Date: March 17th 2022

Special thank you to Rabbi Jared Viders for his much needed much appreciated generous eloquent insightful assistance putting this dvar together.

Thank you to Dr. and Mrs. Paul and Barbra Bermanski for sponsorship of this dvar in the zechus of a refuah sheleima for Rabbi Ganz Dov Berish ben Shifra Tzivia.

PURIM – A RISK FACTOR OF SUCCESS


This is an edited version of a Dvar Torah previously emailed on March 1, 2012.


Thank you and on behalf of JHI we wish all of you a Happy Purim!



Parshat Tetzaveh deals primarily with the special clothing that the kohanim (priests) wore when serving in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and later in the Temple. Referring to the kohanim, the phrase “Vzeh hadavar,” is used (29:1). Translated literally, the words mean “This is the thing” or “This is the word.”

The Midrash presents several different interpretations of this phrase. One explanation is that “Word” refers to words of prayer. Specifically, it alludes to when the Jews worshiped the Golden Calf and were saved by the prayers of Moshe (Moses). Among those saved by Moshe’s prayers was Aaron the High Priest. Hence, a consequence of those prayers was that Aaron was now being prepared to assume his role. The Midrash writes that the salvation of Aaron teaches the importance and power of praying to G-d.

The Midrash then presents another biblical example of a great person who would always steadfastly pray - Mordechai of the Purim story. After Haman decreed that all of the Jews should be killed on one day, Mordechai donned sackcloth and ashes and began sitting at the gateway to the palace, praying for their salvation.

As described in the Megilla, while this was transpiring, the king Achashveirosh was reminded of a time when Mordechai saved his life. He therefore decided to honor Mordechai out of gratitude, and a great parade was arranged. Mordechai wore the king’s clothing and rode the king’s horse, which was led by the evil Haman, the king’s chief minister. This was considered an enormous honor to Mordechai.

Notwithstanding this royal gesture to Mordechai, the decree that the Jewish People should be annihilated remained in effect.

The Midrash recounts these events when explaining how it is known that Mordechai was so devoted to prayer. The proof is from the fact that when the parade ended, Mordechai returned to the same spot wearing his sackcloth and continued to pray for the life of himself and his people. He continued as before, without allowing the glory of the parade to turn his head. This was a testament to Mordechai’s ineffable devotion to prayer.

This text reveals a great deal about the insidious and destructive power of arrogance. Mordechai was a supremely righteous person. Yet, one single incidence of receiving great honor could have totally compromised his moral stature. His piety notwithstanding, the parade might have caused him to stop praying for his own life and that of the Jewish Nation in their moment of mortal danger. Somehow, the honor might have blinded him into rationalizing that, “He was above the danger, and it, therefore, wasn’t necessary to pray.” It required additional piety for Mordechai to rise above this tendency.

This Midrash describes a risk factor of success.

As a rule, from childhood on and through adulthood, most people are subjected to various forms of pressure to do things well. The intention is to produce individuals who will one day excel at what they do and become ‘successful’ adults. Yet, while success is a generally commendable pursuit, this same dynamic can also sow the seeds of moral breakdown and thus end up being terribly destructive. Theoretically, one moment of great honor could have somewhat compromised the ethical stature of even a supremely righteous person such as Mordechai.

Clearly, the vulnerability to this form of ‘compromised moral integrity’ would therefore be significantly greater in a contemporary setting. Clearly, we are all far less pious than Mordechai. When people rise above their contemporaries to the top positions in their fields, they are constantly being looked up to and honored by others. This, in turn, can lead to profound arrogance, which could degrade one's character to a level far below that of their peers.

People should pursue success. However, that same success can prove to be a moral ‘kiss of death’ unless one recognizes its peril and, as a result, deals with it properly…as Mordechai did.



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