English translation — פורים קטן

1.

The conclusion of Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim is with the halachos and laws of Purim

(Hilchos Megillah),

and in the last Siman¹

it discusses the laws of the 14th and 15th of Adar Rishon.

The reason for this simply is,

because according to the order of the year — as in the Tur and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim the halachos of the times and festivals of the year are arranged,

they begin with Rosh Chodesh,

and then Nissan

(Hilchos Pesach)

etc. — the laws of Purim come at the end²

And that the laws of 14th and 15th of Adar Rishon come at the end

(Hilchos Megillah)

— after the laws of Purim,

although in the leap year itself they are earlier in time than the laws of Purim which are in Adar Sheini,

it is because these laws do not pertain to every year but only in a leap year,

therefore the laws of Purim have precedence.

And additionally it can be said,

that the particular laws of 14th and 15th of Adar Rishon "and the law of fasting and eulogizing on them" are a result of the commandments and laws of Purim; i.e.

that is,

that the laws and obligations of 14th and 15th of Adar Rishon — "one does not fall on one's face and one does not say the psalm 'May Hashem answer you on the day of distress' and they are forbidden in eulogy and fasting"⁴

— are not connected with their unique essence of <b>the </b>days of the month <b>in and of themselves,</b>

but only as

Result of the days of Purim

(And fulfillment of the commandment of Purim⁵)

In the second Adar,

And therefore follow them the laws and rulings of the 14th and 15th of Adar

(Unspecified),

Because the laws in this section come as a result and consequence⁶

Of the main days of Purim⁷,

Which occur in this year

(the leap year)

in Adar Sheni.

But — all matters of Torah are in utmost precision,

and all the more so matters of the world,

that every thing in the world is with Divine Providence and precise intention.

It is understood,

that that which the laws of Purim stand at the conclusion of the laws of section Orach Chaim,

and in them themselves the conclusion is with the laws of Purim Katan — 14 and 15 of Adar Rishon,

it is not only because thus it comes out according to the order of times of the laws,

from the earlier to the later in time

(or — Adar itself — from the aspect of frequent etc.)

and in a way of <b>consequently</b> they come at the end of section Orach Chaim — but because in this there is

(also)

here a precision and special intention:

In that the aforementioned laws are the conclusion and seal of Orach Chaim, an aspect is expressed in the order of "Orach Chaim" of man,

since there is the principle that "everything follows the seal"⁹.

B.

Seemingly, one can explain this with an explanation of the content of the <b>last</b> words with which the Rema concludes Orach Chaim: "Some say that one is obligated to increase in feast and joy on the 14th of the first Adar, and the custom is not so,

nevertheless, one should increase a bit in the meal to fulfill the opinion of the stringent ones <b>and it is good</b>¹⁰

<b> a heart of feasting always".</b>

Stays in books",

that the "signature" of the Rema is "similar to the opening" of Orach Chaim: the Rema begins with "שויתי ה׳ לנגדי &lt;b&gt;תמיד"",&lt;/b&gt;

and the conclusion and seal is — "וטוב לב משתה &lt;b&gt;תמיד",&lt;/b&gt;

that the two times "תמיד" correspond to the "two perpetual offerings in their order"&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;

— "שנים ליום &lt;b&gt;תמיד"&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;.

One of the explanations about this:

The section Orach Chaim consists of the commandments and laws that a person must fulfill daily and throughout the entire day — from the time he rises from his sleep in the morning until the time of his lying down at night — and of the laws and commandments during the entire days of the year,

in the order of the year.

These commandments and laws are generally connected with specific times during the day and night,

or

(during the year)

— which one is obligated to fulfill at a specific time in the year — and are not relevant to another time during the year.

But the beginning of "Orach Chaim"

(i.e. — also — of man)

and its conclusion

are the two tamids*¹⁴,

whose obligation is constant,

at all times of the days of his life of man — during the entire year and during the entire day each and every day.

And therefore they are arranged in a manner,

that one "Tamid" comes as the head and beginning of "Orach Chayim" and the second "Tamid" as its conclusion and seal:

The beginning of Shulchan Aruch,

Shiviti Hashem l'negdi <b>tamid</b> is the point of yirat Hashem,

as the Rema elaborates and details¹⁵

(there)

: "When a person places upon his heart that the great King, the Holy One, blessed be He, Whose glory fills the whole earth, stands over him and sees his deeds, etc., immediately there will come to him fear and humility in dread of the Almighty and shame before Him <b>tamid</b>"; and the conclusion "and a glad heart makes a feast <b>tamid</b>" is the matter of joy.

And these two matters need to be by the person in a manner of "tamid",

at all times — in every avodah¹⁶

that a Jew does, there must be heard in him the matter of yirah and hakhna'ah,

and also the matter of simchah in avodas Hashem,

"Ivdu" es Hashem b'yirah,

ivdu es Hashem b'simchah"¹⁸.

Gimmel.

And based on this, one can explain that the conclusion of Orach Chayim is with the laws

(Megillah)

Purim:

It is known,

that for every type or special line in the service of G-d,

there is a day

(time)

fixed in the year which is especially conducive and suitable for <b>that</b> manner of service¹⁹,

that from this time one takes the power in this matter and influence on this service throughout the entire year.

And likewise regarding the line of joy: the giving of power for "and a glad heart [makes] a continual feast",

for the joy in the service of G-d throughout the entire year,

comes from the days of Purim,

because Purim is the time when one increases in

(feast and)

joy to the greatest degree,

more than in all the festivals and holidays of the year,

as is ruled in the Tur²⁰

and Shulchan Aruch "it is a mitzvah to increase in the Purim feast",

and²²

a person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim until he does not know etc."

— and it is not a contradiction to what is explained elsewhere that the festival of Sukkos,

the time of &lt;b&gt;our joy,&lt;/b&gt;

is&lt;sup&gt;23&lt;/sup&gt;

the source for joy over the entire year

that the general matters

In the service of G-d, one takes the power for them from the general month,

the month of Tishrei: Rosh Hashanah,

the time of ,

“Make Me king over you”²⁵,

is the source from which one draws fear of heaven for the entire year; Yom Kippur — on the matter of repentance; and from Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah — the time of our joy — one takes the power that all matters of Torah and mitzvot during the year should be done with joy],

And as hinted in the Rambam²⁶,

that the concept of joy of a mitzvah

(“The joy that a person rejoices in the performance of a mitzvah etc. is a great service etc.”)

comes as a continuation from the ,

“great joy”²⁷

that was in the Temple <b>on the festival of Sukkot —</b>

And it can be said — because this is specifically at the time when the Holy Temple existed,

when all matters were in their proper order and in their perfection,

therefore they could then receive vitality in the service of G‑d throughout the entire year from the festivals of the month of Tishrei

(and this was sufficient)

; and similarly, they took the matter of joy in the service of G‑d from the "extra joy" that was &lt;b&gt;in the Temple &lt;/b&gt;on the festival of Sukkot;

But not so during the time of exile,

in the time of concealment and hiding,

the influence of joy from the festival of Sukkot is not sufficient to effect in the service of an entire year&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;.

Because the matters as they stand in the month of Tishrei,

are they, for example, like the vitality of all the limbs is still

In the &lt;b&gt;head,&lt;/b&gt;

where there the life-force is higher of clothing oneself and enlivening the limbs that are in the body — and so in the analogue,

that in Tishrei the matters of divine service stand in a much higher&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

level of having a connection to the particular services as they stand in revelation in the service of man throughout the entire year&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;.

Therefore there must be a "closer" giving of capacity&lt;sup&gt;31 &lt;/sup&gt;

and influence from a day and level,

which is not in the general month,

which influences in the days of the year.

And in our matter — the "good of heart feast continually",

the constant joy during the days of the year,

we take from

(also explained regarding the festival of Sukkot,

by means of)

the joy that is in the days of Purim,

which are from the days of the year and which have become days of joy in

(and from the aspect of)

exile; and moreover — days which are permitted in doing work

(like the other ordinary days of the year)³²

— and therefore they can effect the constant joy in every situation in which a Jew finds himself,

also in a weekday

(exilic)

standing and condition.

The Rambam in his composition speaks about the matters as they are

(also)

in their proper order and in their completeness,

including the time of the Temple³³,

which in the time of the Temple the empowerment for joy of a mitzvah is from the "extra joy" that is in the festival of Sukkot <b>in the Temple:</b>

But the Shulchan Aruch speaks only about laws that are practiced in this time,

and in this time one takes the main empowerment for the matter of joy from the days of Purim — and therefore the matter of "a good heart [makes] a feast <b>always"</b> comes as a continuation

(and conclusion)

of the laws

(of Megillah)

of Purim].

4.

This is however not a sufficient explanation — because with this is explained only the connection of the conclusion of the Shulchan Aruch to Purim in general: it remains however not clear the reason that the conclusion of the Shulchan Aruch is with the laws of Purim &lt;b&gt;Katan,&lt;/b&gt;

because since all matters in Torah are precise,

as above,

one must say,

that the conclusion of "Orach Chaim,

has a special connection to

(the content of the matter of)

Purim Katan.

At first glance one can say,

that the explanation above,

l

(section 3)

itself also gives a place to emphasize the connection of the conclusion to Purim Katan more than to Purim in general — because although Purim is permitted in work it is however a day that is distinguished with a multitude of commandments

(reading of the Megillah,

sending portions and gifts to the poor)

and in prayer etc.,

which take up a multitude of the day",

but not so

Minor Purim which is not connected with specific commandments,

therefore he has a closer connection to all the days of the year,

and consequently also more influence of joy upon them — "constant feast".

One cannot, however, say so,

because: a)

it is well according to the opinions that hold that "one is obligated to increase in feast and joy on the fourteenth of Adar I": but the Rema indeed continues "and we do not practice thus",

only "he should increase a bit in the meal to fulfill the stringencies"³⁵

— then how should the day accomplish the "constant feast,

throughout the year when in it itself there is no obligation of joy?

b)

And the main point: how can one say that the granting of power for a perpetual feast

(constant joy)

<b>in each and every year</b> is from Purim <b>Katan,</b>

which exists only in a leap year?

e.

This will be understood by first explaining the conclusion of the words of the Rema,

"And a good heart [makes] a perpetual feast,"

which, as brought earlier from the books, alludes to the matter of joy in the service of G-d,

at first glance: why are the two perpetual [offerings] arranged in such a manner,

that "I have set the L-rd before me always" comes at the beginning of the Shulchan Aruch and "And a good heart [makes] a perpetual feast" — after all of "Orach Chaim" at its very end?

— "I have set the L-rd before me always" is a foundation and principle in the service of G-d, and therefore it is the head and beginning of the entire "Orach Chaim",

it must be similar to this regarding the matter of "And a good heart

feast always",

because also joy is a fundamental matter in the service of G‑d — beginning from prayer

(including — blessings)

the sha&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;?

And one should say the explanation in this:

With the two "tamidim" — at the beginning of Orach Chaim and its end — the Rema means the two movements not as they come as a part of avodas Hashem

(— fulfillment of the Shulchan Aruch),

but as they come as a)

introduction — &lt;b&gt;before &lt;/b&gt;the beginning of fulfillment of the Shulchan Aruch,

and as b)

conclusion — &lt;b&gt;after &lt;/b&gt;the completion of fulfillment of the Shulchan Aruch:

Before a Jew begins his service in fulfillment of the Torah and mitzvos, there is required first the "Shivisi Hashem l'negdi tamid" — acceptance of &lt;b&gt;His kingship&lt;/b&gt; may He be blessed,

And in the language of Chazal&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;

: "He should accept upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven first, and afterwards he accepts&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;

upon himself the yoke of mitzvos."

Now <b>the </b>acceptance

(of the yoke of His kingship, may He be blessed)

stands

(at least — it must stand)

openly <b>before </b>the actual service of fulfilling the Torah and commandments begins

(after he is already <b>immersed </b>in fulfilling the Torah and commandments,

the movement of accepting the yoke of the kingdom is not openly felt,

only the acceptance of the yoke of <b>commandments,</b>

that which he takes upon himself to actually obey the decrees and commands of the king).

And afterwards,

at the conclusion and completion

(and after)

the service,

there is the concept of ,

and good

"A heart of feasting always": After he completed his service,

comes the matter of

(the reward of the service,

which is³⁹

the)

<b>joy</b> that a Jew has from it that he carried out his service and through this became attached to the Most High

(mitzvah from the word togetherness and connection⁴⁰).

And this joy can be had openly only after the completion of the service:

When he does the avodah,

it is even though that this must be with joy,

serve the Lord with joy,

but since he is then in the midst of his preoccupation in the service of God,

he cannot be entirely permeated by the joy in its fullness,

because at that time the feeling of acceptance of the yoke rules in him,

fear of God,

and it is required when one serves the Most High; specifically after the completion of the avodah the joy emerges in him in a revealed manner and permeates him in all its strength.

And along these lines as this is in the month of Tishrei,

the general month: Rosh Hashanah etc. is the Days of Awe,

avodah of "rejoice with trembling"⁴¹,

that is,

even though then there is the matter of exultation and joy

(and on the contrary,

a great joy⁴²

very much from that which he coronates the Most High as King),

it is however clothed in the fear,

"rejoice with <b>trembling</b>";<b> </b>the revelation of joy is at the conclusion of the festivals,

on the festival of Sukkot the time

Our joy,

and especially at its very conclusion — on Simchat Torah.

And likewise in our matter: the revelation of joy comes after the completion of the work,

in the very <b>conclusion</b> of "Orach Chaim".

6.

And this is the difference between how the matter of joy is discussed in the Rambam and how it is discussed in the Rema:

The Rambam at the end of Hilchos Lulav speaks about <b>simchah shel mitzvah,</b>

"the joy that a person rejoices <b>in the performance of the mitzvah"</b>,

<b> </b>and this joy is taken from the "extra joy" that was on the festival of Sukkos,

which is a part of the mitzvah of joy of the festivals

(as the Rambam says there)⁴³.

In the Shulchan Aruch, however, it speaks about "good of heart, a feast always",

the joy in itself — due to the fact that one is a Jew and

(constant- ly)

attached to the Supreme One — which is revealed at the completion of the service as above — and the joy expresses itself in the content of Purim Katan in particular:

The days of joy of the entire year have commandments, laws and customs connected to that day,

so,

that the feeling of joy becomes

(also)

influenced by the other matters and feelings which are expressed in the service of G-d

(performance of a commandment,

observance of a custom and the like).

Even the joy of Purim,

which must be "until one does not know",

this, however,

is not a thing that takes

Around the entire day⁴⁵

; there are only the commandments of the day

(and which prolong "knowledge" specifically),

as above

(reading of the Megillah,

sending portions and gifts to the poor etc.'),

and on the contrary "the custom is to make the Purim meal

(first)

<b>after Minchah"</b>⁴⁶.

But not so the minor Purim has no special commandments on this day — the thing with which the day is distinguished from other days,

is with the joy therein.

It turns out,

that in the joy of Purim Katan there is not "mixed in" any other matters connected with the service of G‑d — it is a joy in purity.

7.

Based on this, we can explain the concluding language of the Rema "And a good heart [makes] a feast always",

And with the preface: On the concluding language of the Rema "Nevertheless, he should increase a bit in the meal etc." the Taz raises a difficulty and brings: In the gloss of the Tashbetz, section 178, clause 20, that one must <b>increase</b>, and our teacher Yechiel of Paris was accustomed to increase and invite people, as implied by the language of the Mishnah "There is no difference between Adar etc.",

And properly the Rema concludes here "And a good heart [makes] a feast always".

From this it is understandable that the Taz learns that with that which the Rema is

concludes "and a good heart makes a constant feast" he means⁴⁷

to protect and indicate that ultimately the "increase <b>a little </b>in the meal" is not enough

(which he says earlier),

but⁴⁸

one must <b>greatly increase</b> in meal and joy similar to in Adar Sheni <b></b>

("between Adar etc.").

And it requires explanation: Why does the Rema not say it explicitly that one should increase in joy?

And he hints at it with the phrase "and a good heart is a constant feast"?

And one must say — that this is in the manner of the distinctions that one finds in the levels of the obligation of joy in general: The obligation of joy on the Festivals — an obligation from the Torah,

"And you shall rejoice on your Festival"

; the joy that is connected with the water libation on the Festival of Sukkot,

For the water libation "is a halakhah to Moses from Sinai..

which is not explicitly stated in the Written Torah, only the Sages supported it from verses"

— which is the joy of the Water-Drawing Celebration

: And there is the joy that is connected with the hakafot on Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, which is not an obligation from the Sages, but merely a custom.

One sees in actuality,

that the joy of Simchas Beis HaShoevah is a greater joy — "extra joy" — relative to the joy of

Yom Tov in general,

and the joy of Hakafos is

(as is the custom of Israel)

even greater⁵⁴

except the great ones..

and men of deed",

but not so,

all the people..

came to see and to hear"⁵⁵

: but in the joy of Hakafos all Jews participate⁵⁶].

is explained in this⁵⁷,

so this proves — the deeper

(and greater)

the joy, the lesser the force of the obligation,

the joy comes from the Jew himself.

<b>And along these lines </b>the superiority of words of the scribes over words of Torah

(as our sages of blessed memory said⁵⁸

"Dearer to me are the words of the scribes",

"More beloved to me*⁵⁸

<b> </b>words of the scribes")

— in that

Jews take upon themselves restrictions and stringencies that are not

(explicitly stated)

in the Written Torah,

one sees the endearment,

joy and delight that Jews have in fulfilling the supernal will.”

And in our matter: the joy upon which there is an explicit obligation in the Torah —

i.e.,

One can obligate everyone in it equally — shows that it is according to the virtue of man which exists even in the lowest of people; the additional joy of the Joy of the Water-Drawing,

connected with the libation of water,

upon which there is no explicit obligation in the Written Torah — indicates a greater and deeper joy; and the circuits which are not an obligation,

also not a Rabbinic obligation,

but merely a custom — expresses an even deeper joy,

which comes from the side of Jews,

what they innovated,

instituted the joy⁶⁰.

And likewise — and more so — is regarding the Minor Purim: that which the Rema brings the "to increase in joy" only in the style and manner of a hint and story

(according to the explanation of the Taz),

is because this is such a lofty level of joy upon which there is no explicit obligation in the Shulchan Aruch,

even not as a custom

which stands

not⁶¹

in Shulchan Aruch but at any rate in Rema and in his language⁶²

"and they read the last festival Simchat Torah because they rejoice and make a feast meal on it for the completion of the Torah etc. and also they are accustomed to circle with the Torah scrolls etc. and all is for the sake of joy"

— because a custom that brings itself into the Rema is also a law

(and obligation).

and it can be said that this is,

as above,

because the joy of Purim Katan is in the manner of the joy that comes <b>at the completion and after </b>the work,

that is after — and "higher" — than work,

and consequently — "higher" than any manner of obligation.

The joy comes

(becomes)

from the side of the Jew^".

(or custom)

for joy, then that itself would mean — joy as a part of the obligation of fulfillment of the Shulchan Aruch,

and into that must be mixed a matter of yoke and fear].

And it can be said that therefore the joy — the introduction that brings the joy in the future,

as the Magen Avraham brings down on the words of the Rema "And a good heart makes a constant feast" — "in the joys of the commandments of our God to establish" that "our mouth will be filled with laughter"⁶⁶,

and

In the future to come there will be "joy of &lt;b&gt;the world &lt;/b&gt;upon their head"&lt;sup&gt;67&lt;/sup&gt;,

which also means a&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;joy &lt;b&gt;constant &lt;/b&gt;and joy in and of itself,

which comes through the addition in joy in the time of exile and in the manner of ascending in holiness meaning in the holiness of "a good heart a feast always",

Brings it "speedily in our days"⁶⁸

literally "eternal joy upon their heads".

(From the talks of Shabbat Parshat Tisa,

Shushan

<b>Purim Katan — 5727; 5744)</b>