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Vayikra 2 A Maggid (preacher) once (or perhaps more than once) observed that during his sermon, a number of the listeners in the audience fell asleep. In order to make light of it, the Maggid announced, "this tendency to dose off when hearing words of Mussar (ethics) is not a new phenomenon. The Talmud tells us that when the great Rabbi Akiva preached, the people also slumbered. "The Talmud goes on too relate that in order to arouse the crowd, Rabbi Akiva would begin talking about the Megillah (Book of Esther). Why did Rabbi Akiva choose that particular subject for this purpose? "I guess it was because there is evidence in the Megillah that there were once no Maggidim. How so? The Megillah reveals that one night King Achashverosh was unable to fall asleep, and he therefore had his servants read to him from the Book of Chronicles. "Now had there been any preachers around at that time, he would certainly not have had to do so. He could simply have called the Maggid to deliver a brilliantly moving and relevant sermon, which would promptly have sent him into the world of dreams." In one village there was a man who indulged in eating and imbibing during the entire month of Adar. When asked why he did so, he explained: "Everyone celebrates Haman's downfall on Purim with food and drink, right? "But just think. Haman decreed that all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the empire be destroyed on one single day, the 14th of Adar. How on earth is it feasible to kill all the men, women, and children spread out over such a vast empire in a single day? "The truth of the matter is that, Haman originally planned to designate the entire month of Adar for the destruction of the Jews. However, aware of their history, and the fact that Hashem intervenes to save the Jews, as he did in Egypt, Haman reasoned that if Hashem saved them from his scheme they would celebrate their salvation by establishing a holiday such as Pesach. If the month of Adar were set aside for their extinction, and then they were miraculously saved, the Jews would of course turn the entire month into one of rejoicing. "Haman was so wicked that he wished to prevent such a possibility. He therefore decreed only one day for the realisation of his plot, so that in the event of a miracle, the Jews would have only that one day for their partying." Here the villager licked his lips, raised his eyebrows, and said, "but I know what his evil plans really were, so I celebrate the entire month." |
