Purim 5785
Rabbi Jablinowitz
When the Megillah introduces Mordechai for the first time, the pasuk says (Chapter 2, Pasuk 5), איש יהודי היה בשושן הבירה ושמו מרדכי בן יאיר בן שמעי בן קיש איש ימיני. The Megillah refers to Mordechai as both איש יהודי as well as איש ימיני. The Gemara in Megillah 12B asks that these two terms seem to be contradictory. One indicates he was from the tribe of Yehuda, while the other indicates he was from the tribe of Binyamin. The Gemara gives different answers to this question, one being that his mother was from the tribe of Yehuda, while his father was from the tribe of Binyamin.
The Sfas Emes provides an explanation which centers on different powers and abilities contained within Mordechai. Saying he was from Yehuda indicates a unique power of speech. The pasuk says in the bracha of Yehuda in parshat V’Zos HaBracha (Chapter 33, Pasuk 7), שמע ד' קול יהודה; listen Hashem to the voice of Yehuda. And Yehuda was named by his mother Leah, about whom the Medrash in Bereishis Rabbah (71,5) states, לאה תפסה פלך הודיה; Leah took on the skill of giving thanks. She said when naming Yehuda (Chapter 29, Pasuk 35), הפעם אודה את ד'; now I will give thanks to Hashem. And, continues the Medrash, she had children with the same trait of הודיה as Yehuda admitted to Tamar when he said (Chapter 35, Pasuk 26), צדקה ממני. And Dovid Hamelech who came from Yehuda and Leah said in sefer Tehillim (Chapter 107, Pasuk 1), הודו לד' כי טוב. Mordechai was an איש יהודי in that he contained the power of speech, particularly that of acknowledgment.
But he was also an איש ימיני; he had traits of the tribe of Binyamin. The same Medrash teaches that Rachel took on the skill of silence when she realized that Leah was being given to Yaakov in marriage instead of her. And this skill was passed on to her son Binyamin who did not reveal that his brothers had sold Yosef. And this is why the stone in the Choshen which corresponded to Binyamin was ישפה. The Medrash explains that it stands for יש פה. Though he had a mouth he didn’t reveal the secret of the brothers. And of course, Esther didn’t reveal her origins to the king as we read (Chapter 2, Pasuk 20), אין אסתר מגדת מולדתה ואת עמה. Mordechai was also an איש ימיני in that he had the power of silence.
The Gemara in Yoma 77A teaches חמרי וריחני פקחין; wine and sweet fragrances make (me) one wise. The Sfas Emes teaches that these two wisdoms are the wisdom of the Neshamah and the wisdom of the guf, of the body. Sweet smells are the wisdom of the Neshamah. The Gemara in Berachos 43B says about a nice fragrance, איזהו דבר שהנשמה נהנית ממנו ואין הגוף נהנה ממנו הוי אומר זה הריח; a nice smell is something which the soul benefits from, but not the body. Using one’s voice in prayer and study, תורה ותפילה, increases the wisdom of one’s soul. It increases his connection to Hashem.
Wine is the wisdom of the body. One gains wisdom through his body by limiting its strength and subjugating it to the soul. The right amount of wine is an essential part of the process of creating a physical body which is a proper physical vessel for his Neshamah. The Mishnah in Avos teaches (Chapter 1, Mishnah 17), לא מצאתי לגוף טוב משתיקה. The best thing for one’s body is silence. Limiting one’s speech is part of the overall process of subjugation and צמצום required for one’s physical body to be a source of wisdom as well.
The Mishnah in Menachos 87A teaches that when the wine is being poured in the Beis Hamikdash for use in the wine libations, if the Gizbar sees that sediment is coming out with the wine, he hits the jug with the measuring stick in his hand to indicate it should be sealed up. The Gemara asks, why doesn’t he just tell them to stop using that jug of wine? Why does indicate without speaking?
The Gemara responds that this a proof for the position of Rabbi Yochanan who teaches, just as speaking is good for the incense, speaking is bad for wine. This position of Rabbi Yochanan is mentioned in the morning davening by the parsha of the Ketores, שהקול יפה לבשמים. And in contradistinction to the incense, הקול רע ליין.
The power of speech which Mordechai had relates to the wisdom of the soul. The wisdom of the soul is fed by the power of voice; the voice of study and prayer, קול תורה וקול תפילה. This was the art of giving thanks to Hashem initiated by Leah and developed further by her descendants and eventually by Mordechai. This is what made him an איש יהודי. And Mordechai also had the power of silence; of silencing our physical parts and subjugating them to the soul. This ability was acquired from Rachel and her son Binyamin, and eventually bequeathed to Mordechai. This is what made him an איש ימיני.
The Gemara in Shabbos 88A teaches that at Har Sinai when Bnei Yisrael received the Torah, כפה עליהם הר כגיגית; the Torah was forced on them. The Sfas Emes says that when Bnei Yisrael were forced to accept the Torah at Har Sinai, it was more from the perspective of their physical parts. They hadn’t developed the wisdom of their bodies and needed to have a box held over them. But the souls of Clal Yisrael were always focused on the mitzvos of the Torah.
On Purim, Bnei Yisrael reaccepted the Torah. As the pasuk says (Chapter 9, Pasuk 27), קימו וקבלו היהודים עליהם; קיימו מה שקבלו כבר. They had developed themselves to the point where the physical was subservient to the spiritual. The wisdom of the guf matched the wisdom of the Neshamah, and they willingly accepted the Torah completely.
The Gemara in Megillah 7B teaches מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא. The Gemara doesn’t command us to get drunk; it commands us to drink and smell nice. On Purim, the wisdom of the body and the Neshamah come together. The wisdom of חמרי וריחני merge into one. After we have developed our desires and subjugated our physical parts to our spiritual ones, we can have both wine and a sweet smell. And then the wine can have words as well, as Chazal teach אין אומרים שירה אלא על היין; a song which is לשם שמים and expresses a closeness to Hashem.
Good Shabbos and Purim Sameach
Print this article