The Rabbi Was Fired for….. Learning

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When Haman wanted to annihilate the Jewish people,

Yetoda Khashwerosh, Yashno-e-Am-Ekhad-Mafuzer-Mafoyad-Mainaman

There is a certain nation that is scattered and dispersed among the nations

Velamellach and Shoyvelanicham

And it is not in the king's best interest to keep them around

The Ismah Israel offers a beautiful homological interpretation

Haman was not describing a nation dispersed geographically

He was describing a nation that was divided internally

Mafuzer-Mafoyad, they are separated, this Makhloikas among themselves

There was friction, there was hatred within the Jewish people

And Haman understood that when Yiden are divided,

we cease to function as a Klaal

And when that happens, we lose our Khaykhat-Sibar

We lose our Sakhus-Arabam

Haman's entire plot was built upon that division among Khaykh Israel

And that is why Hashem commanded that every year it gives

Specifically a Makhza-Sashakal, a half-shakal

To ingrain within every Jew that he is only a half

No one is complete when they are alone

Only when we combine with another Yet to become complete

If a person sees himself as a complete Shakal, independent, self-sufficient

Not needing anyone else, that is virtually dangerous

Our strength lies in recognizing that the sum of Khaykh Israel is far greater than any individual part

And this unity is what ultimately saved the Jewish people

As the told Mordekhai,

Lake Knoises-Kalaihudam, go and gather all the Jews, unify them, bring them together, create Arduz

And that Arduz nullified Haman's decree

But perhaps the message of Makhza-Sashakal goes even deeper

It is not only about unifying with others

It is about humility within ourselves

The feeling of half, the feeling of incompleteness is what fuels growth

When a person feels complete, he stops striving

When Saul believes he has arrived, he is no longer motivated to keep growing

Asef comes from the word Asu, I am done trying

I have already arrived, I have already accomplished, there is nothing left for me to build

Yakov, however, is from the word Aikov, heal

The heal represents the lowest point, the beginning

Yakov always had the mindset, I am only at the beginning, I still have a long way to go

In describing Mordekhai at Sardin, the Mugila says

Mordekhai was sitting at the gate of the kink

From his perspective, Mordekhai was always just at the gate, always at the beginning

Always striving to accomplish more

The author of Kalim said, the reason we call a Tertis color

Atamut Khacham and Arachacham, why a student?

A student and Arachacham is because the moment a person no longer sees himself as a student

Someone who is still learning, still growing, still striving, he stagnates

A truchacham is someone who still views himself as Atamut

We are now reading about the dimensions of the Mishkan

The Aran was unique, that its measurements were only in halves

Two and a half amas, one and a half amas, why halves?

Because the Aran, which contained the luchas, symbolizes Torah

And Torah demands the mind set of halves

You are never complete, you are never finished learning

However much you know, this infinitely more

The fascinating stories told about Raleez and Silver, the venerable rob of Cincinnati

When he first began his rabbinic career in a small town on the east coast

The president of the community approached him one day and he told him rabbi

I am sorry, but we are going to have to let you go

And rabbi Silver was stunned

Yes, what did I do wrong?

Why am I being dismissed for my job?

And the president tells him

Last night, that one in the morning, we were walking past your house

And we saw the lights on, we were wondering, what is the wrath of doing up so late at night?

So we picked inside, we saw you hunched over svaram and learning

And what is wrong with that, the rob asked?

What is wrong with learning, Kamara and Shlakhonarach?

And the president tells him, rabbi, you don't understand

We wanted a rabbi who already finished learning

Not a rabbi who is still studying

We wanted someone who already mastered everything

A rabbi who knows it all

Humorous but true

A Jew never stops learning

The Torah has no end

The Torah is a ruch of my eris mida, a ruch of my na'yam

Its depth is infinite

And that is the message of Makhtsa Sahakal

And avoid this Hashem

No matter how much we know, no matter how much we have accomplished

We must always feel like a half

However much Torah we acquired, there is still a lot more to accomplish

However much growth we have achieved, there is always more

We must always feel like Makhtsas

Because when we feel like a half

We unite with others

When we feel like a half, we strive to grow

When we feel like a half, we remain humble

Haman's Ka'ach came from a period, from a division, from arrogance

Our Ka'ach comes from Arduz, from another

And when Ka'ach stands united and humble

And striving to grow and avoid the Hashem

No Haman or no Hamas can ever touch us

And now we know, have a wonderful day

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