Purim United We Stand | Rabbi Sam Shor L'Ilui Nishmat Reb Reuven Ben Reb Moshe Z'l | Feb 12th 2026

Good morning. Good afternoon everybody. At this point, uh I'm going to take a moment of personal privilege. This evening um is the begins the 26th of which marks the 38th year of my father's. So I'm going to ask that we have in mind his name for Sham as we learned together this morning. Um, which also means if if if this evening is the 26th of which also means that we're already in the zone of approaching. I won't say the other which means we're leading to pum. I won't say the other word that starts with the letter pay that gives some of the ladies here palpitations but means we're just we're getting to the zone of of pum and then that other pay p word that's coming down the down the pipe. Today, since we're in the zone of of the week, the days leading up to PUM, we're going to talk about PUM together. And I think it's only appropri um because, you know, there there used to say they're there are two kinds of Jews. They're Jews that are very stoic that are, you know, very very uh very very not just stoic, but they're very very serious. And you call those Jews, you call those Jews, uh tishabove Jews. They're very they're very, yes, they're very committed. And yes, they're very but they they they're very focused on on on on stringencies and and and and seriousness. He said then there are Jews that used to call that that are Jews that live with and excitement that we all experience a pum and so my father was definitely a pum Jew. He definitely could be categorized as a per Jew. Tremendous even during the illness that uh that that you know that he passed away from he continued not only have amuna as amuna but to try to find at every moment and so we try to emulate that. So this morning it's only appropriate we begin to start speaking about pum. So I want to begin with a a story actually by way of introduction. A story about two great masters that got together on PUM. So here's the story. It's said it's told that one time at the moment during the midst of the puma the great the seer of lublin turned to and made a request of what's the request of that he should share share a story share share words of wisdom at the peruda responded. We learn in the mid when the Jewish people gathered together and they drink together forgives all their transgressions. Oh, okay. The answer that that's the message shared. So the answers him this idea is actually alluded to in the word itself. Why? Okay. The word comes from the word forgiveness comes from the word and those letters are found in the word. Oh shali buttali said to him And he said in his pronunciation in addition to the letters for the word, what other letters are in the word? Okay. With two yuds in the in the pronunciation. So the without missing a beat answers. Oh. Only when two Jews get together and drink with one another, that's when their transgressions are forgiven. When two Jews come together, two or more Jews come together, we're not sitting on the side by ourselves, but we come together and drink with one another. That's when all our transgressions are forgiven. So, this is our introduction. We're going to take a look at two a deeper look at two sukim in migades there. These two sukim really I I as we're going to see together this morning this afternoon really is the key to unpacking the entire story of pum and really form the essence of what the yumpt of pum is really all about. So we're going to begin the first that we're all familiar with is begins the eth verse turns to the king and says there's one we have one people that is scattered and distant amongst all the other nations he's talking about. So if you take a look at the at text number two on our sheets, the katair, the katas sofer of course is the son of the katam sulfur. And the katair was a great 19th century Hungarian uh Ashkanazi rabbitic um post and and commentator the brings this very very interesting uh interpretation of our verse. Yeshua there was one nation. Okay. Now he says the garill famous garnish mitzvos they were what? Asleep when it comes to mitzvos and his commentary on the says the following. They literally were asleep from the mitzvah. What does that mean? The truth is says the bar they did keep Torah mitzvos. They did the letter of the law. They did the mechanics of doing the mitzvos. Okay. But they fulfill the mitzvah without any enthusiasm without any propness. Okay. without any excitement, below, without any joy, but they kept the mitzvah because they felt compelled to do so. And they did so as if it was what? A burden upon their shoulders. So what made us susceptible to Ham? Okay. What what did Hammon say about the Jewish people? Yes. No. There's a the Jewish people are asleep when it comes to mitzvah. They're lacking at that moment in time. They are lacking any enthusiasm for Torah and mitzvah. And it's very interesting. Reosa Feinstein famously shared this beautiful gem, this pearl of wisdom, and he says the following. He says Mosha famously said that many if you think about when Ramosha came to America in the beginning of the 20th century. His many at that time had gone away from the ways of their fathers of the previous generation and they why and what caused them to do so because they looked at Yiddish as being something what too difficult to keep in quote the new world and they would hear often what the expression from their parents okay listen it's difficult it's hard to be a Jew. Okay. And Mosha he said rather we always have to say what says greetings it's great it's easy it's beautiful to be a Jew in order that what we should come to love Hashem if we really love Hashem then the reality is what nothing is difficult when it comes to serving Hashem if we really are on fire with our love for then every one of life's challenges shouldn't be so challenging it should be easy to serve with joy says and if you think about this that um that's a very powerful mus okay how many all of us have heard that expression it's tough difficult to be a Jew it's not easy to be a Jew if you think about even Yiddish culture and some of the some of the the famous stories of of of like sham certainly the story of fiddler on the roof the whole tea you know that it's is life why why hashem is it so difficult if I were a rich man all those all those ideas not not about something we're supposed to struggle with or feel find as being difficult or painful it's supposed to be something that enriches our lives and find says we have to be therefore we have to be very very careful of how we even say those words we shouldn't say oh it's hard to be a Jew no we should say it's easy it's the easiest thing in the world to be a Jew Because why? Cuz we have a direct channel to the rebonal. So just picking up on this, we're now going to and building on this further. We're now going to hear from a great hidden mubal 20th century cabalist Rabbi Rabbi Ezra Aish Shalom Kra also known as the Kalban. The Kalban. Why was he called the Kaban which means the milkman? because for much of his life he was a hidden one of the hidden sadikim of the of the last generation. Kabad Kaban died like seven years ago I think 19 2019 um he was a he worked in a cheese factory in Gatine that's why he was called the milkman he was part of a kabur of he's these hidden cabalists that lived in the in the from you know mid from the mid 20th century to the end of the 20th century there was one that was known as the sandlar which means the shoe maker and he was the there were a few of them that there was the kabura these hidden cabalists if you looked at him he didn't look like a rabbitic personality a classically a mikubal classical cabalist he you know went to went to work every day in his uniform and he had a little wore a little cap didn't even wore like a big ka he was clean shaven he was a very interesting personality but alyah who was the certain the chief rabbi of Israel he was very much m of the kalban very much m of this rabbi Men and often sent people who came to Moralyahu for guidance and forot. He would often send them to the to receive and it's from this that he became started to become a little bit more wellknown. And then when he finally retired from the cheese factory, he um he was um he he started giving Shir and more more public Shirim and became more more wellknown and his books the were put together by his famous s Rabbi Ru Sasson. The books of his teachings are called they're called and we're gonna see just a short snippet from the and this is text number three in our sheets that the Jewish people are spread out and and distant amongst the nations. Listen to the words. This is what Hashem says. There's we have one people that is spread out and distant amongst the people the other nations of the world and says the verse in migill this is the fun most important verse of the entire understanding the entire migill this is the source why and all the hams of the world think it's easy what to harm the Jewish people. most important message that we're meant to glean from this p is what the problem of Jews being distant from one another because this is the fundamental reason why a malik thought what that they can harm the Jewish people because they are distant from one another they're not unified And the truth is it's revealed here that the word the this the secret of our lack of unity is hidden within the word yes. Why? Because that first word in our verse says the word doesn't simply mean we have but rather it's the word to be asleep that is in the Jewish people what we're asleep from okay and what's the result if we are asleep in our commitment to mitzvos that's what causes is a lack of unity one to the other. Because when the Jewish people are connect truly connected completely to then they will be unified as Rashi tells us on the P the famous PK that we read last week and the Jewish people encamped in front of they encamped singular as one person with one heart because when the Jewish people are all plugged in to the same sacred set of values that is the Torah okay then what then they are you unified but when they're asleep they're not so plugged into that what happens that's what causes us to what? To feel distant what between ourselves because they don't have that same shared sense of values and purpose that brings us together as a nation. And every single one of us are therefore following after our own personal desires. Even though when it comes to the source of our soul ultimately you know metaphysically we are all connected if in in in our revealed reality we are not what all pursuing the same set of values that unite us what happens var and that is the word of the means that what every single one of us is pursuing our own passions and desires. And when that happens, what happens? Controversies begin to spread. Disagreements and controversies begin to become the norm in such a circumstance, says the Kabad. So without that shared sense of values we become octis unity doesn't just mean it's not just a nice word oh that we all like each other no actus is not just that we get along octis is something more than that is what says the a shared sense of purpose understanding our sacred mission to be anim and plugging into that and living up to that expectation and without it that when we're when we don't have that shared sense of purpose That's when we become susceptible to all our enemies, all those that want to harm us. And now let's look at the the other the second verse I I mentioned that really they really go hand in hand. These two verses help us to understand the entire miguel Esther and the entire story of Per. The second verse of course is is the ne next parak. Okay. when when when Esther by it's labeled incorrectly on the sheet Esther Gimmel is is uh is is uh and Esther I believe it is is okay that you should gather go and gather all the Jews together and if you take a look at text number five in our sheets that's who says those words Okay, Mori comes to Esther and says, you know, it's for this reason that you became the queen and and you're going to save the Jewish people. And Esther's reply to Mori is what? You go and gather the Jewish people together. They're going to fast and I'm going to fast and together we're going to turn this decree upside down. So look at text number five. Text number five are the words of the telak of Yosephak of Yseph, one of the tamu of the BMT. And in his safer of Yoseph, he explains our verse, this verse from Esther text number four here as follows that we have one nation that's spread out and distant from one another. Okay. Once there is what? Distance amongst them, disagreement amongst them, that's when they can become vulnerable. And in order to fix that that transgression, that's why Esther says because what's the antidote to to them being susceptible and weak? The antidote is what? to be to be united as one. When we're united as one, we have unique capabilities. So, just turn your sheets over just we're going to build on this idea. Okay? And we're going to learn, we're going to see how this essential idea is not only encrypted within the entire story of Perm, but even within the mitzos of the day of Perm. We're going to take a look at text number six. It's a short it's a short entry from the Ash. The Asher of course are the beautiful works both in terms of um commentary as well as um Dashot as well as literature of the great post contemporary post Rabbi Asher Weiss. Okay. Asher Weiss of Asher in the Asher on Pum. This is his safer by the way on the sug. If you take a look at text number six then and this is on the right right column of your source sheet on the second side of the source sheet alabets he says by the way it's written in the works of the great 16th century cabalist alabets one the tamidim of the Arizal one of the great 16th century cabalists ofat in his Many which is the commentary of Alabet specifically on Estster. And why did he call it mani? Because from migill we have the mitzvah of mishote and he was a ley. So he called this work on on he called and he says what does he say there he quotes? Why do we have the mitzvah? Why do they why did Esther and Mori establish this mitzvah that they should that the Jews in every year in Pum should send Mishman one to each other. Okay, listen to his answer. It's beautiful. He says why? Because this teaches us and demonstrates that what we are united as one and with love and unity. Okay. the exact opposite of what the wicked enemy Mini Hammon said about us that we were what spread out and distant from one another. And now Raash Weiss explains this a little bit more in the last part here. He says the mitzvah of was given to us was mandated in order to want to reiter to reiterate and to spread unity and friendship which is the opposite of Hammond's words. Okay. Instead what why were we susceptible to Hmon? Because instead of being united as one, they were distant from one another and in controversy with one another. And that's why the mitzvah of was established. So just to take this a step further with another source that's not on your sheets, I'm sorry it's not on your sheets because I just discovered this this morning in the library sitting by preparing the she here at the shul. We're going to there's a beautiful safer called Shana which are the collections of of teachings on the various holidays of the year from Rabbi Barak Ashlag Ashlag was the son of one of the sons of Yehuda Ashlag the great Balasulam who was the Balasulam he wrote a commentary on the Zoadosh a 20th century rabbi okay he was known as the Balisulam that's ashlag his son is Rabbi Barak Ashlag one of his sons and collectively their and their cabalistic movement is called a okay soak ash one of the great rebased I'm just going to read a couple lines from his longer essay about sending and giving gifts to the poor and listen to his words he says we have one nation okay one people that is that is spread out and distant from one another amongst amongst the nations. That is to say, all them are what? Scattered and distant. At that moment in Jewish history, they did not love one another at all. They did not have friendships amongst them. There was no connection between them at all. And if that's true about the Jewish people in those circumstances, then what then? Maybe Hmon thought what he would be able to conquer them and overcome them. And that's why Esther said to him afterwards to to Mori afterwards, "Go and gather together all the Jewish people. Bring them all together. There's the remedy is what? To do the opposite. Gather them together. Join them together. The Jewish people need to be together as one. This is our opportunity. There's a people that's distant from one another. And Esther says to respond to that the response has to be what? Go and gather together. You have to put together a great a great gathering. There has to be what? A connection one to the other. There has to be love for every one of us for a fellow Jew. And that's why it was established when established this as a form that occurred. Okay. It was established that one of the ways that we're going to reiterate this message for every single generation of the Jewish people is through the mitzvah of and matanote showing our love and concern and our care and the connection between one another between us and our fellow Jew. So the in text number seven builds on this a little bit more. We're just going to read part of it. And he says this is how we can understand the to says the Jewish people have spiritual powers of protection only when what they united as one. Because when they get together and they see what the goodness in one another that's not only beneficial for themselves but beneficial for the entire world because when the Jewish people come together they realize that what hidden amongst them is great lofty power spiritual powers. And if we're distant and spread out from one another, when we are scattered, we become distant from one another. When a person becomes scatterbrained, says the shalom, distracted, confused in their thought process. They become distant from their fellow. And they become full with what? All kinds of questions and and and and um and complaints about their fellow. And the way we fix this idea in order to what to be once again complete in our relationships with our fellow Jew. Okay. In order to build completely those relationships, it's through the mitzvot of in order to what to build friendship and camaraderie in between and our fellow between every single Jew and one another. Okay. So we see already from these sources we discussed terms of which of course are two very big parts of of PM that this theme of unity as a way of protection of unity of a way of us manifesting our unique spiritual role in this world. Okay. How we how we come how we how do we come to enable that in this world where it's not sometimes not so easy through these two mitzvah and matos. Okay. So we're now going to learn from Aram shore. This is text number eight in his beautiful safer. He's going to tell us that there's another custom and practice associated with PM that also brings us to this fundamental idea and was also established to reiterate this fundamental idea. So take a look at text number eight. I saw the Carmona's that I that cites the reb of of may be bestowed upon us something wondrous mush why we change our clothes we put on clothing we put on a costume clothing we otherwise wouldn't otherwise wear every custom and practice of the Jewish people has a source and something sacred. Okay. And it's explained. Okay. That on it's a time where everyone's going around asking one another what do you me okay? Do you forgive me? I'm sorry for was any anything that we that I've done over the course of the year to that upset you or that or that harmed you in any way. Do you forgive me? That's what everyone's involved in in the days leading up to to young, right? Okay. Why? Because in reality, all of us have times people in our lives that want that we've been in conflict with that we have we have an accounting with. But sometimes what happens what it's very difficult what to either let go of the anger and hurt we're holding on to and be able to forgive that person that's asking for forgiveness or worse what we are so angry with that person and listen for that person that what that we can't even bring ourselves to ask for forgiveness. Okay. Either because we're still angry or because we're embarrassed, whatever it may be. But it goes both ways. Either there's circumstances where what it's difficult for someone for us to forgive that person or it's difficult for that person to come and ask us for forgiveness. Okay. But one person comes. Okay. Pum comes because what and the power of forgiveness on this day of PM is so great as we learn from the story that we share in the introduction of these two great masters sitting and drinking together on Pum and saying that when the Jewish people are together drinking together on this day of Pum all their all their transgressions are forgiven. What's that based on? based on the the idea that PM is a day of great forgiveness and that's based on the teaching of the tikun that says that what is why is this yumpt of of yam kipper called yomipurim yam kipurim meaning that yam kipper is a day shahipur like okay and says the reb of vision that if yum kiper is likened a day that's likened to pimon it means that The lesser day of yam kiper is being compared to what? The greater day of pum. Okay. And therefore pim is a day with an incredible capacity for forgiveness. And the essential message of perm is what the idea of connections between us and our fellow Jewish. And that's why the custom is what to be to change our clothes and put a mask over our face in order for those who might have difficulty either forgiving one another or asking forgiveness of one another by putting that mask on our face by disguising ourselves so to It might make it a little bit easier for us to look one another in the eye and either ask for forgiveness or give forgiveness when we might otherwise be unable to do so. Because this is the work that we're meant to do during these days of to acquire for ourselves this this character trait of of an of seeing the good in one another and to be unified with true unity. Okay? One for the other. And just one last teaching to bring this all together from the rabbi. This comes this is text number nine on your sheets of if you take a look the how does he explain our from in order for us to what to experience a miracle. What do we need to have first unity? Okay. Therefore, Esther tells instructs Morai, go and gather together, bring together as one every single Jew. So as we prepare for this awesome the awesome yet of a perm in the days ahead just in the weeks and days ahead um the key to understanding what perm is all about as we said in the introduction are really these two these two pukim these parallel sukim in the gulad there and may we be blessed to to to really take to heart all these beautiful ideas that we learned together this afternoon and to see these days of adar as as we just learned that the aod these days of adar is what? To work on our relationships, even if we have to put on a costume and a mask to be able to do so. Okay, the work of these days of and the awesome of is indeed to work on our relationships with our fellow Jew. And if we're able to do that, says based on everything we learned together and as brought together so beautifully by the Rebi in the last idea we just shared, then we will please God be Z to experience miracles in the days ahead. and in on this pum in and the days ahead. Okay, have a great chabas everybody.