Purim Koton - Part 1

00:01 As we find ourselves in Purim Katan, and then followed by Shushan Purim Katan, we'll discuss a sicha of the Rebbe, Purim Katan Tov Shim Memvov 1986. The Rebbe shares an insight on the unique day of Purim Katan, as it was translated by Sichas in English. Every day of the year has its own unique quality, and when a Yid is told about the special character of a particular day, it encourages him to accomplish more on that day. The day of Purim Katan, the 14th of Adar Aleph, should be viewed as a precious guest. Frequent guests deserve polite attention and hospitality, but when a guest arrives who has not come for a long time, then he deserves special attention. In the 19-year cycle of regular years and leap years, we have 19 Purims, but only 7 Purim Katans. So when Purim Katan comes, we truly have an infrequent and rare guest which deserves special attention. How must we appreciate and cherish every moment of this rare and precious day? We must truly utilize it for special activities. This special treatment will also include the following night, for in the case of Purim, the following day is Shushan Purim, and in the case of Purim Katan, it is Shushan Purim Katan. So the night of the 15th is still part of the holiday. There is a strong connection between Purim and Purim Katan. As the Mishnah teaches, there is no difference between the first Adar and the second Adar, save only in the reading of the Megillah and

02:05 the distribution of gifts to the poor. In all other matters, it would appear that both Purims are the same, with Purim Katan retaining the quality of being first. This theme of both is, of course, the victory of Am Yisrael over their enemies. And it was turned about, the Yidden gained the upper hand over their adversaries. So much so that many from among the people of the land professed themselves as Yidden, while the others were overcome with the fear of Am Yisrael and deferred to the Yidden, exalted them because the fear of Mordechai had fallen upon them. At the Exodus from Egypt, Mesha also admonished Pari that he would have to give his Egyptian flocks to the Yidden to use as sacrifices when they would leave Mitzrayim. So Purim Katan carries this influence of evoking and eliciting the assistance and cooperation of the nations for Am Yisrael. In the year Tafresh Pezai in 1927, 95 years ago, the previous Rebbe delivered the Hasidic discourse V'kibal Ha'Yehudim on Purim Katan in the largest synagogue in the capital city of Russia before a huge crowd. He did not give consideration to the dangers involved and, as we discovered later, he exhibited superhuman self-sacrifice. The Maimed itself discusses the reaffirmation of Kabbalah Sateira receiving the Teina on the part of Am Yisrael in the time of Mordechai. This came about through the Mesiras Nefesh self-sacrifice of Mordechai in conjunction with the Teina studies of the small children. Their Teina and self-sacrifice nullified the decree of Haman. As it says,

04:18 out of the mouths of children and sucklings, you have fashioned an invincible might to put an end to destroy foe and avenger. The Maimed goes on to say that the education of the children is necessary as the foundation for the future existence of Am Yisrael. If there are no kids, there will be no egots, as the Medrash says in Esther Rabba. As you educate the child, so will he grow and develop, and so will he teach his children, and they their children forever. Thus, it is this dedication to educating the young generation which represented the essence of the reaffirmation in the time of Mordechai with an internal force so that the remembrance shall not perish from their descendants. This will lead to the ultimate redemption. First we will reach the redemption of Purim when Mordechai became great and the condition of Am Yisrael improved to the point that soon after the miracle of Purim, the work on the Beis Hamikdash was started again in the days of King Daryavesh. And then we will bring close the redemption of Purim and Pesach to the ultimate redemption.