Close To Torah

 איש יהודי היה בשושן הבירה ושמו מרדכי בן יאיר בן שמעי בן קיש איש ימיני (אסתר ב:ה)

“…Mordechai was a descendant of… Benjamin” (Esther 2:5)

Why Is This Important?

Of what significance is it to know from where Mordechai came? Additionally, we know that Binyamin, the son of Yaakov our forefather, had ten children. The Targum and Chazal go out of their way to trace Mordechai back to Belah the son of Binyamin. What are they trying to teach us with this seemingly irrelevant information?

G-d Bless America!

There is a fundamental lesson to be accrued here, which has been painfully ignored too many times throughout our Nation’s history. When we try to join the secular culture, we cannot succeed. It is only when we commit ourselves to follow Hashem and his Torah properly that we will see success and prosperity. This must be qualified. Certainly, we are known to be the most upstanding citizens in the countries which we have found ourselves in. Indeed, our Rabbis even teach us to pray for the welfare of the government and that their rules are binding upon us as well. Reb Moshe Feinstein is famous for his unanimously accepted comments upon the topic. America is the most generous country that we have ever found ourselves in and we acknowledge and appreciate this. We do our best to support its cause. However, this does not mean that we should assimilate and throw off our Jewish identity. This will never help us. We support and respect our host nation, while at the same time we stay strong to our religious convictions and eternal mission. We are the Nation who are Hashem’s people and we are to be the light upon the nations. This dictates that we study the Torah and live by its beauty and truth. People dealing with us should be impressed and inspired by our integrity and impeccable character traits. We must always remember who we are!

Downward Spiral

Throughout history, when the Jews began to assimilate, Hashem sent the gentiles to remind them that they are different. In Egypt, the Jews had hoped to join the Egyptian culture and so “Hashem turned their hearts to hate His nation” (Tehillim 105:25). We had to be reminded that we were separate. In Spain in 1492, after not heeding to our leader’s guidance to separate from secularism, we were expelled  by the government. This does not exonerate the host nation for their sins and cruelty against us. They certainly acted immorally and will be punished for their evils against humanity. However, we must take the lesson that Hashem wishes to teach us. Again this was repeated in Germany as well. The Jews were assimilating and throwing off their Jewish responsibilities. Hashem allowed Hitler to remind us who we were. Even those whom after many generations of successful intermarriage and separation from their heritage, were put back in their place. Hitler reminded them that they still had Jewish blood, as they were confined to the death camps despite their high German political standings. We must know who we are.

The Party

We discussed earlier (in the series) the fact that the Jews were decreed imminent death for attending the party of Achashveyrosh. The commentators ask that this only took place in Shushan, the capital, and should not affect the entire rest of the Jewish world? We explained that in truth the sin was much deeper. This indulgence represented the idea that the Jews all wished to be like the Goyim. Whereas, in practice only a minority were in actual attendance, the rest all wished they could be there. This national failing prompted Hashem’s effort to wake the nation to repent from their incorrect perspective and attitude. Joining the secular culture is not the way. Only observance of Hashem’s Torah and Mitzvos breeds admiration and safety.

A Special Nation

The Jews heeded to the warning, repented and were miraculously saved! The climax of the miracle of Purim was so inspirational that Jewish pride and patriotism soared. Chazal tell us that the fear and awe of the gentiles was upon the Jews to the point that no converts were accepted to join any longer in fear that their unification with us was not prompted by sincere altruistic motives, but rather was for prestige and honor. The only other time this happened was in the prestigious time of King Solomon.

He Loves YOU!

The entire theme of Purim is the recognition of the great privilege of being a Jew. Hashem cares for us individually and watches over us, His Chosen Nation, with individual providence and care. One of the strongest feelings that a Chosson and Kallah experience is the immense pleasure of knowing that someone cares and is thinking about them. Indeed, it is a beautiful and invigorating feeling of specialness. The lesson of Purim is that Hashem cares for every one of us. We must take time to think about, recognize and savor this beautiful and inspirational thought. He loves and cares for you! He wants to help you and He wants to give you the best pleasures available to mankind! When we truly grasp this, our lives will be imbued with excitement and focus. We will follow Hashem with love and sincere appreciation. This was the clarity that the Jews achieved in the time of Mordechai that allowed them to separate themselves from the secular goals and to return to their own rich heritage.

The Name Belah

Chazal (Sotah 36b) tell us that Biyamin called his ten children by names that connoted his love and concern for his dear brother Yosef. Yosef had been sold by the other brothers and was assumed to have been assimilated into the gentile world. Belah was the name that represented this concern. “Shnivlah bein HaUmos, he (Yosef) was absorbed into the secular culture”. A name represents the bearer’s essence and trait.  Hence, the name Belah represents the protest that us children of Yaakov must not get pulled into the secular society. We must remain steadfast in our Torah observance. It is thus most appropriate and relevant that Mordechai HaTzaddik emanated from this great person. Who more than Mordechai stood up to remind and inspire his brothers to maintain their spiritual ideals and not fall prey to the secular influence. Indeed, he was following in his illustrious grandfather’s footsteps.

Mordachai HaTzaddik

Indeed, Yosef received the title “HaTzaddik” specifically for his efforts to remain pure and unaffected by the gentile way of life. Mordechai too received the same title for his strength of character in this domain as well!  

With this, we now have an appreciation of the importance of working and growing in our self-development. We know how much Hashem cares for us and this inspires us to be the best Torah followers that we can be, every day!

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Hashkafah, Machshuvah, Purim Galus, Hashem, Klal Yisroel, Tzaddik