“That night the king’s sleep was disturbed ….” (Esther 6:1)
The Medrash relates that Haman shackled the tinokos shel bais rabban (the schoolchildren who study Torah) and promised to kill them first. They wailed and cried until their shrieks rose up to Heaven and Hashem heard their screams. At that moment, Hashem’s compassion was aroused. Hashem asked the angels: What is this cry of young goats and sheep that I hear? Moshe Rabbeinu said: These are not sheep; these are the young children of Your Nation who have been fasting three days and three nights because tomorrow the enemy wants to slaughter them like sheep. Hashem then tore up the letters with His seal and nullified the decree on the Jewish people.
We learn that it was the tears – the crying and weeping – that succeeded in piercing the Heavens. We know (Berachos 32b) that since the day the Temple was destroyed a wall of iron stands between the Jewish Nation and our Father in Heaven. The Gates of Prayer are not always open, as it says (Eicha 3:8), “Though I plead and call out, He shuts out my prayer.” However, the Gates of Tears are never locked, as it says (Tehillim 39:13), “Hear my prayer, Hashem, and give ear to my pleading; be not silent to my tears.”
The Sefer U’Masuk Ha’Or cites the Kotzker who asks: Gates are in place in order to be closed at times. If the Gate of Tears is never closed, why are gates necessary at all? The Kotzker says there is a need for a gate, so that they can close out false tears.
What are false tears? A person walking in a public park heard the heartrending cries of a child. When he followed the wailing, he found a child tied to a fence, with a piece of rope between his teeth.
“What happened?” asked the man.
“I was playing with my friends and I am supposed to be the horse. They tied me to the fence and ran away, leaving me here,” the child continued crying.
“I don’t understand,” said the man. “Open your mouth and then you can remove the rope and go on your way.”
“If I open my mouth, I won’t be a horse anymore,” wailed the child.
We sometimes cry such tears, not realizing that we have the choice to change our situation. Instead of bemoaning our bitter lot, we should get up and try to do something about it. We should try to rectify our actions that are distancing us from Hashem, and instead connect ourselves to the mitzvos that will bring us closer to Hashem.
Hashem reproaches the Jewish people (Yeshaya 1:11-12), “Why do I need your numerous sacrifices? …Who sought this from your hand, to trample My courtyards?” The question is strange. It is Hashem who has asked this of His nation, as it says (Shemos 23:17), “Three times during the year shall all your menfolk appear before Hashem.”
We learn that Hashem asks His nation to come with their heart, otherwise they have no reason to come. Hashem wants the Jewish People to do the mitzvos wholeheartedly, and not just merely by rote. The Sefer Tahor Rayonim elaborates that this refers to when the people would stand in prayer, and their heart was not connected to Hashem; they were just thinking about themselves. Prayer and sacrifices that are offered in this manner are considered as if we are “trampling in His courtyards.”
The bais medrash of the Stoliner chassidim, headed by the great tzaddik, the Bais Aharon, was one of the main Chassidic centers in Eastern Europe. As Succos approached, all the chassidim were enthusiastically involved in the preparations for the Simchas Bais HaShoei’va ceremony that was held each year. The Simchas Bais HaShoei’va included music, singing and dancing, and raised the spirits of all those in attendance.
However, there were those who were indifferent, and even opposed to the exuberant display of simcha by the chassidim. One year, one individual went so far as to go to court in order to stop the chassidim from engaging in their festivities as he felt it was disturbing the peace.
After davening that morning, the police entered the shul with a summons for the chief rabbi – the Bais Aharon himself – to appear in court immediately.
The Bais Aharon remained calm, unperturbed and even joyful. However, when he saw that his chassidim were concerned – some with a fearful look on their face, and others even crying – he turned to them and loudly announced: It is forbidden to be upset and to cry during these days of simcha. You must be strong in your emunah and in your bitachon, maintain your spirit of simcha and believe that all will turn out well.” He continued, “We are now engaging in a simcha shel mitzvah and nothing will mar that. I will return at the end of the day to our shul for tefillas Mincha.”
All the congregants were taken aback, because it simply could not be possible for the Bais Aharon to return that afternoon to the shul, considering that he was being taken to court and would have to await a trial date and then go through all the court proceedings.
Imagine their great shock and surprise when they had all assembled for the Mincha prayers, and the Bais Aharon suddenly appeared and took his place to daven with everyone else.
Of course, all his chassidim were curious to know what had transpired. The Bais Aharon related that when he was brought before the judge, he explained the mitzvah of simchas yom tov very clearly and succinctly to him. He told the judge that Succos was zman simchaseinu (the time of our joy) and all Jewish communities conducted themselves with joy and gladness on the holiday of Succos. The judge was very impressed with his words, as well as with the excitement and enthusiasm he expressed for the mitzvos.
All the charges were dropped, and the Bais Aharon was immediately released. “All my life I never missed tefillah b’tzibbur (ten adult men praying together). I therefore trusted and relied on the kindness of Hashem to ensure that I would not miss davening with a minyan today either,” concluded the Bais Aharon.
