The Victory of Purim Through Yaakov’s Havayeh Powers

Tomb of Esther and Mordechai - Hamadan, Western Iran

The Victory of Purim Through Yaakov’s Havayeh Powers

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Mordechai and Esther correspond to Avraham and Sarah, respectively. 

The Medrash[1] teaches us about the parallel between Mordechai and Avraham:

[The Scroll of Esther describes Mordechai as] “ish Yehudi” (lit. a man of Judea) for he was equal to Avraham in his generation. Just as Avraham our forefather hurled himself into the fiery furnace and went around bringing people to recognize Hashem’s greatness, as it is written, “and the soul that they made in Charan”[2], so, too, Mordechai in his days brought the people to recognize Hashem’s greatness, as it is written, “and many of the nations of the land became Jews”[3] and he declared the unity of Hashem’s Name and he sanctified it. Therefore, he is called “Yehudi”, as it is written, “ish Yehudi”; do not read “Yehudi”, but “yechidi” [literally, “the man of the Unique One”, for he publicized Hashem’s unity].

On the other hand, Haman’s spiritual opposite is Avraham. This is the reason that the mothers of Mordechai and Haman shared the same name, Amtilai.[4]

Since Haman is the spiritual opposite of Avraham and Mordechai parallels Avraham, Haman is also the opposite of Mordechai.

Likewise, we see the parallel between Esther and Sarah in the teaching of Rabbi Akiva[5] that just as Sarah passed away at 127, so did Esther merit to rule over 127 countries.[6]

Thus, we see how Mordechai and Esther are spirituality connected to Avraham and Sarah.

However, there is a difference between them, and this is expressed in the gematria, the numerical value, of their names.

The gematria of Mordechai (מרדכי) is 274 and of Avraham אברהם) 248). The difference between them is 26, which is the same value as the holiest of Hashem’s names, the four-letter name referred to in Kabbalistic literature as Havayeh (הויה).

Likewise, the gematria of Sarah (שרה) is 505 and of Esther, אסתר) 661), with a difference of 156, which is six times Havayeh (26).

26 and 156 add up to 182, which is seven times Havayeh.

182 is also the numerical value of the name of Yaakov. The reason for this is that the key to defeating Haman is the spiritual energy of Yaakov. Haman was descended from Esav,[7] who was also descended from Avraham and Sarah.[8]

It was the fact that Mordechai and Esther were descended from Yaakov that granted them the power to defeat Haman. This is related to Hashem’s promise to Avraham, “for your seed shall be called be’Yitzchak—with Yitzchak”.[9] Our Sages explain this odd expression as being exclusionary: “with Yitzchak, but not all of Yitzchak”, for Esav is not considered the true seed of Avraham.

Therefore, Esther and Mordechai were endowed with an additional seven times the name of Havayeh, to allude to their inheritance of a unique spiritual strength from their ancestor, Yaakov, with which they were able to defeat Haman. Yaakov’s ability to overcome Esav enabled them, in turn, to overcome Esav’s descendant, Haman.

The Zohar explains[10] that Yaakov overcame Esav by bowing down to Hashem seven times while in Esav’s presence: “And he went ahead of them and he prostrated himself to the ground seven times, until he came close to his brother [Esav]”.[11] The Zohar explains that “And he went ahead of them” refers to a revelation of the Divine Presence, which went before Yaakov in order to protect him. When Yaakov saw this, he bowed down. Indeed, the verse doesn’t say that he bowed down to Esav but simply that he bowed down.

This relates to the gematrias of Yitzchak and Esav. The gematria of Yitzchak is 8 times Havayeh (26)—208.

Yitzchak split his amount of this revelation between his sons. He bequeathed seven portions of Havayeh to Yaakov, and one to Esav. It is on account of this one portion of Havayeh within Esav that he is considered a brother to Yaakov, as it is written, “isn’t Esav the brother of Yaakov?”[12]

But the gematria of Esav (עשו) is 376. The remainder of Esav consists of the exact opposite of Havayeh, tamei (טמא), which means impure and has a gematria of 50. This is the dominant aspect of Esav, and therefore, he contained it seven times: 7x50=350. (So in total, 350+26=376.)

The seven times tamei within Esav are the direct antithesis of the seven times Havayeh within Yaakov. This is the reason that Esav so despised Yaakov, on account of the seven times Havayeh within him.

But through Yaakov’s act of bowing down to Hashem seven times in Esav’s presence, the seven times Havayeh within Yaakov removed the seven times tamei within Esav. Once this was complete, the one time Havayeh, the good aspect hidden within Esav (which was swallowed up in the seven times tamei), was revealed, and therefore Esav “embraced him [Yaakov] and kissed him”. According to the Rashbi,[13] Esav did so with all his heart.

Yaakov’s victory granted his descendants, Mordechai and Esther, the power to defeat Esav’s descendant, Haman. This is apparent in the above Medrash where it says that Mordechai’s title ish Yehudi could also be read ish yechidi, which means “the man of the Unique One”, for Mordechai publicized Hashem’s absolute unity.

The lesson for our time is that the forces of impurity and evil related to the spiritual energies of Esav and Haman are still in existence. We overcome them by increasing in our faith and submission to Hashem as He reveals Himself in the name of Havayeh, which represents G-dliness that transcends nature. We accomplish this through increasing in our observance of Torah and Mitzvos in general, and specifically through studying the teachings of Chassidus.

Based on the teachings of the Rebbe’s father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneersohn,
in Toras Levi Yitzchak, Chidushim U’biurim Be’shas, pp. 97, 214.

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[1] Esther Rabbah 6:2.
[2] Bereshis 12:5.
[3] Esther 8:17. This could mean that they converted to Judaism (as Rashi explains), but in the context of this Medrash, it appears to mean that they accepted the faith in one G-d, just as Avraham’s “converts” didn’t literally convert.
[4] Avraham’s mother was Amtilai the daughter of Carnevo, while Haman’s mother was Amtilai the daughter of Urvesa—Bava Basra 91a.
[5] Bereshis Rabbah 48:3.
[6] Esther 1:1.
[7] Haman was descended from Amalek. Amalek’s father was Elifaz, whose father was Esav.
[8] Esav was the son of Yitzchak, who was the son of Avraham and Sarah.
[9] Bereshis 21:12.
[10] Bereshis 171b.
[11] Ibid. 33:3.
[12] Malachi 1:2.
[13] Sifri Behaaloscha 59.

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Purim: Seeing Through the Facade

Purim: Seeing Through the Facade

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

On Purim, we celebrate a very special kind of miracle. A “miracle vested in nature”.

“Normal” miracles jump in your face and jar you out of your sense of self and your default approach to the world. Normally, the external natural world cries out “I exist,” and only allows us to connect with the level of G–dliness that is vested within nature, which stems from the divine name of Elokim. Open miracles, however, virtually “force” us to acknowledge that right behind the Elokim-generated forces of nature lie the name of Havayeh, a level of G–dliness so sublime that it utterly transcends nature, and it even transcends the fundamental parameters of time and space.

(Of course, a true skeptic—one filled with blind faith in the powers of his puny intellect, and a passionate desire to reject anything and everything beyond it at all costs—will find a way to deny, dismiss, and belittle anything and everything that transcends nature. But “we are not speaking of fools.”[1])

Then there is a miracle that can be easily denied, or not noticed to begin with. One could fail to realize that this event involved divine intervention in the “normal” process of nature. This kind of miracle truly tests our faith, our inner bond with Hashem, our power to sense the absolute truth of G–dliness.

This is the lesson of the story of Purim. No dramatic splitting of the sea, flame without oil, or Golem here. Just a series of apparently fortuitous coincidences, any one of which alone might seem surprising, but still well within the realm of statistical probability.

And yet since the Jew’s special Neshamah stems from the name of Havayeh,[2] he has the power, if he so chooses, to see through the façade of Elokim, to see how in fact these were no natural events—this was the handiwork of Havayeh alone.

And this is what we celebrate on Purim—the Jew’s ability to see through the mask of nature[3] and see Hashem’s constant guiding hand. And not only in grand events of national significance, but even in his very own personal life—if he truly wants, he has the power to see how Hashem has guided him every step of the way, and how in fact, every single event in his life is truly from Hashem—and not only from Elokim, but from Havayeh.[4]

Certainly, when the Jew sees in his personal life a “coincidence” that some might attribute to chance, citing the all-knowing professors of statistics as their supposedly unimpeachable source, or at least to the cyclical rhythms of Elokim, the Jew knows the truth—that every single event in his life occurs by Divine Providence alone, and stems (not only from Elokim, but on a deeper level) from Havayeh.

So why did he, let’s just say, receive an e-mail from an old friend he had fallen out of touch with for years soon after he spent five minutes consciously thinking about this person for no apparent reason (as actually happened to me just last night)? The Jew knows that this was no fluke. Hashem wanted to show him a little glimpse of His Personal Providence by slightly removing the façade of nature for a brief while.

Then this experience shows him tangibly how mikreh—chance is rak meiHashem—only from Hashem.[5] His eyes are opened up (and perhaps this is one of the meanings of the Rebbe’s exhortation that we “open our eyes”) to see Hashem’s hand in every aspect of his life. And the more he searches earnestly for Hashem, the more he truly sees Him.

This endows him with the encouragement to approach even his daily mundane, apparently banal routine duties with joy and inspiration, knowing that Hashem—including the lofty level of Havayeh—goes with him always, even in the apparently negative events in his life (may Hashem spare us), and that only Hashem gives him the strength to perform acts of might.[6] And through this faith, “everything will become good on a revealed level as well.”[7] Kein tihiyeh lanu!

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[1] Bava Kama 85a.
[2] See the explanation and sources quoted here.
[3] This is one of the reasons for the custom to dress up in costume on Purim (Rabbi Moshe Chagiz, Eileh Hamitzvos, p. 293).
[4] Cf. Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh ch. 11.
[5] Sfas Emes, Parshas Zachor, 5632.
[6] Cf. Devarim 8:14-18.
[7] Tanya ibid.


This article is dedicated by Sholom Ber and Rochel'e Odze, l'ilui nishmas Yaakov ben Moshe (Jack Muchnik) a"h.


Like what you read? The articles I write take a lot of time and effort. Please contact me to sponsor an article for (at least) $36 in honor of the birthday, wedding anniversary, or yarhtzeit of a loved one, or for a refuah shleimah or the like. Also, see here concerning the tremendous merit of supporting the dissemination of Chassidus, and the blessings that one receives for doing so.

Purim: Consistency despite diverse challenges

Purim: Consistency Despite Diverse Challenges

Rabbi Y. Oliver

There was a full year between Haman’s decree calling for the extermination of the entire Jewish people (G–d forbid) and the date of its expected implementation, for Haman cast the lots in Nissan, and the lot fell out for Adar, a year later.

The Alter Rebbe states[1] that the Jewish people knew during this year that were they to renounce observance of Yiddishkeit, G–d forbid, and convert to pagan culture, they would be exempted from the decree. (In this respect Haman’s decree resembled the policy enforced against Torah observance under the Spanish Inquisition, where those who outwardly embraced Catholicism, may G–d save us, were exempted from the Spanish government’s harsh decrees.)

However, writes the Alter Rebbe, not only did the Jewish people not succumb to the temptation to convert, but they never even entertained the thought of it. This utter refusal to convert despite the dire threat that hung over them constituted a truly heroic act of mesiras nefesh, self-sacrifice.

The Rebbe explains the significance of the time period of a year. The Hebrew word for year, shanah, is etymologically related to the word for change, shinui.[2] A year thus represents a full cycle, a period that encompasses all possible changes in time.

This quality is manifest in the Esrog, which the Talmud[3] says remains on its tree—its source of life and sustenance—all year round. The Esrog is always in season because it has the special ability to tolerate vastly different temperatures. Moreover, not only does the Esrog not suffer from being subjected to such diverse and opposite conditions, but it thrives.

Likewise, a Jew should remain connected to his source, Hashem, regardless of any challenges he may face. Moreover, he should pass these challenges in a way that brings him to grow from strength to strength.

This was also the greatness of the Jewish people under Haman’s decree: During the entire year in which they suffered under the looming threat of genocide (G–d forbid), they maintained their loyalty to Hashem despite experiencing the full gamut of the vicissitudes of human experience.

This wide range of experience demonstrates true loyalty. When a person is only challenged with one type of test, even if it was somewhat difficult for him to pass it, it is still not clear whether his faithfulness stems from true selflessness, or whether he was merely following his nature. The possibility remains that if faced with a different type of test that involves truly defying his nature, he may fail.

This concept is expressed in the Akeidah. Despite Avraham Avinu’s tremendous personal sacrifice for Hashem over many decades, when Hashem asked Avraham to slaughter his son, He pleaded: “I have tested you on numerous occasions and you have successfully passed them all. Now, be strong for My sake in this test as well, so that it should not be said: ‘There was no substance in the earlier tests.’”[4] What was so special and different about this test?

Avraham excelled in his love for Hashem and his kindness to one and all,[5] and the first nine tests involved pushing his limits in his expression of this inborn nature. However, the test of the Akeidah, in which Avraham was commanded to slaughter Yitzchak, required extreme severity, and this ran totally contrary to Avraham’s nature. Thus, only after Avraham passed this test did Hashem tell him, “Now I know that you are G–d-fearing” because “you did not hold back your son, your only child, from Me.”[6]

Likewise, the fortitude of the Jewish people during the entire year that Haman’s decree hung over them holds the same lesson: True devotion to Hashem is only evident when one remains firm and unshaken in Torah observance even while being subjected to different types of adversity and challenges. For no matter how great one’s talents and skills, there are certain areas in which every individual finds difficulty; hence, these are the true test of his devotion to Hashem. Sometimes these areas of weakness may be obvious, but sometimes not, or one may err in his calculation. Thus, only through diverse challenges can a person reach a true awareness of his spiritual level, and by overcoming these challenges, he reaches a true, inner bond with Hashem. This may also explain why Hashem brings a person to encounter a vast range of different challenges in life, for only by overcoming them all can his devotion to Hashem be truly known.

Based on the Rebbe's Sefer HaMa’amarim Melukat, Vol. 1, pp. 319-320.

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[1] Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther, 97a.

[2] Avodas HaKodesh 4:19.

[3] Sukkah 35a.

[4] Sanhedrin 89b.

[5] Cf. Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh, ch. 13.

[6] Bereishis 22:12.

Tragedies (lo aleinu): A Goad to Teshuvah

Reizi Rodal, 10, ע”ה

Moshe Golan, 17, ע”ה

Yanatan Bitton, 17, ע”ה

Levi Hendel, 14, ע”ה

Toby Eagle, 21, ע”ה

Zev Simons, ע”ה

Rochel Simons, 48, ע”ה

Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, 29, הי”ד

Rivka Holtzberg, 29, הי”ד

Yisroel Noach Tzfasman, 24, ע”ה

Rochie Paley, 26, ע”ה

Pesha Leah Azoulay, 20, ע”ה

Chana (Raskin) Wolvovsky, 21, ע”ה

Avrohom Dovid Liberow, 9, ע”ה

Refael Peretz Rivkin, 6, ע”ה

Chaya Mushka Itkin, 3, ע”ה

Shula Swerdlov, 3, ע”ה

Devorie Neuwirth, 41, ע”ה

Rafael Miriashvilli, 25, הי”ד

Revital Efrat Maudah, 35, ע”ה

Menachem Mendel Sadon, 15, ע”ה

Chaya Mushka Ashkenazi, 7, ע”ה

Chaya Gottlieb, 24, ע”ה
Menachem Mendel Browd, 7m, ע”ה

Shloime'le Zaltzman, 7m, ע”ה

Yossi Kadosh, 7, ע”ה

Levi Wolowik, 9, ע”ה

Yossel Tevel, 55, ע”ה

Avrohom Goldstein, 53, ע”ה

Aryeh Leib Misenzon, 25, הי”ד

Nosson Deitsch, 21, ע”ה

Zlata Geisinsky, 49, ע”ה

Chana Weinfeld, 10, ע”ה

Esty Cohen, 33, ע”ה

Yossi Kreiman, 23, ע”ה

Mendy Deren, 36, ע”ה

Levi Deitsch, 34, ע”ה

Shalom Dovber Gerber, 2, ע”ה

Menachem Mendel Orenstein, 45, ע”ה

Menucha Rachel Vaspi, 1, ע”ה
Chaya Kurkus, 47, ע”ה
Hendel Keller, 34, ע”ה
Paz Shusterman, 37, ע”ה
Mochai Schapiro, 35, ע”ה
Chaya Mushka Hershkowitz, 23, ע”ה
Kazi (Kasriel) Benjamin, 25, ע”ה
Shayna Borevitz, 18, ע”ה
Rivka Mas’hid, 17, ע”ה
Stacey Brook, 17, ע”ה
Rivka Durai, 18, ע”ה 
Moshe Abelsky, 49, ע”ה
No’a Basya Lazarus, 1, ע”ה
Menachem Mendel Oberlander, 20, ע”ה
Yehuda Groden, 23, ע”ה
Yosef Yitzchak Tarlow, 28, ע”ה
Yaacov Shlomo Pellin, 31, ע”ה

Shula Friedman, 42, ע”ה
Dorit Giro, 45, ע”ה
Draizel Merka Altman, 53, ע”ה
Aharon Stawsky, 50, ע”ה
Mira Sharf, 25, הי”ד
Ahron Smadga, 50, הי”ד 
Shneur Zalman Greenberg, 4m, ע”ה
Yossi Alexandre, 19, ע”ה
Nava Rus Chein, 2, ע”ה 
Sara Leah Overlander, 53, ע”ה 
Alter Hirshel Dovid Strauss, 3m, ע”ה
Mendy Avrahami, 23, ע”ה
Chana Ohana, 18, ע”הZev Aryeh Glick, 22m, ע”ה
Yossi Kadosh, 7, ע”ה
Yisroel Bodner, 18 m., ע”ה

Nochum Tzvi Potash, 8, ע”ה
Shoshana Rachel Stern, 12, 
Levi Nemon, 21m., ע”ה 
Miriam Baila Goldsweig, 6m, ע”ה
Yosef Raksin, 60, הי”ד

We are, yet again, reeling from recent tragedies in the Chabad community. Boruch Dayan Emes.

The various communities of Chabadchassidim are not separate and independent entities, chas v’shalom. Rather, there is a worldwide Chabad community of which each and every individual community is an integral part. Thus, everything that happens in one community affects all the others, whether for the good or otherwise.

Obviously, any tragedy that befalls a fellow Jew should touch all Jews deeply. But one should feel affected all the more when tragedy befalls a member of one’s own community. This concept is alluded to in the HaYom Yom of 3 Adar 1, which teaches that one should love every Jew, even one whom one has never met—but all the more so a member of one’s own community (see also here concerning the concept that a chossid should feel an extra love for fellow chassidim).

The tragedies in families of Anash, may Hashem save us, are now no longer unusual. They have been recurring every few months now for a number of years, with chilling regularity. There is an unmistakable pattern here, and it begs the question: Without getting into the larger topic of why the innocent and righteous suffer, why evil exists, and so on, how should we respond?

There is a popular notion that associating suffering with sin isinherently antithetical to the path of Chassidus. 

This is part of a general misconception that since Chassidus focuses on ahavas Yisrael, positive energy, joy, looking at one’s fellow Jew with a good eye, and so on—which I do not question—anything and everything that smacks of negativity is necessarily wrong and inherently un-Chassidic.

However, this is a complete mistake, for, as Chassidus teaches, kindness must always be balanced with strictness, and sometimes rebuke and harshness are necessary, albeit in carefully-measured doses. Rather, the Chassidic way is not to become preoccupied with the negative approach in avodah—not that it be neglected altogether.

In any case, as far as the topic of tragedy is concerned, in an undisputed ruling, the Rambam writes:

It is a positive obligation stated in the Torah to cry out to Hashem in prayer whenever a great calamity should befall the community. … This is counted among the paths of repentance, that when a calamity arrives and people cry out and sound the Shofar, everyone will know that it was because of their wrongdoing that this evil befell them … and this will cause the calamity to be removed from them. If, however, they do not cry out … arguing instead that this event happened to us as part of the natural way of the world and that the calamity happened by chance, this approach is cruel, because it causes people to persist in their wrongdoing and thus brings about further disasters … . Moreover, the Sages ordained that people should fast over every calamity that overtakes the community, until Heaven shows them compassion.

Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Ta’aniyos, 1:1-4.

The Rambam’s words are clear. When suffering occurs, the community as a whole, and each and every individual, ought to feel that it occurred on account of their wicked behavior, as a punishment for it, and that it is as a sign from Hashem that they must do teshuvah. This attitude is in fact a kindness for the community, for teshuvah will correct the cause of the tragedy, namely their sins, and thereby save them from the terrible result of ongoing sin—further punishment, G–d forbid.

This is also reflected in the story of Purim. The Rebbe (Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 6, p. 192) uses the above halacha to explain Esther’s behavior. As soon as she learned of Haman’s decree, she declared that it had in fact been caused by their sins, and called the people to fast and do teshuvah. They heeded her call, and this was the true reason that the decree was averted.

The calamities that we face are the tragedies that have been taking the lives of beloved members of our community, may Hashem save us. According to the Rambam’s ruling, it emerges that the Chabad community as a whole, and every individual chossid in particular, should feel personally responsible for these shocking events.

Moreover, in the above sicha, the Rebbe explains that in her call for teshuvah, Esther even made a point of identifying which particular sin had caused the decree (viz., taking part in the meal of Achashverosh). This appears to demonstrate that in the process of communal teshuvah, the leaders are tasked with drawing the community’s attention to rampant and/or blatant sins that are most likely the cause of the suffering that has befallen the community.

I will not presume to engage in such speculation, as I am not of that caliber. However, I would humbly suggest that our Rabbonim—the true leaders of every Jewish community, especially in light of the Rebbe’s public will discussed here—are the ones fit to make such statements, and if they have not, in my humble opinion, they should be urged to do so.

In addition to the communal reckoning, since a community consists of a conglomeration of numerous individuals, when such events occur, each individual should also conduct a personal accounting, searching carefully within for faults that he or she may have, with the goal of correcting them and thereby safeguarding the community as a whole from such disasters in the future, chas v’shalom.

Most importantly, such teshuvah prepares us for and hastens the arrival of Moshiach now.

May we be comforted for our irreplaceable losses, and know no more sorrow.

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ETA: The quote below, from the Previous Rebbe here, is also highly relevant:

Every salvation comes in the wake of a time of distress, and every distress that strikes the Jewish people comes as a punishment for particular transgressions. That is to say: When Jews repent, G-d sends His salvation. His help not only removes the punishment: it also brings them a salvation [beyond that]. It goes without saying that the tribulations inflicted in punishment are proportionate to the transgressions, and the good fortune brought about by the salvation is proportionate to the repentance.

Esther's irrevocable sacrifice

Most stories have a happy ending. But sometimes they don’t.

Esther said: “And if I perish, I will perish.” The Gemara (Megilla 15a) comments: “Just as I lost my father’s house [from which she was orphaned], so will I lose you [Mordechai].” Why was Esther to lose Mordechai?

When Mordechai heard that Haman’s decree had been issued, he saw that the situation was dire, so he asked Esther to approach Achashverosh and plead on behalf of the Jewish people. Yet acceding to this request involved paying an excruciating price.

In fact, Esther was married to Mordechai. She would go from intimacy with Achashverosh to intimacy with Mordechai (ibid. 13b). How was this permissible? It is known that a woman who commits adultery is forbidden to her husband forever. 

The reason that Esther’s intimacy with Achashverosh was not considered adulterous was that were she to refuse the king’s summons, she would have been summarily executed. Since she was a totally unwilling participant in relations with Achashverosh, she remained permitted to her true husband, Mordechai, just as any rape victim (other than the wife of a Kohen) is permitted to return to her husband.

However, when Mordechai asked her to approach Achashverosh, she knew that this involved incurring an irreparable loss. For approaching Achashverosh would involve initiating intimacy, and this would entail a certain degree of willingness, rendering her forever forbidden to Mordechai. Although it was permitted for her to actively make herself available to Achashverosh (special dispensation is given to allow adultery for the purpose of saving the Jewish people), as a consequence, she would be forbidden to Mordechai regardless.

Esther paid the ultimate price. She forfeited her husband, and not just any husband, but the great Mordechai HaTzaddik. She sacrificed her personal life and marital fulfillment irrevocably for the sake of the Jewish people.

The Jewish people were saved, but for Esther, there was no happy ending. (By the same token, of course, Mordechai made the same sacrifice, for he knew that if Esther would follow his directive, he would forfeit his relationship with her.)

I am reminded of Jonathan Pollard, who has paid such a devastating price for his selfless sacrifice for the Jewish people. Countless Jewish lives were saved, but ever since, Jonathan Pollard’s life has been hell on earth, and there seems to be no end in sight, according to the natural order (may he be released miraculously as soon as possible).

Who knows, one day we may be required to give up something personal that is infinitely precious and irregainable for the sake of saving other Jews. If, G-d forbid, we are given this challenge, may we be blessed with the inner strength to make whatever sacrifice is necessary, and do so with joy.

Jewish Pride Evokes Admiration

When we refuse to conform to the behavior of the world and stick to our ancient, sacred tradition, this will not be perceived as a fault, but as greatness, as the Rebbe teaches in explanation of the verses concerning Mordechai:

“The governors of the lands ... all supported the Jews ... for Mordechai had become great ... and his fame had spread throughout the lands” (Esther, 9:3-4).

Mordechai’s greatness was witnessed by all the nations in his firm stand in all matters associated with Judaism, such that “Mordechai would neither kneel nor prostrate himself” [before Haman] (ibid., 3:2). Those who erroneously behave in the opposite manner [by compromising in their Torah observance] provoke the gentile nations to publicly express the opposite of love for the Jewish people, may G–d save us! Would that we would never come to such a state of affairs, and this warning would suffice.

Hisva’aduyos 5745, Vol. 3, p. 1714.

In my own words:

Ultimately, by refusing to bow down to Haman, Mordechai became famous far and wide as a champion of goodness and truth.

Some Jews think that in order to gain the approval and support of the nations, the Jewish people need to compromise their standards and imitate non-Jewish behavior.

However, the reality is the exact opposite: The key to earning the respect of the world is showing that we are not ashamed or apologetic of who we are—Jews unswervingly loyal to our timeless mission to study Torah, observe the Mitzvos, and proclaim G–d’s unity to the world.

Non-Jews sense subconsciously that we are spiritually different, so when we maintain that differentness with uncompromising yet refined purposefulness, with proud yet humble perseverance, our holy energies shine brightly, dazzling non-Jews with our fineness and nobility. They are in awe of us, and they stream to us for guidance.

However, when they detect that we are embarrassed at our calling, that we indifferently abdicate our invaluable role and chase after their culture and slavishly imitate it, not only do they refuse to accept us, but they regard us with contempt and derision.