Why the Jews in Walled Cities Didn't Want to Celebrate Purim • The Daily Lesson from Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

Here is a summary of the topics from the daily lesson as delivered by our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a – after the Maariv (evening) prayer on Wednesday night, the 9th of Adar 5786, Parshas Tetzaveh:

1. Likutey Halachos, Arev 3. Everyone should study this book with his wife; it is the most interesting book. All the secrets are found in this book.

In one place it is written "Jether the Israelite" and in another place it is written "Jether the Ishmaelite"? One [opinion] says he was a ger (convert). And another said that he girded his sword like an Ishmaelite [to defend the ruling] regarding the law of "a Moabite [man is forbidden] but not a Moabite [woman]."

The great wonder is how Yitzchak (Isaac) did not know how to distinguish that Esav (Esau) was a murderer and Yaakov (Jacob) was a tzaddik (righteous person). Rather, Reb Noson says that Rivka (Rebecca) saw—the woman sees everything.

And the fragrance of his garments was "like the fragrance of Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden)." How did she know it was Gan Eden? The Pri Tzaddik says that Rivka would ascend to Gan Eden every night.

The Rebbe [Rebbe Nachman] says that it is possible to convert any metal into gold, as research discovered a hundred years later.

Huckabee said that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jews, as it is written: "From the river of Egypt to the Euphrates river."

In one place it is written that Shaul (Saul) said about David, "and he loved him greatly," and in another place it is written, "Whose son is this youth?" The Gemara (Talmud) answers that he was asking who his father was. But the question becomes even stronger: Did he not know who his father was—Yishai (Jesse), who had sixty thousand soldiers?

Rather, the answer is that he was asking whether he descended from Peretz—who belongs to the monarchy—or from Zerach—who belongs to wealth.

All the Gemaras (Talmudic discussions) are stories about the tiger and the lion of the upper forest, and about Nitzevet bat Adael—how she brought David from Yishai through a clever plan.

The word "Mukafim" (those in walled cities) is not written in Megillat Esther. The Gemara discusses whether they are obligated at all and by what law. However, the Ran (Rabbi Nissim of Gerona) innovates that the residents of the walled cities did not want to celebrate Purim because they wanted to die for Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God's Name).