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Why do we celebrate Purim (פורים) on the day of rest rather than the day of victory itself? The pattern mirrors Shabbos (שבת) and Yom Tov, where we celebrate the menucha that makes us part of Hashem (ה׳)'s malchus. Matanot LaEvyonim replaces the usual Yom Tov restrictions because it captures the Torah (תורה)'s essence of proper holiday celebration through caring for others.
This shiur provides a detailed analysis of Megillat Esther Chapter 9, verses 17-19, focusing on how the Jews celebrated their victory and the establishment of Purim (פורים). The lecture begins by examining why the celebration occurs on the day of rest (Yom Asher Nachu) rather than the day of battle itself, which is unusual since most Jewish holidays commemorate the actual day of the miracle. Rabbi Zweig explains that this reflects a pattern found in other holidays with a din of lo ta'aseh (prohibition of work) - Shabbos (שבת) and Yom Tov - where we celebrate the menucha (rest) that results from the event rather than the event itself. The celebration focuses on the effect the miracle had on us, specifically that we became part of Hashem (ה׳)'s malchus (kingdom), rather than just celebrating the miracle itself. A significant portion of the analysis centers on understanding the switch between 'mishteh v'simcha' and 'simcha v'mishteh' in different verses. The Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchot Megillah is cited to explain that simcha refers to eating meat (basar) while mishteh refers to drinking wine. The shiur proposes that when the Jews first celebrated their victory that year, they were emotionally dead (emotionally like in aveilus) from months of anticipation of death, so they needed wine first to restore their emotional state, then food for physical celebration. However, when establishing the permanent holiday observance, the order switched to simcha v'mishteh because healthy people celebrating a Yom Tov follow the normal Torah (תורה) pattern of 'ein simcha ela b'basar v'ein simcha ela b'yayin' - first physical sustenance (meat), then spiritual elevation (wine).
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Megillat Esther 9:17-19
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May a man who has already fulfilled his shofar obligation blow shofar for a woman on Rosh Hashanah? The Baal Itur forbids it while Rav Yehuda permits it. The shiur develops that the core dispute is not about violating shvus for another's benefit, but whether a man's blowing creates a "tekiah shel mitzvah" that enables the woman to be yotzei.
Why does the Gemara connect Purim to Tisha B'Av using "just like"—here you *decrease* joy, here you *increase* it? The shiur develops that Purim fixes the sin of Achashverosh's feast, where Klal Yisrael's desire to socialize with goyim revealed a physical disconnection from each other. Mishloach Manot and matanos la'evyonim create the physical unity—eating and drinking together—that is the tikkun for sinas chinam and the foundation for Kabbalas HaTorah.
Why is the Haggadah in Aramaic, and what does "haggadah" (which means both storytelling and harsh speech) really mean? The shiur develops that Aramaic represents the ability to see from another's perspective, the foundation of true communication. Pesach night's she'eilah u'teshuvah (question-and-answer) format demands we understand what the listener truly needs to hear—creating unity through genuine dialogue rather than prepared speeches.
Why did Mordecai provoke Haman by refusing to bow, endangering all the Jews? Rabbi Zweig argues Mordecai read history and saw the Jewish people on the brink of spiritual destruction—enjoying Achashverosh's party celebrating Judaism's demise meant they had become self-hating. By provoking a crisis, Mordecai forced Jews to face that assimilation was no refuge and reconnect to their roots.
