BS’D

If anyone has ma’aser money and wishes to give any form of charity to families genuinely in need, please contact me and I will make sure it goes to them on Purim here in Israel.  Tizku’ l’mitzvot!

Shabbat Zachor brings with it a special light of kedusha.  For those who can make the effort and go to shul to listen to Parshat Zachor pay attention to each word and follow the reading with your finger.  After the reading ask Hashem to erase the amalek within us. Who is the amalek within?  The doubts, confusion, worries, fear and anything negative that holds us back from living a life of emuna and closeness to Hashem.  After the reading it is also a special time to ask for zera bar kayama, to have children.  Lastly, hearing this parsha also serves to strengthen our memory and clarity of mind.

Before the chazzan begins to read the megillah while he reads the brachot ask Hashem that you become a powerful  vessel to receive the holy lights of Mordechai and Esther that come down at this moment.  These lights stay with us until next Purim.

During the reading of the megillah the same holy lights begin to envelop us as if we were living through the episodes once again. Relate to the megillah as if you are praying to Hashem right now for difficulties you are going through in your present life.  Reach into the context of the megillah and link it to your own personal life, i.e. hanging of Haman can be looked upon as if you are hanging your sorrows, never to see them again B’H.  At the end of the megillah reading ask for your soul mate or shalom bayit, marital peace.

After the reading, cover your table with a festive cloth (suitable for Shabbat or Yom Tovim) and once again light two yahrtzeit candles and place them on your table: one in memory of Mordechai HaYehudi Hatzaddik and one for Esther HaMalka bat Avichayil.  The candles brings their holy light into our homes.

Erev Purim, is a most special time particularly at chatzot halayla, midnight, which falls in most places at 11:40 pm(ish). All seven gates in Shamayim are open.  Just as Esther stood before Hashem at this hour, so should we.  The yetzer hara will try to play this one down, distract, make you tired and aggravate you in order to stop you from taking advantage of this once a year unbelievable time to pray.  Don’t fall for it.  Mordechai stood with 22,000 children on this night and prayed to Hashem to annul the harsh decree against the Jewish people and was able to overturn it.  Can you imagine the power embedded in this night?  Don’t miss out.  No matter what, stand there at midnight, beseech, pray and beg Hashem like you have never done before… Hashem is handing out free gifts yes free…. just ask!!!  Ask Hashem to annul all harsh decrees, c’v, against us and/or our beloved nation. Request that Hashem gift you with the same mesirut nefesh (self-sacrifice) that Esther HaMalka displayed and brought about the cancellation of the judgments against us.

The Purim seuda meal is to atone for enjoying ourselves at the table of Achashveirosh. It is recommended to prepare a festive table with many delectable food items and to eat from a long challah to remind us of the tall gallow from which Haman was hung.  During the seuda say 120 times: Baruch Mordechai and 24 times: Brucha Esther bat Avichayil, this further brings down their holy lights to our meal.  In addition, use this time to request anything on your mind, it is a time of great rachamei Shamayim.  Some thoughts on what to pray for:  geula, something that ‘appears’ impossible according to natural law, yeshuot, to complete that which we are lacking, etc..

Do not get angry (anytime!) on Purim, be joyful.  There should be calm, peace and happiness all day long.  Put some kind of nut mixture onto your table during the meal since Esther HaMalka dined on nuts whenever she entered the chambers of Achashverosh.

B’H we will come out from Purim feeling more true with ourselves, more comfortable with who we are and have a stronger draw towards being continually joyful.  May this be a time of joy for us personally and collectively as a nation, a time to annul any harsh decrees c’v and may we merit the ultimate joy – the redemption of the Shechinah and of the Jewish people b’karov, b’rachamim, amen!