 “A man is ‘required’ libsumei (to become intoxicated) on Purim (day) aad delo yoda (until he no longer knows) bein orur Homon l’boruch Mordechai” (between cursed is Homon and blessed is Mordechai).
No Cessation
Of all the Yomim Tovim (holidays), the least recognized for its importance is Purim. It’s a day of fun, eating, dancing and drinking. No serous hard work. What, already, could be so important? Yet, Chazal (the Sages) tell us that in the future all the Yomim Tovim will cease (what exactly that means is discussed) but Purim will never cease.
Techiyas Hameisim
The reason that it will never cease in the future is, as we discussed last year, because it is a part of the future. It represents techiyas hameisim (the resurrection of the dead) – life eternal.
That is why it is in the last month, Adar. What Pesach begins, Purim finishes. This (eternal life) was actually the level of Odom (Adam) if he would not have sinned.
The Eitz “Hada’as” – Aad Delo “Yoda”
Since sin and death are intertwined,
therefore, since Purim denotes eternal life it also involves a cleansing of the beginning chait (sin)
which is the eating of the Eitz Hada’as (the Tree of Knowledge).
There will be a future cleansing of sin as known from Chazal (the Sages).
In this way we can understand that to drink aad delo yoda (until one no longer “knows”) is the antidote and fix to the beginning of chait of eating from the Eitz Hada’as (Tree of “Knowledge”) of good and bad.
Homon Min Hatorah
“Homon min haTorah minayin (where do we see Homon mentioned in the Torah)? Hashem asked Odom, ‘Hamin ho’eitz’ (did you then eat from the tree – of knowledge good and bad)?”
Homon – Eitz Hada’as
What does this mean that there is a connection between Homon and the eitz hada’as? We find various sources for good or evil which can influence and are the mekor (source) of the spread of that influence. Chazal are teaching us from the above remez that the original source of the evil inherent in the eitz hada’as spread its contagion, as it were, to Amalek as epitomized by Homon. The carrier of this contagion was the nochosh (serpent) who enticed Chava (Eve) to eat from it. Now these are deep waters which one needs time and space to clarify. In lieu of that, suffice it to say that the influence of evil had its roots in the eitz hada’as and through the ingesting of it by Odom and Chava became most firmly embedded in Amalek. See the Maharal
“Homon (Amalek) is the power of evil in the world … through the nochosh (serpent).”
Mordechai
“Mordechai min haTorah minayin (Where in the Torah is Mordechai mentioned)?
As it is written, mordror (pure myrrh).
The Targum translates this into the Aramaic of ‘meiro dachyo’” which is a close approximation of Mordechai.
This spice was part of the ketores which was burned twice daily on the inner altar of the Mishkan (tabernacle). States the Maharal
that the intent of besomim (spices) in the ketores points to the source of life therein.
Loshon Hora
The ketores also atones for speaking loshon hora (speaking ill of another). “Let something which is brought quietly (secretively)
atone on a secretive action.”
Loshon Hora and the Nochosh
This ties in because the embodiment of loshon hora is the primordial nochosh (serpent) which is symbolic of loshon hora.
The nochosh represents the Soton (the accuser).
Since every nation has its arch angel which represents the intrinsic essence of that nation, the arch angel of Amalek, the constant accuser of Yisroel among the nations, is indeed, the Soton.
The Nation of Loshon Hora
Indeed loshon hora is represented by the nochosh because this is the whole power of the accuser – to accuse. What, indeed, is loshon hora except to accuse – “he did this and that, that and this.” That is loshon hora. That is to accuse. That is why, as Chazal say, loshon hora can be tantamount to killing someone as it gives the Soton more fire power to make his own accusations. And if the archangel of Amalek is the manifestation of loshon hora then, for sure his nation is “gifted” in speaking loshon hora. “No one knew how to speak loshon hora as well as Homon.”
Also, “There is no ‘ish loshon’ (man or people of the tongue) like Amalek the grandson of Eisav.”
Therefore, the ketores, the symbol of life (Mordechai) as above, atones and is the antidote for loshon hora, symbolic of its opposite (Homon).
Boruch Mordechai
Therefore, Mordechai represents life, as above. Boruch means addition and expansion.
Without hindrance of chait, life would be eternal.
Homon, according to the Maharal above, is the power of evil, sin and death. “Orur,” the opposite of “boruch,” means to reduce, decrease and minimize.
Aad Delo Yoda Bein
Aad delo yoda counters the aspect of da’as of the eitz hada’as. The problem with the eitz hada’as was as follows.
Before Odom ate from it he was aware of the existence of evil from the outside, so to speak, but not from the inside. The allegory is that we are all aware that there is such a thing as drugs. But we have no drive or desire for them. When one first starts on them, G-d forbid, he does so for outside factors such as peer pressure or perhaps curiosity. Once, however, one is “hooked” on them they can become an insistent and overpowering desire and passion. Then, it is “inside.” Odom knew that evil existed but it was outside of him. Once he ate from the tree it became a part of him. It was now, so to speak, inside. This is what da’as means – to cleave and be attached to.
From now on both good and bad would be part of man.
Beneath It All
Therefore, on Purim which alludes to the demise of the Soton and Amalek and the age of Techiyas Hameisim, when indeed everything will once again be pure, we show that even now, underneath it all, the Jewish heart is pure. See Rav Tzodok,
“This reveals that the hearts of Bnei Yisroel are in truth attached to Hashem even when they don’t know between their right (hand) or left, between Mordechai and Homon … a person’s innermost being is revealed by his (wine) cup and drunkenness.
” See also Rav Yeruchom,
“The foundation of Purim is the foundation of the future when the body itself will become neshamah (soul) … and even without one’s mind he will recognize that which is good and right … this is the foundation of Purim.”
Libsumei
We started out by bringing the Gemara that a man is required “libsumei” on Purim … what actually does “libsumei” mean? Rashi (ibid) tells us – “l’hishtaker.” However, the Gemara’s choice of words is instructive. The word “libsumei” comes from the word “besomim” (the letters “sin” and “samech” are often interchangeable).
See the forward of the Nesivos Hamishpat on his commentary to the Megilah that the word “bisum” has a connotation of mituk (sweetness). Chazal (the Sages) in their choice of word for intoxication did not use the more common word of l’hishtaker which might entail a rowdy type of intoxication, but rather “libsumei” a sweet, settling type of intoxication conjuring up the concept of besomim (spices) and techiyas hameisim that was mentioned earlier regarding Mordechai. In other words, it should be an uplifting positive type of experience,
not vice versa.
The Poskim
Even though the Gemara (Talmud) seems to say that one is required to drink until …, many Poskim (those who decide the law) do not take this literally. Without going into the various reasons,
Chazal themselves never meant that everyone should drink that much. According to what was mentioned above, Chazal were careful in their choice of words – libsumei as opposed to l’hishtaker.
It should entail “mind settlement” and sweetness as in the note above. How do you “settle your mind” through drinking? When one’s emotional feelings match one’s insights, one’s heart and mind become one in his closeness to Hashem. In this everyone is different and the general custom is that everyone drinks according to his level of achieving the above – an emotional uplifting, joy and sweetness.
An Aside – To Daven
One should also find time to daven (pray) with feeling on Purim for their needs, both physical and spiritual. It’s brought down that even someone who may not be so easily “heard” a whole year is more easily “heard” on Purim and should therefore avail themselves of the opportunity.
1 But not a woman.
2 Gemara (Talmud) Megilah 7b
3 Yalkut Mishlei 944; Yerushalmi Gemara (Talmud) Megilah 1:5; Rambam end of Hilchos Megilah.
4 See Maharal, Tiferes beginning of chp. 53. “This Yom Tov is like the resurrection.”; Rav Tzodok, Machshovos Chorutz 87a, “This is the power of the kedushah (holiness) of Purim … which will never cease … because its kedushah … is of the future …”; Horav Yeruchom, Da’as Chochmah Umussar, Book 1, p. 400, “The foundation of Purim is the foundation of the future world.”
5 Ramchal, Da’as Tevunos simon 40
6 Bava Basra 16a
7 Rav Tzodok, Machshovos Chorutz 87b “Every Purim there is a cleansing and fixing of the beginning of chait (sin).”
8 Succah 52a
9 Genesis 3:11
10 “Hamin” is similar to Homon. There are four ways to learn Torah. One of them is Remez (a hint). We learn through remez even though it is not the simple understanding of the words.
11 Chulin 139b
12 Chidushei Agodos Chulin ibid; second forward to Ohr Chodosh.
13 See Maharsha Chulin ibid who also states the tie in of Amalek and the nochosh. See also Horav Yitzchok Aisek Chover in Or Hatorah ose 35, “Amalek is the nochosh …”
14 Chulin, ibid.
15 Exodus 30:23 regarding the spices to be used.
16 Again, we are using remez here, not the plain meaning of the words. What is of interest is that the remez is from a different language – Aramaic.
17 Chidushei Agodos Chulin 139b; second forward to Ohr Chodosh. “The ketores protects from death and plague.” See Shabbos 89a “All the malochim (angels) gave Moshe presents when he received the Torah for Yisroel. Even the angel of death gave him a present.” This was the knowledge of the ability of the ketores to stop death. See Numbers 17:11-13 and Rashi:11.
18 The ketores was brought on the inner altar, not in the open area.
19 Arochin 16a
20 Gossip and loshon hora is usually spoken in a quiet manner so that the one spoken about will not find out.
21 See Taanis 8a; Genesis Rabah 20:1
22 We once wrote as to why there is a need for an accuser since Hashem knows everything anyway (Vayeishev, volume 2).
23 Gemara Megilah 13b
24 See Nefesh Hachayim, Gate 2 chp. 2
25 “Brochah means that from the cause and root of being, there comes additional benefits and life.” Horav Moshe Shapiro shlita, Sefer Mima’amakim, Genesis 92.
26 “K’loloh, (orur) (curse) is a reduction of actuality and eradication of being.” Horav Shapiro, ibid.
27 Aad delo yoda bein orur Homon and Boruch Mordechai indeed come out the same – increase in life is the same as decrease in non-life.
28 We discussed this at length in Volume 1 Number 1 on the connection between the chait of Odom and Rosh Hashonoh.
29 See Maharal, Tiferes chp. 10; Michtav MeEliyohu Book 2 p. 254; 139; Rav Tzodok, Resisei Lailoh 23b.
30 Even more to the point, good and bad became attached everywhere. From then on, one could not find any action or thing that was absolutely good without an attachment of evil or anything which was completely evil without an attachment of good, a good side.
31 Resisei Lailoh 12a
32 Eruvin 69b
33 Daas Chochmah U’Mussar book 1 p. 400
34 For example Bava Basra 16b where spice maker is spelled with a “samech” even though besomim (spices) is spelled with a “sin.” See also Genesis Rabah 67:10 “Bosmas (with a “sin”) was given that name shenisbasem (with a “samech”) da’ato olov, (his mind became settled).
35 Where one can add emotion to his spiritual strivings.
36 The Rabbeinu Efraim, etc. See Orach Chayim, Simon 695 s’if 2.
37 Rashi uses the word l’hishtaker only to clarify for us what “libsumei” means.
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