parshiyos? Is it because on the parchment of the parshiyos are written Shema, Vehayah im shamoa, Kadesh, and Vehayah ki yeviacha? But the very same is "written" in his mind and heart (at least while he wears tefillin, during which it is forbidden to divert one's attention from them) — and the only difference is that in tefillin it is on animal hide! Were it a matter of a small child, who has no intellect, the question would not be so great. But the law is that a minor is entirely exempt from tefillin, and only when one turns thirteen and becomes a person of understanding — specifically then the obligation rests upon him20 to subjugate himself to tefillin made of animal hide — and within the animal itself, of its hide, which is the lowest and coarsest part of the animal, and specifically black (the opposite of "and comely")!
But since in the tefillin is written "שמע ישראל הוי' אלקינו הוי' אחד" ("Hear O Israel, G‑d is our G‑d, G‑d is One"), and so on, he subjugates himself to it — his mind and heart to what is written there — because so has the King commanded.
And this is the difference between the signs among non-Jews and, lehavdil, tefillin. With the symbols of non-Jews, a person prides himself and boasts of them if he senses in them loftiness and refinement, if he sees beauty in them, and so on. By contrast, a Jew takes pride in tefillin specifically when they are of animal hide, and specifically black. There one writes and accepts with self-sacrifice: "שמע ישראל ה' אלקינו ה' אחד" ("Hear O Israel, G‑d is our G‑d, G‑d is One").
7. As said earlier, these four things — Torah, Yom Tov, circumcision and tefillin — are the signs that mark out and set apart even the Jewish body from all other bodies. That is why Haman the wicked opposed them so strongly. It did not bother Haman so much that a Jew is holy when he carries out his spiritual matters, matters of the soul. But when it comes to "physical" things (like the four mentioned above), which pertain to the body — in such matters, Haman argued, they should not separate themselves; they should be the same as the non-Jew, G‑d forbid21.
From the decree that Haman the wicked issued to abolish the "signs" — the holiness that exists among Jews even in the things in which they are outwardly the same as non-Jews — there emerged the decree to destroy, G‑d forbid, even those matters of Yiddishkeit that are different from non-Jews outwardly as well, until there came the decree — may G‑d save us — "להשמיד להרוג ולאבד את כל היהודים" ("to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews").
For, as said earlier, the very essence of a Jew is holiness; therefore, when one wants to separate him from holiness (even if one agrees that at certain times certain matters should indeed be holy for him), one takes from him his entire essence.
Therefore, when the Jews were freed from Haman and his decrees, the Sages instituted the Yom Tov22 of Purim, which is a day on which one celebrates a physical feast, with eating and drinking, up to "לבסומי כו' עד דלא ידע" ("to become intoxicated … until one does not know")23. And at the same time, in that very "not knowing," it is settled in the Jew that it is "cursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai": the matters of evil (Haman) are for him "cursed," rejected, and the matters of good (Mordechai) are for him …
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Notes
1) Megillah 16b.
2) Maharsha, Chiddushei Aggados, there.
3) Devarim 4:6.
4) Berachos 6a.
5) Devarim 28:10.
6) Tanya, ch. 49. On the contrary, the Jewish body has an advantage over the soul, for it is specifically the body that is chosen by the Essence [of G‑d]. See at length the sicha of Simchas Torah 5669 (Toras Shalom, p. 120 ff.).
7) Mishlei 3:6. This was explained above, Parshas Terumah.
8) See the discourse beginning "Layehudim Haysah Orah" (in the notes of the Tzemach Tzedek on Megillas Esther). See also the discourse with this heading [OCR unclear] from the years 5563–5564 (Maamarei Admur HaZaken 5564, p. 62), and in Shaarei Orah, discourse beginning "Vekibel," ch. 34 — which explains it differently.
9) See Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 5b.
10) Yevamos 76b.
11) Avos 3:9.
12) "All the mitzvos that were given to Moshe at Sinai were given together with their explanation" (the Rambam's introduction to the Yad HaChazakah).
13) See Shemos Rabbah, beginning of ch. 47: "This is the Mishnah and the Talmud, which distinguish between Israel and the idol-worshippers."
14) Along these lines, see Shibbolei HaLeket, second Arugah, Laws of [OCR unclear], in the name of Rashi; Sefer HaManhig, Laws of Shabbos 60, in the name of Midrash Tehillim; and elsewhere. Cited in the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, sec. 292, par. 3.
15) Megillah 7b. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, sec. 695, par. 2.
16) Therefore regarding the Simchas Beis HaShoevah — the very greatest joy — it says "ושאבתם מים בששון" ("You shall draw water with sasson"). See Sukkah 48b.
17) Moreh Nevuchim, Part III, ch. 35 and ch. 49.
18) Tanya, ch. 6, citing Etz Chaim, Shaar 42, end of ch. 4.
19) Vayikra 3:16. See above, Parshas Mishpatim.
20) Whereas his father must train him from when he knows how to keep his tefillin [clean] (Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, Orach Chaim, end of sec. 37).
21) The connection of this opposition specifically to Haman the Agagite, the kelipah of Amalek: the kelipah of Amalek is coldness and the intellect that opposes the service of accepting the yoke [of Heaven], which is beyond reason and understanding (see above, Parshas Zachor, note 12). The intellect — although it itself compels the conclusion that there are matters beyond its grasp, and therefore it agrees to matters of holiness (and separateness) that are beyond intellect — nevertheless sets a limit: that holiness should be only in matters of the soul, spiritual matters, but not in matters of the body. The intellect is a particular faculty in a person and not the person himself; therefore, when holiness comes only from the intellect, it does not extend to all of a person's matters, down to his bodily matters, which are below intellect. The service of "In all your ways know Him," however, is because a Jew is holy in his very essence (as above, end of section 2). — This is also why Haman cast a pur, that is, a lot: for a lot by its nature is above intellect, above the order of the chain of worlds (hishtalshelus). Haman's thought was that the advantage of Israel over the nations of the world is only in matters of hishtalshelus, the revealed faculties, but not an advantage in that which is above hishtalshelus. And this was the miracle of Purim: the revelation of the advantage of Israel also at the level of the lot, which is above hishtalshelus (which is why the festival is called by the name Purim). And this advantage finds expression in their separateness from the nations of the world also in their bodily matters (which is also why the miracle of Purim was clothed in natural events), which are below hishtalshelus yet bound up with the level above hishtalshelus. And as said above (note 6), it is specifically in matters of the body that the choice of the Essence finds expression.
22) For (Chanukah and) Purim too is called a Yom Tov — even though they did not accept upon themselves the prohibition of labor that applies on Yom Tov (Megillah 5b). — See also Likkutei Torah … [the note continues on the next page].
23) [The text of this note is on the next page; it is not in this page's source.]
Key Lesson
The four "signs" of Purim — Torah, Yom Tov, circumcision and tefillin — resemble things found among other nations, because they show that even the physical body and everyday life of a Jew are holy. A Jew approaches even the intellectual Oral Torah with faith, and turns eating, drinking and worldly pleasure into holiness. Haman wanted to confine Jewish holiness to "spiritual" matters, and the answer to him is to bring holiness into every part of life.