Purim Restores Face-To-Face Torah

ליהודים היתה אורה זו תורה.

"The Yehudim had orah (light)" (Esther 8:16) — this refers to Torah.

The Sefas Emes opens with Chazal's reading that the "light" the Jews received at the time of Purim was Torah.

נראה כי תורה אור.

It appears that "Torah is light" (Mishlei 6:23).

He distinguishes between two terms: "ohr" (light) is Torah in general.

ואורה היא בחי' תורה שבע"פ.

And "orah" is the aspect of Torah she'be'al peh (the Oral Torah).

The specific word "orah" used in the Megillah points to the Oral Torah in particular.

ולכן איתא הדר קבלוה בימי אחשורוש עפ"י מ"ש במדרש תנחומא פ' נח כי מה שהוצרך לכפות עליהם הר כגיגית היה על תורה שבע"פ.

And therefore it is brought that "they re-accepted it in the days of Achashverosh" (Shabbos 88a), in accordance with what the Midrash Tanchuma on Parshas Noach says — that the reason Hashem had to hold the mountain over them like a barrel was concerning the Oral Torah.

At Sinai the Jews were compelled regarding Torah she'be'al peh, and at Purim they willingly re-accepted that very part.

נמצא דעיקר הקבלה שבימי אחשורוש הוא תורה שבע"פ.

It emerges that the essence of the acceptance in the days of Achashverosh was the Oral Torah.

The renewed kabbalas haTorah of Purim was specifically the embrace of Torah she'be'al peh.

וכבר כתבנו במ"א כי מגילה זו הוא החיבור של תורה שבכתב ובע"פ.

And we have already written elsewhere that this Megillah is the joining of the Written and Oral Torah.

The Megillah itself bridges the two Torahs, uniting the written and the oral.

שמאז התחילו כל תקנות אנשי כנה"ג.

For from then began all the enactments of the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah (Men of the Great Assembly).

The era of Purim launched the great wave of rabbinic enactments that characterize the Oral Torah.

ולכן נקראת אגרת ונקראת ספר.

And therefore it is called both an "iggeres" (letter) and a "sefer" (book).

The Megillah's dual name reflects its dual nature — letter (oral, of-the-moment) and book (written, fixed).

ועתה נבאר באופן אחר מ"ש היתה אורה ושמחה.

And now we will explain in a different way that which is said, "there was orah and simchah (joy)."

He now offers a second approach to the verse's "light and joy."

דאיתא במד' ויתן אל משה הה"ד לך ה' הצדקה ולנו בושת הפנים.

For it is brought in the Midrash on "And He gave to Moshe" (Shemos 31:18): this is what is written, "To You, Hashem, is the righteousness, and to us is the shame of face" (Daniel 9:7).

The Midrash links the giving of the Luchos to a verse contrasting Hashem's righteousness with our shame.

בנ"י עשו למטה החטא והקדוש ב"ה למעלה חיקק להם לוחות של חיים.

Bnei Yisrael committed the sin below, while the Holy One, blessed is He, above was engraving for them Luchos of life.

While Israel was sinning with the Eigel, Hashem was simultaneously preparing the life-giving Tablets — a striking image of His chesed.

דכתיב פנים בפנים דיבר ה' עמכם.

As it is written, "Face to face Hashem spoke with you" (Devarim 5:4).

The original revelation at Sinai was a direct, "face to face" encounter.

ואמרו בפסיקתא יש לך הרב שרוצה ללמוד ואין התלמיד רוצה. ויש תלמיד רוצה כו'.

And they said in the Pesikta: there is a teacher who wishes to teach but the student does not wish, and there is a student who wishes but the teacher does not, etc.

Usually teaching falters because either rebbi or talmid is unready — a mismatch of readiness.

ברם כאן פנים בפנים דיבר.

But here, "face to face He spoke."

At Sinai there was a perfect match — both the "Teacher" and the "students" were fully ready.

פי' שהיו בני ישראל מוכנים אל התורה כמו שהי' הכנה מלמעלה ליתן להם התורה.

This means that Bnei Yisrael were as prepared to receive the Torah as there was preparation from Above to give it to them.

"Face to face" expresses a perfect correspondence between Israel's readiness to receive and Hashem's readiness to give.

ואחר החטא נפלנו מזו המדריגה רק משה רבינו נשאר בזה.

And after the sin we fell from this level; only Moshe Rabbeinu remained at it.

The Eigel cost the nation that "face to face" level, but Moshe retained it.

כמ"ש ודיבר ה' אל משה פנים בפנים.

As it is written, "And Hashem would speak to Moshe face to face" (Shemos 33:11).

Moshe alone continued to enjoy the direct, face-to-face communication.

אבל בני ישראל לא נשארו בזו המדריגה.

But Bnei Yisrael did not remain at this level.

The nation as a whole lost that intimate standing.

ומ"מ נתן לנו הקב"ה במתנה התורה.

And nevertheless the Holy One, blessed is He, gave us the Torah as a gift.

Despite the fall, Hashem still granted the Torah — but now as an undeserved gift rather than as an earned, face-to-face possession.

ולכן כתיב ולנו בושת הפנים דמאן דאכיל דלאו דילי' בהית לאיסתכולי באפי'.

And therefore it is written, "and to us is the shame of face," for one who eats that which is not his own is ashamed to look upon the face of the giver (Yerushalmi Orlah 1:3).

Receiving Torah as a gift we did not earn brings a sense of shame, like eating bread one did not work for ("nahama d'kisufa").

ובאמת כל זה גרם אותו הרשע עמלק ימ"ש.

And in truth, all of this was caused by that wicked one, Amalek, may his name be erased.

The Sefas Emes pins this fall and this "shame" ultimately on Amalek, whose attack precipitated the breach.

שע"ז כ' אין הכסא שלם עד שימחה שם עמלק.

Regarding this it is written that the Throne is not complete until the name of Amalek is erased.

So long as Amalek exists, the Divine "Throne" — and our full relationship with Hashem — remains incomplete.

וכסא הוא בנ"י שהם כסא למלכות שמים.

And the "Throne" is Bnei Yisrael, who are a throne for the Kingship of Heaven.

Klal Yisrael themselves are the kisei, the seat upon which Hashem's malchus rests in the world.

ולכן כשימחה עמלק כתיב ולא יכנף עוד מוריך והיו עיניך רואות כו'.

And therefore, when Amalek is erased, it is written, "Your Teacher will no longer be hidden, and your eyes will behold your Teacher" (Yeshayahu 30:20).

Erasing Amalek restores the open, "face to face" vision — no more concealment between us and our Teacher.

ולכן אחר מפלת המן היתה אורה זו תורה ושמחה.

And therefore, after the downfall of Haman, "there was orah" — this is Torah — "and joy."

Haman, of Amalek, fell, and so the breach he caused began to heal: the light of Torah and joy returned.

שקבלו התורה בבחי' פנים בפנים ובשמחה.

For they received the Torah in the aspect of "face to face" and with joy.

The Purim re-acceptance restored the face-to-face intimacy lost at the Eigel, this time embraced willingly and with simchah.

היפוך בושת הפנים.

The opposite of the "shame of face."

Joyfully chosen acceptance erases the shame of receiving an unearned gift.

ועל זה אומרים שכל קויך לא יבושו ולא יכלמו כו':

And concerning this we say, "for all who hope in You shall not be shamed nor humiliated," etc. (from the liturgy).

Those who cling to Hashem will ultimately be freed of all shame — the full reversal accomplished at Purim and to be completed in the future.

Summary: The "light" of Purim was Torah — specifically Torah she'be'al peh, which Bnei Yisrael re-accepted willingly in the days of Achashverosh. At Sinai the Torah was received "face to face," but the Eigel — ultimately caused by Amalek — cost the nation that level, leaving the "shame of face" of an unearned gift. With Haman's downfall, the breach began to heal: Bnei Yisrael again received the Torah face to face and with joy, the very opposite of shame.