Rare: Words of the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a for the Holiday of Purim - Archive from the Year 5743

A Purim lesson by The Rav, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, delivered in the year 5743, 34 years ago.

"After Purim, we read Parshas Parah, which is a preparation for Pesach. We read Parshas Parah so that we may be careful to purify ourselves from the impurity of death, in order to be pure to offer the Pesach sacrifice. So now, this is thirty days before Pesach. Thirty days before Pesach, we expound upon the laws of Pesach, and thus we merit reading the Megillah, for this is part of the laws of Pesach. Initially, it is the aspect of 'Pur' (the lot) of Purim, named after the 'Pur' of Parshas Parah (the heifer). For the main thing is to transform into a 'cow'—to burn the heifer—because even after the Resurrection of the Dead, there will be a tikkun (rectification) of the Red Heifer, for a person must always burn his materiality. For Purim is certainly a path and a way to Pesach. And this is the aspect of 'His lips are roses (shoshanim), dripping flowing myrrh.' 'His lips' is the aspect of Pesach (Peh-Sach—a talking mouth). 'Shoshanim' (roses)—Peh-Sach."

"'Shoshana' (rose) is Esther, for Shoshana is the gematria (numerical value) of Esther. 'Dripping flowing myrrh' is the aspect of Mordechai—'Mor Dror' (flowing myrrh), which connotes freedom. 'Then my Beloved put forth His hand from the hole'—'the hole' (HaChor) refers to Mordechai. Thus, the matter of Esther is hinted at in Song of Songs. For 'Hashem shook off the Egyptians in the midst of the sea,' and 'An angel of Hashem went out and struck the camp of Assyria, one hundred and eighty-five thousand.' Hashem struck Sennacherib through an angel because Sennacherib blasphemed through a messenger, through Rabshakeh, so Hashem struck him through an angel. Pharaoh blasphemed by himself, saying 'Who is Hashem?' so 'Hashem shook off the Egyptians in the midst of the Reed Sea'—Hashem Himself shook off Egypt. But regarding Purim, where Haman said, 'There is one nation scattered and dispersed among the peoples,' implying that their God is sleeping—for Haman believed in God, but said 'their God is sleeping' (yashnu/yeshno)—'There is (yeshno) one nation scattered and dispersed among the peoples.'"

"For Mordechai is the gematria of 'HaDormita' (The Slumber). Because a person slowly falls into a slumber and loses all his mochin (intellect). Mordechai was the Tzaddik who came from Atik (The Ancient One), and therefore Hashem's name is not mentioned [in the Megillah]. 'Hashem shook off the Egyptians,' and 'Hashem sent and struck the camp of Assyria'—but here, the name of Hashem is not mentioned, neither in Megillat Esther nor in Song of Songs. This is because Megillat Esther, and Esther and Mordechai who are hinted at in Song of Songs, are above all names. This is the aspect of Atik, for it is above all names. Therefore, Purim should have been a revealed miracle, a complete miracle, a miracle such that it wouldn't have been just one day. It should have been the revelation of Moshiach entirely. For in the portion of the field that Jacob bought, there they cut the second covenant; and in the portion of the field that David bought, there they built the Holy Temple; and the portion of the field that Abraham bought, there is the entrance to the gates of Gan Eden. But regarding the entire Land of Israel, there is an accusation: 'How are these different from those?' There is an accusation of 'You are thieves' (Listim atem). So the moment one descends even a drop from the spiritual level—if a person descends a drop from the level, he no longer prays with intent, he no longer studies with intent—then Hashem sees that the Arab prays with more intent than you, God forbid, or the gentile learns Gemara better than you, God forbid. There are even gentiles who know the Shas (Talmud) by heart. Then the accusation of 'You are thieves' awakens; the accusation of 'How are these different from those' awakens."

"Therefore, they needed to cut the final covenant in the portion of the field they bought for a hundred kesita, and the Holy Temple in the portion of the field they bought for six hundred gold shekels. And the gate to Gan Eden is through the place where the soul ascends to Gan Eden, through the four hundred of the World of Yearning (Alma d'Kisufin), which is the four hundred silver shekels. But regarding the Land of Israel itself, the moment a person drops even a bit from his level, immediately there is a terrible accusation: 'In what way are you better than the Arabs?' The Arabs fast for thirty days; the Arabs go every Friday to the mosques, may their names be obliterated. So how are you better than these Arabs? Therefore, Cyrus had to come and give the Land of Israel as a gift to the Jews. For Cyrus conquered the whole world; Nebuchadnezzar had already exiled all the Canaanites and chased them away. So after the Land of Israel was already in our hands, it was a gift from the nations of the world, so the gentiles could no longer say 'You are thieves' and say 'How are these different from those.' So now Mordechai had to come and wake us from the sleep."

"The Ari says it should have been a complete Geulah (Redemption). Therefore, 'On that day, Hashem will punish with His harsh, great, and strong sword the Leviathan, the slant serpent, and the Leviathan, the tortuous serpent.' For Purim and Sivan (Shavuot) are the two holidays of the Giving of the Torah. So the mazal (constellation sign) is a paired mazal, a twin mazal, a double mazal. In Purim, the mazal is twins—Mazal Dagim (Pisces/Fish) is twins—and also in Sivan [Gemini]. Therefore, in the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day, the final letters were sealed. What was sealed was sealed. It was finally sealed 'to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the forces of the people and province by province, and to plunder their spoil.' So there needed to be such a revelation of 'to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the forces of the people and province by province,' because there was an illumination of Atik, which is the illumination of the Leviathan."

"For 'Leviathan' in gematria is five hundred and one, corresponding to the years of the Patriarchs who lived five hundred and two years. Therefore, Leviathan is in Atik. The Holy One, Blessed be He, at the time of Mincha (afternoon prayer), takes the Leviathan and plays with it. For Mincha is a time of favor (Et Ratzon); He takes the Leviathan because, as Rebbe Natan says, the time of Mincha is the time of the new creation. Hashem creates the new day at the time of Mincha, when the heart and the wellspring stand and sing songs to each other and wondrous riddles. Therefore, Mazal Dagim (Pisces) is the Leviathan and the Female Leviathan, and Mazal Teumim (Gemini) is the son and the daughter—this is Moses and Tzipporah, for only through them was the Torah given. Therefore, it was necessary to bring Tzipporah before the Giving of the Torah so there would be 'twins,' through whom the Torah would be given."

"Therefore, Mordechai and Esther are the two fish, who are the Leviathan and the Female Leviathan. For Hashem salted the Female Leviathan for the future to come. But when the month of Adar arrives—'when Adar enters, we increase in joy'—then the Leviathan and Female Leviathan of holiness are revealed, the two fish of holiness. For the entire world hangs upon one fin of the Leviathan. Because the true Leviathan is from before Creation, before Adam HaRishon was created. The Leviathan is from Atik; it is from before Man was created. And since the Leviathan was created before Adam HaRishon was created, it is also greater than the whole world. But Hashem hid the Female Leviathan; Hashem hid her for the future to come. And this is the revelation of Adar: the moment Adar enters, immediately Hashem plays with the Leviathan, and He plays with it at the time of Mincha, for that is the new revelation of the new day."

"But in the month of Adar, there needed to be a completely new revelation, a revelation of a completely new creation, a revelation of Mordechai who is entirely prayer. For Mordechai wears sackcloth and ashes and cries a great and bitter cry. He takes twenty-two thousand children, about whom it is said: 'Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Hashem and against His Moshiach. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs; Hashem mocks them.' So, 'Do not touch My anointed ones'—these are the school children (Tinokot shel Beit Rabban). For the Rebbe said to someone, 'If you learn one hundred and nineteen pages, it is little'—gematria 'Me'at' (little). Therefore, page 119 (119b) in Tractate Shabbat tells about the breath of school children. For if a person learns only one hundred and nineteen pages a day, he is called a 'baby' (tinok); he is still called a baby."

"So the Rebbe said, if a person doesn't learn Gemara, doesn't learn one hundred and nineteen pages of Gemara a day, then he hasn't been born at all. Because at one hundred and nineteen, one only reaches the 'breath of the mouths of school children,' to [Shabbat] 119b. Only then does a person begin to be born, begin to breathe. For if he doesn't have the mochin (mind) of the Gemara, then every second he lives is a waste; he is not yet called a 'baby,' he is not called a 'school child.' Therefore, Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak says that at the time of Mincha, Hashem teaches school children. So the Gemara asks: How can you say one time that He plays with the Leviathan, and another time say He teaches school children? The Gemara answers: 'Ha v'ha'—if you wish, say 'this and that'—He does both together: plays with the Leviathan and teaches the school children. Or if you wish, say the angel Metatron teaches them. Therefore, it is written regarding Samuel, 'And the youth (na'ar) was a youth,' for Samuel is equivalent to Moses and Aaron. Therefore, on Purim, it is customary to dress up as Moses and Aaron."

"For on Purim, everyone merits to be Moses and Aaron. And Aaron carries the names of the Children of Israel on his heart. So when he enters the Holy of Holies, how does he carry them on his heart? Rather, when he enters the Holy of Holies, they are already inside his heart. So every single Jew is engraved in his heart. Therefore, the custom of the Children of Israel is to dress up as Moses and Aaron, because then everyone is the aspect of Moses and Aaron. But Samuel is called 'Na'ar' (youth/lad). 'And the youth was a youth.' 'Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call upon His name.' For Samuel merited to include both Moses and Aaron. So Samuel is called 'Na'ar,' and Joshua is called 'Na'ar.' 'And no one was like Moses whom Hashem knew face to face,' but 'Joshua bin Nun, a youth (na'ar), did not depart from the tent.' Joshua bin Nun merits to be the 'Na'ar.' Therefore, Samuel is also called 'Na'ar,' and David is called 'Na'ar.'"

"Joshua cut a covenant with Israel in the portion of the field, and David built the... in the portion of the field. Therefore, Joseph is also called 'Na'ar,' for he is hidden in the portion of the field. So anyone found in the portion of the field is called 'Na'ar.' Therefore, Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, who is also called the angel Metatron, also stands in the portion of the field that Abraham bought; he stands at the entrance. Therefore, Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, merited that the path was shortened for him, and he went out from 'Cursed' to 'Blessed.' Because when Purim arrives, there is an illumination of Atik, such that even if they have already married foreign women, even if they have already descended to wherever they descended—descended below the lowest Sheol to the fiftieth gate of impurity (which the letter 'Nun' hints at, the 'Nun' that descends to the fiftieth gate of impurity)—even if they have already descended to the fiftieth gate of impurity, the illumination of Atik is revealed. This is what Rebbe Natan calls 'Love in Da'at' (Knowledge): The King has a son who is a murderer, a son who has committed all the abominations in the world, yet the King says, 'This is my son,' to the One who acquires His servants in judgment."

"So Haman said, 'It is true there is Hashem, but there is (yeshno) one people... their God is sleeping (yashen).' True, once He chose the Jewish people. Haman was not like Pharaoh who said 'Who is Hashem?' and then 'Hashem shook off Pharaoh and Egypt in the midst of the Reed Sea.' He was not like Sennacherib who said 'I am God, I went up and conquered all these lands.' Sennacherib said 'Hashem sent me, I am Hashem's messenger.' You are Hashem's messenger? Then a messenger of Hashem will come and strike the Assyrian camp, one hundred and eighty-five thousand. Because when a person commits a sin, he says he is Hashem's messenger. So Sennacherib said he is Hashem's messenger, 'I am doing this on Hashem's mission,' so Hashem's messenger will come and strike you. But Haman said the opposite. Haman said that now the chosen people is Amalek; now the chosen people are the Nazis, may their names be obliterated, the Arabs, may their names be obliterated—they are the refined people."

"'And Agag walked delicately.' What refinement! What manners! What 'Yiddishen,' what 'Damtishen'! So they are the chosen ones. So he took the lot and wanted to flip the choice. For Haman was entirely holy, entirely Holy of Holies. Therefore, the Ari says one must say 'Baruch Haman' (Blessed is Haman) on Purim, to say it in drunkenness. Because one who has no intellect might think Haman is truly blessed, so we must say it in drunkenness, so that one who has no intellect will say it only out of drunkenness. But truly, from the descendants of Haman..."

"So from the descendants of Haman, they studied Torah in Bnei Brak; from the descendants of Sisera, they studied Torah in Jerusalem. So I am either from Haman or from Jerusalem. Once I was in Bnei Brak, I fled to Jerusalem, so I am either from Haman or from Sisera. But from the descendants of Haman's descendants... So that same Haman, the 'Tzaddik,' 'Holy of Holies,' said: 'And ten thousand silver talents I will weigh out into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the King's treasuries (Ginzei HaMelech).' The *Pri Tzadik* says: What is 'Ginzei HaMelech'? 'A good gift I have in my treasury house (beit g'nazai), and Shabbat is its name.' So Haman said he would ascend to 'Ginzei HaMelech,' he would ascend to that root, to Atik, to *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin* (the Will of Wills). On Shabbat at Mincha, it is *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*; he can ascend to *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin* and make a new choice. Because he was entirely sorcery, entirely refinement, entirely kindness. So he said, 'I will give to the King's treasuries, I will give to the King so the King can distribute it to charity.' So Haman was entirely 'Holy of Holies,' distributing charities. 'I will give ten thousand silver talents for the King to distribute,' which is 'Ginzei HaMelech'—this will ascend to 'A good gift I have in my treasury house,' to *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*."

"For Shabbat is *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*. These are the three meals. A person is afraid during the three meals of Shabbat; he flees, flees from Melave Malka, the meal of King David. Once, Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa was disturbed from sleeping during Melave Malka; his son made a Melave Malka. So he said, 'Stop, you are disturbing my sleep, I want to wake up for Chatzos.' Then King David came and said to him, 'Why are you disturbing my meal?' This is a meal where David appears, Elijah the Prophet appears. So a person doesn't want to meet David, doesn't want to meet Elijah the Prophet, because apparently he himself is David, he himself is Elijah the Prophet. So on Shabbat, it is *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*, and Melave Malka is above *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*. Then Elijah the Prophet and Moshiach ben David appear. Because when we sing it, we don't just sing it; they truly appear, they are truly there. Only people don't want to meet them because they are already perhaps in Atik, perhaps above Atik. So they don't want to meet them; they are afraid they might have some healing."

"Because if a person sits at Melave Malka, he has a healing for all his illnesses. Only people don't want healing; they want to be sick. So they flee from Melave Malka because they prefer to be sick, to stay home comfortably with their wife in order to be sick afterward. But whoever has sense wants to meet Elijah the Prophet and Moshiach ben David. So there are moments when a person can merit Geulah, can merit healing. He doesn't want it because, thank God, he is a 'true Tzaddik,' he doesn't need these things. Then Atik is revealed."

"So Haman the 'Holy of Holies,' Haman the 'Tzaddik,' wanted to ascend up to Atik. He wanted to flip the choice and give to 'Ginzei HaMelech.' He wanted to give to all the treasuries. He wanted to give—he wanted to distribute it so the King would distribute it all to charity, and through this show that Amalek also distributes charity. Amalek also has charity distributors; the Nazis also have charity distributors; the Arabs also have charity distributors. All the Nazis have plenty of charity, perhaps more than the Jews, God forbid. So Haman wanted to ascend higher and higher up to Atik, up to 'Ginzei HaMelech,' up to that 'good gift,' *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*. So there was no choice but for Mordechai and Esther to ascend above all names. Because Haman ascended not only to the fiftieth gate; he ascended to 'Ginzei HaMelech,' to *Ra'ava d'Ra'avin*. He ascended such terrible ascents."

"The Ari says that Esther, who was from *Abba* (Father/Wisdom), was the daughter of Avichail—'Avi Chail' (Father of the Army)—meaning all the armies of above and below were from her. This is what Hannah said: 'Hashem of Hosts (Tzevaot), if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid.' 'Hashem of Hosts'—she merited the hosts. 'The voice of my Beloved! Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.' 'The hills' (HaGevaot) in gematria is 'Tzevaot' (Hosts), says the Ari, with the seven letters. So she ascended up to 'hills.' So 'skipping upon the hills'—the Zohar says in Idra Rabba on Ha'azinu: 'Flee my Beloved... skipping upon the hills'—ascend to Atik, ascend to *Reisha d'lo Ityada* (The Head that is not known). Ascend to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, which is 'Ad d'lo yada' (Until one does not know). For on Purim, we ascend to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*."

"Because on Purim, we ascend to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, for on Purim we ascend above Atik. Since Haman succeeded in ascending up to Atik, now Esther, who had a soul from *Abba*, and Mordechai, who truly had a soul from Atik, needed to ascend now to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*. Because Haman wanted to flip the choice entirely. He wanted to show that he does more charity than the Jews, he does more kindness than the Jews, he is holier than the Jews, he is more righteous than the Jews."

"For this is what the gentiles work on twenty-four hours a day: to prove they are more righteous than the Jews. And the Jews have nothing to boast about; they already married foreign women, already assimilated completely, already descended lower and lower. So at that moment, *Reisha d'lo Ityada* was revealed. It was revealed that Hashem and the People of Israel—Rebbe Natan says—are literally one thing. That every single Jew is literally Godliness. Every single Jew is 'Hashem is One.' 'Hashem is One and His Name is One'—the People of Israel are 'His Name is One.' So Hashem writes His Tefillin: 'And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the earth.' So Mordechai needed to reveal that it is all 'Hashem is One.' So he took twenty-two thousand children—twenty-two corresponding to the twenty-two letters—about whom it is said 'Do not touch My anointed ones,' which is the breath of the mouths of school children who have not sinned."

"So this is the secret of the Leviathan, that He plays with the Leviathan. The secret of Mazal Dagim (Pisces), where the Leviathan and Female Leviathan are revealed. This was Mordechai and Esther. For the Leviathan is from even before the creation of Man. The Leviathan is *Reisha d'lo Ityada*. Hashem will take something from the Leviathan; after something remains of the Leviathan, they will make a Sukkah from it, they will make a meal from it, and after that, they will make a canopy and a cloud and an amulet from it, says the Gemara in Bava Batra. And after they make a canopy and a cloud and an amulet, something will remain of this Leviathan—from this 'something.' Because the Leviathan is such a thing that is greater than the entire void of the world, than all the stars. So from this 'something,' the Gemara says something will remain. This 'something' they will place on the walls of Jerusalem, and this light will go and shine throughout the entire world. The light of Jerusalem will go and shine throughout the entire world, and 'Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by the brightness of your rising.'"

"So this will be after something remains of this Leviathan. So that same Leviathan and Female Leviathan, which are Mazal Dagim—Hashem feared the world would be burned from the abundance of light, so He hid the Female Leviathan for the future to come. So that Female Leviathan is Esther the Queen, who is revealed on Purim in Adar, for that is Mazal Dagim. Just as the light of Moses and Tzipporah was revealed—this is Mazal Teumim (Gemini)—and then the Torah was given. And then the final letters were sealed 'to kill and to destroy and their spoil to plunder.' So in this way, Mordechai and Esther merited that not only are they Mazal Teumim, but they transformed into Mazal Dagim; they transformed into the Leviathan and Female Leviathan that need to be revealed in the future to come. They were supposed to literally bring the Geulah to the People of Israel, such that their light went from one end of the world to the other, and 'many of the people of the land became Jews.' That the 'something' from this Leviathan—in the end, only a 'something' will be left, and the 'something' that remains from all the distributions, from everything anyone makes—this will go and shine in the entire world, and from this, they will make coverings for the walls of Jerusalem. So that same Mordechai and Esther, who merit to be Mazal Dagim, who merited to be that Leviathan and Female Leviathan, they subdue the 'Leviathan the slant serpent' and the 'Leviathan the tortuous serpent,' which are the Leviathans of the *Sitra Achra* (Other Side). 'The slant serpent' (bariach) who flees (mavrichim) from one end to the other—this is the beginning of nations, Amalek. And this is 'the tortuous serpent' (akalton) who knows all the tortuousness (akaltanot), knows all the crookedness, knows all the tactics of holiness."

"This is Haman the Wicked, who knows exactly why the People of Israel are the chosen people: because they are in 'Ginzei' (Treasuries), they distribute charity. But until a person feels he is lower than every Jew, that he is lower than any Jew—which is the secret of Mordechai, 'seeking the good of his people'—'accepted by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his seed.' For Mordechai was lower than every single Jew. Because only a person who is lower than every single Jew, who feels lower than every single Jew, only he can refuse to bow to Haman. Because Mordechai said that Haman never was and never was created; there is no such thing, it never was at all, it was never formed at all. Because if a person holds onto *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, he reaches such mochin (mindsets) that he feels every single Jew is Holy of Holies, that every single Jew is more than him, that every single Jew is infinite good."

"This is the Mishloach Manot (sending portions) that descends as Manna from Heaven, revealing the 'Man' (Manna) in every single Jew, which they merited at the Splitting of the Sea. 'Hashem shook off the sea'—they merited that Manna descended. It should have been on that day 'You bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance.' For then there was a moment when the Holy Temple should have been built. If they had followed Moses our Teacher without question, running after Moses in innocence, then on that day Moses would have brought them to Jerusalem; on that day the Holy Temple would have been built, and the light would have gone from one end of the world to the other. 'And the man Mordechai' corresponds to 'Moses the man of God.' So Hashem wanted to return all the light of the Splitting of the Sea. At the Splitting of the Sea, 'Hashem shook off'—the name Havayah was revealed. So Hashem wanted to return—says the Ari—now this light with greater intensity and greater strength. Because Mordechai was from Atik, and Haman also wanted to ascend to Atik. So Mordechai needed to ascend up to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, where there is no Haman at all, there is nothing. Because if a person can think he is better than some Jew, he is not holding onto *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, he is not holding onto Atik, nor onto Havayah; he is in the lowest Sheol and beneath it in the ten crowns of impurity."

"Because if a person can open his eye for one moment, then he is in a world of illusions (dimyonot), so he cannot say there is no Haman, because he opened the eye, so he entirely follows the imaginative faculty. But King Saul—'Saul was one year old when he reigned'—that same King Saul who was one year old when he reigned, meaning that same King Saul who was clean, there was no sin in him. So he said, 'If so, there is no sin in the world.' Because a person who has no sin in him does not believe there is sin in the world; he doesn't believe anyone sins. So he said, 'If so, then Agag also does not sin.' But the true Tzaddik is *Reisha d'lo Ityada*."

"For Saul was from Atik, and David was from *Reisha d'lo Ityada*. Therefore, David is 'the small one,' David is 'Na'ar.' David says, 'There is no Goliath, Goliath was never created, there is no such thing. I don't believe there is such a thing. There are no lions, no bears, nothing.' If someone plots against a poor sheep, then he no longer exists. I don't know... I know that whoever plots against a sheep is not in the world; he has already been cut off from the root, so he has turned into an illusion. So that same David who is in *Reisha d'lo Ityada*—lions and bears for him are called illusions; they never were and never were created. Because they want to touch some sheep? To touch, God forbid, the People of Israel? To touch a Jew, God forbid? So if a person tries to touch a Jew, King David says, 'It doesn't exist, it isn't there.' 'Your servant struck both the lion and the bear, and seized him by his beard.'"

"The Rebbe says in Torah 4 that only King David can subdue the forehead of the snake, because he is the forehead of holiness. For the Gevurah (severity) of Atik is the mochin of the Lion, which is the *Botzina d'Kardonita* (Lamp of Darkness). This is the secret of Chanukah. For in Chanukah, it is *Hod* in *Netzach*, whereas Purim is *Netzach* in *Hod*. Because Chanukah is *Hod* in *Netzach*, the Shamash (servant candle) of Chanukah is more precious than the candles of Chanukah. Therefore, we place the Shamash over the candles. And one must be more meticulous with the Shamashim than with the candles, honoring them more than the candles, putting them in oil so they burn longer than the candles. Because the Shamashim are in *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, completing to forty-four [candles total], between 'Dam' (blood) and 'Dom' (silence)—to absolute silence. Therefore, Esther 'does not tell of her people or her kindred.' And therefore, it is called the 'spindle of silence.'"

"So when we arrive at Purim, it is the spindle of silence. 'Esther does not tell of her people... and Esther does the bidding of Mordechai just as when she was raised by him.' This is *Reisha d'lo Ityada*. Esther does not answer any questions. 'And when she came to the King, she asked for nothing.' She asks for nothing, she requests nothing, she wants neither mochin nor anything. She only wants 'whatever the King does with me, that will be good.' 'And at the death of her father and mother, Mordechai took her as a daughter.' She has no father, she has no mother, she has no mochin, she has no 'Kol' (everything). Because she is *Reisha d'lo Ityada*. She needs neither mochin, nor a heart, nor a father, nor a mother, nor anything. Because she herself is 'Abba' (Father). So if she herself is Abba, she doesn't need a father, she doesn't need anything. And not only is she herself Abba, she ascends further to Atik, and ascends from Atik to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*."

"'And Mordechai walks every single day to know the peace of Esther and what will be done with her.' And Mordechai elevates her to *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, where there is no Goliath and no Haman—it never was, it was never created, it exists [only as God]. Because if a person doesn't open the eye, then there is no Goliath. If a person doesn't think he is better than some Jew, then there is also no Haman. Because if I am lower than everyone, then there is no Haman; there is only *Reisha d'lo Ityada*, there is only Hashem, Blessed be He. This is the secret of Purim: 'Until one does not know' (Ad d'lo yada)—that there is nothing. No Haman, no Goliath. But who can say this? One who never opens his eyes. One who doesn't think he is more than anyone. Because I don't exist; if I don't exist..."

"Then Haman also doesn't exist. Nothing exists. There is only Hashem, Blessed be He. But if I exist, Haman also exists. Haman is mightier than me; he is a king, he is a prime minister. I am just sitting at the King's gate, sitting there with sackcloth. So if I exist, then the Arab also exists, the Nazi also exists, the lion also exists, the Russian also exists. But if I don't exist—I believe with complete faith that I don't exist—this is the secret of the Megillah, the secret of 'D'lo yada' (That one does not know). That one knows nothing. That a person wants nothing—no mochin, no heart, nothing. He only serves Hashem twenty-four hours without opening the eye even for the blink of an eye. He opens no eye, even for the blink of an eye. Just as Joseph did not open his eyes even for the blink of an eye. And for opening [the eyes] for some millionth of a second, they had to flay the skin (from Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel / Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest). He needed white-hot iron rods in his eyes to atone for that millionth of a second."

"But our Holy Rebbe [Rebbe Nachman], whose 'lips are roses dripping flowing myrrh'—'Shoshanim' (roses) is the gematria of Esther, and 'Mor' is Mordechai 'Mor Dror,' and 'Notfot' (dripping) with the inclusive one (kolel) is five hundred and fifty-six, which is the gematria of Nachman ben [Feiga] Simcha. So 'Notfot'—when the Tzaddik arrives who did not open his eyes even for a millionth of a second, didn't see a world at all, didn't know there was a Haman in the world at all, didn't know there were Russians in the world, didn't know there was a Napoleon in the world, didn't know there were wars in the world. That the whole world 'and we are like the blink of an eye.' This is the *Reisha d'lo yada*. 'And none who take refuge in You shall be shamed forever.' That whoever holds onto that same One, onto that same Eternity (Netzach), onto that same *Reisha d'lo Ityada*—which is Nachman ben Simcha ben Feiga—then there are no Hamans, and no Russians, and no Goliaths, and no lions, and no bears. There is only Hashem, Blessed be He, in His Glory and Essence. And may we merit complete Redemption speedily in our days, Amen."

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