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What is the deeper meaning to Haman’s “title” of צֹרֵר הַיְּהוּדִים-Tormentor of the Jews (Esther 3:10)? Simply translated, צֹרֵר הַיְּהוּדִים means tormentor of the Jews. However, the word צֹרֵר or צוֹרֵר derives from the word לִצְרוֹר, meaning to bind together, as is used in the commonly known brachah recited for a deceased person תְּהֵא נִשְׁמָתוֹ צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים-May his soul be bound up in the everlasting bonds of life. At the time of Purim, there was a lack of achdus, unity, amongst the Jewish people. In fact, Haman predicated the success of his extermination plan on their lack of achdus, describing the Jews to Achashveirosh as a distinct nation that is splintered and scattered (Esther 3:8). Klal Yisrael finds strength and success in their achdus, as was the case when they gathered together at Sinai like one person with one heart (Rashi, Shemos 19:2) to receive the Torah. Divisiveness, on the other hand, can cause their destruction, as can be seen by the fact that divisiveness was the main cause of the destruction of the second Beis HaMikdash (see Yoma 9b).

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However, although Haman based his success on Jewish disunity, his decree sparked a teshuvah movement amongst the Jews that fostered tremendous unity. Upon the issuance of the decree, Esther called for the Jews to gather together in their cities to fast for three days in repentance, saying Go gather all the Jews together (Esther 4:16). The Jews also banded together in defense of their enemies on the following 13th of Adar, as the Megillah says The Jews came together in their cities (Esther 9:2). Since it was his decree that brought Klal Yisrael together, Haman is called צֹרֵר כָּל-הַיְּהוּדִים-The one who caused all of the Jews to be bound together (ibid. 24). (HaRav Michoelson of Warsaw)

 

How did Achashveirosh hint to Haman that he would never succeed in causing the downfall of Klal Yisrael? When Achashveirosh surprised Haman by instructing him to do to Mordechai all that he had suggested be done to the person whom the king desired to honor, Achashveirosh said אַל-תַּפֵּל דָּבָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּdo not omit a single detail that you suggested (Esther 6:10). The word תַּפֵּל derives from the word לִפֹּלto fall, and the gematria of the words אַל-תַּפֵּלdo not omit equals the gematria of יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel. Taking it all together, Achashveirosh was unwittingly informing Haman אַל-תַּפֵּל יִשְׂרָאֵלIsrael will not fall no matter how hard you try. (The Rokeach)

 

These are excerpts from the sefer “Inside Purim” which contains additional answers to the above questions and much more. With haskamos from HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Harav Shlomo Eliyahu Miller, HaRav Noach Isaac Oelbaum, and HaRav Yisrael Reisman, the sefer contains a collection of over 200 fascinating divrei Torah in a short, quick pick-up, and easy to read and remember format, and is a great place to find an exciting Purim vort to say over to family and friends. Inside Purim has been published in both English and French, and is available at Jewish bookstores, and at www.Feldheim.com. To contact the author, email: [email protected].

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To contact the author, email: [email protected].