~ One Hundred Words on Purim

I remember hearing from Rav Uren Reich, 27 years ago, saying over in the name of Rav Elya Brudny as follows:

Haman wanted to kill Mordechai because he didn’t bow down to him. But why did Haman want to kill all of klall Yisrael – who did bow down to him?

The answer is that Haman understood that Mordechai was the real Yid. While others did bow, they were bound to act like Mordechai. He was their representative and was doing what they should have and would have been doing. Mordechai is called Mordechai Hayehudi because he was the real Yid. כי הגידו לו את עם מרדכי– “For they informed him (Haman) of Mordechai’s nationality” (Esther 3:6) – Haman understood that Mordechai’s refusal to bow was the result of his Jewish nationality and he therefore wanted to kill the whole nation.

I feel that this vort is appropriate for Rav Brudny. He is emerging in an an amazing leadership role for American Jewry. ורצוי לרב אחיו – “And he found favor before most of his brethren” (Esther 10:3). Rav Brudny’s recent activism has earned strong support from R’ Chaim Kanievski and most gedolei hador.

~ One Hundred Words on Purim

"כל עבדי המלך ועם מדינות המלך יודעים אשר כל איש ואישה אשר יבוא אל המלך אל חצר הפנימית אשר לא יקרא אחת דתו להמית לבד מאשר יושיט לו המלך את שרביט הזהב וחיה, ואני לא נקראתי לבוא אל המלך זה שלשים יום."

“Anyone who comes to the King’s court without being called is guaranteed to be killed, unless the King stretches out his golden scepter. And I haven’t been called in 30 days” (מגילת אסתר פרק ד' פסוק י"א)

This can be compared to the קדש קדשים in the בית המקדש. Only once a year could the כהן גדול go in. The red string that turns white can be compared to the scepter being outstretched. “The King” can refer to ה', and the court, the בית המקדש. “All the מדינות know” can refer to יהודה and גליל and other sections (מדינות).