A Brief Guide to a Fulfilling Purim7 min read

Dearest friends,

Over the years, many have reached out in the days leading up to Purim asking if I could share some ideas, kavvanos, and avodas that can enable us to get the most out of the Purim experience. This year, I decided to sit for a while and compile a few of the thoughts and guidelines upon which my personal Purim experience is founded in a concise and encompassing manner. I am dividing these suggested directives among three categories, Machshavah (thought), Dibbur (speech), and Maaseh (action). I hope you find this useful, and may we merit to tap into all of the spiritual lights of this wondrous day!

MACHSHAVAH – THOUGHT

The deepest underlying spiritual energy revealed on Purim is essentiality, etzem, penimiyus; the most accurate definition of what things truly are, what their premise is, and their ultimate destination across the longest conceivable span of time.

A. NATURE: Through the “natural” miracle of Purim, the essence of nature is revealed: Hashem’s presence. This does not simply mean in terms of “hashgacha”, governance, but in actuality – Hashem is literally present in every particle of physicality, constantly breathing the wonder of existence into being. On Purim, aided by the wine and celebratory togetherness, let’s try to enter into that mindset of “ein od milvado” – attempting to feel Hashem’s presence surrounding and filling our reality.

B. THE JEWISH SOUL: Haman-Amalek, rooted in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and synonymous with philosophical and logical/causal thinking (“Reishis goyim Amalek” – Amalek is bound with the head, thought), attempts to sever the connection between the spiritual and physical realms by disqualifying the chosen-ness of our holy nation of people who forge that bond, claiming that we have sinned so badly that we no longer have any relationship to Hashem and that He no longer desires us. The victory over Amalek embodied in the Purim story activates the essential holiness of the Jew, the abiding grace which our collective soul finds in the eyes of Hashem. This grace transcends understanding, reaching far beyond the Tree of Knowledge (“ad d’lo yada”) to touch the Tree of Life; the unfathomable and unconditional bond each and every Jew constantly maintains with the Source of Life, Hashem Himself. On Purim, let’s try to tap into this essential goodness, seeing ourselves for who we truly are – shining sparks of elevated holiness yearning for unification with our loving Source Who never, ever gives up on any Jew.

C. HARSHEST DIFFICULTIES PUT INTO THE GREATEST PERSPECTIVE: Purim is the light of Netzach, eternity – the ultimate context. Against this awesome backdrop, we are able to put our largest, most painful issues into the most expansive possible perspective that ranges from the Primordial Desire for a world until the furthest end of history, what is described in the writings of the Arizal as Yom She’Kulo Purim. In this awesome light, even the most painful traumas, the most egregious errors, and the most devastating mistakes, may be seen as ultimately insignificant. Purim is beyond forgiveness, beyond the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, beyond error, even beyond rectification. On Purim, all complexity is reduced to nothingness in the awesome presence of the utmost simplicity – God’s unfathomable and unconditional love for each and every Jewish soul, “Yisrael alah b’machshava techilah”. On Purim, let’s try to adopt this incredibly broad perspective of Netzach so that, if only for a brief moment, we may see our troubles, failures, and mistakes for what they truly are – small, unessential, and ultimately insignificant in the greatest scheme of Hashem’s infinite love.

DIBBUR-SPEECH

A. TEFILLAH: Based on the halachic phrase, “Kol haposheit yad nosnin lo”, the tzaddikim teach that Purim is a phenomenal eis ratzon – whoever extends his hand to Hashem in prayer will have that prayer fulfilled. Let’s try to set some time aside on this busy day to pour out our hearts in prayer before Hashem with a spirit of humility, openness, sincerity, and urgency. Let’s express all of the yearning for holiness revealed by our Purim consciousness of essentiality, letting Hashem know just how powerfully we truly desire to live up to our spiritual ideals. I have found the 22nd chapter in Tehillim, Esther’s plea, to be particularly useful. In addition, I try to make time to say the tenth prayer in sefer Likutei Tefillos from Reb Nosson of Breslov, an awe-inspiring tefillah that grants us words with which to express our deepest feelings to our Father in heaven.

B. LOVING WORDS: Purim is the day to express feelings we might feel uncomfortable expressing any other day of the year. As the wine works to enable our essence to emerge, breaking down all inhibitions, let’s use these precious moments to express our deepest feelings toward the ones we love – our spouse, children, parents, family, teachers and friends. On Purim, a day elevated far above the calendar and the normal constructs of daily living, we have the ability to say all those things we never seem to get a chance to say, to let the souls with whom we share our lives know just how much they mean to us and just how much we love them.

C. GRATITUDE: Purim grants us the ability to stop and recognize the wonders constantly at work in our lives. Our Purim consciousness of essentiality enables us to realize that life itself is a wonder, a complete and utter miracle. This realization moves us to express our thanks and gratitude to Hashem for the unearned gifts with which He constantly showers us. In addition, we can use this opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation toward all of those who enhance our lives in any way; parents, family members, rabbanim, teachers, therapists, friends etc.

MAASEH – ACTION

The four special mitzvos of Purim – hearing the megillah, giving Shalach Manos, giving Matanos L’evyonim, and drinking – should be performed with intense joy founded upon a deep consciousness of the meaning encapsulated in these mitzvos and what they are accomplishing in all the spiritual worlds. Very briefly, here are some ideas (based on the teachings of the tzaddikim) to keep in mind before and during the fulfillment of these mitzvos:

A. MIKRAH MEGILLAH: One should have in mind that at the time of the Megillah reading, the message being read about Hashem’s presence within nature becomes activated, purifying our perception of reality and revealing nature’s spiritual source. Hashem takes tremendous pride in our reading the Megillah and the spiritual worlds erupt in rejoicing. This knowledge should fill our hearts with great joy and openness, bringing us to a state of ahavas Hashem and the desire to re-accept the Torah willingly, out of the greatest love and devotion.

B. SHALACH MANOS: Hashem is referred to as “Ish” and our holy nation is referred to as Hashem’s “friends” (“L’ma’an achai v’rei’ai”). When we give “mishloach manos ISH L’REI’EIHU,” we are causing tremendous portions (“manos”) of sustenance and blessing to flow down upon am Yisrael. We send the portions indirectly instead of giving them face to face to demonstrate that our relationship with those we love reaches far beyond their physical presence, touching their very souls in an eternal bond.

C. MATANOS L’EVYONIM: During the rest of the year, a pauper feels that the person who gives him money is doing so for the sake of the mitzvah of tzedakah, with little feeling or personal investment. But on Purim, when everyone is occupied with giving gifts to their friends, the pauper begins to think, “Maybe he is giving me money not because I am poor, but because I am his friend as well!” There are many Jews who feel as if, due to their actions and mode of living, Hashem sustains them in a way of charity – without any relationship or personal investment. On Purim, even such Jews begin to feel that maybe Hashem is giving them life, good health, parnassah etc. not in a way of pity, but because He is our Friend Who constantly seeks a personal relationship with every single Jew.

D. DRINKING: “Wine goes in and the secrets come out” – drinking on Purim in a way and setting of holiness enables one to perceive the “secret” of living, the essential goodness of his soul, his circumstances, and the world at large. Drinking in proper measure tears down the external walls and allows one to enter into an elevated consciousness, enabling him to say “Baruch Haman”, expressing his faith that all of the negative elements of his life are truly for the best – Hashem’s unfathomable kindness concealed in a mighty disguise. The alcohol enables us to rise above our standard daas, the capacity of the mind to compartmentalize and differentiate, so we may perceive the utter unity that abides within a creation illuminated by Hashem’s oneness.

E. DRESSING UP: On Purim, an enormously lofty spiritual light is shining, a light which never descends throughout the rest of the year. In order for this light to come to expression, it needs to be clothed in a great many garments so as not to cause harm. The internal manifestation of this light’s emergence is manifest in our yearning for holiness pouring forth from the deepest depths of our souls, as mentioned above – when the wine goes in, the secrets come out. Disguising ourselves with strange garments is another way of reminding ourselves and others of the awesome light that is shining forth from our essential identity – a light that must filter through screens and garments in order to come to expression. In addition, we manipulate the external level to remind ourselves that Purim is all about the inside, the penimiyus: just as we must struggle to recognize our friend beyond the disguise, so must we work– on Purim – to recognize the essential goodness of our souls beyond the disguise of our mistakes and actions taken under the extraneous influence of the yetzer hara.

F. DANCING AND CLAPPING: In his glorious discourse on Purim, the tenth lesson in Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches: “Know, that when there are harsh judgments upon the Jewish nation, dancing and clapping can sweeten all of these judgments.” The lesson continues to describe the kind of dancing and clapping to which Rebbe Nachman refers. This is a dance of humility, founded upon the Jew’s reliance on the Torah and the tzaddikim who draw the living spirit of the Torah into their students by way of their teachings. When we divest ourselves of all arrogance which stems from physicality and externality – identifying with the essential Jewishness deep within our soul, we are able to dance and clap in a way of bittul-nullification to the divine spirit that pulses within our hands and feet, moving gracefully in the presence of the Infinite One and His holy Torah. The Baal HaTanya teaches that this sense of bittul and the spirit of teshuvah me’ahava by which it is naturally accompanied is the secret weapon for destroying the Amalekian spirit of doubt, cynicism, physicality, externality, and arrogance.

In Sichos Haran 131, Reb Nosson records that upon hearing his student repeat this lesson before him, Rebbe Nachman exclaimed, “Yes! That is what I said! There are now terrible decrees upon the Jewish nation. But the days of Purim are coming, and their dancing and clapping on Purim will sweeten all of the judgements.” With the Coronavirus pandemic still causing much death, pain, anxiety, financial loss, and untold inconvenience to people all over the world, the day of Purim grants our nation an incredible opportunity to nullify harsh decrees by dancing and clapping in way of humility and bittul before Hashem and the tzaddikim whose teachings enliven us daily. Dancing and clapping with great joy and holy intention is an extremely powerful strategy for combatting this harsh decree!

Friends, the depth and meaning of this exalted day of p’nimiyus and yichud is truly infinite, and this letter only begins to scratch the surface. But although there is so much more to say – which, b’ezras Hashem, we will have opportunity to explore in the years to come – I hope these brief thoughts and guidelines can allow us to tap into the Purim experience on a deeper level so we may gather the treasures of this awesome day.

Wishing all of my friends an elevated, exhilarating, inspiring, joyous, uplifting, spiritual, and emotional chag filled with love, prayer, mitzvos, holy desire, and the ultimate revelation of essentiality – the light of Olam Haba. May all of our tefillos for ourselves and others be niskabel b’rachamim uv’ratzon, and may we merit to dance and clap our way to the final redemption b’ruchniyus uv’gashmiyus.

B’ahava,

Yaakov Klein