‫ פורים תשפ"ג‬- ‫◊ פרשת תצוה‬ PARSHAT TETZAVEH - PURIM 5783

‫לֵךְ כְּנוֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִים הַ ִּנמְצְאִים בְּשׁוּשָׁן‬

22,000 Children and Haman’s Grandson, the Rebbe
Composed from the shiur delivered at Beit Knesset HaGadol – Bnei Brak, on ‫ ג׳ באדר תשפ״ג‬- February 23, 2023

This shiur is sponsored in memory of Jason Friedberg ‫ז״ל‬, who fell in battle outside Jerusalem, on March 7, 1993
‫ י״ד אדר תשנ״ג‬- ‫ שנפל בקרב באזור ירושלים‬- ‫לע"נ יהושע יהודה בן חיים אלטר ודינה ז״ל‬
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There is an explicit halacha in Shulchan Aruch pertaining to
children and the reading of the Megillah (Orach Chaim, 689:6):
:‫ִמנְ הָ ג טוֹב לְ הָ ִביא ְקטַ ִּנים ו ְּקטַ ּנוֹת לִ ׁ ְשמֹעַ ִמ ְק ָרא ְמגִ לּ ָה‬
It is a good tradition to bring all children to hear the
reading of the Megillah.
The concept is very nice, but what is the chiddush here? Is
there a reason they should not be brought to hear the
Megillah? Why does this need to be called out?
The Vilna Gaon 1 cites the following pasuk as the source for
bringing ‫ – ִּתינוֹקוֹת ׁ ֶשל ֵּבית ַר ּ ָבן‬schoolchildren, even below the
age of chinuch, to the Megillah: ‫ – וְ זִ כְ ָרם ל ֹא־יָסוּף ִמזּ ְַרעָ ם‬and
the memory of them shall never perish among their
descendants (Esther 9:28).
Think about this for a moment. We become all agitated by
the hordes of children who descend upon our Megillah
reading. They bang, they yell, and they generate the loudest
of noise when Haman’s name is read. And they don’t stop –
they’re makpid to blast their horns long enough to fulfill the
strictest of opinions. They’re also skilled at anticipating his
name, so that the racket starts early enough for us to miss
hearing the word being read – which results in the ba’al
koreh going back and repeating it, which, in turn, initiates a
vicious cycle whose only guarantee is a headache. We
naively try to control them each year – after all, we’re tired
and hungry after fasting, and just want to get on with the
show – but realistically, ‫ – נָפוֹל ִּת ּפוֹל לְ פָ נָיו‬we stand no
chance. We wish they’d save their energy for the morning
reading, somewhere far from our ears, but alas, the children
pesukim shouted aloud and ending with the recounting of
Purim miracles and imparting of Yirat Elokim to our children.
The Rama 4 says (Orach Chayim 690):
‫נָהֲ ג ּו הַ ִּתינוֹקוֹת לָצוּר צו ַּרת הַ ּ ָמן עַ ל עֵ צִ ים וַ אֲ בָ נִ ים א ֹו לִ כְ ּתֹב‬
‫ׁ ֵשם הַ ּ ָמן ֲעלֵיהֶ ם וּלְ הַ כּ ו ָֹתן זֶה עַ ל זֶה ְּכ ֵדי ׁ ֶש ּי ְִמ ֶחה ׁ ְשמ ֹו עַ ל‬
‫ש ִעים ְיִר ָקב ו ִּמזֶּה‬ ָ ׁ ‫דֶּ ֶר ְך ָמחָ ה ִּת ְמ ֶחה אֶ ת זֵכֶ ר ע ֲָמלֵק וְ ׁ ֵשם ְר‬
‫נִ ׁ ְש ּ ַת ְר ֵּבב הַ ִּמנְ הָ ג ׁ ֶש ּ ַמ ִּכים הַ ּ ָמן ְּכ ׁ ֶש ּקו ִֹרים אֶ ת הַ ְּמגִ לּ ָה בב"ה‬
.‫וְ ֵאין לְ בַ ּ ֵטל ׁשוּם ִמנְ הָ ג א ֹו לִ לְ עֹג עָ לָיו ִּכי ל ֹא לְ ִח ּנָם הֻ ְק ַּבע‬
The young children are accustomed to draw pictures of
Haman on trees or stones or to write the name of Haman
on themselves and to strike one against the other in order
to blot out his name according to "The name of Amalek
shall surely be erased" and "But the fame of the wicked
rots". From this is derived the custom that we strike
Haman when we read the Megillah in the synagogue. We
must not nullify any custom, nor should we ridicule any
custom because they were not established without good
reason.
I don’t know what Haman looked like, but apparently these
children do. They must have relatives who passed down his
description generation to generation, and who also informed
book publishers that Haman had a large nose and wore a
large sombrero-like hat. The books all show him that way,
so it must be true via mesorah.
I read this halacha from the Rama and asked myself, why
do children receive this opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of
‫ ִּת ְמ ֶחה אֶ ת זֵכֶ ר ע ֲָמלֵק‬but not adults? Why do we not get to draw
his figure or write out his name for the sake of erasing it? Is
it only a mitzvah for children? Kav Hayashar 5 writes (Perek 4F

are out in full force at night. We bring them there! 99), when Rav Heschel wanted to test out his writing
Mateh Moshe 2 brings commentary from the Tanya instrument, he would do something unique. Today, pens and
Rabbati 3, saying the pesukim we all recite out loud – i.e., paper are endangered species; everything is on a phone
ִ ‫ו ָּמ ְר ֳ ּדכַ י ָיצָא‬, ‫ ַל ְ ּיהו ִּדים הָ יְ ָתה או ָֹרה‬, etc. – are neither a
‫א ׁיש יְ הו ִּדי‬, and makes tweeting sounds when written. But, if we did
requirement nor a minhag. They are simply recited aloud to come across a new Parker pen, how would we test it out?
entertain the children. There should be a matzav – a lively We’d draw a series of circles or V’s, each according to their
scene and energetic environment – that starts with these family minhag. Rav Heschel would spell out the name

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Amalek, or Haman and Zeresh, and then scribble over it to
fulfill the mitzvah of eradicating Amalek. If the children fulfill
the mitzvah, and he has to test out this pen anyway – why
not take advantage!
Let’s continue to another custom, referenced in the newly
published Ne'imot Yomeiru 6 on Purim. In the Gemara
(Sanhedrin 64a), within a discussion regarding passing
children through fire as part of idol worship and giving the
child over to the Molech, Rava says the method of passing
is ‫וַור ּ ָתא דְּ פו ָּריָא‬
ְ ‫ – ְּכ ַמ ׁ ְש‬like the leaping on Purim. It was
customary to light a bonfire inside a pit, and children would
amuse themselves by leaping over the flames. This was part
of their Simchat Purim. For details on this custom and its
significance, see Ne’imot Yomeiru (page ‫)רסז‬. Once again,
why only children? Why can’t adults jump the fire? Those in
good shape can easily do it, and those in less good shape
can pay the shul and have a designated athlete in the
community jump it on their behalf. Besides fulfilling the
mitzvah, this can be a great spectacle to come watch and a
lucrative new annual fundraiser!
From these halachot and examples we clearly see the
holiday of Purim contains special minhagim for children.
They come to shul and make noise for Haman, they jump
over fire pits, and they smash painted rocks. It all pivots
around the children, and we will now delve into the story of
Purim to better understand the deeper significance here.
The Midrash says (Esther Rabbah 7), Haman libeled the Jews
of Persia, claiming they incessantly partied. Shabbat, seven
days of Pesach, eight days of Sukkot, Rosh Chodesh every
month, etc. They never stopped eating and drinking, and
worse that that – they took vacation days each time. And
when they weren’t eating and drinking, they were sleeping.
Then at every lifecycle event, once again the food and drink
come out. Seven days’ worth for newlyweds, and thirty days
after burying a loved one – where they seem to eat
everything the deceased didn’t consume in his or her
lifetime. Haman told Achashveirosh it was endless and
carried with it huge expenses and resultant deficits. During
his rant, he said, “There is also one day a year they don’t eat
at all! And do you know how cruel they are? They starve
their small children that day, and they curse your kingship
by asking for it to be wiped away together with their sins!”
All one big lie, but that didn’t stop Haman from making his
claims, figuring if it was loud enough, and repeated often
enough, it would become fact. Haman had a special
“Children’s Project” and neither truth nor reality factored in.
We find details of Haman’s plan in the Midrash (Esther Rabbah
7:13). After sending out his letters on the 13th of Nisan,
Haman was pleased with his accomplishments. On his way
back from the post office, he spotted Mordechai, who had
encountered three children returning from school. Haman
was interested in hearing what Mordechai would say to the
children, so he crept up to listen.
‫שאַ ל לְ אֶ חָ ד ֵמהֶ ם ּ ְפסֹק‬ ָ ׁ ‫ּ ֵכיוָן ׁ ֶש ִה ִ ּגיעַ ָמ ְר ֳ ּדכַ י ֵאצֶל הַ ִּתינוֹקוֹת‬
‫ירא ִמ ּ ַפחַ ד ּ ִפ ְתאֹם‬ ָ ‫ ַאל ִּת‬:(‫ כה‬,‫ אָ ַמר ל ֹו )משלי ג‬,‫יך‬
ּ
‫יתי הַ יוֹם‬ִ ‫ אֲ נִ י ָק ִר‬,‫ ּ ָפ ַתח הַ ׁ ּ ֵשנִ י וְ אָ ַמר‬.‫ש ִעים ִּכי ָתבֹא‬
ָ ׁ ‫ש ַאת ְר‬ֹ ּ ׁ ‫ו ִּמ‬
‫ עֻ צוּ עֵ צָה‬:(‫ י‬,‫וּבָ זֶה הַ ּ ָפסוּק עָ ַמ ְד ִּתי ִמ ֵּבית הַ ּ ֵספֶ ר )ישעיה ח‬
‫ישי‬ִ ׁ ִ‫ ּ ָפ ַתח הַ ׁ ּ ְשל‬.‫ל‬-‫וְ ֻתפָ ר דַּ ְ ּברוּ ָדבָ ר וְ ל ֹא יָקוּם ִּכי ִע ּ ָמנוּ ֵא‬
‫ וְ עַ ד זִ ְקנָה אֲ נִ י הוּא וְ עַ ד שֵׂ יבָ ה אֲ נִ י ֶא ְסבּ ֹל‬:(‫ ד‬,‫וְ אָ ַמר )ישעיה מו‬
.‫שׂ א וַאֲ נִ י ֶא ְסבּ ֹל וַאֲ ַמ ּ ֵלט‬ ָֹ ּ ‫יתי וַאֲ נִ י ֶא‬
ִ ִׂ‫אֲ נִ י עָ ש‬
‫ אָ ַמר‬.‫ש ְמחָ ה גְ ד ֹולָה‬ ׂ ִ ַ‫ש ֵמח‬ ָׂ ‫שחַ ק וְ הָ יָה‬ ְ
ָׂ ‫ש ַמע ָמ ְר ֳ ּדכַ י ּ ָכך‬ ָ ּ ׁ ‫ּ ֵכיוָן ׁ ֶש‬
‫ש ַמ ְח ּ ָת לְ ִד ְב ֵרי הַ ִּתינוֹקוֹת‬ ׂ ָֹ ּ ‫ש ְמחָ ה ׁ ֶש‬ ֹׂ ִ ּ ַ‫ל ֹו הָ ָמן ָמה ִהיא זֹאת ה‬
‫שרוּנִ י ׁ ֶשל ֹא אֶ פְ חַ ד ִמן‬ ׂ ְ ‫שוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת ׁ ֶש ִ ּב‬ ׂ ‫ אָ ַמר עַ ל ְ ּב‬,‫הַ לּ ָל ּו‬
‫שע וְ אָ ַמר ֵאין‬ ָ ׁ ‫ ִמ ּיָד ּ ָכעַ ס הָ ָמן הָ ָר‬.ּ‫הָ עֵ צָה הָ ָרעָ ה ׁ ֶש ּיָעַ צְ ּ ָת עָ לֵינו‬
.‫אֲ נִ י ׁשוֹלֵ ַח י ַָדי ְּת ִח ּ ָלה ֶא ּ ָלא ְ ּב ֵאלּ וּ הַ ִּתינוֹקוֹת‬
When Mordechai reached the children, he asked one of
them: ‘Recite your verse to me.’ He said to him: ‘Fear not
from sudden terror, and from the cataclysm of the wicked
when it comes’. The second began and said: ‘I read today
and with this verse I left school: “Take counsel and it will
be negated; speak something and it will not stand, as G-d
is with us”’. The third began and said: ‘“Until old age I am
He and until gray hairs I will bear you; I have done and I
will carry; I will bear and I will rescue”’.
When Mordechai heard this, he laughed and was
overjoyed. Haman said to him: ‘What is this joy that you
rejoiced when hearing the words of these children?’ He
said: ‘It is over the good tidings of which they apprised me,
that I need not fear the evil designs that you counseled
against us.’ Immediately, the wicked Haman became
angry and said: ‘I will strike at none other than these
children first.’
Many Nusach Sephard siddurim print these three pesukim
and indicate a segulah – for savior from all threats – when
reciting them each morning at the conclusion of davening.
Rav Elyashiv 7 asked why Mordechai was so pleased upon
seeing the children. He answers, Mordechai was happy that
three children, from three different classes, all had Torah on
their minds and on the tips of their tongue. As long as the
children of Am Yisrael were learning Torah, they had nothing
to fear, and their problems were destined to work out
favorably. As the Gemara teaches us (Shabbat 119b):
ְּ ‫ּשלַיִ ם אֶ לּ ָא ִ ּב ׁ ְש ִביל ׁ ֶש ִ ּב‬
‫יטל ּו‬ ָ ׁ ‫ ל ֹא חָ ְרבָ ה יְרו‬:‫אָ ַמר ַרב הַ ְמנ ּונָא‬
.‫ָּב ּה ִּתינוֹקוֹת ׁ ֶשל ֵּבית ַר ָּבן‬
Rav Hamnuna said: Jerusalem was destroyed only
because schoolchildren there were interrupted from
studying Torah.
The Vilna Gaon says (Kol Eliyahu), Amalek came to fight with
Bnei Yisrael on three occasions. The first battle (Shemot 17:8)
took place in Refidim, after Amalek travelled 1600
kilometers for no reason, or potential benefit, other than to
fight against Bnei Yisrael. This was the instruction left to
them by their mother, Timnah. The second occasion took
place when Amalek masqueraded as Canaanites in hopes
of sabotaging the tefillot and bakashot of Bnei Yisrael
(Bamidbar 21:1). The final instance was the war of Haman.
With this introduction, the Vilna Gaon says, we can
understand the dialogue between Mordechai and the three
children. Each was responding to another of Amalek’s
attempts to destroy us. The first child referred to ‫ִמ ּ ַפחַ ד ּ ִפ ְתאֹם‬
– the surprise attack of ‫וַ ָּיבֹא ע ֲָמלֵק‬. The second child referred
ָ ‫לִ י ּ ְפסו ֶּק‬ to ‫ – עֻ צ ּו עֵ צָה וְ ֻתפָ ר‬the time Amalek plotted to outsmart us by
hiding their identity and attempting to block our tefillot. The
~2~
third child referred to ‫– וְ עַ ד זִ ְקנָה אֲ נִ י הוּא וְ עַ ד ֵׂשיבָ ה אֲ נִ י אֶ ְסבּ ֹל‬ her korban to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, she wants it to be as
which is in connection to Haman, who according to the large as possible! The same answer can be applied to the
Midrash, came with the suggestion to destroy Bnei Yisrael 22,000 tinokot shel beit rabban gathered with Mordechai to
only to be rejected at first by Achashveirosh. The king fast and daven. They are about to be sent up to Hakadosh
pointed to all who attempted that plan before him, and their Baruch Hu as korbanot and their mothers wished to feed
fate in the dustbin of Jewish history. Haman replied, “That is them, to ensure they are the best offerings possible.
true, but that was then, when their G-d was young and What was the children’s response to their mothers wanting
powerful. He is now old and weak. Just look at their Beit them to stop fasting and eat? The Midrash continues:
Hamikdash which still lies in ruin.” Hakadosh Baruch Hu
responded by showing His true might. ‫יחין יְ ֵדיהֶ ם עַ ל ִספְ ֵריהֶ ם וְ נִ ׁ ְש ָּב ִעים ְ ּב ַח ּיֵי ָמ ְר ֳ ּדכַ י‬ ִ ‫ִמ ּיָד הָ י ּו ַמ ִּנ‬
‫ ּגָע ּו‬,‫יתנ ּו נָמוּת‬ ֵ ִ‫ אֶ לּ ָא ִמ ּתו ְֹך ּ ַתעֲנ‬,‫ַר ֵּבנ ּו ל ֹא נֹאכַ ל וְ ל ֹא נִ ׁ ְש ּ ֶתה‬
The Midrash says (Esther Rabbah 9:4), Haman, after setting up -‫שוְ עָ ָתם ל ּ ַָמרוֹם‬ ַ ׁ ‫ּ ֻכלּ ָם ִ ּב ְבכִ ּיָה עַ ד ׁ ֶשעָ לְ ָתה‬
the tree to hang Mordechai, went out to find him. Late at
night, he discovered Mordechai in the Beit Midrash, Immediately, they placed their hands on their books and
took an oath: ‘By the life of Mordechai our master, we will
surrounded by 22,000 children dressed in sackcloth, all not eat and drink, but will die while fasting.’ All of them
crying in learning. Rav Chaim Palagi 8 asks (Chaim Beyad began weeping loudly until their cries reached the
126), how can Mordechai have taught so many children? heavens.
Even at a dozen, most teachers find it challenging to
maintain control of the classroom. Rav Palagi provides Hakadosh Baruch Hu heard the cries of the children and
several answers, including that these children were not responded to them:
there to learn; they had gathered to daven. ,‫שעוֹת ַּבלּ ַיְ לָה‬ ָ ׁ ‫ש ַמע הַ ָּקדו ֹׁש ָּברו ְּך הוּא קוֹל ְ ּבכִ ּי ָָתם ְּכ ִב ׁ ְש ּ ֵתי‬ ָ ׁ ְ‫ו‬
ְ
‫שעָ ה נִ ְת ּגַלְ ְ ּגל ּו ַרחֲ ָמיו ׁ ֶשל הַ ָּקדו ֹׁש ָּברוּך הוּא וְ עָ ַמד‬ ָ ׁ ‫ְ ּבאו ָֹת ּה‬
Upon seeing these 22,000 tinokot shel beit rabban, Haman
ַ ׁ – iron chains, placed
bound them with ‫שלְ ׁ ְשלָאוֹת ׁ ֶשל ַּב ְרזֶל‬ ‫ וְ אָ ַמר ַמה ּקוֹל ּגָדוֹל הַ זֶּה‬,‫ָשב ְ ּבכִ ּ ֵסא ַרחֲ ִמים‬ ַ ׁ ‫ִמ ִּכ ּ ֵסא ִדּ ין וְ י‬
guards at the door, and declared he would return in the -‫ׁ ֶשאֲ נִ י ׁשו ֵֹמעַ ִּכגְ ָדיִ ים ו ְּטל ִָאים‬
morning to kill them before hanging Mordechai. He heard the sound of their weeping approximately two
hours into the night. At that moment, His compassion was
‫וְ הָ י ּו ִא ּמו ֵֹתיהֶ ם ְמ ִביאוֹת לָהֶ ם ל ֶֶחם ו ַּמיִ ם וְ או ְֹמרוֹת לָהֶ ם‬ aroused, and He stood up from His throne of justice and
.‫ָּבנֵינ ּו ִאכְ ל ּו ו ׁ ְּשת ּו ק ֶֹדם ׁ ֶש ּ ָתמוּת ּו לְ ָמחָ ר וְ אַ ל ּ ָתמוּת ּו ָּב ָרעָ ב‬ sat down on His throne of mercy, and said: ‘What is that
Their mothers were bringing them food and water and loud sound I hear that sounds like goats and lambs?’
saying to them: ‘Our children, eat and drink before you die
and don’t die hungry.’
Moshe Rabbeinu then intervened on behalf of these tinokot
shel beit rabban:
The mothers encouraged them to eat, and the obvious ‫ ִרבּ וֹנ ֹו ׁ ֶשל‬,‫עָ ַמד מ ׁ ֶשה ַר ֵּבנ ּו לִ פְ נֵי הַ ָּקדו ֹׁש ָּברו ְּך הוּא וְ אָ ַמר‬
question is why. Why were the mothers so intent on feeding
‫ע ֹולָם ל ֹא גְ ָדיִים וְ ל ֹא ְטל ִָאים הֵ ם אֶ לּ ָא ְקטַ ּנֵי עַ ְמ ָך ׁ ֶשהֵ ם‬
their children mere hours before they would be killed?
‫ וּלְ ָמחָ ר‬,‫לשה לֵילוֹת‬ ָ ׁ ‫ׁ ְשרוּיִ ים ְ ּב ַתעֲנִ ית הַ ּיוֹם ׁ ְש‬
ָ ׁ ‫לשה י ִָמים ו ׁ ְּש‬
I heard an answer provided to a different story (Gittin 57b) by .‫שחֲ טָ ם ִּכגְ ָדיִ ים ו ְּטל ִָאים‬ָ ׁ ְ‫ר ֹוצֶה הָ א ֹויֵב ל‬
Rav Yaakov Galinsky 9, which I believe can be applied here
Moshe our master stood before Hakadosh Baruch Hu and
as well. The Midrash (Eichah Rabbah 1:50) tells the story of said: ‘Master of the universe, they are neither goats nor
Miriam, who was taken captive with her seven sons. One by lambs, but rather the children of Your people, who are
one, the sons were ordered to bow down to the emperor, fasting today and have been fasting for three days and
and upon refusing to do so, they were executed. When it nights, and tomorrow their enemy seeks to slaughter them
came time for the youngest son – all of 30 months old – the like goats and lambs.’
emperor suddenly discovered an ounce of compassion. He And it was at that moment, in the middle of the night, the
offered a way for the boy to remain alive, so he could entire story was flipped on its head:
experience life like his older brothers. He would drop his ring
to the floor, and the young boy would bend down to pick it ‫שעָ ה נָטַ ל הַ ָּקדו ֹׁש ָּברו ְּך הוּא או ָֹתן ִאגְ רוֹת ׁ ֶש ָּגזַר‬ ָ ׁ ‫ְ ּבאו ָֹת ּה‬
up for him. “I will tell my people the boy bowed down to me, ‫ וְ ִה ּ ִפיל עַ ל‬,‫ ו ְּק ָרעָ ם‬,‫ֲעלֵיהֶ ם ׁ ֶשהָ י ּו חֲ תוּמוֹת ְ ּבחו ָֹתם ׁ ֶשל ִטיט‬
and you will tell your people the boy simply picked up my ‫ ַּבלּ ַיְ לָה‬:‫ הֲ ָדא הוּא ִדכְ ִתיב‬,‫אֲ חַ ׁ ְשוֵ רו ֹׁש ֶּבהָ לָה ְ ּבאוֹת ֹו לַיְ לָה‬
ring.” No deal. There would be no bowing down in any form. .'‫הַ הוּא וגו‬
Miriam asked for a quiet room to talk to her son and hug him, At that moment, Hakadosh Baruch Hu took those letters
and she proceeded to nurse her child. When done, she said that He had decreed against them that were sealed with
to him, “The emperor wants you to bend down to the floor, mortar seals and He ripped them. He brought fear upon
but don’t do it. Tell him you’re unwilling, and in a few short Acḥashveirosh that night; as it is written: “On that night
sleep eluded the king, and he ordered the book of records
moments you’ll be with your dear brothers in Gan Eden.”
to be brought; and it was read to the king.
Rav Galinski asks, why did she nurse her child before
sending him to his fate? He answers, the mother was giving It was on account of the children the evil decree was
a korban to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and wanted it to weigh an overturned and salvation delivered to Am Yisrael. But sefer
extra 300 grams. '‫ !כּׁל ֵחלֶב ַלה‬When a Jewish mother gives Hilula D'Mordechai 10 asks, why did Mordechai gather all
these children? This is not what Esther had requested of

~3~
him. ‫ּשן‬
ָ ׁ ‫ת־כל־הַ ְ ּיהו ִּדים הַ ִּנ ְמצְ ִאים ְ ּב ׁשו‬
ָּ ֶ‫ – ל ְֵך ְּכנוֹס א‬gather all the ‫ ִ ּבזְ ַמן ׁ ֶש ּקוֹל ֹו ׁ ֶשל ַי ֲעקֹב ָמצוּי ְ ּבבָ ּ ֵתי כְ נ ִֵס ּיוֹת אֵ ין הַ ּי ַָדיִ ם‬,‫ַי ֲעקֹב‬
people of Shushan. Were these the people of Shushan? .‫ אַ ּ ֶתם יְ כוֹלִ ים לָהֶ ם‬,‫שו‬ ָׂ ֵ‫ הַ ּי ַָדיִ ם יְ ֵדי ע‬,‫ וְ ִאם לָאו‬,‫שו‬ ָׂ ֵ‫יְ ֵדי ע‬
Over 18,000 Jews in Shushan attended the party of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, no philosophes were there in
Achashveirosh and all Mordechai could assemble was the the world like Bilaam and Avnimos. The idol worshipers of
local children? Where were all the revelers? They all sat the world gathered before them and asked if it was
home and stared at the matzah, wine, and marror sitting on possible to overcome the nation of Israel. They were told,
their tables untouched that Pesach. They all fasted, as go back and peek into the prayer halls and study halls; if
requested of them, but why were none gathered by you find children engaged there in singing voice, it is a sign
you cannot. As was promised to them by their forefather:
Mordechai for the mass tefillah? A few answers are brought, The voice is the voice of Yaacov. When the voice of Yaacov
including the following explanation from Parshat is found in the prayer halls and study halls, the hands of
Derachim 11 (Drush 24), based on a fundamental Midrash in
10F

Eisav are not.

Eichah Rabbah (1:32):
Parshat Derachim says Mordechai gathered children, and
‫ אָ ַמר ַר ִ ּבי יְ הו ָּדה בּ ֹא‬.‫ ֵאלּ ּו הַ ִּתינוֹקוֹת‬,‫ ּ ָכל הֲ ָד ָר ּה‬,‫דָּ בָ ר אַ ֵחר‬ 22,000 of them, because when such angelic voices are
‫ ּגָלְ ָתה‬,‫יבין ִּתינוֹקוֹת לִ פְ נֵי הַ ָּקדו ֹׁש ָּברו ְּך הוּא‬ ִ ‫ו ְּראֵ ה ּ ַכ ּ ָמה חֲ ִב‬ heard learning and davening, the Shechina is present, and
‫ ּגָל ּו ִמ ׁ ְש ָמרוֹת וְ ל ֹא ּגָלְ ָתה‬,‫סַ נְ הֶ ְד ִרין וְ ל ֹא ּגָלְ ָתה ׁ ְשכִ ינָה ִע ּ ָמהֶ ם‬ the hands of our enemies are powerless.
,‫ וְ כֵ יוָן ׁ ֶש ּגָל ּו ִּתינוֹקוֹת ּגָלְ ָתה ׁ ְשכִ ינָה ִע ּ ָמהֶ ם‬,‫ׁ ְשכִ ינָה ִע ּ ָמהֶ ם‬
‫ ִמ ּיָד וַ ֵּיצֵא‬.‫ ע ֹו ָללֶיהָ הָ לְ כ ּו ׁ ְש ִבי לִ פְ נֵי צָר‬:‫הֲ ָדא הוּא ִדכְ ִתיב‬ With this, we’ll dive into a powerful idea from Rav Yitzchak
.‫ִמ ַּבת צִ ּיוֹן ּ ָכל הֲ ָד ָר ּה‬ Hutner 14 (Pachad Yitzchak, Purim 18), also referenced in
Pardes Shadai 15. In Parshat Beshalach, following the
Alternatively, “all its splendor,” these are the children. attack of Amalek, Moshe says to Yehoshua:
Rabbi Yehuda said: Come and see how dear children are
before Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The Sanhedrin was exiled, ‫ְ ּב ַחר־לָנ ּו אֲ נ ׁ ִָשים וְ צֵא ִהלּ ֵָחם ַּבע ֲָמלֵק ָמחָ ר אָ נֹכִ י נִ ּצָב עַ ל־‬
but the Divine Presence was not exiled with them. The ‫ל ִֹהים ְ ּבי ִָדי׃‬- ֱ‫ֹאש הַ ִ ּג ְבעָ ה ו ַּמ ּ ֵטה הָ א‬
ׁ ‫ר‬
priestly watches were exiled, but the Divine Presence was
Choose men for us, and go out, fight with ῾Amalek:
not exiled with them. When the children were exiled, the
tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of
Divine Presence was exiled with them. That is what is
G-d in my hand.
written: “Her infants are led into captivity before the
adversary.” Immediately, “gone from the daughter of Why does Moshe say ‫?בחַ ר־לָנ ּו‬ ּ ְ Why is it for us? Rashi 16
Zion is all her splendor.” says, Moshe placed Yehoshua on the same level as himself,
The Shechina did not move until doing so alongside the and from here we learn: ‫ֶיך ְּכ ׁ ֶשלּ ְָך‬ ָ ‫ – יְ ִהי כְ בוֹד ּ ַתלְ ִמ ְיד ָך חָ ִביב עָ ל‬let
tinokot shel beit raban. The Zohar 12 says, when Rabbi your disciple’s honor be as dear to you as your own. Rav
Shimon would go visit the children, he’d say, “I’m going to Hutner asks, is this the only or best place to learn this
go see the Pnei HaShechina.” The Shechina resides principle? What is the connection between gathering people
amongst tinokot shel beit raban, and it resided amongst the for war against Amalek, and giving honor to one’s students?
22,000 children gathered by Mordechai. And Why 22,000? He answers, the core of our battle with Amalek lies in
Sefer Kesef Mezukak 13 says (Yitro 2), when Hakadosh Amalek’s desire to break ‫ – ִמדּ ֹר דּ ֹר‬generation to generation.
Baruch Hu gave the Torah to Bnei Yisrael at Har Sinai, He The ‫ ִמלְ חָ ָמה ַלה' ַּבע ֲָמלֵק‬is one of generation to generation.
was escorted by 22,000 angels. ‫ל ִֹהים ִרבּ ַֹתיִ ם אַ לְ פֵ י ׁ ִשנְ אָ ן‬- ֱ‫ֶרכֶ ב א‬ Amalek’s war doctrine is to disconnect our children from us,
– The chariots of G-d are twice ten thousand, thousands and to break the bond our children hold with their rabbeim
upon thousands (Tehillim 68:18). This Merkava of Hakadosh and teachers. Amalek shouts at them, ‘Don’t go with your
Baruch Hu, consisting of 22,000, is the largest possible parents – they are an older generation and history! Don’t go
presence of the Shechina. Mordechai intentionally gathered with your rabbeim – they, too, belong to ancient times!” This
22,000. ‫ – ִק ּיְמ ּו וְ ִק ְ ּבל ּו הַ ְ ּיהו ִּדים‬it was on Purim that Bnei Yisrael is the war of Amalek. To separate parents and children;
accepted the Torah ‫מאַ הֲ בָ ה‬, ֵ out of love, after having rabbeim and children; teachers and children. To separate
accepted it at Har Sinai ‫ – ִמ ִ ּי ְראָ ה‬out of fear. 22,000 angels ִ Rav Hutner says, this is why the preparation for
‫מדּ ֹר דּ ֹר‬.
escorted Hakadosh Baruch Hu that first time, and 22,000 battle against Amalek is the quintessential time to teach a
angelic figures – the keruvim had the face of young children principle of honoring one’s students; so that we maintain our
– escorted the Shechina for this re-acceptance. eternal chain of parents to children and rabbeim to children.
‫ – ְ ּבחַ ר־לָנ ּו‬for me and you. Me, as the rebbe, and you, as the
Parshat Derachim also invokes the famous pasuk in Parshat
talmid. Rav Hutner says, the rebbe and talmid, or the parent
Toldot: ‫שו‬ ָׂ ֵ‫ – הַ ּקֹל קוֹל ַי ֲעקֹב וְ הַ ּי ַָדיִ ם יְ ֵדי ע‬The voice is the voice of
and child, are equals in this equation. They are both partners
Yaacov, yet the hands are the hands of Eisav. The Midrash
in that generational chain. Just as we instruct our children
says (Bereshit Rabbah 65:20):
how to treat their elders, we cannot belittle our students. We
‫אָ ַמר ַר ִ ּבי אַ ָּבא ַּבר ּ ַכהֲ נָא ל ֹא עָ ְמד ּו ּ ִפילוֹסוֹפִ ין ָּבע ֹולָם ְּכ ִבלְ עָ ם‬ cannot treat our children disrespectfully. If we do, Amalek
‫ נִ ְת ּ ַכנְ ס ּו ּ ָכל עו ְֹב ֵדי כּ וֹכָ ִבים‬,‫ֶּבן ְ ּבעוֹר וּכְ אַ ְבנִ ימוֹס הַ ּג ְַר ִדּ י‬ will swoop in and take them away from us.
‫ אָ ַמר‬,ֹ‫ֹאמר ׁ ֶשאָ נ ּו יְכוֹלִ ים לִ זְ דַּ ֵ ּוג לְ אֻ ּ ָמה זו‬ַ ‫ אָ ְמר ּו ל ֹו ּת‬,ֹ‫אֶ צְ לו‬ The Torah instructs us ‫ֶיך‬ ָ ‫וְ ׁ ִש ּנַנְ ּ ָתם לְ בָ נ‬. The pasuk is speaking
‫ וְ ִאם‬,‫לְ כ ּו וְ ִח ְּזר ּו עַ ל ָּב ּ ֵתי כְ ֵנ ִס ּיוֹת וְ עַ ל ָּב ּ ֵתי ִמ ְד ָר ׁשוֹת ׁ ֶשלּ ָהֶ ן‬ about teaching our talmidim yet refers to them as children. If
‫שם ִּתינוֹקוֹת ְמצַפְ צְ פִ ין ְ ּבק ֹולָן אֵ ין אַ ּ ֶתם יְ כוֹלִ ים‬ ָ ׁ ‫ָאתם‬ ֶ ‫ְמצ‬ you want to know how much you value a student, ask
‫ הַ ּקֹל קוֹל‬,‫ ׁ ֶש ּ ָכ ְך ִה ְב ִטיחָ ן אֲ ִביהֶ ן וְ אָ ַמר לָהֶ ם‬,‫לְ ִהזְ דַּ ֵ ּוג לָהֶ ם‬
~4~
yourself whether they are like a child to you. A Rosh Yeshiva
once approached Rav Shteinman 17 with a question on how
to deal with a particular troublesome student who he was
preparing to expel from the yeshiva. Rav Shteinman asked,
“What is the student’s mother’s name?” The Rosh Yeshiva
answered, “I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter, he’s not sick
and in need of a Misheberach.” Rav Shteinman then
powerfully replied, “How can you throw a student out when
you don’t even know his mother’s name? Did you daven for
him? Did you fast a half-day for him? Before you send him
away, daven for him! Fast for him! Maybe he’ll do Teshuvah!
If it was your son, would you still throw him out?” This is
where Amalek enters, ‫ – ִמדּ ֹר דּ ֹר‬when our connection to the
next generation of Am Yisrael is weak.
Pardes Shadai adds another wonderful idea. The Gemara
says (Megillah 12a), Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s students
asked him why the decree of Purim – i.e., to destroy the
entire nation from old to young – was handed down. Why did
they deserve annihilation? He responded, “You tell me!”
They replied, “it was because the Jews of Shushan partook
in the feast of the evil Achashveirosh.” He challenged their
response, however, “If so, why not limit the decree to the
Jews of Shushan? Why do the Jews in 126 other medinot
need to be erased?” Asked to provide his own answer to the
question, Rashb”i said it was because they bowed down to
the idol Nebuchadnezzar had made.
Pardes Shadai digs a little deeper into this question. The
Megillah tells us Achashveirosh threw his party for everyone
in Shushan, ‫ד־קטָ ן‬ ָ ַ‫לְ ִמ ּגָדוֹל וְ ע‬. What exactly does this term
mean? Who was included on that guest-list and who has left
off? Most commentators say it means everyone from the
high-class nobles to the Shushan commoners; the high-tech
gurus were invited alongside all the security guards.
However, Pardes Shadai suggests another explanation.
ָ ַ‫ לְ ִמ ּגָדוֹל וְ ע‬means from adults to young children. The
‫ד־קטָ ן‬
whole family was invited! The king wanted everyone there!
Rabbotai, who brings small children to a big party? The band
plays their music so loud to the point you can’t hear what
they’re asking… you inevitably end up saying “yes” to a
question you would surely say “no” to, had you actually
heard it… you lose them in the crowd… they get hurt or
break something and come running in tears… and you end
having to leave early. You regret bringing them, and your
host regrets including them on the invitation. But
Achashveirosh wanted them all there. Why? To embroil
them in sin! We all know what went down at that party. Sure,
the food and drink were kosher, with a mashgiach on hand
to check it all, but it was ַ‫ – ַמ ְס ִריח‬a foul and immoral party!
The king wanted the tinokot shel beit rabban to see
forbidden things; he wanted to corrupt them! The goal was
to disconnect them ‫מדּ ֹר דּ ֹר‬. ִ The intent was to plant ideas in
their head which would see them leave the party less
connected to their parents and rabbeim.
Shemen Rosh 18 also suggests an answer along these lines,
in the name of Beit Halachmi 19. Haman went to Esther’s
party a happy man, proud of his accomplishments, and
confident in his career path. He boasted to his advisors and
~5~
family about even being invited to yet another party the next
day. But, even so, there was something gnawing at him. He
could not get over the fact Mordechai, the Jew, sat at the
gate refusing to bow down to him. That night everything
turned, as the rachamim of Hakadosh Baruch Hu took over.
Achashveirosh couldn’t sleep, so he called in Haman for
guidance on how to reward Mordechai, who had foiled an
earlier assassination plot. Haman didn’t even need a split-
second to think before responding. The imbecile could have
first inquired, “Well, it all depends on who it is. Is it someone
young or old? What do they do for a living and where do they
live? What do they like?” Nothing. No thought was given to
the issue. He just blurted out his plan – take the king’s horse
and royal garments and hold a procession with special
declarations for all to hear. Why not a million dollars in an
offshore bank account? Why not a luxurious country house
in the 115th medina far from the hustle and bustle of
Shushan? Why this plan? Because Haman was always
thinking one day he’d kill Achashveirosh and he’d then be
sitting on that horse, in those garments, showered with royal
praise. That is why it was all on the tip of his tongue!
But the plot twist shocked him. Quickly, he had to perform
those actions for Mordechai, his arch-nemesis, with
complete embarrassment. He even walked the horse while
standing backwards, so nobody could take a photo that
showed his and Mordechai’s face in the same frame! Chazal
say, that is why his daughter dumped trash on him as he
passed by. Did she not recognize her own father? No! He
was standing with his back to her! Once the parade was
over, he went home, utterly dejected. He explained what
took place and received words of wisdom from his wife:
‫ִאם ִמזּ ֶַרע הַ ְ ּיהו ִּדים ָמ ְר ֳ ּדכַ י אֲ ׁ ֶשר הַ ִחלּ ו ָֹת לִ נְ ּפֹל לְ פָ נָיו ל ֹא־‬
‫תוּכַ ל ל ֹו ִּכי־נָפוֹל ִּת ּפוֹל לְ פָ נָיו׃‬
“If Mordechai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of
Jewish descent, you will not overcome him; you will fall
before him to your ruin.”
What an amazing and supportive wife! She told her
husband: ‫ ּתֹאכַ ל או ָֹת ּה עוֹד‬,‫ – ִאם אָ כַ לְ ּ ָת או ָֹת ּה‬if you messed up,
you’re going to mess up even more!
‫ – ִאם ִמזּ ֶַרע הַ ְ ּיהו ִּדים‬what did she, and his advisors, think? That
Mordechai was a local, or a new immigrant from Bulgaria?
They knew full well he was Jewish, after all, Haman
despised him and plotted against him for that exact reason!
Beit Halachmi makes sense of this episode for us. Haman
went back to his house to tell everyone not what transpired
on the street that morning, but what took place the previous
night. He recounted how he went looking for Mordechai and
found him with 22,000 children in the Beit Midrash in the
middle of night – all fasting, all learning, all davening, and all
crying out to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for salvation. Zeresh told
him, “‫ – ִאם ִמזּ ֶַרע הַ ְ ּיהו ִּדים‬if Mordechai enlisted the children to
daven, you are finished.” Why? Because the Shechina
resides with tinokot shel beit raban. When the Kohanim and
Mishmarot were exiled, the Shechina remained. Only when
tinokot shel beit raban were exiled did the Shechina go into
exile. Yerushalayim was destroyed because the learning of
Torah by children was ceased. The power of tinokot shel beit
raban is to stop, and start, the transmission of Torah. That
is what Zeresh told Haman. “The children are involved?
Game over.”
The Gemara says (Gittin 57b; Sanhedrin 96b):
.‫ִמ ְ ּבנֵי בָ נָיו ׁ ֶשל הָ ָמן ל ְָמד ּו ּתו ָֹרה ִ ּב ְבנֵי ְב ַרק‬
Haman’s descendants studied Torah in Bnei Brak
Yalkut Shimoni 20 (Yirmiyahu) says it should be read ‫– לִ ְמד ּו‬
they taught Torah in Bnei Brak. Who is this referring to? Rav
Shmuel bar Sheilat, the number one Amora and rebbe – for
thirteen years he didn’t step foot outside, because he was
completely consumed with his students. Is there a sweeter
irony than this? Haman wanted to begin by killing the tinokot
she beit rabban, and his grandson became the top teacher
of their children! Is there a bigger ‫ וְ נַהֲ פו ְֹך הוּא‬than this?
Sefer Pirsumei Nisa 21 quotes from Pirkei DeRabbi
Eliezer 22 (50) which says, Haman knew how to read the stars
and saw in his future a grandson who’d be teaching in a Beit
Midrash. He’d have none of it though, so he went to war
against the children, to cut that future off. In true Amaleiki
fashion, he sought to break the chain, and destroy the
connection of Jewish children to their parents and teachers.
I have not seen this next thought in any sefer, so accept it
with a limited guarantee. The Gemara (Ta’anit 29a) tells us:
:‫יה דְּ ַרב‬
ּ ‫יה דְּ ַרב ׁ ְשמוּאֵ ל ַּבר ׁ ִשילַת ִמ ׁ ּ ְש ֵמ‬ ּ ‫אָ ַמר ַרב יְ הו ָּדה ְ ּב ֵר‬
‫ש ְמחָ ה — ּ ָכ ְך ִמ ׁ ּ ֶש ִּנכְ נַס אֲ ָדר‬
ׂ ִ ‫ְּכ ׁ ֵשם ׁ ֶש ִּמ ׁ ּ ֶש ִּנכְ נַס אָ ב ְמ ַמע ֲִטין ְ ּב‬
.‫ש ְמחָ ה‬ ׂ ִ ‫ַמ ְר ִ ּבין ְ ּב‬
Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Shmuel bar Sheilat, said in the
name of Rav: Just as when Av begins one decreases
rejoicing, so too when the month of Adar begins, one
increases rejoicing.
This line was said by Haman’s grandson! What does ‫ְּכ ׁ ֵשם‬
mean? How are Av and Adar similar? In the month of Av,
the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because the children
stopped learning Torah. And just like that – ‫ – ְּכ ׁ ֵשם‬when
Adar arrives there is simcha because Mordechai gathered
the children and their learning and davening sparked a
Geula. The Geula of Purim was in the zechut of tinokot shel
ָ ‫ – ִמלְ חָ ָמה ַלה' ַּבע‬we need to keep our
beit rabban. ‫ֲמלֵק ִמדּ ֹר דּ ֹר‬
children connected, in the derech of Torah, with an
unbreakable bond to their parents, rabbeim, and teachers.
This is why all children come for the Megillah reading. The
Shulchan Aruch says to bring them all, as the miracle was
in their merit. That is why only they have the special
minhagim for simchat purim and mechiat Amalek. Because
without them, the whole story would be very different.

1
Vilna Gaon - (The Gra) R' Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman (1720-1797), Vilnius, Poland, Lithuania. Foremost leader of misnagdic Jewry of the past few
centuries. Considered the father of the stream of Lithuanian Kabbalah, and remembered as a leader of the opposition to the Hasidic movement.
2
Mateh Moshe - R’ Moshe ben Avraham Met of Przemyśl (1550-1606), Poland.
3
Tanya Rabbati - An anonymous work on Jewish law (Shabbat and Holidays) first published in Italy, in 1514 CE. It is believed to have been authored by
Yechiel ben Yekutiel Anav, a 13th-century Rabbinic author, manuscript copyist, and liturgical poet.
4
Rama - Rav Moshe Isserles (1520-1572), Poland; Primary Halachic authority for European Jewry, author of Sefer HaMappah (Hagahot HaRama) on
Shulchan Arukh, and Darchei Moshe on Tur. Also authored Mechir Yayin, an allegorical commentary on Megillat Esther, written in his youth one Purim
under difficult circumstances and given to his family in lieu of mishloach manot.
5
Kav Hayashar - R’ Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover (1648-1712), Frankfurt, Germany. A kabbalistic collection of stories and guidance serving as a guide to
preserving norms of community. It is famous for uplifting the spirits of Jewish communities in Europe after the Chmelnitzki Massacres of 1648-1649.
6
Ne'imot Yomeiru - Rav Baruch Rosenblum, shlit”a, Bnei Brak; Editions published for Pesach, Yamim Noraim, and Purim.
7
Rav Elyashiv - (1910-2012), Yerushalayim. The paramount leader of the Lithuanian community both in Israel and elsewhere. Most Ashkenazi Jews
regarded him as the posek ha-dor. Many of Rav Elyashiv's halachic rulings and shiurim have been recorded in several books by his students.
8
Rav Chaim Palagi - (1788-1868), Turkey. Chief rabbi of Izmir. Prolific author of 72 known works; many additional manuscripts destroyed in 1841 fire.
9
Rav Yaakov Galinsky - (1920-2014), Poland, Bnei Brak; A scion of Yeshivas Novardok in Bialystok.
10
Hilula D'Mordechai - Rav Mordichai Uri Golub shlit"a.
11
Parshat Derachim - Rabbi Eliyahu ben Avraham Mizrachi (1450-1525), Turkey; Chief Rabbi of Constantinople.
12
Zohar - Central work of mystical tradition of Kabbalah. Traditionally attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. First appeared in 13th-century Spain.
13
Kesef Mezukak - R' Yoshiayahu ben Yoseph Pinto (1565-1648), Damascus, Tzefat. Student of R' Yakov Abulafia.
14
Rav Yitzchak Hutner - (1906-1980), Warsaw, New York, Yerushalayim; Studied at the Slabodka Yeshiva and then Chevron Yeshiva, narrowly escaping
the 1929 massacre. Long-time dean of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, NY. Rav Hutner's style was a blend of the Chasidic and Misnagdic
elements of his own origins. Rav Hutner established Yeshiva Pachad Yitzchok in Yerushalayim, named after his own magnum opus.
15
Pardes Shadai - Rav Yisrael David Shlesinger shlit"a. Rav of Kehilas Shaarei Tefilla, Monsey, NY.
16
Rashi - Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105), Troyes, France.
17
Rav Shteinman - Rav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman (1914-2017), Brisk, Switzerland, Bnei Brak; Widely regarded as the Gadol HaDor of the non-
Chasidic Lithuanian Haredi Jewish world.
18
Shemen Rosh - Rav Asher Anshel Katz shlit”a, Boro Park, NY; Viener Rebbe.
19
Beit Halachmi - R' Yehoshua Deutsch (1910-1990), Hungary, Romania, Yerushalayim. First Belz Rosh Yeshiva in Yerushalayim (1949), and rav of
Katamon neighborhood.
20
Yalkut Shimoni - Compiled between 11 and 14 C. in Thessaloniki. The author collected and arranged various interpretations from older midrashim.
21
Pirsumei Nisa - R' Tzvi Hirsch Weiss shlit"a
22
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer - Composed by Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (1st-2nd century) during times of the Mishnah.

~6~