Purim of the future

Hi,

"Although the memory of all troubles will be erased in Messianic times, the Purim celebration will not be annulled, as it is written, 'And these days of Purim will not pass from among the Jews, and their memory will not leave their children.'"

(Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Megilah 2:18)

[I include this as food for thought; many explanations have been provided over the ages, and there is much to learn from this statement.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The Half-Shekel Contribution

Hi,

"[Haman promised Achashverosh, in exchange for exterminating the Jews:] 'If it is good with the king, I will pay ten thousand silver coins into the king's coffers.'

"Reish Lakish commented: It was revealed and known before the Creator of the Universe that Haman would give shekalim [coins] against the Jews. Therefore, Gd commanded that we precede his shekalim with our own contribution of shekalim. This is why it is taught in a mishnah: On the first day of Adar announcements are made calling people to contribute their shekalim."

(Talmud, Megilah 13b)


"Some have ruled that one should donate a coin which is half the standard unit of currency, to charity, as a memorial to the half-shekel which was given [in the time of the Temple] in the month of Adar.

"Since the word 'donation' is written three times in that section of the Torah which describes this Mitzvah, one should give three of these coins. One should give it on the eve of Purim, before the minchah prayer, and that is the custom in these lands."

(Rama to Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 694:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The 7th of Adar

Hi,

This coming Sunday is the 7th of Adar, the birthday of Moshe Rabbeinu as well as the anniversary of his passing.


"Moses died on the 7th of Adar, and Moses was born on the 7th of Adar... this teaches us that Gd completes the years of the righteous, giving them full days and months."

(Talmud, Kiddushin 38a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The mitzvah of bringing our firstborn animal as a korban

Hi,

The Torah's eighteenth mitzvah [per the count of the Sefer haChinuch] instructs us to bring our first-born (bechor) sheep, oxen and goats to a kohen. When we have a Beit haMikdash, the kohen brings part of each animal as a korban, and eats the rest.

By performing this mitzvah, in which we take the first fruit of our efforts and dedicate it to HaShem, we demonstrate that we recognize that everything we possess ultimately comes from HaShem. Further, we commemorate HaShem's destruction of the Egyptian first-born and redemption of the Jews from Egypt.

This mitzvah applies even when there is no Beit haMikdash, biblically within Israel and rabbinically outside of Israel. Therefore, Jewish ranchers tend to form partnerships with non-Jews; a first-born animal owned in partnership with a non-Jew is not subject to the laws of the firstborn animal.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The purposes of prayer

Hi,

"The general rule is: One should always pray for that which is yet to come, and ask for mercy, and one should give thanks for what has already passed. One should thank and praise as much as he is able."

(Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Blessings 10:26)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Adar is here!

Hi,

Since Monday is the 1st of Adar:

"When the month of Adar enters, we increase our joy!"

(Talmud, Taanit 29a)

Adar represents joyous redemption, born unexpectedly out of the depths of despair - even though it has been building for a long time, with a Divine plan.

Have a great month,
Mordechai

The diversity of humanity

Hi,
"[Gd created Adam as an individual] in order to publicize Divine greatness. A person mints many coins from one stamp and all of them reseble each other. The King of kings of kings, Gd, minted each person from the stamp of Adam the First, and one does not resemble the other."

(Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai