“RABBI’S MUSINGS (& AMUSINGS)”
Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Ki Sisa/PURIM
14 Adar 5785/ March 14, 2025
MATH WOES
For some people March 14 is an exciting day because 3-14 is pi day. Personally, I’ve never been much of a numbers guy. You can ask my mother or any of my teachers in school.
I probably shouldn’t admit it but, despite the fact that I’m a general studies principal, me and numbers don’t get along very well. I’ve made my share of embarrassing mistakes because of my math deficiency.
Math class was the bane of my scholastic experience. In algebra, I couldn’t understand why anyone would add x and y. It made as much sense as subtracting a period from a sentence and then multiplying the sentence by an exclamation point. I’m the guy who thought Radius, Diameter and Sir-Kumference were Shakespearean characters.
It seems like Purim time I’m in good company because miscalculations played a significant role in the Purim story.
Yirmiyahu HaNavi prophesized that the Beis Hamikdash would be rebuilt after 70 years. However, no one was completely sure when the 70 years began.
The evil king Belshazzar, grandson of Nevuchadnezzar, assumed the prophecy referred to 70 years after Babylonia became a world empire. When those 70 years ended, he threw a wild party in which he violated the sanctity of the Bigdei Kohain Gadol by daring to wear them. By morning he was dead, and his empire was conquered by the joint forces of Persia and Media.
Achashveirosh and Haman also incorrectly calculated the 70 years. They began counting the 70 years from when the Jewish King Yochoniah was exiled along with the Torah leaders from Yerushalayim, 11 years before the first Beis Hamikdash was destroyed.
It was then that Achashveirosh made his wild party inviting all the inhabitants of Shushan, including the Jews, to attend. He too dared to don the bigdei Kohain Gadol. By the conclusion of the party his wife was dead at his own irrational drunken bidding.
The 70 years actually began at the time of the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash. Indeed, exactly 70 years later the construction of the second Beis Hamikdash was completed.
After the enactment of Haman’s evil decree, Mordechai needed a trustworthy intermediary between himself and Esther. For that Mordechai summoned Hasach.
The Gemara relates that Hasach was actually Daniel.
It’s worth adding that the sin of the golden calf, mentioned in Parshas Ki Sisa, read most years right after Purim, was also the result of a miscalculation. Moshe had told the nation that he would be in Har Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. The nation mistakenly began counting the 40 days the day Moshe ascended the mountain. The truth was that it was 40 complete days, beginning the following morning. When Moshe didn’t return on the 40th day according to their calculation, they panicked with disastrous results.
My wife and I got married on the 6th of Adar. Our Sheva Berachos ended the day before Ta’anis Esther.
Rabbi Dovid Gurwitz, noted columnist, spoke at one of the Sheva Berachos and shared that Haman is the same gematria as Daniel. Being that my name is Daniel, I wasn’t very flattered by the comparison, but Rabbi Gurwitz reassured me that it is because Daniel has the power to counter Haman.
In fact, the Manos HaLevi writes that Daniel changed his own name to Hasach because Daniel has the same gematria as Haman.
(Interestingly, the difference in gematria between Hasach (425) and Daniel (95) is 330, the gematria of “saris – chamberlain”, the position Hasach assumed in the Megillah.)
On Purim the Halacha states, “One is obligated to become drunk on Purim until he doesn’t know the difference between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordechai”.
There is no end to the explanations offered for this most enigmatic obligation.
One of the more famous explanations is from the Magen Avrohom who notes that the gematria (numerical value) of the words “Arur Haman” is 502, which is the exact same gematria as “Baruch Mordechai”. When one has drunk so much that he can no longer make that simple calculation, he has fulfilled his obligation.
Why would there be a goal of not being able to perform simple math? What does Purim have against being able to add a few numbers? In addition (pun intended), why do miscalculations seem to play a significant role in the unfolding of the Purim story?
For those who appreciate math, there is a certain beauty and satisfaction when computations work and the numbers “add up”. Math is as logical as it gets.
Purim however, is a holiday beyond logic and calculations.
Rav Nosson Wachtfogel zt’l (Leket Reshimos Purim, p. 129) explained that when a young man and woman begin the process of shidduchim, the Shadchan plays a vital role. He performs ‘shuttle diplomacy’, as the intermediary between the perspective sides. Once they agree to become choson and kallah however, their relationship is strong enough that they can discuss things amongst themselves. At that point the Shadchan is no longer necessary.
But what if the Shadchan continues to insist that he be involved? The choson and kallah yearn to speak privately with each other, but they cannot divest themselves of their Shadchan. What if he shows up to the chasunah itself? The worst part of it is that the Shadchan is acutely familiar with all of the hesitations and questions that arose along the way.
The choson and kallah come up with a radical idea. They get the Shadchan drunk and send him off to dance with everyone else. Then they are finally able to be alone with each other.
Our relationship with Hashem begins with our thoughts. As we ponder and contemplate all that transpires around us, we begin to ingrain within ourselves the understanding that Hashem is the only true power in the world. But the ultimate relationship with Hashem is one that is heartfelt, feeling so close with one’s Creator that his soul yearns to perform mitzvos, study Torah, and daven. There is nothing sweeter to him than serving Hashem.
Such deep connection is beyond cognitive understanding. His cognition served as the ‘Shadchan’ that originally allowed him to feel that initial connection with Hashem. But now he pines for a deeper oneness with Hashem, one that transcends logic and thought.
On Purim a Jew can reach that level expressed by Dovid Hamelech, “My soul thirsts for You, my flesh pines for You.” But how can the heart and the deepest facets of our soul connect with Hashem when our thoughts – which sadly often include sinful and heretical thoughts – still gnaw within us? To solve this problem, we drink until we are no longer governed by our thoughts and calculations. At that point we are driven by emotions and our core essence.
It is in that state of intoxication that our true inner spark is able to emerge to the fore. It is in that state that we are able to celebrate the joy and blissful pride in being a Torah Jew. And that is the essence of the celebration of Purim.
For those who appreciate numbers, take solace in knowing that as soon as Purim is over, the importance of exactitude with numbers returns. We need our accountants and actuaries and most of us would be lost without them.
In fact, the Torah itself relates the importance of number. Parshas Pekudei contains a detailed reckoning of all the materials of the Mishkan, including tallies of all materials donated.
But for one day, I take extra pleasure in knowing that it is a day that defies and negates numbers and calculations. The evil Haman was precise in reckoning which day would be most propitious to obliterate the Jews. Based on natural law, his calculation was correct. But the salvation of Purim transcends all calculations.
Purim celebrates a realm beyond logic, above natural law and equations, Purim is a journey into the sublime, the world where numbers and logical calculations are meaningless.
It’s a holiday of soulful and emotional connection, far beyond rational logic.
By the way, I’m sorry this week’s article is so long. It was a misculclation…..
Freilichen purim & Purim Sameiach
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos,
R’ Dani and Chani Staum
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