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The
Month Of Adar
1)
From the beginning of the month of Adar, every man and woman
should immediately take strength to increase in all matters of joy
by making good resolutions and carrying them out to try in all
ways to add and increase in joyous things.
(Truma
5752)
2) “When Adar enters, we increase in
joy” including the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar, and also
Shabbos Mevarchim Adar, because that is when the “knisa”
(the entering) of the month of Adar already begins, and through it
the entire month is blessed.
(VaYakhel
5749)
3)
Being joyful includes making both yourself and others happy
[especially in a quorum of ten Jewish adults] (for as we know,
perfect joy is experienced especially along with someone else). It
is important to campaign about this around the world.
(VaYakhel
5749)
To
add in joy from day to day
4) (The above)
should be in a manner of increasing in light and joy each day of
the (two) month(s) of Adar, to add each day in matters of joy [as
we know, when it comes to joy there has to be something new each
day “panim
chadashos”].
(Truma
5752)
5) According to the rule pertaining to all
matters of goodness and holiness that the sooner the better, and
also the more the better, and naturally this is even more
pronounced when it comes to matters of joy, which of themselves
are experienced in a way of poretz geder (breaking through,
i.e., going out of one’s natural limitations).
(ibid.)
6) All the above-mentioned is achieved
primarily through increasing in Torah study, the revealed part of
Torah and especially the inner dimension of the Torah (Chassidus).
And study is great for it leads to action, fulfilling mitzvos
in a beautiful way.
(ibid.)
Even
through physical things
7) Furthermore,
and this is most important, by increasing joy in Torah and mitzvos
there will also be an increase in joy in the simple sense, in
physical matters and through them, according to the directives of
the Shulchan Aruch.
(ibid.)
8) The husband should do more to make his
wife happy, and parents [especially the father] should do more to
make the children happy in those things that make them happy
(according to their nature), as it says in the Shulchan Aruch.
(ibid.)
To
learn halachos and Chassidus
9) It is important
to learn the laws of Purim and what Chassidus teaches about Purim
[especially two weeks before Purim] in a manner of understanding
and grasping, to the point of applying it to oneself, for this
will affect the learning such that it will lead to action.
(P’kudei
5749)
Every
Jew should have what he needs for Purim
10) To try [and campaign
about it in advance] and see to it that every Jew, anywhere in the world
(physically or spiritually), should have everything he needs for Purim,
to fulfill the mitzvos of Purim, reading the Megilla, sending
portions of food to a friend, giving gifts to the poor, a Purim feast,
and joy on Purim, etc.
(ibid.)
To
give more tzedaka throughout the month
11) The above-mentioned
refers to tzedaka in general (which is what some of the mitzvos
of Purim are about), for throughout the month of Adar one should give
more tzedaka.
(ibid.)
Directives
about Purim
All matters pertaining
to Purim should be done in a way of “b’rov am” (i.e., in
large crowds). In addition to all mitzvos of Purim being
fulfilled by all Jews ... one should campaign and publicize
both outside Eretz Yisroel and in Eretz Yisroel
about everything connected with Purim being done “b’rov
am hadras melech” (in great multitudes is the glory of the
King), not only for the reading of the Megilla, which is required by halacha,
but also with regard to the other aspects of Purim, mishlo’ach
manos (sending portions of food to a friend) and matanos
la’evyonim (gifts to the poor), feasting and rejoicing. Even
though we do not find that people were particular to do these b’rov
am, rather everyone did them on their own, since we want and need to
finish Exile (the “scattering them among the nations”) through
increasing unity among Jews, it is worthwhile and proper to try as much
as possible to ensure that even these matters should be “b’rov
am.” In fact, this should be done to the point that when we become
aware that in some forsaken corner of the world there is an individual
Jew, one should try to bring to him (if there is no way of bringing him
to a larger group of Jews) nine Jews so that he too can fulfill the mitzvos
of Purim with a tzibbur [quorum].
More particularly, concerning “feasting
and joy,” although each person celebrates the Purim feast in his home,
with his family, etc., there was a custom among some holy congregations
that they would go from house to house in order to participate and add
to the meal and joy of Purim with other Jews, in addition to increasing
the joy of Purim “b’rov am” after the meal, in his home,
and with his family.
As far as “gifts to the poor,”
obviously, giving “b’rov am” must be done with the utmost
care to protect the dignity of the poor, by giving “b’rov am”
to the gabbai tzedaka or to a tzedaka fund, in addition to
giving to his own personal tzedaka fund at home.
(VaYikra
5749)
Three
Purim farbrengens
One
should make (at least) three Purim farbrengens so that the Purim
joy will have a chazaka to draw this joy out over the entire year
— the joy of Torah and the joy of mitzva … for everyone knows
the greatness of farbrenging with ahavas Yisroel and
unity, “how good and how pleasant when brothers sit together,” as
stated “in the note that descended from the high heavens” that a farbrengen
can accomplish more than the angel Michoel can accomplish. This is in
addition to its value in being a platform for making good resolutions
(and beginning to fulfill them during the farbrengen itself)
pertaining to all matters of Torah and mitzvos.
(Tetzaveh
erev Purim 5750)
Kuppas
Rabbeinu
It
is customary at the Purim farbrengen to make an appeal for Kuppas
Rabbeinu, as has been done since the time of the Rebbe Rashab, and in
the years following, up to our generation, this year.
(Purim
5740)
The
mitzvos of Purim observed by children
Everyone should do the mitzvos
of the day (by first learning about the halachos of Purim), also
including as was mentioned a number of times, educating children in the mitzvos
of mishlo’ach manos and matanos la’evyonim.
Furthermore, even little children who have not attained the age of chinuch,
can give tzedaka themselves by putting a coin in the pushka.
(Taanis
Esther 5747)
Every boy and girl upon attaining the age of
mitzva observance, and even little children who reached the age
of chinuch (and with regard to those to whom there is doubt as to
whether they have reached the age of chinuch — it is better to
err on the side of stringency) should fulfill the mitzvos of mishlo’ach
manos and matanos la’evyonim.
(Likkutei
Sichos vol. 11 p. 322)
To sum up, the mitzvos of Purim,
including the necessary preparations for these mitzvos, are to be
fulfilled by children as well, even little children — all children,
boys and girls.
(Likkutei
Sichos vol. 21 p. 489)
Children
in Purim plays
On Purim there is a
special emphasis, according to Jewish custom, to include children in
everything having to do with the holiday (“and its remembrance will
not depart from their children”). Of course, the Jewish custom
is that children “bang out Haman” [with gregors, etc.] during
the Megilla reading.
In some places, it is customary for children
to perform in Purim plays in which the story of Purim is acted out. Just
as they need actors to perform as Mordechai and Esther, Charvona, etc.,
they also need someone to take on the role of Haman.
If you were to ask a boy or girl: How is it
possible that you are playing such a role in the play? to say the words
of Haman, when he is referred to as Haman the wicked?
The child, of course, answers that he knows
that these words don’t apply to a Jew, ch’v. Since he is
promised some money for this, he is ready to deviate from his very being
— albeit for only a short time — and to say Haman’s words! ... And
the child goes on to say: Why are you coming to him with complaints and
questions when his teacher knows that he took on this role, and did not
protest; so there can’t be anything wrong with it!
… From this we see how careful we must be
in educating the young. Even if someone were to convince them that for
money (especially if he gives some to tzedaka) and glory it was
worthwhile to act (even for a short while) in a way unbefitting a Jew,
they should know not to be taken in by such an offer. And more
importantly, that no impression should remain from even talking
about such things, etc.
When one puts in the effort to educate them
in this way while they are still young, we are assured that “when he
grows old, he will not depart from it!”
(Taanis
Esther 5743; Likkutei Sichos vol. 31 p, 279-280)
Mivtza
Purim
One must include all
Jews around the world. One should get an early start and make all the
necessary preparations for Mivtza Purim throughout the world, “all the
Jews in all the provinces of the king Achashverosh, near and far,”
“large and small,” “young and old, children and women.”
Not even a single Jew in some forsaken part
of the world should be excluded from Mivtza Purim (which includes
continuing to work with them throughout the year by perfecting one’s
Divine service through fulfilling Torah and mitzvos).
(Truma
5751)
Reaching
those in special situations
Try
to reach every Jew whether in the army, senior citizen center,
orphanages, hospitals, and prisons, so that everyone can fulfill the mitzvos
of Purim.
(Likkutei
Sichos vol. 21 p. 490)
In
speech and action
Try
and see to it that everyone observes all the mitzvos of Purim.
This effort should incorporate both the powers of speech — speaking
words from the heart — and action — to participate wherever help is
needed, such as getting somebody to read the Megilla, preparing manos
so the mitzva of mishlo’ach manos can be done, having
coins ready so that the mitzva of gifts to the poor can be done,
and to include a pamphlet containing the necessary laws of Purim, and at
least a brief review of the Purim story and the great miracle.
(Likkutei
Sichos vol. 16 p. 619)
Preparations
for Pesach begin on Purim
Purim
is thirty days before Pesach, and therefore, the time to begin preparing
for Pesach, as it says in Shulchan Aruch, “when the Beis HaMikdash
stood, the early Sages enacted that they begin publicly teaching the
laws of the holiday thirty days before the holiday, i.e., from Purim
and on, the laws of Pesach should be studied. And this enactment was
never nullified, even after the Mikdash was destroyed. In these
generations when the chacham does not lecture to his students
about these halachos, it is a mitzva incumbent upon everyone
to learn the laws of the holiday before the holiday, until he is expert
in them and knows what to do.”
“Great
is learning because it leads to action.”
Start the action by giving money towards “ma’os chittim,”
to help the needy prepare for Pesach.
(Taanis
Esther and Purim 5748)
Action
begins right after Purim in preparing for Pesach. Indeed, thirty days
before the holiday we begin preparing for Pesach, especially regarding
campaigning about giving ma’os chittim, which includes all
holiday needs for all the days of Pesach — seven days, and eight days
in the Diaspora. Since the holiday needs are great, the campaign should
begin early; that is, right after Purim you should start on ma’os
chittim.
(Motzo’ei
Shushan Purim 5749)
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