Rabbi Avraham Nissanian, well-known speaker, shared a virtual shiur on behalf of Eshel Avraham on Monday evening, March 14. Rabbi Nissanian shared that at the end of 180 days, King Achashveirosh gave a special party for the people of Shushan. Mordechai was called to the king and the king told him he wanted to make sure that all the food and wine were according to the strictest standards. The king invited the Jews, and Mordechai told the Jews not to go to the party. The Jews didn’t want to antagonize the king, so they didn’t listen to Mordechai and they went to the party.
Rabbi Nissanian then spoke about the person who decided to gather sticks on Shabbos. He was warned not to do it, but he continued and then he was arrested. He was the first person to disgrace Shabbos. Hashem said to stone him. The stick gatherer was stoned to death. He met an angel in Heaven who showed him the Holocaust, the Spanish Inquisition, and other terrible events in Jewish history, like Arabs with suicide bombs and Arabs killing Jewish families. The angel told him that this is a drop in the bucket in the ocean of sorrow “that happened because of you.” The stick gatherer defended himself, explaining that he desecrated Shabbos because he wanted to show that if you don’t follow the rules, there is punishment. He said that he sacrificed his life to show this. The angel replied it was “because of you that these bad things happened.” Am Yisrael had already kept one Shabbos in the desert. If he wouldn’t have disgraced the Shabbos, then Mashiach would have come, and none of these bad things would have happened. We learn from this incident that you should always ask the rabbis or talmidei chachamim of your time. You can’t just take the responsibilities on yourself. This is what happened in Shushan. Mordechai said not to go to the party, but the Jews didn’t listen.
“We have to always listen to our rabbis. They see into time and the future. We must always ask daas Torah.”
Rabbi Nissanian then gave an example about King Achashveirosh that showed that when you give in, you never lose. It’s important not to hold a grudge. We shouldn’t hold onto anger. It causes us to say words we shouldn’t say. “If people would know how much they can gain by forgiving, they wouldn’t hold a grudge.”
The Chofetz Chaim once asked a man how he was. He stated that things could be better. The Chofetz Chaim shared that this was an incorrect response. “If it could be better, it would be better.” You have no one who loves you more than Hashem loves you. Hashem wants to give you the best of the best. “G-d gives us whatever is good for us.” We don’t know what is good for us.
Rabbi Nissanian shared that when you pray, you shouldn’t say, “I want.” Rather, you should say, “G-d, You’re the only one Who knows what is good for me and my family. Please give it to me with health and happiness. Please, if it is not good, make it work out to be good.” Rabbi Nissanian taught that we shouldn’t complain about anything in life.
Purim is one of the holiest of the holidays. It’s even holier than Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur means “like Purim.” We can gain more holiness on Purim. Use the day to talk to G-d. Ask for what you need and for whatever is good for you. Ask for great Jewish pleasure from our children.
The community is grateful to Rabbi Nissanian for this and all of his inspiring shiurim!
By Susie Garber
