Purim (Rav Shlomo Katz)

The feeling of being tired can be cured. How so? Welcome to Parshas Zachor with the Bnei Machshava Tova Hachana L'Shabbos Chabura.

chabura, zachor, amalek, torah, parsha, shlomo katz, shirat david

Feeling that you are the crown of creation, and that the whole world was created just for you, occurs during the Seuda. How does one get there?

purim, kluger, adam harishon, gan eden, shlomo katz, torah, shirat david, efrat

The avoda which takes place during the Purim Seuda is one of the most important avodas of our life - to understand that we are not G-d. Sounds simple, no?

purim, rav kluger, snake, adam and eve, tree of knowledge, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Shirat David
Leyl Purim
2024

purim, haman, mordechai, rav kluger, rizhiner, baal shem tov, carlebach, breslov, jew, israel, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Based on a teaching from Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh, we learned of the wondrous sense of laughter, emanating from the month of Adar.
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adar, laughter, purim, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat, yitzchak, ginsburgh, chassidus

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

The opportunity that the day of Purim presents before us should not be taken for granted.

torah, purim, trust, mordechai, esther, shlomo katz, shirat david

It's often easy to get lost in the mystical aspects of each word. As deep as Purim is, the p'shat, the simple internalizing of the story is what leads a person to taste the deepest depths of the story. This piece is from Rav Kluger's Sefer on Purim.

purim, esther, breslov, shlomo katz, rav kluger, shirat david

A meeting on the streets of Yerushalayim with a modern day hero, and the emuna of Purim

pollard, torah, Jerusalem, shlomo katz, yevarechecha, tzion, purim

On Purim I discover who my true friends are, and what kind of a friend I want to be.

shlomo carlebach, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat, shalom, mishloach manot

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Toward the redemptive and joyous feeling of Pruim, one must approach Hashem on Ta'anit Esther, with utmost vulnerability and realness

purim, esther, fast day, shlomo, breslov, breslev, yerushalayim, jerussalem, persia, miracle, crying, hisbodedus

Comparing this year's Purim to last year's is never ever good.
Where does it come from, and how to avoid it?

breslov, breslev, kluger, shlomo katz, torah, shirat david, efrat

Based on R' Meilech Biderman's teachings, Shabbos Zachor presents an incredible world of opportunities to make G-d's name complete and great again.

shabbos, sabbath, shabbat, amalek, zachor, purim, baal shem tov, shlomo katz, efrat

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chabad, carlebach, adar, simcha, transition, shlomo katz, efrat, shirat david

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torah, purim, jewish, chassidic, breslov, breslev, carlebach, shlomo katz, chabad, judaism, shirat david, efrat

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Based on a teaching from the Chida, we see how the day of Purim offers something that makes all the extra holy work of the day - so worth it.

purim, mashiach, redemption, davening, torah, chida, shlomo katz, efrat, shirat david

Based on the teachings of Rav Biderman, we go into Shabbos Zachor a passion for much Jewish children, like never before.

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat, wine

BS’D
R’ Shlomo Carlebach z’l
Purim - The Holiday of Eitz Hachaim
If by nature I hate everyone, how do I get myself out of it? You can explain to me that its very bad and that it is evil, but it doesn’t get me out of it. But imagine if by nature I love everyone, do you have to come and tell me that hatred is evil? I can’t hate anybody. Even if I tried, I can’t. If by nature I want to be a giver, do you have to tell me that being stingy is evil?
When do you need the whole teaching of good and evil? Only if your nature is separated from G-d. If by my very nature I am connected to everything holy and beautiful, you don’t need the whole teaching of good and evil.
The snake came and said to Eve that the most G-d-like thing is to know what’s good and what is evil. This is only after the snake poisoned her and separated her from the Tree of Life. If you are connected to the Tree of Life, you don’t need the teaching of good and evil.
I want you to think about it in a very deep way.
The Gemara says ‘Haman Min HaTorah Minayin’, where is Haman mentioned in the Torah? When G-d asked Adam ‘did you eat from the forbidden fruit G-d says ‘Hamin Haeitz Asher Tzivisicha’. So the Gemara says the word “Hamin”, ‘did you eat from this tree’ is the same letters as Haman.
You see what it is, Haman is a snake, as simple as this.
Once a year we go back to the Tree of Life, and this is on Purim. On Yom Kippur we didn’t make it back yet. On Yom Kippur I’m still in the Tree of Knowledge, and I’m sorry I did wrong. I know the teaching of right and wrong, of good and evil but I just didn’t listen to the teaching. On Purim I’m getting out of the whole teaching.
Now listen to something very important.
Evil does not mind if from time to time you are good and holy. Evil is broadminded. Evil simply doesn’t want things to be for always. Evil doesn’t mind if occasionally you start to daven stronger, pick up a sefer here and there.
Do you think evil minds if once a year you say to your wife ‘today let’s not get angry darling. Let’s have a little honeymoon.’
Evil doesn’t mind when my child wants to go to Israel, and asks if he can go for a week. But do you know what evil does not want? Evil does not want that you connect to the Tree of Life; to become your very nature. To become that which you know.
To be it? No.
Evil wants you to be a dead holy man. Evil want you to do the right thing because it’s good, not because it’s alive.
So on Purim something happens to us, we receive the Torah again. But this time, it mamesh becomes our very nature. On Purim everything remained in within the borders of nature. The whole story of the megillah is an ordinary story. No earth-shaking miracle happed. Purim is an ordinary day. You eat, you drink, you sleep, but do you know what happens to you on Purim? Purim is that yiddishkeit, that G-d, that everything holy becomes natural to you.
Do you know why I always need my mind? Because I don’t always want to do the right thing, I don’t always want to do the holy thing. Therefore, I need my mind to tell me that I have to do it because it’s good. That’s what I need my mind for, but if my very nature wants to do good, I don’t need my mind. If I don’t have to occupy my mind with good and evil…. gevalt, what I can use my mind for. Gevalt is my mind ready for the highest; and this is the real receiving of Torah on Purim.
You know what’s so heartbreaking? When you utilize G-d’s teaching just for good and evil. That’s the most degrading thing in the world. The most.
After Purim I use my mind for so much more than good and evil, but for life itself.

purim, candace, shlomo carlebach, jew, Israel, idf, Zionism, shirat david, efrat

Based on a short teaching from Rav Kluger, Ta'anit Esther shows us so much more than we realize.

esther, more, purim, davening, Israel, soul, torah, shlomo katz, rav kluger, shirat david

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Based on a teaching from Rav Kluger, we learned how Purim is the root of the removal of all concealment, but not necessarily in the manner we think it is.
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kluger, nezer, judaism, torah, purim, Israel, efrat, shirat david, shlomo katz

Based on the teachings of Rav Kluger, we see how the revelation of Purim is still shining it's light today, in the most mysterious way.

purim, kluger, breslov, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

We began a beautiful teaching from Rav Avraham Tzvi Kluger, as our prep for the holy day of Purim. What is the deeper meaning behind Chazal's statement regarding the level of intoxication on Purim.

purim, jewish, Israel, torah, kluger, breslov, baal shem tov, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

What type of a Jew showed up at the seuda of Achashverosh? In order to understand Megilat Esther, a brief glimpse into the 80 years prior will help put everything in context. Thanks to a beautiful and heartbreaking spark of light from Rav Kluger, we mamesh went for it today in shiur.

purim, seuda, Persia, Ukraine, Iran, shlomo katz, rav kluger, efrat, shirat david

Rav Kook has a secret for us, yes, for us here today
An opportunity this Purim like never before
To taste what the whole Torah is all about for real

rav kook, torah, eretz yisrael, purim, breslov, chabad, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter shli'ta
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purim, torah, jewish holiday, amalek, breslov, breslev, nachman, adar, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat