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Chomer Lidrush
Some ideas to turn your gears heading into the parsha, and, for this week, Purim Meshulash!
1) Parsha - You will see My back, but My Face you will not see
“Two verses in our parasha seem to contradict one another. On the one hand, "God would speak to Moshe face to face, as one man speaks to another" (33:11). Yet, God Himself tells Moshe, "You will see My back; but My face must not be seen" (33:23). Did Moshe merit face-to-face communication or not?
In a Friday-night sicha from Ki Tisa 1995, Rav Yaakov Medan explains that in times of trouble, when situations grow dire, we see the face of Hashem:
Only when Am Yisrael experiences difficult times does the Almighty reveal Himself to them and dwell among them. During times of oppression, Benei Yisrael take the ark with them to battle, symbolizing the accompaniment of God's Presence. In such situations, one needs not labor to find the Almighty: "Since the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you" (Devarim 23:15).
2) Parsha - "It is the voice of affliction that I hear."
What did Moshe hear when he was atop Har Sinai? There is a machlokes regarding exactly what this kol was – and this is what Rav Bini Lau focuses on with an outstanding piece in Etnachta, his sefer on parsha.
Moshe says he hears the “voice of affliction”; Rabbi Saadia Gaon suggests it means "mixed sounds," implying chaos, while Rashi interprets it as sounds of blasphemy that pain the soul. Rav Lau connects this biblical moment to modern contexts, referencing Bialik's dream of a chaotic caravan and Naomi Shemer's song "Let It Be" written during the Yom Kippur War. But the message is clear: without proper leadership, people become vulnerable to false gods:
The portion opens with the words "When you lift up the head." We need to look farther and find our points of resilience. We need perspective in order to escape from the voices of poverty that envelop society. Hollow leadership leaves us vulnerable on earth, searching for gilded stars around which we can dance. This is dangerous.
Our translation of this piece available here.
3) Parsha (Drasha) - The Golden Calf and Divine Service
For your use – a new drasha I wrote for this week: how could Bnei Yisrael have gone so quickly from Kabbalas HaTorah to the Egel? From the Kuzari, we see that this episode wasn’t simply one of pure and intentional Avodah Zarah but rather a catastrophically misguided attempt to create a tangible intermediary in Moshe’s place.
The central sin wasn't rejecting Hashem, but worshiping Him on human terms rather than divine ones. The people still believed in Him, but created their own approach to worship rather than following Hashem’s instructions.
This is the essence of Avodah Zarah: serving God in ways He didn't command.
Just like Bnei Yisrael created their own form of worship, today people may come to shul but not fully engage with the prescribed tefillos, arrive late, talk during services, or skip parts altogether. The remedy? Following the “recipe” all the way through.
4) Purim - (Shiur) Purim Meshulash - Shiur on Shabbos and Kriyas HaMegillah
Returning to his brand-new (and timely) sefer on Erev Pesach that falls on Erev Shabbos & Purim Meshulash, Rav Rimon takes a deep dive into the leining of the Megillah and the related gezeiros for when Purim falls out on Shabbos. The PDF (complete with charts, mekoros, and footnotes) should make for an easy transition into a great Shabbos afternoon shiur.
5) Purim - Drasha: Escape from Shushan
In a chapter from Dark Clouds Above, Faith Below, Rav Moshe Taragin traces our history in galus to show that while we have flourished in various diasporic societies, each period of success and assimilation eventually faced catastrophic reversal: Haman's genocidal plot in Persia, Spain's 1492 expulsion, Hitler's rise awakening European antisemitism, and finally October 7, shattering American Jewish security.
“October 7 reminded us of this painful lesson yet again. The Jewish experience in the US has been spectacularly successful. We have built prosperous and thriving Jewish communities while attaining previously unimaginable liberties and security. We have embedded ourselves within American culture while eagerly participating in the democratic process. We spearheaded the crusade for social justice and for racial equality, rallying to protect vulnerable members of society against bigotry and hate. We have ignited phenomenal intellectual growth, powering American academia to worldwide prominence.”
6) Purim Meshulash - Drasha: We all matter, and we all matter to each other.
Back to Rav Rimon once again: as we know, we don't read the Megillah on Shabbat. The reason is the concern that perhaps someone might carry the Megillah out of the techum. But this seems a bit distant: How could it be that the concern that perhaps a few individuals might violate the issur of carrying would lead to everyone not reading the Megillah on its date?
There is an important principle at play: True, only a few individuals might violate the issur - but Kol Yisrael areivim! If it’s all about thinking of others who might violate Shabbat, even if the pious – those who establish the gezeira – are free from chilul Shabbat, this concern affects the whole nation, even if it means I’ll miss the ideal day for Megillah.
Full piece – with a bit more – here.
7) Purim - Seudah Guidance
Thank you to Rabbi Asher Bush for providing his outline and guidance for the different seudah options this special Purim.
Once again, if you plan on using material in this guide to send to your own communities, ensure relevancy and practicality.
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