Hashkafa of the Vilna Gaon

Jan 19, 2023

Sechok in Adar
The Vilna Gaon was different from many of the Gedolei Yisroel at that time:
1) He had a super high level of Limud Torah, constantly learning
a) Slept for 2 hours every 24 hours… even during his half hour nap his lips were moving
reciting Torah
2) His level of genius was unable to imagine
a) Even at a young age, he learned very difficult works of Torah

The Vilna Gaon was unsurpassed in all areas of Torah - he was known to be a master of kabbalah and had
extensive knowledge in all areas. The Sefer Hayetzura was one of his sifrei kabbalah which he wrote for
himself, but it was then elaborated upon.

Perush HaGra Sefer Yetzira

Each month has a characteristic - Adar has the middah of ‫שחוק‬, which is rejoicing. So too, the geulah,
which will take place in the sixth millennium, then HKBH will make a circle for tzaddikim.

R’ Tzaddok Hakohen
Adar has the middah of ‫שחוק‬. We find that the Gra says it’s a time of rejoicing for the Jews. We do things
that relate to ‫ שחוק‬on Purim. We should assume that the minhagim of Yisrael have real meaning and
significance. This is consistent with the idea that “Hashem is sitting up in shamayim and engages in ‫שחוק‬
and Hashem will be dismissive to those who deserve it” (Tehillim). What Haman had planned to do to the
Jews, the opposite happened (Megillah). Rav Tzaddok explains that this is a great ‫ שחוק‬when the hope of
the ‫ רשעים‬gets reversed.
→ we refer to ‫ שחוק‬as something that ‫ רשעים‬plan and it gets reversed

Jan 24, 2023

Gemara Makkos 24a
Four tannaim were walking on the way and they heard the sounds of Rome and began to cry. Rebbe
Akiva was ‫משחק‬, and they asked him why he is laughing. He answered, why are you crying? He said
these terrible people are involved in terrible things and they have tranquility and the place where
Hashem’s shechina is supposed to rest is destroyed so how can you not cry? Rebbe Akiva responds that is
why I am laughing. If Hashem is providing such enjoyment for those who go against his will, then how
much more so will we benefit when we follow Hashem’s will.

Another time they were going up to Yerushalayim and when they got to the place where the BHMK could
be seen, they tore their clothes. There was a fox leaving the kodesh hakodashim. They were crying and
Rebbe Akiva was laughing so they asked him why? He asked them the same question. It says that
someone who approaches a place you can’t approach, they will die. An animal is walking along the area
of the BHMK so how can you not cry? He said that is the same reason why I am laughing.

Hashem will bring two witnesses: Uriah and Zecharia. They lived at two completely different times so
how is that possible? Rather, it’s making a linkage between two different nevuos. Regarding Uriah it says,
tzion will be plowed up and there will be destruction of the BHMK. Regarding Zechariah it says, the
elders will be on the streets of Yerushalayim and there will be joy and happiness when the geula comes.
One refers to the churban while the other refers to the geula. When the pasuk says there will be testimony
of these two nevuos, it shows that one is dependent on the other and when one happens, the other will
happen. Rebbe Akiva said that until I saw the churban, I didn’t know that the geula will come true, but
now that I see the churban, I know that the nevuah of Zecharia will be fulfilled, as well. Then the others
say, Akiva, you consoled us. It’s not just sadness, but there's bitachon that the geula will come true.
→ It's just a question of time of when the geula will come, not if it will come
If you have absolute bitachon that the geula is going to come, it is a fact to you which can serve as a
tremendous comfort…

Tehillim 126
When we return to tzion, we will be like dreamers. The ‫ שחוק‬of our mouths…

Michtav M’Eliyahu
The Alter of Kelm gave the following representation of Tehillim: When mashiach is revealed, everything
will become clear retrospectively. Then, we will see that all the suffering of ‫ גלות‬was all like in our
imagination, like a dream. Only in a superficial way did it appear to be trouble and suffering. When
looking more in depth, it was actually only bracha. That new perspective that we will have brings about
the experience of ‫שחוק‬.

Gemara Taanis 31a

Hashem will make a circle for tzaddikim and will sit amongst them in gan eden and everyone will point
with their finger and say, “This is my G-d. We were hoping for Him and He saved us. This is Hashem for
whom we have hope and we will rejoice in His yeshuah.”
Why is the pasuk repeating itself?

Nachlas Yaakov on Shemos

In this world we say “‫ ”זה קלי‬once, but in the future we will say it twice. They only recognize the chessed
of Hashem through the chessed that He did. In the future, they will recognize His chessed also in regard to
the suffering because everything really is for the good. In this world, we don’t experience it in this way.
However, in the next world, even what we perceive in this world to be bad, we will see that it’s really
good.

The first time it says that we davened to Hashem using the word, Elokim, which is ‫מידת הדין‬, but then,
later on, it says we davened to Hashem, which is ‫ מידת הרחמים‬because we came to the realization that it
was always Hashem that we were hoping for with ‫מידת הרחמים‬. Because of that, it’s a different and added
level of rejoicing. That is why it says in this world we point to Hashem and say it once because we don’t
recognize and appreciate the goodness of HKBH because we are very limited. In the future, we will say it
twice, two different times. The additional one will be the acknowledgement and understanding that the
‫ יסורין‬were also from the chessed of Hashem.

Megillas Esther 3:7

“In the first month, Nissan, Hashem cast a ‫ פור‬which is a ‫גורל‬.” On the surface, the pasuk is casting a
translation of itself which is unusual.
→ On the surface, a ‫ גורל‬is a lottery, something by chance, but really it is a way of Hashem “speaking” to
us - making a choice very clear to us.
→ two instances where the lashon of ‫ גורל‬is used, showing us that it’s not chance and Hashem expressing
what He wants from us:
- Si’ir l’azazel and si’ir l’Hashem
- Nachlos

Hamen believed that the world operated by chance so when he wanted to destroy klal yisroel, he wanted
to make it random and make it happen in a way that he thought was completely by chance so he did a
lottery. However, the pasuk explains that really it was a ‫גורל‬. This was exactly the opposite of what he
believed. A ‫ גורל‬is Hashem clearly being involved and making a choice, not random at all like Haman
thought.

Why do we used the word ‫ פור‬for the name of Purim? Because this is a very central element of the story.
The central middah of Adar is ‫ שחוק‬and even the name of the chag, hints to this middah!

Jan 26, 2023

Gra on Shemos
“Moshe returned to Hashem and said why did you do this bad and send me to the nation, from the time
that I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, they have only done bad to the people and You have not
saved the nation.”

“Hashem spoke to Moshe and said I am Hashem” - what does this pasuk mean? A person should always
be accustomed to say that whatever Hashem does is for the good because everything is good, there is no
bad. HKBH is ‫ טוב‬in every way. “‫ ”וידבר אלקים וכו אני ה׳‬- Even though the action, the way it’s perceived, is
‫אלוקים‬, is ‫מידת הדין‬, realize that really Hashem is ‫רחמים‬. There is sometimes ‫ דין‬that is experienced, but its
essence is really absolute ‫רחמים‬. It is not a contradiction, rather it’s the same.
→ Moshe is a human being and he sees people suffering as din but realizes that I am Hashem and there is
rachamim in din
→ Not a contradiction, never a time where the middas harachamim isn’t there

Or Gedalyahu on Shemos
Az Yashir: When Klal Yisrael were in Mitzrayim, the pasuk said, “you were My witnesses.” The pasuk
says that the nation I created will say My praises and will demonstrate the honor of kavod shamayim and
the presence of Hashem is evident. While in Mitzrayim, this goal wasn’t being fulfilled at all. That is
called and referred to as “speech in ‫גלות‬.”

The Chovos Halevavos explains that the mouth and speech are able to manifest what feelings a person has
in their heart. When Bnei Yisrael were in Mitzrayim, everything was hidden and they didn’t express
praise to Hashem. The ‫ דיבור‬is disconnected from its purpose → testimony of creation. This is the purpose
of speech to give testimony in regard to the ‫ בריאה‬and through speech, there will be kavod shamayim. A
navi is someone who speaks (Navi comes from ‫)ניב שפתים‬, he is the one who is the ultimate speaker and
captures what speech is supposed to be. He communicated ‫ דבר ה׳‬and that is the ultimate goal of speech.

In Tehillim, it says (‫ )הוציאה ממסגר נפשי להודות את שמך‬you have taken out of the captivity of your soul in
order to give praise to your name and then you could reach the ultimate purpose to give praise to a song to
Hashem’s name. You look at the whole world and everyone expresses the glory of HKBH.

If we can praise HKBH the second we leave Mitrayim, why is Pesach celebrated over 7 days and not only
one?
When kriyas yam suf takes place, that's when yetzias mitzrayim is over because now they are able to
engage in what they weren’t able to do in mitzrayim the whole time which is to give shira. They can now
engage in what they couldn't do in mitzrayim = shira! Az Yashir establishes Hashem's kesei. On some
level, it is dependent upon what we do aka through the shira. Now that we are able to sing shira, Hashem
can sit on His kisei.

The first time we find ‫ שירה‬is when Klal Yisrael said ‫שירה‬, but there were others so why are they the first?
The main part of ‫ שירה‬is in order to show kavod shamayim and the ‫ בריאה‬and to show how it is revealed.
People were only really giving shira to be saved from the evil that happened to them. Until that point in
time, az yashir was also saying ‫ שירה‬to Hashem even though we don’t understand it and for the galus and
suffering, as well. It was shira that everything is in the hands of Hashem and ultimately, with the tzaros,
kavod shamayim gets increased.

The gemara says that at the time of the churban, Bnei Yisrael said, “Mi kamocha - who is like you,
Hashem?” The Gemara explains that the line in Az Yashir alludes to the fact that Hashem is mute
(“ilemim hashem”), but how can this be part of the ‫שירה‬, it sounds like an insult, not a praise? The
midrash explains that Hashem is silent before all those who say blasphemy. When they left Mitzrayim,
they all were able to understand in retrospect that the ‫ גלות‬also served its purpose and it was all for their
good and part of the plan. Therefore, after they were redeemed, they sang ‫ שירה‬for everything even the
‫ גלות‬itself. From their perspective, Hashem didn’t make an appearance in Mitzrayim. When they got to the
churban, they invoked the same pasuk and that is why they sing ‫ שירה‬at this point in time. This ‫ שירה‬isn’t
only over the ‫ישועה‬, but also over the ‫גלות‬, as well.

Jan 31, 2023

The Sfas Emes asks why is Parshas Haazinu called shira? We give shira for the punishments as well. Like
it says in Tehillim, “I will sing for both the chessed and the mishpat.” The ultimate shira is when one
understands that everything Hashem does is for the good, even the ‫פורענות‬. Even the judgements are ‫לטובה‬
because shira has to be regarding anything we experience, good or bad. In the context of Az Yashir, this
was real shira because it was appreciating both the good and ‘bad’ that Hashem did for us.

The Beis HaLevi quotes a medrash which says that when Moshe Rabbeinu came to Pharoah to complain,
and Pharoah only did worse for the people. The Midrash says that Az Yashir starts with the word “Az”
because Moshe sinned by saying ‫ ומאז באתי לפרעה‬so now he says ‫אז ישיר‬. How does this undo his previous
shortcoming? From Moshe’s point of view, the people were suffering more than they did before, but
Moshe’s perspective was limited so he shouldn’t have made such a complaint. The central element of Az
Yashir is praising Hashem in an all-encompassing way, praising HKBH for all that he did.

Hashem says, “I will hide My face.” He quotes Rav Bunim who says that the order of the pesukim before
Haazinu express that Bnei Yisrael say, “‫אין אלקי בקרבי‬,” which is a sin. Hashem is always amongst us!
Once we understand that ‫ שירת האזינו‬is like ‫ …שירת הים‬It’s like a testimony to clarify this point that
Hashem is with us even at a time of ‫צרה‬, of difficulty. ‫ אנכי הסתר אסתיר‬- I am going to hide Myself, I am
still present, but I am going to hide Myself. The ‫ אנכי‬is there, as well (the same ‫ אנכי‬from ‫)אנכי ה׳ אלקיך‬.

It says by Yosef when he was sold into slavery that there were pleasant smelling spices and many ask
what this will do? Yosef is going through the worst. Because he was Yosef Hatzaddik, he was on a very
high ‫ מדרגה‬to realize that with the smallest positive, he saw that Hashem was still ‫ אנכי‬and will always be.

At the end of the shira, the pasuk says, ‫ אני אני הוא‬- what does this mean? ‫ אני‬is the closest one can get to
Hashem, that is Him. The pasuk emphasizes ‫ אני הוא‬to combine how close one can get and how far one
can get, and all of that comes together. The third word, ‫הוא‬, the one who seems to be more distant is really
so present even at those times when we feel like He is not (demonstrated by the words, ‫)אני‬.

Tur Orach Chayim - Hilchos Rosh Chodesh

The ‫ חגים‬correspond to the avos: Pesach is connected to Avraham, Shavuos corresponds to Yitzchak and
Sukkos to Yaakov. The 12 months of the year, the ‫מועדים‬, correspond to the 12 ‫( שבטים‬with every rosh
chodesh, which is a ‫)חג‬.
→ we don’t know which month corresponds to which ‫ שבט‬- what ‫ שבט‬does Adar correspond to?

Kedushas Levi on Shemos

There’s an idea that Yosef is immune from ayin hara and this is associated with the idea that ‫ דגים‬are
hidden from ayin hara because they are in the water and somehow shielded. Rashi explains that Yosef is
above the ‘evil eye’ and ‫ דגים‬are also removed from it so they correspond to Adar. If Yosef is Adar, that’s
why we have two Adars because the ‫ שבט‬of Yosef is really two shevatim because of Ephraim and
Menashe.
*The Sfas Emes agrees with this explanation

When looking at Yosef’s life, from age of 17 until age 39, it looks like a terrible tragedy occurred where
he was cut off from his family, persecuted and suffered, put into prison, he is basically a slave and his life
looks horrible. He then became second in command in Mitzrayim, but that wasn’t his calling. Once he is
reunited with his family, Yosef says that Hashem orchestrated all of this (not blaming his brothers) and he
explains that it was all necessary. The ‫ הסתר פנים‬was overwhelming, but he saw that it was all part of
Hashem’s plan, part of the bigger picture. Yosef recognized this and that is ‫ שחוק‬which is exactly what
Adar represents.

Chazal says that Haman was so excited that the ‫ גורל‬turned out to be in the month of Adar because that’s
when Moshe died, but he didn’t know that Adar was also when Moshe was born. In Moshe’s life, this idea
is also represented. Moshe lived a tragic life: grew up in a palace, but not happy there, he goes out and
tries to save Jews from Egyptians and then runs off, he is in ‫ גלות‬from time he is a teenager until his upper
70s which is basically a lifetime (Ramban). Moshe’s life, as it’s described, is horrible. However, in the
grand scheme of things, it was all a preparation for his future leadership of klal yisroel. It was all really
‫ !לטובה‬His life is an exact expression of ‫מהיפך להיפך‬.

Feb 2, 2023
*Presentation
There’s a force ‫ מבחוץ‬which questions why we want to do our Avodas Hashem and questions what we
need this for. It implies that there is something better out there that is more appealing.

Feb 9, 2023
Gemara Pesachim 50a
Hashem will be the melech in the future on the whole land. In the future, He will be One. What does that
mean? He is only one in the future, but not now?
In this world, we say ‫ הטוב והמטיב‬for good things, and for bad, we say ‫ברוך דיין האמת‬, but in the next world
we will say ‫ הטוב והמטיב‬for both the good and bad.

Tzlach Masechet Pesachim

In this world, we have bad things that happen, but in the next world there’s no such thing as bad…The
pasuk in Yeshayahu says, “On that day, you’ll say, I will thank you Hashem because You are angry at
me…” What does this mean?

Ultimately, nothing bad comes from Hashem, everything is good and even the punishments are good even
if we don’t understand. There are different reasons why this might be the case. A person may be in pain
and put a bandage over it, but this will cause distress. A short sighted person will want to remove it, but
someone else will understand that the bandage will eventually help them. In the future, we will be able to
say “Thank you Hashem that you were angry at me.” This is what Chazal means that in this world, we
aren’t meant to be like malachim and we experience things in our realities. Suffering is now experienced
as ‫ אמת‬but in the future, we will see that it was all really good.

Maayan Beis Hashoeva

Why does it say “‫”?וכל החיים יודוך סלה‬

When we say that everyone will praise You, in truth, it means that all of life (‫ )וכל החיים‬and that is why we
bow at the beginning of Modim and again at the end. We bow twice because the first time is for all our
good experiences in life, and we bow at the end of the bracha in order to recognize and show that we
internalize the other things to thank Hashem for, as well.
→ When we add in ‫על הניסים‬, we don’t only thank HKBH for the salvation, but also for the wars. The
‫ מלחמה‬also which we experienced as ‫ מידת הדין‬also we should be thanking Hashem for.

Kol Aryeh
He quotes a Zohar which explains that Hashem said to Yaakov when he goes down to Mitzrayim that
Yosef will put his hands on your eyes. The Zohar says that this refers to ‫קריאת שמע‬. This is the secret of
Krias Shema. Where does ‫ שמע‬come from here?
There’s a pasuk in Tehillim, “We imagine Your chessed in the midst of Your sanctuary.” It means to say
(and quotes the Tzlach), in this world we experience ‫ דיין האמת‬and ‫הטוב והמטיב‬, but in the next world only
‫הטוב והמטיב‬.

If there’s a universal challenge, then that’s a real challenge, but if it’s just klal yisroel alone, then that’s not
a real struggle. When you have crisis, ‫צרה‬, know that it’s ultimately for good and know that in the end of
days, it is for great goodness. All these things will be in the future as if you found something, it’s a ‫מציאה‬
that was not accessible before. When you have a ‫ צרה‬that is only for you, then you can be assured that at
the end of days, you’ll have a revelation, a ‫מציאה‬, that it was all for the good.
Looking at the pasuk from Tehillim, ‫דמינו אלוקים חסדך בקרב היכלך‬, we understand it from a human being
point of view that it’s very bad and it’s just ‫אלוקים‬, but inside the ‫היכל‬, a place which is not so accessible,
there it is ‫חסדך‬, you see that it is chessed.

The Chasam Sofer explains that this is mentioned in Parshas Ki Tisa, when Hashem says to Moshe that
you will see behind Me, but not the front of Me. Looking back, retroactively, then you’ll see how
everything is good, but My face, you won’t see, meaning that a person won’t see that something is good
before or while it is happening. Moshe pleaded with Hashem about this mystery and wanted to know how
this works and this was Hashem’s response that it’s not something a human being can know.

Rashi says in Parshas Yisro, Yisro says to Moshe that he now knows that Hashem is greater than all other
gods. He used to recognize Hashem, but now he recognizes Hashem even more. Rashi explains this to
mean that all of the suffering of klal yisroel in Mitzrayim were strict and harsh judgment and tremendous
suffering, and then they leave Mitzrayim and they elevate spiritually. Ultimately, it’s chessed because
without the ‫שעבוד מצרים‬, they would not have gotten to this point. Still, one can see how this led up to
these incredible brachos for Bnei Yisrael. This is what Yisro meant that Hashem is greater than other gods
because Hashem, ‫מידת הרחמים‬, is greater than Elokim. Yisro used to recognize Hashem as just ‫מידת הדין‬,
but now, looking back at the past, he sees that it was really ‫ רחמים‬and now he can see presently that as
‫ צרות‬are experienced, he has more of a sense of what HKBH is doing and he has a new perspective when
looking at ‫מידת הדין‬.

Why do we cover our eyes for ‫?קריאת שמע‬

R’ Yehuda Hanassi would always covers his eyes when accepting ‫עול מלכות שמים‬. The reason people place
hands over one’s eyes is because the pasuk of ‫ שמע‬means that everything is unified. We think we see
fragmentation and randomization and inconsistency. Saying ‫ שמע‬is embracing the achdus that the ‫מידת‬
‫ הרחמים‬and ‫ מידת הדין‬is really all one. Cover your eyes and don’t look at the world superficially, in a
misleading way and instead cover your eyes and believe that it’s all for the good.
→ Yosef’s life was all ‫ לטובה‬and his life is the paradigm where ‫ מידת הדין‬is really all ‫ מידת הרחמים‬because
all his ‫ צרות‬were really all good - his life should inspire us to cover our eyes in ‫ שמע‬so that we don’t see
the reality of life as the distortion it appears to be

Feb 14, 2023

Mikreh in the Megillah

Megillas Esther Perek 4

Mordechai sends a message to Esther through a messenger that she needs to bribe Achashverosh in order
to convince him (‫)כל אשר קרהו‬.

Devarim
The pasuk says, ‫אשר קרך בדרך‬, showing that the ideology of Amalek is that everything happens by chance,
consequently.

Esther Raba
Mordechai told the messenger to tell Esther, ‫כל אשר קרהו‬. The one who represents ‫ מקרה‬is the one who is
coming to attack Klal Yisrael.

Yalkut Shimoni
He explains on this pasuk that Amalek is ‫קרהו‬, linking this to the pasuk that says, ‫אשר קרך בדרך‬. It shows
that ‫ מקרה‬is coming to attack them, once again.

Shemos Perek 17
Bnei Yisrael were camping in the desert and didn’t have water and they complained. They tested Hashem,
saying, “‫( ”היש ה׳ בקרבנו אם אין‬Is Hashem amongst us, or not?). The next pasuk says that Amalek attacked
Klal Yisrael in Refidim. This seems to be a response to this shortcoming that Bnei Yisrael are
experiencing. Moshe then turns to Yehoshua, telling him to choose men and wage battle against Amalek
while Moshe goes to the top of the mountain, taking the ‫ מטה‬in his hand.

Ha’emek Davar (Netziv)

They just saw all these miracles and knew that only Hashem did this so what does it mean that “‫היש ה׳‬
‫בקרבנו אם אין‬.” How could they have doubted Hashem? The ‫ ענני הכבוד‬were accompanying them the whole
time. It also says by ‫ קריעת ים סוף‬right before this that they believed in Hashem…

There is the leadership of Moshe (‫ פנים אל פנים‬,‫ )ניסים‬and the leadership of Yehoshua. We are obligated to
believe that even when we don’t see revealed miracles, Hashem is still with us (even without the
leadership of Moshe). This is why Amalek attacked Bnei Yisrael because what they tried to accomplish in
this world was shown to us when they attacked us. When it says to wipe out Amalek, it means to wipe out
their ideology that there is ‫מקרה‬, everything is random, in the world. Yehoshua acted as a leader within the
world of ‫ טבע‬and that is why the battle was led by Yehoshua and not Moshe.

Megillas Esther Perek 6

Haman told Zerach, his wife, and all his loved ones, ‫את כל אשר קרהו‬. He was telling them that it was
happening by chance because that was his ideology. Then, they responded to him that if Mordechai is a
descendent of Jews, then you will fall before him. They explained to him that this doesn’t seem to be
something so dependent on ‫מקרה‬.

Emunah V’Hashgacha (Gra)

When Amalek exists, the hashgacha of Hashem is not recognized because Amalek and hashgacha are
complete opposites of each other. Amalek is the chief and in charge of those who deny emunah and
hashgacha. It quotes a pasuk with the language of ‫ קרי‬which says ‫אם תלכו עמי קרי‬, which is ‫לשון מקרה‬.
When the hashgacha is less discernible, it will be easier to say that everything happens by chance.
→ when we treat something that comes from HKBH by recognizing it to be Hashem’s hashgacha,
Hashem will then increase His hashgacha. But, if we respond in a way that believes it to be ‫מקרה‬, then
Hashem will step back more
**there is no such thing as no hashgacha, it is always there, but it depends on whether or not we recognize
it to be HKBH.

Were the hands of Moshe allowing Bnei Yisrael to win? It motivated Bnei Yisrael to look up to Hashem
as a catalyst to realize that the whole war was hashgachas Hashem. Bnei Yisrael needed to believe that the
war was fought with hashgachas Hashem even when Yehoshua went to fight with soldiers in a ‘natural’
way. Moshe’s hands were emunah because his hands represented and brought about emunah in Hashem.
When Bnei Yisrael lacked emunah in Hashem, this is when Amalek came. Amalek is attacking because
their emunah at that point in time had been weakened.

Yeshaya 30:20
The one who teaches you or instructs you will not have wings anymore.
→ this is symbolic - when Amalek is in the world, their wings cover Hashem’s face

It’s as if their wings are covering Hashem’s face. When the wings are opened up, Hashem’s face is
revealed. When looking at ‫טבע‬, Hashem’s face seems covered. ‫ מוריך‬refers to HKBH and He will no
longer be covered.

When Amalek is in the world, Hashem’s ‫ כסא‬is not full (‫ )יד על כס קה‬- Hashem’s name is not full.

Gra Chidushei Agados

The most important thing is the ‫ כסא‬that it is Hashem’s ‫מלכות‬.

Maharal
The ‫ כסא‬is not ‫ שלם‬and the ‫ כסא‬is Hashem’s ‫מלכות‬.
→ What does it mean that the ‫ כסא‬of Hashem is not ‫ ?שלם‬No one can take away Hashem’s ‫…מלכות‬

Tehillim 29
What’s the difference between ‫ מלך‬and ‫?מושל‬

Gra on Mishlei
The pasuk in Mishlei says, “‫כי לה׳ המלוכה ומושל בגוים‬.”
The difference between them is that ‫ מלכות‬comes from the people and they decide that Hashem is their
ruler while ‫ מושל‬is top-down, Hashem deciding that He rules over the people. “You want us to accept
Your authority over us and if not, You will impose it over us?” The ‫ מלכות‬of Hashem is not ‫ שלם‬because
Amalek is in the world, this seems to be ‫כפירה‬. Amalek detracts from ‫ מלכות‬Hashem.

There is ‫ מלכות‬and ‫ממשלה‬: the pasuk says, ‫מלכותך מלכות כל עולמים וממשלתך בכל דור ודור‬. Everyone serves the
king and people decide to appoint that person to rule them. A ‫ מושל‬comes top down. A ‫ מלך‬comes from
the people while a ‫ מושל‬imposes his will on the people from above. You want us to accept you as king and
then you will try to impose your authority on us.

We, Bnei Yisrael, accept Hashem as ‫מלך‬, but Hashem imposes His authority on the ‫גויים‬.

We, Bnei Yisrael, accept Hashem as ‫ מלך‬and other nations don’t accept Hashem as ‫מלך‬, but Hashem
imposes His will on them. In the future, Hashem will be ‫ מלך‬on the whole world because everyone will
accept Hashem as king. We are ‫ ממליך ה׳‬because the degree to which Hashem is ‫ ממליך‬on me and on us is
dependent upon us. The more we embrace Hashem as ‫מלך‬, the more He is our ‫מלך‬.

Feb 16, 2023

Mishnah Maseches Avos 6
Everything Hashem created is for His ‫כבוד‬, and he quotes a pasuk regarding this. Hashem rules forever,
and so we are supposed to give Hashem ‫כבוד‬.

Asarah Klalim on Gra

The main purpose of the ‫ בריאה‬is to bring ‫כבוד מלכותו‬.
→ Hashem doesn’t need us to give him ‫ כבוד‬or for us to declare Him as our king, but He created a world,
a reality, where we can give ‫ כבוד‬to Hashem and what we do is very meaningful

When Mashiach comes, Amalek will be wiped out because they undermine all of what we stand for and
undermine Hashem’s ‫ כבוד‬and the ‫ מלכות‬of Hashem.

Pesukei Dezimrah
We will ascend and Hashem will have the kingship…

Rashi
Judging ‫ הר עשו‬refers to overcoming Amalek. The ‫ מלוכה‬of Hashem will be restored when Hashem helps
us overcome Amalek.

Gra on Megillas Esther

Hashem makes things happen in a roundabout way (acts with ‫)הסתר פנים‬. We know about the power of
Achashveirosh because by understanding this, more hashgacha is needed in order to direct things in the
right way so that the ‫ ישועה‬comes about. The ‫ נס‬happens when Hashem hides His face. Everything
happens through the forces of nature, unlike the miracles of Mitzrayim. In Mitzrayim, it was Hashem’s
mighty hand and we saw Hashem clearly (as if we saw Hashem creating the world, we saw Him as the
‫)בורא עולם‬. The mistakes of Purim were even greater than saving us from slavery.

Chazal say, and the Gemara asks a question, how do we know about Esther in the Torah? Hashem says
that He will hide His face from them on that day. The Gra asks what this means because we can ask this
about anyone in the Torah so why specifically Esther? The ‫ נס‬took place outside of Eretz Yisrael so there
was a lower level there of Hashem’s hashgacha. Chanukah took place in Eretz Yisrael so it’s not as
impressive, as striking, as the ‫ נס‬of Purim. Since this took place in ‫חוץ לארץ‬, it was a greater level. Where
do we find that there’s a ‫ רמז‬that even in ‫ גלות‬we can be ‫ זוכה‬to these miracles? That’s why it says “‫ואנכי‬
‫הסתר אסתיר את פני‬,” that Hashem hid His face even through the story of Esther.

There’s a ‫ משל‬that a son of a king went against his father and was banished to a forest and his father
abandoned him and forgot about him. The father was concerned that animals would attack him or
someone who hated him. The king then sent his own people into the forest and didn’t want his son to
know who they were, for them to reveal themselves, because he wanted his son to feel like he was on his
own and be remorseful. A bear then came to the son and someone came and saved the son. The son
thought it was a random chance and didn’t think it was part of any plan. Then, an officer came and he was
saved again from a person. When the son saw that it was a pattern and all these chance occurrences were
happening, he recognized that his father was behind the scenes. Then, he decided to repent because he
saw his father was watching over him.

When Hashem was concerned for us from the bear, he made miracles to save us, but he hid His face. The
Gemara says that there was a second kabbalas hatorah at the time of Purim, ‫קימו וקיבלו‬, accepted
something that they previously accepted. They accepted it with a sense of love. This contrasts the ‫ נבואה‬of
Yeshayahu and Yechezkel. Yechezkel is like a villager seeing the king and Yeshayahu is like someone in
the metropolis who saw the king (makes sense). Yeshayahu is a prominent navi, but Yechezkel was in ‫חוץ‬
‫לארץ‬, like someone from a village. He is in galus in chutz laaretz so they didn’t believe him until he
demonstrated to them that this was true. This then brought about a sense of love because they appreciated
Hashem even more, that even in ‫חוץ לארץ‬, Hashem watched over us.

The Vilna Gaon says that the whole purpose of creation is to bring ‫ כבוד‬to Hashem‫׳‬s ‫מלכות‬. Amalek is the
opposite of this. Chillul Hashem is the worst ‫ עבירה‬someone can do, showing that Hashem is not present
in the world, while kiddush Hashem demonstrates Hashem’s hashgacha in the world. Creation is meant to
show ‫ מלכות‬Hashem. Chazal asked, why was klal yisrael deserving of being destroyed? They gained
pleasure in the seudah of Achashveirosh so why is this so terrible? This seudah was celebrating the fact
that the BHMK would not be rebuilt. They took the ‫ כלים‬from the ‫מקדש‬. Achashveirosh made calculations
of when galus would end and at this point, it was over, showing that the BHMK would not be rebuilt so
they celebrated this, and that’s why they brought in the ‫ כלים‬to demonstrate the churban. By participating
in this seudah, they acknowledged that the BHMK would not be rebuilt again. This seudah was part of
this greater picture of bringing a chillul Hashem into the world.

Feb 21, 2023

Gemara on Megillah
The chachamim were together with Mordechai and they learned the halachos of ‫קמיצה‬, regarding the
halachos of the korban haomer. Mordechai saw that Haman was coming towards him and approaching,
saying, this ‫ רשע‬is coming to kill me. They told him to run away so he wouldn’t be burnt by his coal.
Mordechai wrapped himself in a tallis, got up to daven, and then Haman came to them. He waited until
Mordechai finished davening. Haman wanted to know what they're involved in so they said that when
there was BHMK, if you brought a korban mincha, you had to then take a certain amount of the meal
offering from the flower. Haman said that your ‫קמיצה‬, what you're learning about, is going to override and
take precedence over the 10,000 kikar of silver that Haman has which was the bribe towards
Achashveirosh to kill Am Yisrael. Haman is then destroyed…
Rashi
It was the 16th of Nissan, the day of ‫תנופת העומר‬.

Esther Rabba
(repeats the story)

Maharal
This is a very profound idea and this transpired when there weren’t open divine miracles in the world and
the world seemed like it operated naturally. Why was there ‫ ?מצות העומר‬The ‫ עומר‬is supposed to represent
grain, barley, and the natural world. We believe that the world doesn’t operate naturally, rather that
everything is orchestrated by Hashem. Hashem works 24/7 on our behalf, and in response, we bring ‫קרבן‬
‫העומר‬, but we don’t really appreciate all that He does. This korban is us acknowledging that Hashem is
responsible for the order of the world. It demonstrated that we believe in the natural order and how
Hashem brought everything (wind, rain, sun, etc.). When someone wants to find a grain, it’s more
physical and less refined. Barley is more rooted in ‫ טבע‬and is more physical so that is why we choose
barley.

What’s the conflict between Haman? We bring the ‫ עומר‬and accept Hashem as the ultimate power because
we know He runs the natural world. Therefore, if we know He is running the world, we will know that we
won’t be destroyed. Bringing the ‫ עומר‬represents the strength of Am Yisrael that we know Hashem runs
the world whether we can see it or not. This is well known and that is why Hashem’s name doesn’t appear
in the megillah. We don’t see Him in an open way, rather we see hints or an illusion of His presence.
→ one is supposed to prepare for Pesach starting one month before, Purim time - two types of the
hashgacha of Hashem

There are several places where one can see how Hashem orchestrates everything in the megillah:

Haman defeated himself in many ways. He planned to destroy klal yisrael, but in the ways he meant to
destroy us, he really ended up destroying himself.

Al Hanisim
You with Your great Mercy annulled his ‫עצה‬, and ruined his thoughts. What he wanted to do happened to
himself and he was hung on the tree.

Gra on Iyov
Eitzah (‫ )עצה‬is something that actually occurs and ‫ מחשבה‬is a thought, but doesn’t actually happen.

Mishlei
‫ מחשבות‬are in the heart of the man, but what Hashem actually wants is what will be established because
that is ‫עצה‬.

Tehillim
‫ מחשבות‬are in the heart and the ‫ עצה‬of Hashem is actualized, it actually happened.
*Hashem somehow disrupted Haman’s ‫ עצה‬and ruined his ‫מחשבה‬, as well

Avinu Malkeinu
Batel machsavos soneinu
Hafer atzas Oyveinu

Megillas Esther Perek 9

Mordechai and Esther both intervened. The enemies of the Jews sought to rule over the Jews but the
opposite happened. Then the Jews were able to rule over the ones they hated. Why go from “‫ ”אויב‬to
“‫?”שונא‬

Gra
An ‫ אויב‬is someone who actually wants to do bad on his own while a ‫ שונא‬is someone who is happy when
evil happens, but does not do anything. This is why the pasuk says ‫ אויבים‬wanted to rule over Bnei Yisrael
in practice and says ‫( ונהפוך‬a complete turnaround) to express that now we even rule our ‫שונאים‬. The
people who wanted to rule over the Jews were the ‫אויב‬. The Jews were then able to overcome not only the
‫ אויב‬who were threatening them, but also those who were rooting for their destruction, the ‫שונא‬. This
shows how much hashgacha happened in the story!
→ we can now understand Avinu Malkeinu even better - it makes sense that ‫ מחשבה‬goes with ‫ שונאים‬and
‫ עצה‬goes with ‫איובים‬
- “machshavos + soneinu” - the people who hated Bnei Yisroel → their machshavos which have
consequences need to be nullified.
- “Eitza + Oyev” - The people who actually do things, their real plan needs to be stopped!
- “Vinahafochu” - didn’t just disrupt their plans, but literally the opposite happened
Going back to ‫על הניסים‬, Hashem ruined both ‫ עצה‬and ‫( מחשבה‬because ‫ מחשבה‬can turn into ‫ )עצה‬and we say
that the exact opposite of what Haman wanted happened to him.
→ it is similar to what ‫ יתרו‬said to Moshe in regard to Mitzrayim - they wanted to kill us by throwing the
boys into the Nile and then they died by water…

Megillas Esther Perek 5

Everyone advises Haman to make a tree 50 amos high and they will hang Mordechai on it.

Megillas Esther Perek 7

Achashveirosh gets angry for what he thinks Haman is doing to Esther and as that happens, Charvona
says to look at the tree and Achashveirosh says, let’s hang him.
→ by itself we can see how this is “‫והשבות לו גמלו בראשו‬,” but the Vilna Gaon goes further…

Gra
He should be hung on a very high tree because he wanted everyone to see Mordechai hanging from it. If
he kills him another way, he won’t be visible. If they hang him so high, they will constantly see him.
Haman believed that sight has a certain impact. Haman thought to himself what would happen after
Mordechai is hanged and he realized he would be in the palace as the second in command. He thought he
could be in the palace and look at any time and get pleasure through seeing Mordechai hanging on the
tree.
→ Charvona points to the tree and shows that the gallows can be seen from the palace

When Achashveirosh is enraged, something has to be shown to him that would make him agree to do it
right now while the king is still in the state of rage. Otherwise, as time passes, he will no longer want to
and change his mind because it doesn’t make sense to hang the second most powerful man. Haman
showed the gallow at the time when Achashveirosh was so angry to show that it can be done immediately.
→ Haman had the ‫ מחשבה‬of this and almost had the ‫ עצה‬to actually build it, but then it backfired

Does it make sense for Achashevirosh to make a decree that he will wipe out an entire people? That isn’t
a normal thing to do, it’s an act of genocide…

Megillas Esther Perek 3

After Haman convinced Achashveirosh, it was all written down and everything was signed and sealed.
They put out the decree to tell everyone. What does it mean, “‫להיות עתדים ליום הזה‬, there should be
something in the future on this day.” What does this mean?

Gra
He was afraid to say that he would kill all the Jews. The Jews would run to the authorities and the people
would intervene. He has to tell everyone something in order to prepare everyone to kill the Jews, but he
can’t make it public to the Jews. He tells people in positions of authority to destroy the Jews, but the
document saying that everyone has permission to kill the Jews that would be publicized, they are only
told there will be an announcement on that day. They should be prepared for this day and on that day, they
will tell them what will happen. This will prevent chaos from the people.

Megillas Esther Perek 8

Achashveirosh tells Esther and Mordechai to write whatever they want and sign it with the king’s seal.
The Jews will have permission to overcome their enemies. Pasuk 13 repeats almost the same words as
pasuk 3, “‫עתדים‬.”

Gra
Now the Jews will be able to take revenge. You will write that the Jews can kill their enemies. On the
14th of Adar, something is going to happen, but it didn’t say what, so fill in on that same document what
actually will happen and write that the Jews will be able to take revenge on their enemies, exactly the
opposite of what was originally planned.

Feb 23, 2023

Megillas Esther Perek 1
Vashti is deserving of punishment and then it says, “The pisgam hamelech becomes known because it’s
great.” What does this mean? What is great?

Gra
The Gemara explains that a simple person, a ‫הדיוט‬, takes initiative. Why does the pasuk say that he spoke
before the king and the officers? Killing Vashti was not simple at all because a king has to navigate things
in a way that people would support it and not go crazy. Since the king alone was determining what to do
with Vashti, this sets the stage for the ‫ ישועה‬that will come afterwards. Haman wants the king to judge
Vashti on his own, and he doesn’t want the king to be able to forgive Vashti for what she had done. The
king shouldn’t be able to make this decision on his own, but they heard that the king can do things on his
own throughout the whole kingdom. Haman wants to make sure that Achashveirosh does this on his own
because this is, “‫כי רבה היא‬.” Now the fear/authority of the king will be elevated because he can make
decisions on his own. This sets the stage for the future. Since the king already had experience making a
decision about something that was personal to him on his own, later on when it is time to kill Haman, he
can make that decision on his own instead of consulting with his officers which would be the regular way
to go about it.
→ If this didn’t happen, Haman would not have been able to been killed so easily

Megillas Esther Perek 9

The thoughts he had about how to destroy klal yisroel will now rebound and cause him to be destroyed
and in the way his sons were killed.

Mishlei 14:22
They plow up evil and they will get lost….

Gra
If a person plans to do bad to someone else, Hashem causes them to be lost and that is how they will fall
just like with what happened to Haman (Haman plans his own destruction).

Mishlei 14:32
With his evil, the ‫ רשע‬will be pushed aside.

Gra
With the very evil that he planned against the tzaddik, that’s how he will fall. This is what happened with
Haman…

Drashos Beis Dovid (Nachlas Dovid)

A battle is usually fought between two kings. When kings are fighting within nature, they each try to
overcome the other because that’s how things work. When things work through hashgacha, above the
laws of nature, you don’t have to oppose and instead Hashem uses the power of the enemy to give
strength to klal yisroel. Hashem takes over the reigns to cause them to be destroyed. Those things are the
reason for his downfall because Hashem controls everything and therefore he doesn’t have to overcome
the opposing power. The very things that made the enemy successful is what will bring him down and
cause him to fall.

The pasuk says, “‫אתה ידעתי כי גדול ה׳ מכל אלהים‬.” The weapons and strategies the enemy uses against klal
yisroel is exactly what will defeat the enemy. The things that brought about the strength of Mitzrayim,
from the river, and he drowned the Jewish children, one would think we need to overcome that power
with fire to overcome the water. That isn’t how it works: when they get drowned with water, that same
strength will bring about their downfall. Hashem doesn’t need to overcome it, He controls the water and
can use that exact strength to make them fall.
That is also the ‫ נס‬of Purim because it was a ‫ נס‬that was clothed on the outside with ‫טבע‬, that’s how it
seemed on the outside. This is why Hashem’s name isn’t mentioned in the megillah. When seeing all the
‘coincidences’ that occurred, one realizes it was all orchestrated by Hashem (the gallow for Mordechai,
the letter, situation with Vashti).

Gra
Hashem saves klal yisroel and then destroys the enemy. He wants the enemy to see that they’ve lost. With
Haman, Hashem wanted him to see how things would backfire and how Hashem saves klal yisroel so that
the enemies can see and witness that HKBH is all powerful. Yud key vuv key shows that Hashem is seen
vividly, in a way that is almost beyond nature, and they will see that everything is orchestrated by
Hashem.

Aderes Eliyahu on Bereishis

People might say that Hashem created the world and then take a step back. When they see how nature has
been transformed, they will fall on their faces because of the shame they will feel for thinking that
Hashem is not in control of the world. Hashem takes care and is in control of every detail and listens to
the voice of the servant.

Melachim I 18:36-39
Even when things seem to be happening naturally, show them that Hashem is in control.

Mar 2, 2023
Tefillah in the Megillah
.‫ בּ ְִראוֹתָ ם ַיֽחַד תְּ כֵ ֽלֶת מ ְָרדְּ כָי‬,‫שׁנַּת יַעֲק ֹב ָצ ֲהלָה ְושָׂמֵ ֽחָה‬ ַ ‫שׁוֹ‬
.‫ וְתִ ְקוָתָ ם ְבּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר‬,‫תְּ שׁוּעָתָ ם ָה ִי ֽיתָ לָנֶ ֽצַח‬
.‫ וְֹלא יִ ָכּלְמוּ לָנֶ ֽצַח כָּל הַחוֹסִים בְָּך‬,‫ְהוֹדֽי ַע שֶׁ כָּל ק ֹוֶ ֽיָך ֹלא יֵבֹֽשׁוּ‬ ִ ‫ל‬

You were their salvation and hope forever for every generation. To make it known that all those who
placed their hope in You won't be embarrassed and won't be ashamed of anyone who takes refuge
in You.
Those who would seek out Hashem through tefillah and place their hope in Hashem won’t be
embarrassed.

Rambam Minyan Hamitzvos

The salvations which He did for us because He was close to our appeals to Him. What has been promised
in the Torah is true. Who is a great nation, he who has a G-d that is so close to them like Hashem, our
G-d. He is close to those who call out to Him.

It is kind of strange to find krias hamegillah here, it's not from the Torah. The chachamim commanded to
hear the megilah in order to make known shivcho shel Hashem - why? So we can praise Hashem and to
inform future generations that all written in the Torah is true. What is this confirming? ‫כי מי גוי גדול אשר‬
‫ …לו‬The theme of the megillah is that we need to know so we can tell over that Hashem is there to listen
when we call.
→ This is the theme of Purim to tell future generations that when we call out to Him, He responds to us.

Gemara in Megillah
The idea is based on this gemara to inform future generations this idea that when we call out to Hashem,
He comes close to us.

Devarim 4:7
:‫֚ ִכּי מִי־ג֣ ֹוי גּ ָ֔דֹול ֲאשֶׁר־ל֥ ֹו אֱֹלקים קְר ִ ֹ֣בים א ֵָל֑יו כַּיק ָֹו֣ק אֱֹל ֵ֔הינוּ ְבּכָל־ק ְָר ֵ ֖אנוּ אֵלָ ֽיו‬

Maharal
He quotes a gemara that Klal Yisroel was saved ‫מכוח התפילה‬, the power of tefillah, because we vanquish
Amalek through tefillah. Chazal explain on the pasuk, “hakol kol Yaakov vehayadayim yedei Esav,” that
the tefillah is strong so yedei esav won’t have the strength and the kol of yaakov will be predominant. If
we don’t have tefillah, then Esav will be stronger. They would put their trust in Hashem when Moshe
would put his hands to Hashem. He was lifting up his hands to Hashem through tefillah. When Moshe
lowered his hands, Bnei Yisrael started losing to Amalek.

Introduction to Or Chadash
There was no geula that happened to klal yisroel that they cried out to Hashem and He answered their
tefillah like this. This is the ultimate example of how geula can come through a tefillah like this because
there is no other geula that was so clearly attained through tefillah like this one. On fast days, there is a
koach hatefillah and such an important part of the megillah is the fast day.

Taanis Esther is a unique fast day because it’s not a sad fast day. It’s all about what we did in order to
accomplish the geula. Fasting is a tefillah. This geula is associated with tefillah and nothing was holding it
back. It was being actualized in its fullest way.

Gemara in Megillah
Why do we repeat the megillah twice?
The gemara quotes a pasuk from Tehillim which clearly refers to tefillah which expresses that although
the megillah isn’t tefillah, it completely embodies it.

Rashi
They would cry out to Hashem day and night - day and night means twice.

Gemara in Chulin
How do we know Haman from the Torah?
Esther we see from ‫ אנכי הסתר אסתיר‬and Mordechai we know from ‫( מר דרור‬pasuk that lists and refers to
spices). We can understand Esther, but what’s with Mordechai and spices?

Gemara in Megillah
Mordechai is described extremely, with a bunch of names.
→ ‫ בן יאיר‬- illuminates Bnei Yisrael with tefillah
→ ‫ בן שמעי‬- listens to his tefillah
→ ‫ בן קיש‬- knocked on ‫ שערי שמים‬and they opened

The gemara is totally connecting Mordechai with tefillah.

Gra
Why did they understand the pasuk in this way? There are 4 senses to a person: sight, sound, smell, and
speech. Three of them are associated with learning Torah:
- Sight = ‫תורה שבכתב‬
- Sound = ‫תורה שבעל פה‬
- Speech = teaching Torah to others
- Smell = Tefillah

Smell is more abstract and is difficult to describe. Mordechai is identified with smell because he is
referred to the spices which produce a smell and that is tefillah. He harnessed all the four faculties and
utilized them in his tefillos.
- Sight = illuminates the eyes of Klal Yisroel: Ben Yair
- Sound = tefillah: Ben Shimi
- Speech = noise or sound for tefillah: Ben Kish
The four faculties for the letters of Hashem.

Gra
Mordechai is outside the gates and he is wearing sackcloth because he heard the decree of Haman. Esther
wants him to come and there is a dispute between Mordechai and Esther.

Esther wants to talk to Mordechai about this so she said to take off your sackcloth and come talk to me,
but he didn’t want to take off his sackcloth for even one moment. The sackcloth corresponds to his tefillah
because all Mordechai wanted to do was daven and he didn’t even have time to do something so mundane
by speaking to Esther.

Megillas Setarim
In life, if we have something that causes a problem, then we address the problem. There is no purpose to
do anything that Mordechai thought. The reasons weren’t going to help at all, but tefillah always helps.
He tore his clothing to demonstrate that he is disassociating from what normal people think caused it
(‫)סיבות‬. If Hashem is the One who decreed it, then you are doing something superficial and it's all details.
If you want to undo a decree, you need to go back to Hashem. She sent him clothing and she said to be
practical. She said she knows that you need to daven, but you also need to put in hishtadlus. Human effort
isn’t significant here, tefillah is what will help. The primary preoccupation needs to be tefillah.
→ through the sackcloth, Mordechai was showing that this situation was not about taking action, the only
thing they can do is tefillah because hakol beyidei shamayim
→ end of pasuk says ‫ ולא קיבל‬- Hashem won’t accept any of the histadlus that you do for the situation to
change

Gra
Esther pointed to Achashveirosh and the malach moved her hand to Haman so that she wouldn’t accuse
the king. Imagination makes an impact upon a person. When you call someone the wrong name, it means
you’re thinking about the other person and there is an association. Machshava impacts a person and it gets
expressed. When a tzaddik talks to a king, it’s really that he knows Hashem is saving him. Esther was
davening to Hashem as she was talking to the king. She is thinking what she is saying to Hashem so she is
saying to save Bnei Yisrael from Achashveirosh, which is a natural thing, just like mixing up people. She
thought of Achashveirosh because she was preoccupied with being in her tefillah with Hashem.

Mar 9, 2023
Gra
The main kavanos is tears (a very intense kavana) because it is so sincere. After Shemoneh Esrei, there
are tachanunim (extra additions) after the tefilah because there we ask for the extra things.
→ Esther is, in fact, speaking to the king and asking for all these things, but it alludes to the fact that she
is engaged in tefillah - the ‫ מלאך‬had to slap Esther because she was pointing her finger towards
Achashveirosh when it should be pointed at Haman

Esther cried and pleaded to the king about Haman:

- ‫ותוסף אסתר = פסוקי דזמרה‬
- ‫ותדבר = קריאת שמע‬
- ‫נפילת אפיים‬/‫ותפל = תחנון‬
- ‫ותבך =תפילה = שמונה עשרה‬
- because we need extra intent in Shemoneh Esrei and tears express real tefillah
- ‫ = ותתחנן לו‬post Shemoneh Esrei ‫תחנונים‬

Why is the Vilna Gaon saying this? We know that Chazal says that the king not only refers to
Achashveirosh, but also to Hashem. So, yes, according to peshat, she is speaking to Achashveirosh, but
the Vilna Gaon says ‫ המלך‬also alludes to davening to Hashem.
→ recognize that tefillah runs through the megillah

What is taanis Esther?

We are supposed to avoid a eulogy or fasting because that day has great significance.

Rash on Masechet Megillah

The 13th of Adar is a day when one can’t read the megillah because this day in particular is ‫זמן קהילה לכל‬,
a time of gathering for everyone. Everyone gathers on taanis Esther to say special tefillos because that is
the day in which they gather and they need special compassion.

Moshe also engaged in taanis when fighting against Amalek. They went to the top of the mountain and he
was with Aharon and Chur and Moshe davened. This is a precedent for ‫תענית אסתר‬. The mishnah says
Moshe lifted up his hands towards shamayim and that’s how they won the war against Amalek.

Rash Masechet Taanis

How can there be a fast day on the 13th of Adar, the day before Purim (there’s an explicit rule not to have
a fast day before Purim and Chanukah)?
It’s a time when everyone gathers together to protect themselves in regard to the war and they ask for
mercy, they davened. It’s not a regular fast day because you aren’t thinking about all the terrible things
that happened. If Taanis Esther is about tefillah, when they gathered together to ask for mercy, and that is
‫עיקר הנס‬, part of the ‫ נס‬itself, then we have a reenactment of this when we appeal to HKBH. It’s not a
conventional kind of ‫…תענית‬

Rambam
There's a mitzvah from the Torah that at an ‫עת צרה‬, one must daven to Hashem. When a crisis happened to
klal yisroel, they had to cry out to Hashem and blow the trumpets. Anything that causes a crisis or
distress, whether a war, famine, etc., if it is causing a problem, then one must cry out and blow the
trumpets. When a ‫ צרה‬happens, they cry out, and everyone recognizes it’s because of their shortcomings
and when they cry out to Hashem and do teshuvah, Hashem will remove the ‫ צרה‬from them.
→ when you see a ‫ צרה‬happen, recognize that Hashem wants us to learn something from it

What does that Rambam mean when he says its ‫?אכזריות‬

We can break it into ‫אך זר‬, that we aren't connecting to the pain of others and we are disconnecting from
reality that ‫הכל משמים‬.

Mar 14, 2023

Latent Innate Kedushah of Klal Yisroel

Shir Hashirim Perek 2

The relationship between Hashem and klal yisroel - Hashem is standing behind our wall, watching from
the windows, and He appears in the cracks.
→ why the repetitions that He is watching from the windows and pearing from the cracks?

Gra
Hashem is standing behind our wall. I heard that my beloved is standing behind our wall (klal yisroel
doesn’t see Hashem, but they heard that He is present). The only thing separating us and Hashem is the
wall. When standing behind the wall, you can hear what is being said, but you can’t see one another.

How is there a wall? It is based on a pasuk, “Your sins separate between you and your G-d.” HKBH is
ready to redeem us, but this wall, created by our sins, causes a separation, preventing us from seeing
Hashem, and preventing the geula from occurring.

He is not only standing behind the wall, Hashem is also watching from the windows and pearing from the
cracks, and there’s a distinction between the two. Someone looking from a large window can see what is
out in the open, but when looking through a crack, you can see what is being done in private (what
otherwise would be concealed). Hashem sees what is out in the open and what is usually concealed. That
is why we have the double language.

Shemos Perek 2
Hashem heard their cries and remembered the promise with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Hashem saw
Bnei Yisrael and He knew…
→ this second pasuk sounds repetitive and within the pasuk itself - why does it need to say that He saw
them and He knew?

Gra
These pesukim correspond to the idea we brought before: ‫ וידע‬,‫ וירא‬,‫ וישמע‬- corresponds to Hashem
standing, Hashem being mashgiach, and Hashem being meitzitz.
→ the word ‫ וישמע‬is Hashem listening from behind the wall
→ the word ‫ וירא‬is Hashem seeing from the windows, normal sight
→ the word ‫ וידע‬is Hashem peering from the cracks (seeing what otherwise is concealed) - Hashem knows
something that only Hashem can know
Hashem saw, ‫וירא אלוקים‬, that which Bnei Yisrael was doing which was good, and He also saw the
openings into their hearts (‫ )פתחי לבם‬that they were good.

Gra on Mishlei
He references the pasuk from Shir Hashirim (repeats the same idea).

Beis Halevi
What is ‫ וידע אלקים‬adding? The Yalkut Shimoni explains how the celestial officer of Mitzrayim was
prosecuting Bnei Yisrael and saying that they were ‫עובדי ע”ז‬. Klal Yisroel served avodah zara because they
were subservient to the Mitzrim.

Do you judge something which is done accidentally (‫ )באונס‬like it is done intentionally?

→ Example: a person is mechalel shabbos in order to save someone's life. If Hashem would ask why this
person was mechalal shabbos, they were forced to be! But what if this person wasn't going to keep
shabbos anyway? The baseline and starting point is different! Only if the person was careful about
shabbos in the first place!
If the coercion was absent and the person had a choice, the one is absent!

What does our pasuk mean? Hashem saw that they were doing ‫ שיעבוד‬and He knew what they would be
doing if not for the ‫שיעבוד‬. Hashem saw their actions, and then He knew what they would have done if
they didn’t have that coercion from Mitzrayim.
→ In that state of being ‫אנוס‬, they were punished, but the question is what would have they done if they
had the choice - only Hashem can answer that…
Hashem knew what they would have done absent of the ‫ שעיבוד‬of Mitzrayim. They didn’t do it
willingly/intentionally because they would not have done this if there was no coercion. Inside of our
hearts, we really are good and sometimes we deviate from the correct path because of the fact that we’ve
been oppressed, and we had no choice. Otherwise, we would have served you, Hashem. He quotes the
gemara in Brachos, that we really we want to do Hashem’s will (‫)לעשות רצונך‬, but the yetzer hara causes
us to sin.

Beis Halevi
How could Hashem harden Pharaoh's heart and then punish him? Pharaoh, in his essence, didn’t want to
send Bnei Yisrael away. It was the difficulties which ensued for the Egyptians (makkos and the suffering)
that caused him to act against his will. If Pharaoh was given free will, Pharaoh would not have chosen to
send them away. Now that the makos are introduced, Pharaoh still doesn't really want to send them away.
The hardening of Pharaoh's heart is re-establishing the bechira. It seems like it’s taking away his bechira,
but really it's giving it to him. It’s forcing him to choose what he wants to do. What is done through
coercion doesn't have significance. Hashem hardened his heart so that he's left with his real ratzon, his
original ratzon, not wanting to send them away. Hashem doesn't want Pharaoh to be coerced into doing
something, he wants him to have choice. He strengthened him in order for him to have a choice.

Mar 16, 2023

The fact that teshuvah helps with ‫יסורין‬, those ‫ יסורין‬awake a person from foolishness and the person will
reason what they did wrong and they sincerely regret it. Even if they now would remove the ‫יסורין‬, the
person won’t go back to his foolishness. Because of external factors or that the yetzer hara is corrupting
Bnei Yisrael, if klal yisroel strays and then does teshuvah, after the ‫ יסורין‬take place, it aligns with their
inner will.

The Gemara in Menachos explain that at the time of the churban, you do evil and you will be rejoiceful?!
Avraham said maybe now there’s nothing to do in order to correct klal yisrael. Even if they do teshuvah as
a consequence of their suffering, maybe it won’t really be sincere teshuvah because we can see that they
are rejoicing over the sins that they did. Wouldn’t their rejoicing show that they aren’t sincere in their
teshuvah?
→ how can they be rejoicing when suffering is going on?

A ‫ בת קול‬then says that it can still be because just as an olive produces oil from pressure, so too Bnei
Yisrael produce teshuvah through ‫יסורין‬. What’s the connection? The oil is there the entire time, it just
wasn’t discernable on the outside. Likewise with Bnei Yisrael, the teshuvah is there, it’s just not
discernable.

Beis Halevi
The medrash says Klal yisroel are referred to as a rose in the valleys. They say, “I was in Mitzrayim, then
Hashem brought me to ‫רעמסס‬. Once there, I was filled with the moisture of mitzvos.” What does this
mean?

If something happens to an individual repeatedly, that repetition becomes ‫טבע‬, it becomes the nature of the
person. However, even if klal yisroel do aveiros repeatedly, there will be an abrupt change because even
those actions do not become the normal functioning of a Jew or of klal yisroel. The ‫ רשע‬will not stumble
in his wickedness when he does teshuvah. The teshuvah can be abrupt suddenly.

When one is immersed in sins, they are always really pure (‫)חביב‬. Hashem gives us the opportunities
through which we can grow and then suddenly it blossoms.

This is what happened in Mitzrayim: Bnei Yisrael sinned, but it did not become a part of them. He quotes
a pasuk from Yechezkel, “Sinners doing teshuvah will not be withheld.” How can that be? Because all of
the sins were never internalized so it only takes a day. For Bnei Yisrael, our essence is pure and our ‫עבירות‬
are never internalized. When we say we are ‫חביבין‬, it doesn’t stop when we sin because deep down we are
pure.
Back to the ‫מדרש‬, in the shade a rose can’t blossom, so in Mitzrayim, we are deprived, but once we go to
‫רעמסס‬, we were given mitzvos, aka the sustenance that we need to thrive. All of this happened in a short
period of time because it never became part of our nature.

Nefesh Hachaim
In regard to ‫חטא עץ הדעת‬, we see that Adam and Chava have an external yetzer hara (and not internal).
Ramban says that when they were created, they were like malachim and they naturally served Hashem.
The yetzer hara changed in that post-‫ חטא‬there was no more external yetzer hara. It’s as if to say that if
you want it so badly, you have to internalize it.
→ now we don’t know which is good and which is yetzer hara - we are confused
The essence is that Bnei Yisrael were created like malachim so that is our purity and now, with all the
confusion, we may sin, but that does not change our essence.

Mar 21, 2023

Meshech Chochmah
In regard to klal yisroel, a person’s thought is joined together with the action. But, if you have a bad
thought then it is not joined with the action. A ‫ מחשבה טובה‬is more meaningful than a ‫מחשבה רעה‬. HKBH is
not going to create a situation of unfairness with a clear bias which is why Chazal say that Hashem
provided neviim for the other nations of the world so that they don’t say if you would have given us
prophets, we would have been able to serve HKBH. Therefore, Hashem provided them with prophets.
When Yitzchak was ‫ מוסר נפש‬to be ‫( מקדש שם ה׳‬in akeidas yitzchak), from that point on, it became part of
the nature of the Jewish nation that it’s what Hashem wants us to do. The Jews in subsequent generations
had this tendency to be moser nefesh for a kiddush Hashem. This has been happening in the past 2
millennia. This all came from Yitzchak that it’s in the nature of a Jew.

The Rambam in Hilchos Geirushin discusses the halacha that if a husband gives a ‫ גט‬to his wife, it has to
be given willingly and he cannot be coerced into doing it. If one is coerced by the beis din to give a ‫גט‬,
then it is considered effective. This is because the person truly desires to do ratzon Hashem. Even if the
person says he doesn’t want to give the ‫גט‬, we assume that that is in line with his true ratzon even if it
seems like he is doing it because he has no choice. If a Jew wants to do a mitzvah and then something
happens where he couldn’t end up doing so, Hashem gives the person credit because he had ‫מחשבה טובה‬.
This good intention is a reflection of the person’s true will. They truly wanted to do this even if he
couldn’t end up doing so.

We have this in our ‫ירושה‬, in our spiritual DNA, from Yitzchak because just as he would give up his life
for Hashem, so too with our ‫ מסירות נפש‬that we would do for Hashem. As a consequence, we will be
rewarded for our thoughts because that reflects our true selves. However, a bad thought is not considered
significant. This is why the pasuk says that Hashem will see in the future. Only Hashem can discern this
which is why after the ‫עקידה‬, the pasuk says, “‫ה׳ יראה‬.” Now that Yitzchak has this desire for avodas
Hashem, in the future, Hashem will see these inner ‫מחשבות‬. Hashem will see their thoughts and what
motivates them because HKBH discerns everything that a person does.
When people were first created, there was a natural inclination to always do good. The yetzer hara, the
‫ נחש‬somehow was able to inject ‫זוהמה‬, a spiritual corruption. As a consequence, when the ‫ זוהמה‬was
injected into Chava, good and bad mixed up with each other. Then, a purification process takes place.
Avraham had two sons, Yitzchak and Yishmael. The two sons allow him to separate out the good and bad.
Avraham had this purification process where Yishmael took the bad and Yitzchak had the good. Yitzchak
had the same, also two sons, Yaakov and Esav. Esav took out the bad during the purification process.
Then, Yaakov had 12 sons and there was no more ‫זוהמה‬, there was no ‫ ערבוביה‬of the good and bad.
Ultimately, when klal yisroel is rounded, the bad is extracted. The essence of a Jewish neshama is leaned
towards doing good.

Devarim Perek 30
You will listen to Hashem’s voice to follow all the mitzvos when you return to Hashem with all of your
heart.

Meshech Chochmah
What does it mean we will listen to Hashem’s voice? What will be the determining factor or the root
cause? The underlying cause of teshuvah or we listen to Hashem’s voice when we return to Hashem with
all our hearts and souls. When a person distances oneself from passions that distract one from Torah, in
order to do teshuvah, one needs to distance influences that disrupt a person’s natural state which don’t
allow you to be yourself. If these influences cause you to deviate, and you distance yourself from them,
you will revert back to your usual state of serving HKBH.

Chazal say that there’s a voice which comes from Har Sinai and this voice is not external, it is G-dly,
calling out to follow the Torah that you accepted at Har Sinai. This ‫ קול‬is part of our natural essence.
When you return back to yourself, that’s when you will serve Hashem with all your heart and soul
because that’s who you truly are. The mitzvah to keep the Torah is not distant from you or detached from
you, rather it is very close to you because it really is inside of you. You don’t have to look for it, you just
look internally for it because it’s who you are.

Physical and Spiritual Freedom

Hallel at the seder is very different from every other time we say it: it is broken into two parts, there is no
bracha, and it is said sitting down. Why is this hallel so different?

Gra
The first part of hallel relates to the geula of Mitzrayim and the second part of hallel relates to us and the
geula in the future.

Levush Orach Chaim

*says the same as the Gra*

We constantly talk about the story of Mitzrayim and that culminates with hallel which logically discusses
‫סיפור יציאת מצרים‬. The Rav said that in our seder, we broaden our horizons with hallel hagadol. When we
say ‫כי לעולם חסדו‬, it isn’t only in the context of ‫יציאת מצרים‬. Before the fourth cup, we say nishmas which
doesn’t connect to ‫יציאת מצרים‬. We say it though because ‫ סיפור יציאת מצרים‬is a catalyst, but we thank
Hashem for all of life, not just ‫יציאת מצרים‬. When we bench and get to ‫נרצה‬, we have a broader thanks,
‫הודאה‬, to HKBH.

Gemara in Pesachim
There’s a debate between ‫ בית שמעי‬and ‫בית הלל‬: the first two paragraphs of hallel (‫ קיד‬,‫ )תהילים קיג‬and we
only say the first two paragraphs first and the rest after ‫ברכת המזון‬, that’s ‫’בית הלל‬s opinion. But, ‫בית שמעי‬
believes to say the first paragraph of hallel and then after bentching, say the rest of hallel starting from the
second paragraph.
→ What are they arguing about?

We follow ‫’בית הלל‬s point of view…

Talmud Yerushalmi
‫ בית שמעי‬was saying, how can you say ‫ בצאת ישראל‬when at that point Bnei Yisrael hadn't left yet? They
ended up leaving the next morning. ‫ בית הלל‬says once you start a mitzvah, you complete it. If you start
talking about ‫ יציאת מצרים‬you should finish it.
→ they both agree that the first paragraph should be said before, but the point of debate is about the
second one - is it because it hasn’t yet happened or is it that once we say the first, we say the second?

The two paragraphs of hallel relate to different elements of geula. The first one refers to the fact that we
experienced a spiritual geula and the second one discusses physical work and geula. Klal Yisrael left
Mitzrayim in the daytime. However, we already started saying the first paragraph which is about the
spiritual geula, ‫גאולת הנפש‬. They are in Mitzrayim and the ‫ גאולת הנפש‬has already taken place. It takes
place in the first half of the night. Korban Pesach has already taken place. That's why regardless you
should say the first paragraph (beis Shammai) and geulas haguf has not yet taken place. Beis hillel says
that once you start one, you may as well continue it to geulas haguf.

Gemara in Pesachim
There’s a principle relating to the haggadah that we have to be ‫מתחיל בגנות ומסיים בשבח‬, start with the
negative and conclude with praise. How do we do that? Rav and Shmuel have a machlokes: One says to
start with the paragraph of avadim hayinu and the other one says to start with metechila ovdei…

Rif
We do like both of them and introduce both paragraphs in the haggadah - why?
They are both important because they each reer to a different aspect - one paragraph talks about how
Hashem took us out of Mitzrayim, the physical geula, and the other one focuses on the ruchnius, the ‫גאולת‬
‫הנפש‬.

Gra
First we talk about ‫ גאולת הנפש‬and then we talk about ‫גלות הגוף‬.

Shemos 12
Take for yourselves (‫)משכו‬...and then it says ‫ קחו‬- why do we need both?
Rashi
One has to withdraw from the avodah zara in order to then partake in mitzvos. They didn't have mitzvos
in order to be redeemed so Hashem gave them the mitzvos of dam pesach and dam milah. It was these
two mitzvos that allowed them to be redeemed.
→ the first half of the night, klal yisroel is involved in mitzvos

Maharal
Each of these blood represents something different. The bris milah is a sign or a seal which indicates that
there’s something transformed in the person’s body which indicates that they are now an ‫ עבד‬of HKBH.
You need both the person identified as an ‫ עבד‬and the ‫ עבד‬in practice. The ‫ דם פסח‬is the practice of
following Hashem, engagement in ‫עבודת ה׳‬. Being an ‫ עבד ה׳‬needs both a discernable identity and in
practice. ‫ הללו עבדי ה׳‬- as an avodah, as in Bnei Yisrael were ‫ עבדים‬already during the first half of the night,
it was discernible.

Yerushalmi
When Pharaoh let Bnei Yisrael out, he was yelling “‫קומו צאו‬.” At that moment, we can totally say that ‫הללו‬
‫ עבדי ה׳‬was being sung because Bnei Yisrael were no longer ‫עבדי פרעה‬.

Midrash in Tehillim
Moshe and Aharon said to Pharaoh that he must admit that Bnei Yisrael are free and can be servants of
Hashem, so he began yelling. Immediately after, Bnei Yisrael began singing ‫הללו עבדי ה׳‬.

Mar 28, 2023

Maaseh Nissim Al Ha’haggadah
In every generation: It doesn’t mean that one needs to see themselves as being taken out of Mitzrayim
because if yetzias mitzrayim didn’t take place, I would still be in it. Yetzias Mitzrayim is unique. It
doesn’t say that we have to see it as if it happened to me. It’s not applied everywhere. We find in other
places that if a ‫ נס‬happened to our ancestors, we thank Hashem for that. We say “who redeemed us and
redeemed our ancestors” (instead of redeemed our ancestors and redeemed us). Because of the fact that it
simply mentions our own geula, there’s an emphasis on us and even before our forefathers.

If talking about the bitterness of the servitude, it wouldn’t even make sense to mention ourselves at all
because we didn’t experience the ‫שעבוד‬. The main part of geula is that we become ‫ עבדי ה׳‬and we were
acquired by HKBH as His servants. In this way, we and the people in Mitzrayim are on equal levels
because we both became ‫עבדי ה׳‬. It mentions us first because geula has to do with the spiritual geula.
There's a spiritual connotation.
→ Hashem acquired us = spiritual geula
In regard to the simcha of leaving Mitrzayim, we and the generation that actually left are the same.

Or Hachaim
“Kel motzi am mimitzrayim,” Hashem takes us out from Mitzrayim - what does it mean ‫מוציא עם‬, it
should be ‫ ?הוציא עם‬Every year, Hashem reenacts yetzias mitzrayim and takes us out again each year.

Shemos Perek 3
When Moshe was speaking to Pharoah, he kept asking for them to be able to leave Mitzrayim and go out
to serve Hashem. It sounds like they are coming back. Hashem tells Moshe to go to Pharaoh and say to
send them out and they will work - “Shelach es ami veyaavduni.”
The pesukim make it seem like Moshe is asking Pharoah for Bnei Yisrael to leave so that they can serve
Hashem and then come back - how does that make sense?

Drashos HaRan
There are two different types of geulas and klal yisroel was asking for geulas hanefesh, not geulas haguf.
It is possible for there to be geulas hanefesh without there being geulas haguf. Their request is
meaningless, it has no significance. They were asking for geulas hanefesh and Pharaoh knew that, so he
kept saying he wouldn’t give that. He knew that if he would give into this request they wouldn’t be
Pharoah’s avadim and they would then be ovdei Hashem.

Mar 30, 2023

It’s possible that we can argue that Bnei Yisrael were asking for ‫ גאולת הנפש‬and not ‫גאולת הגוף‬. They were
going to actually serve Hashem and then return to Mitzrayim - becoming ‫ עבדי ה׳‬first because ‫גאולת הנפש‬
comes first. Pharoah understands that Bnei Yisrael were asking for ‫ גאולת הנפש‬to become ‫ עבדים לה׳‬and he
knew they would no longer be his ‫עבדים‬.

Haggadah Mibeis Levi

We say at the end of the bracha before the second cup, “‫על גאולתנו ועל פדות נפשנו‬.” What’s the difference
between ‫ גאולה‬and ‫?פדיון‬

Geula is taking something and moving from one domain to another. For example, a field is returned
during ‫ יובל‬to the original owner. A pidyon is redeeming something with kedusha. It is something that
takes place (transformative) with an object/essence that has changed. For example, ‫ הקדש‬into ‫חולין‬. This
comes up with maaser sheini.

‫ עבדות‬has two elements: their essence is an ‫( עבד‬identity) and their reality is hard work (action). In
Mitzrayim, we no longer had to work for Pharaoh and our identity changed to be free. This is why we say,
“‫אמת ממצרים גאולתנו ומבית עבדים פדיתנו‬.” Bnei Yisrael used to work for Pharoah, but now, they no longer do,
and our essence has changed to ‫בני חורין‬, they are servants of Hashem now.

Now we can understand why we say, “‫ ”הוציאנו מעבדות לחירות ומשעבוד לגאולה‬in the haggadah, it’s not just
for emphasis. ‫ פדות נפשנו‬also makes sense because our essence changes and that could not make sense
with ‫גאולתנו נפשנו‬. It even explains part of benching where we say, “‫שהוציאנו ה׳ אלוקינו מארץ מצרים ופדיתנו‬
‫ ”מבית עבדים‬because that is the geula which again shows the physical geula and the spiritual geula.

Siach Yitzchak
The avodah is spiritual work, but the suffering sounds like physical slavery (as in spiritual suffering that
we will be saved from).

Gevuros Hashem
He explains the midrash that Bnei Yisrael were taken out of a furnace just as a gold worker reaches in to
take out the gold. The second mashal is that just as when an animal gives birth someone has to reach in to
grab the child, so too Bnei Yisrael were removed from Mitzrayim.

Why does the midrash have two mashalim? The first is because Mitzrayim was physically forcing them to
stay and the second is because Bnei Yisrael became part of Mitzrayim while they were there.
→ first mashal: location - gold is hard to get out of a furnace because of the fire and only with a miracle
can you get it out
→ second mashal: essence - child inside mother doesn’t have a separate entity, they are attached
This is why we have two mashalim…

Gevuros Hashem
We have been back and forth between freedom and slavery so many times. Why do we make such a fuss
for ‫שעבוד מצרים‬/‫ ?גאולת מצרים‬Their essence was, ‫טוב‬, it was intrinsic, and once they are ‫טוב‬, nothing
external can change that. Something that is transient can’t affect or change something that is part of an
essence. Them being slaves after is okay because their essence has changed and the external slavery can’t
affect them.

Kinos of Tisha B’av

‫שׁב ֶ ָֽרי ָה‬
ְ ‫שׂ ְחקָם עַל‬ ָ ‫ ְבּ‬.ָ‫שׂנְאֶ ֽיה‬ַ ‫שׂ ְמחַת ְמ‬
ִ ‫ ֲעלֵי‬.
‫ְהוֹרי ָה‬
ֽ ֶ ‫ נְדִ יבֶ ֽי ָה ט‬,‫חוֹרין‬-‫ֵי‬
ִ ‫ ְועַל עִנּוּי ְבנ‬:

How are they ‫ בני חורין‬if there is huge suffering and persecution? ^

Apr 18, 2023

Chessed and Ahavas Yisroel: Prerequisites for the Geula
The night of Pesach and the night of Tisha B’Av always fall on the same night of the week. We eat the
‫ ביצה‬at the seder because it is supposed to represent the korban chagiga - why specifically a ‫ ?ביצה‬Because
it's for ‫ חורבן‬BHMK and that Tisha B'av will be the same night. We see a connection between Pesach and
Tisha B'av even though they seem like polar opposites (‫בני חורין‬/‫ חורבן‬,‫גאולה‬/‫גלות‬, etc.). ‫ גלות‬is a
prerequisite for the geula so already during galus, we can see glimpses of geula.

It would seem that these are polar opposites so how can there be a correlation between the two of them?
There is a transition that takes place on Tisha B’Av that after chatzos, the aveilus is not as intense. Pesach
has the potential to lead towards geula. In Megillas Eicha, it says Tisha B’Av is considered to be a ‫מועד‬, a
yuntif. We don’t say tachnun on that day because of this. The galus is a prerequisite for the geula and the
geula is discernible in galus. There is a cause of Tisha B’av, sinas chinam, which also comes up on Pesach
(mechiras Yosef).

Kol Eliyahu on the Gra

Shemos Perek 12
Bnei Yisrael requested/borrowed the silver, gold, and clothing from Mitzrayim and gave them all their
property.
Rashi
Like they said in regard to Mitzrayim, “‫וישאלו איש מאת רעהו‬.” Moshe told Bnei Yisrael to ask their
neighbors for the goods - where? In this pasuk in Shemos…

Gra
One should be precise and understand what is being said. Rashi usually doesn’t tell you or reference the
pasuk because if you read it, you would know so Rashi isn’t adding anything. Why does Rashi have to
reference an earlier perek? Rashi has to be trying to tell us something specific.

When the Torah talks about when one person's ox gores the other person's ox, “shur reihu,” Reihu there
refers to a fellow Jew.
But, in Shemos, it uses the word reihu… isn’t that referring to the Mitzrim? But the gemara established
that reihu is only used when referring to Jews, not the Mitzrim.
→ Compelled to say they couldn’t take property from the egyptians unless they completed the
prerequisite

We are compelled to say that they couldn’t take property from the Mitzrim because before doing so, they
have to be able to share and do chessed with one another. Then, as a consequence, the world will be built
up to chessed, ‫עולם חסד יבנה‬. Once klal yisroel can take property from one another, “‫וישאלו איש מאת רעהו‬,”
then they can take from the Egyptians. ‫ רעהו‬refers to Jews giving to other Jews and it’s not simple to ask
someone else through ‫לשון בקשה‬.

Rashi was saying that they fulfilled that “‫ ”וישאלו איש מאת רעהו‬and shared their property with one another
and then the pasuk continues that as a consequence of that, they were able to take the property from the
Egyptians. Then, it says Hashem allowed us to find favor in the eyes of the Mitzrim, and because of that,
they allowed us to take from them.

Chofets Chaim al HaTorah

When Bnei Yisrael were in Mitzrayim, they sat together and were all united and made a decision that they
would all share and do chessed with one another. They also decided that they would only speak ‫לשון הקודש‬
and not Egyptian. When the enslavement was getting worse and worse, they decided they would maintain
their identity. The two causes of the geula were their chessed and ‫עוז‬. This is why klal yisroel earned the
geula.

Apr 20, 2023

Siftei Kohen
The midrash says, “What did Hashem see?” He saw them having compassion for one another. When one
would complete the requirement of the bricks before his friend, he would then assist his friend and when
Hashem saw this compassion they had for one another, it was ‫ מידה כנגד מידה‬and he then had compassion
on them.

Rav Soloveitchik
The gemara says that ‫ לחם עוני‬requires us to break the matzah because just like a poor person has a broken
piece of bread, we emulate that by having broken matzah at the seder and this is the reason for ‫יחץ‬. In
Mitzrayim, klal yisroel would always share his bread so they never had a full piece of bread. This is
symbolized by our matzah.

Gra
There’s a minhag of ‫ מאות חטים‬based on a Yerushalmi to provide for the needs of the poor people before
Pesach. This particularly is a minhag because the needs of Pesach are greater and more expensive. The
Rambam in Hilchos Yom Tov says that if a person knows poor people who don’t have the means to
provide for themselves with the needs of yuntif, it is an obligation.

Matzah should be eaten for seven days. Also, the first time it mentions matzahs with no vuv and the
second time it is mentioned with a vuv. Why does it mention the command to eat matzah twice?

The first lashon is a ‫( פועל‬eat matzah) and the second is ‫( נפעל‬matzah should be eaten). The first is missing
a vuv and the second is ‫מלא‬. Pasuk ‫ ו‬commands you should eat matzah and, in addition, pasuk ‫ ז‬adds a
command that matzot should be eaten, but this isn’t a command for you to eat, it’s for the ‫עניים‬.
→ Why is there a ‫ חסר ו‬and then it is ‫ ?מלא‬Because when you give, it should be ‫ מלא‬- make sure they are
full, but for yourself, you don’t need to provide 100%

Haggadah of Pesach
Ha Lachma Anya…

Rabbi Yitzchak Elchadav

Just like when we were subservient to the Egyptians, we were on the same level, we were all equals.

Ksav Sofer
How do these words flow? There’s a pasuk in Parshas Re'eh that you should supply the needs of others
and then it says that you should remember that you were enslaved in Mitzrayim. Usually, a person isn’t
satisfied with what they have. That certainly is a problem that comes up with tzedakah. On Yom Tov, it’s
even more of a problem because the needs are greater and the expenses are greater. However, if everyone
thinks as if they just left Mitzrayim, and they just had the barest necessities in order to survive, then even
a poor person would be able to say that they have enough. If one reflects back with what happened in
Mitzrayim, then they will certainly be satisfied.

There is a mitzvah for the poor people to be together with them, but how do we have the frame of mind
where we are happy to have poor people at our table? Once they remember what was in Mitzrayim, they
will be satisfied and be willing to give to them. If we address the needs of the poor people, we will then
be helping to bring the geula.

Ben Ish Chai

Mah Nishtanah: In a subtle way, Pesach is riddled with themes of ‫אבילות‬. There are two times of ‫ טיבול‬in
the Torah: brothers of Yosef dip the ‫ כתונת פסים‬and by the korban pesach. The first ‫ טיבול‬corresponds to
‫שנאת חינם‬. How can we say that those are related? Rebbeinu Manoach explains that the origin of the word
karpas comes from ‫ כתונת פסים‬to remind us of Yosef going down to Mitzrayim and the beginning of ‫גלות‬.
The second ‫ טיבול‬is being ‫ מתקן‬everything.
→ first dip is in salt water, something bitter (galus), while second dip is in the charoses, something sweet
(tikkun/geula)

Rav Shlomo Kluger

He quotes the gemara which tells us how to carry the korban pesach and then Rav Eilish says, this is
“‫טייעות‬.” - what does this mean? Rashi says that it’s the way the ‫ ישמעאלים‬carry. Now we are carrying the
korban pesach which is the tikkun so let’s remember the galus of ‫ מכירת יוסף‬which was when Yosef was
sold to the ‫ ישמעאלים‬and now we are being ‫ מתקן‬that.

Abarbanel
Another reason for galus Mitzrayim: It started with the sons of Yaakov being shephards and then Yosef
was sold to those who worship sheep and then we shecht the sheep for the ketones pasim and then Yosef
becomes the leader of the sheep worshippers and finally they were ‫ מכפר‬with sheep at korban pesach.
→ the galus came with sheep and geula followed with that same sheep

Meshech Chochmah
The purpose of korban pesach is unifying together.

Baal Hareikatni
The reason we eat korban pesach in a group is to atone for ‫ מכירת יוסף‬where everyone was involved in the
sin. Now, all families being together in a group atones for that.

Mesores Habris
Why do we have ‫ שה לבית אבות‬for the korban pesach?
Avos comes up in two contexts: ‫ איש שה לבית אבות‬and ‫ פוקד עוון אבות על בנים‬- What’s the connection? Why
are we responsible to bring a korban for what our fathers did? The Torah says yes, for as long as we do
the same sins (‫)שנאת חינם‬, we have to especially bring the korban.

Apr 25, 2023

Smichas Chachamim
It quotes medrash - eating the korban pesach was what protected Klal Yisrael in the times of Haman.
What does one have to do with the other? The midrash rabbah says that you sold your brother Yosef in the
context of eating and drinking. As a consequence, your safety will be compromised and “sold”. Here there
will also be food and drink which will put Bnei Yisrael in peril! After they sold Yosef, they sat and ate. In
that context is also how Haman was able to endanger Klal Yisrael.

Why is Klal Yisrael in peril in the time of Haman? It has to do with the seudah of Achashveirosh. When
Yosef was sold, they sat down for a seudah also. Eating the korban pesach is the tikkun for the selling of
Yosef. It's a kapparah for this. That's why the korban is the same animal. That's why the korban pesach
was able to protect us in the times of Haman, because it addresses the sin of Yosef. Klal Yisrael is in
trouble because they will be punished for the mechira of Yosef, but, because they have the mitzvah which
is a tikkun and kapparah for selling yosef, that is why Haman was not successful in destroying Klal
Yisrael.
Mishnah Sachir
Hashem is speaking, “I have seen the suffering of My people in Mitzrayim and now…”

The BHMK was destroyed because of sinnas chinam. There was one critical mitzvah that Bnei Yisrael
fulfilled that was significant to Hashem, the ‫ ברית‬we made to be there for each other. Because of that
achdus, Hashem didn’t need to turn his chessed towards every individual, but instead could turn to the
entire nation and zechus rabim is greater than zechus yachid.

This is why the midrash quotes that if we are zoche, then Hashem will see us as “‫עמי‬.” If we were united,
we would be zoche to another yeshuah like in Mitzrayim. But, when we aren't ‫מתאחד‬, it is in a lashon of
yachid so now that requires much more ‫רחמים‬. When there’s achdus, it’s more effective when you don’t
have to share the wealth so much. In conclusion, the aspects that brought the geula were the achdus
(chessed with each other and ahavas yisroel). This is why right before yetzias mitzrayim, Bnei Yisrael
were all sitting and eating the korban pesach together.

Nissan, Yetzias Mitzrayim, Matan Torah: Briah Chadashah

There were two creations of the world: one in Sefer Bereishis and one by matan Torah/yetzias mitzrayim.

Drashos HaRan
It teaches us here that in the context of this mitzvah, when we do the mitzvos of Hashem, we’ll be saved
from dangers. Through this mitzvah, it offered them protection in Mitzrayim. A person who keeps a
mitzvah is protected from the normal laws of nature (ex. ‫ )שליח מצוה‬and nature doesn’t have the same
control or influence over a person. Hashem rules over people and a ‫ צדיק‬rules over Me, Hashem Himself.
Hashem can make a ‫ גזירה‬and a tzaddik’s actions can be ‫ מבטל‬what Hashem determined. That person has a
very high degree of influence over nature.

There are three beginnings to the Torah. One is this mitzvah of ‫ החודש הזה לכם‬which tells us that the ‫מציאות‬
changes (including also the mitzvah of ‫)קרבן פסח‬. The second beginning is in ‫ מרה‬when they were crying
out to Hashem because they didn’t have water and Hashem took a piece of wood which had a bitter taste
and the water became sweet where, once again, Hashem changed nature. The third beginning is by ‫מעמד‬
‫ הר סיני‬where everything was ‫למעלה מן הטבע‬. Bnei Yisrael saw and experienced how the Torah and mitzvos
transcend the natural world.

Apr 27, 2023

Siach Yitzchak
From the time Bnei Yisrael left Mitzrayim, they entered into the domain of the shechinah. This started
during chatzos on the 15th of Nissan. This is the first month for klal yisroel that even though the world
was created in Tishrei and it is therefore the beginning of the year, that’s according to the natural order of
the world. Nissan, however, was the beginning of a new world order, reorganizing creation through a
distinct hashgacha of Hashem which is influenced by Torah and mitzvos. This is why the Mishna in Rosh
Hashana says that when you're counting a king’s rule, for a non jewish king you do it according to Tishrei,
but for a Jewish king, it is counted according to Nissan because we have a different calendar order. That is
the significance of hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim. Rosh Chodashim is also about the elevated
status of Bnei Yisrael with their new order. On the 15th, that's when the moon is 100% full. When
Hashem first created the world it was in Tishrei, but Nissan is above the laws of nature, the rosh chodesh
of geula.

Yad Mitzrayim
Yetziat Mitzrayim was an actual new creation of the world. The way the new world works is based on us.
If we do mitzvos, then we will be treated with ‫ ניסים‬and ‫נפלאות‬. Why did this happen in Mitzrayim?
Mitzrayim was the most powerful so Hashem chose to destroy them to show that Hashem is being ‫למעלה‬
‫מן הטבע‬.

“‫ ”ברוך המקום ברוך הוא‬- Why is this repeated twice? Because of creation, man has a cosmic impact. At first
creation, Hashem didn’t introduce Torah and mitzvos, but now we have a new creation with Torah and
mitzvos. Before the haggadah tells us how Hashem took us out, it initially introduces the new
order/creation. Before the Torah was introduced, the world was almost working on cruise control, teva.
But, even if the world is working naturally, it's still working according to hashgachas Hashem. Baruch
Hamakom refers to Hashem running the world according to Teva. Makom connotes Hashem making
makom for the world, He is mitzamtzaim Himself and leaves a place for us to exist. The heavens are for
Hashem and the aretz is for man. The kavod of Hashem doesn't fill up the world, He almost exits. Baruch
Hu - it looks like the world is working according to teva, like on autopilot, but ultimately it is Hashem
that is determining everything. Baruch Shenatan Torah - all the more so, when Hashem gave us the Torah,
everyone could acknowledge Him. This is keneged arba banim because this is about a new world order,
everyone has to understand this. Was the world created in Nissan or tishrei? It is a machlokes. There's a
view on the rishonim that both are correct (according to Reb Elezar Ben Kalir). ‫ ברוך המקום ברוך הוא‬is in
this spot to convey this central theme before going so deep into maggid.

“ּ‫ ”תם מה הוא אומר‬- When was the world created? The world was created in both Nissan and Tishrei. How?
The machshava of the brias haolam was in Tishrei, but it was materialized in Nissan. Another way of
explaining this is that Tishrei is the beginning of the natural world and Nissan is the beginning of the
supernatural world. What is the hava mina of celebrating pesach from rosh chodesh nissan? Rosh chodesh
is when the shift in the world's functioning took place.

Shemos Rabba
The first mitzvah given to Klal Yisrael is rosh chodesh. It is really 2 mitzvos. The malachei hashereis
asked when the holidays would be. Hashem said whenever Klal Yisrael decides. In the past, time was in
Hashem’s control, when He decided when the months would be, but now it's in Klal Yisrael’s control (like
when rosh chodesh is). If we decided to add a month to make everything lined up, that's up to Klal
Yisrael.

Pirkei D’rabbi Eliezer

Hashem defers to Klal Yisrael and says whatever you decide with the calendar will be, even if there's a
mistake. That's the power of the maysah adam! What a person does impacts the world greatly!

May 2, 2023
Tehillim 114
Betzeis yisrael mimitzrayim…yisrael mamshelosav - what does that mean?

Gra
Bnei Yisrael ruled because we were ruled over. We are servants of HKBH and as a consequence, we have
power. When we left mitzrayim, we ruled over the entire world. “The sea saw and ran away” - klal yisroel
is approaching the sea and the sea sees klal yisroel and it runs away because of their power.

Chayei Adam
Quotes the same pasuk, “‫ ”הים ראה וינס‬and explains it in the same way…

Nefesh Hachaim
“The horses and chariots of Pharoah, I have compared to you, My beloved.”
Just like the horses and chariots of Pharoah, it was the opposite of the world functioning that the
horsemen is the one which controls the horse, but on the other hand, the opposite happened in regard to
Pharoah and his army. The horses caused those riding them to fall off and the horses therefore took over.
That is what this means that there’s a reversal of the normal way of who is controlling and being
controlled. Klal Yisroel is like what happened in regard to Pharoah. Hashem is the one who ‘rides on the
heavens’ and klal yisroel is given the opportunity of doing the opposite of that where they can control
Hashem. This is determined based on your actions and Hashem will follow our lead and will be promoted
to act based on what they do. That is what the pasuk means that Hashem is ‫רוכב שמים‬, but He needs your
help, ‫בעזרך‬.

Shemos Rabba
Now that we know yetziat mitzrayim and matan torah is a new creation, we would assume there will be
an overlap in details. Just as there are 7 days of ‫בריאה‬, there are 7 days of geula.

Alshich
On the 7th day of Pesach, Hashem wants to instill in them that HKBH created the world. Shabbos
corresponds to ‫שביעי של פסח‬. The first and 7th day are the most critical. Until the 7th day, there was a
lacking in the world and that’s why it says, “‫ ”שבת וינפש‬to show that the ‫ נפש‬finally came into the world.
The same is true for Pesach that the 1st and 7th days are most important. The first day was the origin of
geula and the last day was ‫ קריעת ים סוף‬where emunah was brought into this world (like the 7th day,
Shabbos, where the ‫ נפש‬was brought in).

Maharal Gevuros Hashem

Pesach corresponds to the creation of the world and Shabbos completes all creation and Pesach completes
the ‫ סדר‬of the world.

Psiktah Zutratah
Another common denominator is #10: The world was created with 10 ‫מאמרות‬, the 10 ‫ מכות‬and ‫עשרת‬
‫הדברות‬. They both show that HKBH is the ‫בורא עולם‬.

Tzaror Hamor
Pharaoh was a kofer in regard to creation and this is the real reason for the makkos. That is why altogether
they targeted all parts of creation. Hashem wanted to bring the world back to ‫תהו ובהו‬, but He didn’t, so
instead He made Pharoah see the truth about creation.

Yad Mitzrayim
It explicitly says that we find 10 ‫ מאמרות‬in the 10 ‫ מכות‬for creation. Yetzias Mitzrayim was a briah
chadasha, a renewal of the entire creation. Klal Yisrael is introduced, the Torah is introduced, and the
world will be operating in a whole new way.

Yad Mitzrayim
When they came down to Mitzrayim and when they left, it was in order to lay the foundation of the Torah
through the miracles. It was so that Hashem could take us out to show that we are above the laws of
nature and, as a consequence, we are given Eretz Yisrael which also does not work according to teva.

May 4, 2023
Biur HaGra on the Haggadah
“Baruch Hamakom Baruch Hu, Baruch Shenasan Torah L’amo Yisrael” - The world is created twice:
initially when the world was first created, and after at matan Torah it was a new creation that was
introduced specifically for klal yisroel.

Haemek Davar
What is the name of Sefer Shemos?
The Rambam calls it sefer geulah. Rabbeinu behag calls it sefer sheini. But, on the surface, it sounds like
he couldn't come up with a name… He is actually telling us something extremely important. First is sefer
bereishis, and this is bereshis part 2! It is the second part of that sefer! Now, the creation is being
completed! Berieshis had creation part 1, and this is creation part 2. Bereishis means that the world was
created for reishis, which is Klal Yisrael. The whole purpose of creation is for the sake of Klal Yisrael.
The world is not fully created until we get to sefer Shemos. Because the purpose of creation was for
Hashem glory, and we didn't do that until yetzias mitzrayim and matan torah. These both are the
completion of the briah. This is why Hashem made the condition that the whole creation is dependent on
kabbalas hatorah. Yetzias Mitzrayim is the prep step in order for Klal Yisrael to be able to receive the
Torah at har sinai. It's called har sinai because it is part 2 of bereishis, because it is the finishing part of
creation.

Shelah
Shavuos is the yom hadin in regard to peiros. Just like on RH …. The world was created in Tishrei and we
assume that we should examine our actions and see if the world is running like it is supposed to. On
shavuos, which is matan torah, where the world is renewed, it's also a yom hadin for HKBH. The
neshamos of people are judged on shavuos, there is a judgement whether we have fulfilled our
responsibilities in terms of torah and mitzvos and whether our neshamas are where they're supposed to be.

Chassid Yaavetz on Pirkei Avos

The Torah is the kli chemda, the precious vessel, to which the world was created. It’s a mashal of
someone who has many children, but he has one child he wants to give most of his property to. He gives
him the tools to which he can acquire these things. Hashem did this with the Torah. The Torah is able to
create things in the world; it is a means through which you can control and influence the world. The
materialistic world is given shape and form by the Torah. It is the ‫ כלי‬through which we are able to mold
and influence the world.

If you go with the laws which govern the world, that is Torah, and if you guard the world according to
how Torah operates, if you acquire the Torah and embrace it, since it governs the world, then basically the
world is yours and it is given to you. That is why the Torah was created first because the world is
governed by the observance of Torah. If you keep Torah, then the ‫ גשם‬and the world at large becomes
yours (you acquired it).

May 9, 2023
Shemos Rabba
When Hashem gave the Torah, the birds didn’t make noise or fly, the oxes didn’t make noise, creations
didn’t move, and even in shamayim, the malachim were not flying. The serafim were not saying “kadosh
kadosh.” Then, Hashem’s voice came out and HKBH silenced everything. The world was ‫ תהו ובהו‬like
there was no creation in the world at all.
→ Matan torah was a briah chadasha, the world starting all over again. That is why it was like there were
no creations in the world when it was happening. Then it happened, and the world started again.

A person is the center of creation and the Torah and mitzvos one learns/does has an effect on the way of
the world. When you look at creation, the framework of Torah is also different.

Earning Geula

.‫ ו ְתִ קְ ו ָתָ ם ְבּכָל דּוֹר ו ָדוֹר‬,‫ תְּ שׁוּעָ תָ ם הָ ִי ֽיתָ לָנֶ ֽצַח‬.‫ בּ ְִראוֹתָ ם ַי ֽחַ ד תְּ ֵ ֽכלֶת מָ ְרדְּ כָי‬,‫שׁוֹשַׁ נַּת י ַעֲ ק ֹב צָהֲ לָה ו ְשָׂ ֵמֽחָ ה‬
.‫ וְֹלא יִכָּלְ מוּ לָ נֶ ֽצַח כָּל הַ חוֹסִ ים בְָּך‬,‫הוֹד ֽיעַ שֶׁ כָּל ק ֹוֶ ֽיָך ֹלא י ֵבֹֽשׁוּ‬ ִ ְ‫ל‬

Ramchal
I trust in you Hashem and I take refuge in you, and therefore I wont be embarrassed. What is this
embarrassment? This is the bread of embarrassment (nahama dechisuva). If a person eats bread that
doesn’t belong to him, it is embarrassing. When Klal Yisrael goes through galus, Hashem will provide the
geulah for them without any distress. It may give Klal Yisrael extreme distress if Hashem gave them
something that they didn’t deserve. But nonetheless, they accepted it with love and didn’t rebel against
Hashem. On the contrary, they took refuge in Him. Our belief in Hashem only increases, even though they
had many difficult times, they accepted with ahava and hope for the geulah. This is why they weren’t
embarrassed because they put their trust in Him!
→ We put trust in Him, so we won't be embarrassed when the geulah happens! It is the fact that we have
the zechus of trusting him that we won't feel that we don’t deserve it.

Tehillim 13:6
I trusted in your chessed and therefore my heart rejoices in your geulah and therefore I’ll sing, for
Hashem has done chessed for me ...?
Rebbe Avraham (Son of Gra)
A person can never fully exhaust their obligations to Hashem. When I see that I am lacking everything
and when I see Hashem’s absolute chessed, I won't have full joy because I feel that I have done nothing to
earn this. Inside, I feel the gila, but it is not something which I will demonstrate or give expression to on
the outside, because I feel joy but I also don't deserve to have it. When do I give the full expression of
simcha? When a person earns things because of their good deeds, that Hashem is repaying them for
something that they did.
→ When a person earns something from Hashem, it gives us more of a sense of joy that we don’t feel
Hashem is providing and we aren’t deserving because we are lacking.

Afikei yam
“Eizehu ashir? Hasemach bechelko” - When is it our chelek? when we’ve earned it. That gives us a sense
of being enriched.

Siyach Yitzchak
“Or zarua letzadik vyishrei lev simcha” - There is potential that a neshama has before it comes into the
world. The neshama didn’t deserve it. When you work on it and invest effort in it, then a person
straightens out his heart. This comes through effort. A person listens to his yetzer tov and puts effort into
it. Then, he will have full simcha.

Davening
“Vehaer eineinu…Vlo neivosh l'olam vaed…Ki b’shem kadshecha…Nagila vnishmecha bishuasecha”

Siyach Yitzchak (Siddur HaGra)

We won’t be embarrassed because I have bitachon in you. If we didn’t, then we’d feel a sense of
embarrassment when you did things for us, especially the the geulah. Everything we’ve said so far is
condensed in this line of tefillah. “Hekel hagibor vehanora” - The gemara famously says that in the time
of the chorban, they wanted to take out the word gibur from davening because where was Hashem’s
gevurah? At a time where Klal Yisrael is experiencing tzaros, we don’t experience Hashem’s gevurah.
Vehaer is talking about a time when we have trust in HKBH when Hashem’s gevurah seems to be absent.
Now that Klal Yisrael are subservient to other nations, where is Hashem’s gevurah? This is about
maintaining trust in Hashem when His gevurah is not evident. This bitachon will make us not be
embarrassed when the geulah comes.