Purim (Part VII): The Purim Rav

00:01 Behemshech, in continuation to the earlier installments regarding Purim by the Rebbe, we continue now with installment number seven, discussing two additional aspects in regards to Purim. One of them, as it is referred to, the Purim Rav. It was customary that for Purim, the community would appoint someone for the day of Purim, and he received the title Purim Rav, which was basically to contribute to the joy, the mellowness of the, uh, Elam of the community in celebrating Purim. The second concept is referred to as Purim Torah. In Yanom of Torah, words of Torah, thoughts of Torah, that are actually said within a spirit of Purim. It does not demand much focus or concentration. It is more on the surface, and it is said in the spirit of Purim. Over the years, the Rebbe referred to both of these titles, Purim Rav and Purim Torah. We'll first discuss the Purim Rav. The Rebbe mentioned it occasionally a few times over the forty-two years of Sichas. The first time was in Simchas Beis Hasha'eiver Tov Shin Yud Dalet. That's late 1953. The Rebbe said that in the past, it was customary of a Seder of a Purim Rav, making the Rav for Purim. A whole year he did not serve as the Rav, but one night he served as the Rav Purim.

02:10 That is the first time the Rebbe mentioned it, and the second time the Rebbe mentioned it was on Simchas Teida Tov Shin Lamid Vav, late 1975. And the Rebbe relates the following. A person once told me that in the Yeshiva where he studied, the Rosh Yeshiva was very sharp, and every thoughtful insight that was said and delivered in front of him, he would immediately say, "Ipcha Mistavra." It's the opposite. This doesn't make any sense. The opposite makes sense. It's not logical. And he would explain himself when it came to Purim, and they would choose a Purim Rav. So the Talmidim, the students, with the impression and feeling that they had about this Rosh Yeshiva over the year. So that's when they would pour out their bitter heart on the Rosh Yeshivas with whom they were not pleased. So the Rav of Purim said as follows, "When the Rosh Yeshiva will come up lemaylah after 120 to the Elam HaEmes, the Seder will be as follows. Since in Gan Eden there are many different sections, and in order that they should know what reward and what chamber the Rosh Yeshiva will be in after 120, and generally the Beznesh HaMaylah, the heavenly court, gathers together, and they ask the guest, he should say, "Achidnushi," something unique, a deep insight in the Yanom of Teilah. And that's how they will be able to decide in what partition of Gan Eden he will be sent to." So the Rav of Purim continues and says, "When the Rosh Yeshiva

04:14 of our Yeshiva will go up to Beznesh HaMaylah, because of his greatness," he was a big Rosh Yeshiva, "so the Eibishter, the Almighty, will come becheded ve'atzmei. He will himself come and greet him, and he will be sitting at the head of the table, at the head of the table of the heavenly court, and he will turn to the Rosh Yeshiva, and he will say to him, "Say Achidush, say something, a deep concept, something brilliant." And the Rosh Yeshiva would say, "Adir Abba, let Hashem say something, let the Almighty say Achidush, and I will dispute it." We will im yirtzeh Hashem continue in the next installment discussing the concept of Purim tales.