| Purim 5783 – 2023
Dear Friends
As we are fast approaching the festival of Purim I am just writing to remind you of the 4 unique Mitvzot of the day and how we can fulfil it in St Annes:
1) Megillah Reading – The custom is to hear the Megillah read both at night (6:30PM) and at day. Shacharit on Tuesday will be at 9:00AM with Megillah reading approximately 9:30AM.
The most beautiful (Hiddur Mitzvah) way to perform the Mitvzah is by reading as a part of a congregation as the verse states “The splendour of the King is expressed amongst the multitudes of the people” (Proverbs 14:28).
2) Matonas Laevyonim – Gifts to the Poor.
Aside from the general Mitzva of Tzedakah, on Purim there is a special Mitzvah to give gifts to the poor, in particular those who are destitute or struggle to provide for the basic needs of themselves and their family. The Mitzvah is primarily to ensure that the poor receive the gift on Purim day itself.
The minimum is one gift to two poor people (as the verse is in the plural).
The gift can be food but the custom is to give money to the value of a basic meal. Today this is approximately £5-10. The more a person gives Matonas Laevyonim the more praiseworthy. However if a person can not afford this basic amount it can still be fulfilled with a smaller sum.
There will be a collection of money on Purim night and at Shacharis and I will be distributing the money on your behalf (as a Shaliach Mitzva) later on during Purim day.
Please note that if for some reason you are unable to get the money to me then you can still physically set aside money to be given after Purim.
3) Mishloach Manot
Food gifts to ones friends and even better to those one may not be so friendly with. The basic Mitzva is performed through one food gift of tow types of food (tow different blessing types Eg a Cake and a bottle of grape juice). Whilst it is praiseworthy to increase the number of gifts and the amount we give to friends, it is better to increase gifts to the poor.
4) Mishteh
A feast on Purim Day itself. The custom is to drink wine as this was drunk at the parties in the story of Purim. This year we have a special bagel breakfast after Shacharis on Tuesday morning which will function as the Mishteh. All our welcome but please email glenberd@gmail.com as we need to know numbers.
Purim is the most physical day in the Jewish calendar. Its carnival and jovial like character seem far from any sense of holiness and yet the Kabbalah uncovers the depth of Purim teaching that
Yom Kippur is “Ke-Purim” – meaning Yom Kippur is only like Purim! suggesting that Purim is on a higher level! How can this be?
The answer is that whereas on Yom, Kippur by transcending physicality through fasting, prayer, abstaining from intimacy or wearing leather shoes or anointing ourselves with perfumes and other afflictions; on Purim we translate our awareness of Hashem and His guiding providence into the concrete world of materialism. This higher than Yom Kippur itself because the ultimate purpose of creation is not for man to hang onto the coattails of angels but rather to be Divine ambassadors and facilitate Godly light to penetrate this coarse physical and lowly realm where Godliness is seemingly concealed.
If the spiritual journey of Yom Kippur can be described as “from below to above” then the spiritual direction of travel on Purim is the direct reverse “from above to below”.
The job of the Jew is to transform the physical realm and make it a fit abode for Hashem the True King. We do this through the Mitvzos and on Purim we emphasis the most physical Mitzvos. We drink and make merry (making blessings). We give gifts to the poor and our friends.
The story of Purim emphasises the idea that God’s “guiding hand” is behind not only nature but also the intricate political affairs of man. Megillas Esther translates to “revealing the hidden”. The Megillah is a unique prophetic insight into the intricacies of Divine Providence and how Hashem relates to His people.
The name of Hashem is not written once in the entire Megillah yet the message of the story is that God controls every outcome! (Some Megillah scrolls are arranged so that the word “Hamelech” (the King) appears as the first word of each column to hint to this idea that Hashem is behind the mask of nature.
I am looking forward to celebrating Purim together with you.
Purim Sameach and Shabbat Shalom! |
