Gearing Up for PURIM…

Ten Purim Facts

1) Although there are 5 Megilos, Chazal (Bavli & Yerushalmi) refer to, only Megillas Esther as a Megillah. They never refer to the other 4 as a Megillah.

2) There is a Machlokes if banging at Haman is for children only (Maharil) or for adults as well (Chacham Tzvi)

3) Minhag Lita is to bang only where Haman and his father are mentioned. (Haman ben Hamdasa)

4) According to Kabbalah, you should bang only with your feet.

5) According to the Targum Sheini, The 50 Amos pole, they hung Haman on,  came from Noach’s Teivah.

6) The name of the horse Mordechai rode on, was שפרגז “spare gas” (Targum Sheini)

7) The Mateh Moishe writes the reason Chazal said Chayav -L’Besuma because drunk people are loose with their money and will give more to the poor.

8) According to the Tur  a Chosson should not attend Shul for Megillah. He should have ten people come to the house to Lein Megillah.

9) The Seder Hadoros writes: When R. Yehudah Halevi wrote the Piyut “Adon Chasdecha” ** the Ibn Ezra added a Stanza at the letter Reish. R.Y.Halevi was so impressed, he gave him his daughter for marriage. Hence two stanzas for the letter Reish.

10) The Shu”t Dvar Shmuel (193) criticizes strongly the printers of Meseches Purim***. He claims it is Chilul Hatorah to imitate the Gemoro and turn it into a song and comedy.

**Sefardim say it on Parshas Zachor

*** written 700 years ago and printed  in the year 1513

From Toras Aba, here.

Minhagim Which Lead to Mitzvos

Some have the custom to cover up the unplastered square (Zecher Lachurban) during Adar. Yes, it sounds crazy, but I figure, better have a Zecher Lachurban for 11/12 (or 12/13) months, than zero…

Likewise, some have the custom to give Machtzis Hashekel for the unborn. Yes, it’s a Chumrah. But perhaps this will slow down the Heterim for abortion.

And so on.

Are ANY of the Political Parties Running a Descendant of King David?!

Excerpted here from Rabbi Avi Grossman:

Concerning the upcoming Israeli elections, you have heard that various rabbanim claim that to vote is forbidden, as one should not have a hand in the establishment of a government that will inevitably violate the Torah. I hear that. Other rabbanim have claimed that voting and participating in the formation of a new Knesset, which will, in turn, lead to the formation of a new government, is a form of the fulfillment of the commandment to appoint a king. They quote Deuteronomy 17:15, “You shall surely set a king over yourself.”

I believe that the truth is somewhere in between. The verse is indeed a positive and binding commandment, and one that, God willing, is to lead us to fulfill the subsequent commandments of wiping out Amalek (i.e. securing national security even if it entails preemptive action) and building the Temple (the physical manifestation of a national sense of unity and purpose).

The full verse also says that the king should be one “whom the Lord your God shall choose.” Who is such a candidate? Well, only a prophet could tell you, but we also know that the Davidians (the worthy ones among them) have already been chosen and anointed. Therefore, it is proper that one vote for the party that intends to put a qualified and worthy Davidian in charge. Voting for anyone else is not a fulfillment of the commandment. I am surprised that I have not seen this point made elsewhere, but it is reflected in our ancient history. After Samuel anointed Saul, the Israelite majority did not accept him as king. It was only after he led a successful military campaign against the Ammonites that the people accepted him. David as well was not immediately accepted as king, and neither was Solomon, even though both had received divine approval. As with most of history, there is nothing really new.

Nahmanides, as you may recall, wrote this concerning the Hasmonean dynasty. They should have been replaced by Davidians, and Nahmanides would be right to similarly criticize our generation. Maimonides, to be fair, would countenance non-Davidians ruling Israel, if they also received a temporary prophetic endorsement, so unless a prophet arises and endorses the Jewish Home or whoever, they do not have my vote.

Found here.

מצטער, אריסט”ו לא חזר בו בסוף ימיו…

לגבי המכתב ההוא המובא בספרים רבים (עפ”ר מילקוט מעם לועז) מתוך ויקיפדיה:

בספר שלשלת הקבלהמובאת שמועה כי בקהיר נמצא ספר שחיבר אריסטו בסוף ימיו, בו הוא חזר בו מכל דעותיו הקודמות (בנוגע לבריאת העולם, הישארות הנפש, השגחה פרטית וכו’) לאחר ש”השמעוני” (הכוונה כנראה לשמעון הצדיק) הוכיח לו אחרת, ושבסוף הספר מופיע “כתב” (אותו מביא ‘שלשלת הקבלה’ בשלמותו) ששלח אריסטו לתלמידו אלכסנדר מוקדון, בו אריסטו מסביר כי הוא חזר בו מכל מה שכתב בעבר לאחר שהתווכח עם “חכם מחכמי ישראל”, אימץ את האמונה היהודית, ושאילו היה יכול לקבץ את כל ספריו אשר הופצו ברחבי העולם היה “שורפם באש בל יישאר אחד”. עם זאת, מדובר בכתב מזויף שאינו של אריסטו, המכיל אמרה של סוקרטס שאינה מיוחסת ליהדות.

ובכלל, ספריו לא הופצו בחייו.