PURIM TORAH FROM RAV ELIEZER BERLAND: RESURRECTING THE DEAD
(Transcribed and translated from the original Hebrew.)
A lesson given by Rabbi Eliezer Berland, shlit”a, on the morning of the 14th of Adar, Purim HaMeshulash 5761, after the reading of the Megilla.
“There were hangings of white, of fine cotton, and blue (techeiles) fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and pillars of marble. The divans were of gold and silver upon a pavement of alabaster, marble, pearl, and precious stone” (Esther 1:6-7).
Afterwards, the megilla says, “And Mordechai went out from the presence of the King in royal apparel of blue (techeiles) and white and with a great crown of gold and with a wrap of fine linen and purple” (Ibid. 8:15).
Mordechai merited attaining the golden crown [the sefirah of Keter] within the world of Adam Kadmon.
“This is the concept of “hands and feet” (see Likutei Moharan I:10), since Mordechai represents the hands and Esther represents the feet. The main rectification, however, is in the level of “feet”—raising the sefirot of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod up to the level of Chessed, Gevurah, and Tiferet. Then one must raise ChaGaT [Chessed, Gevurah, Tiferet] up to the level of ChaBaD [Chochmah, Binah, Da’as], and ChaBaD up to Keter. This is “chur” (the “white” fabric of the hangings), for “chur” alludes to “charus al ha’luchos” (“engraved upon the Tablets”) and also to the resurrection of the dead.
“Purim has an aspect of the mystery of the resurrection of the dead.”
Rabbah killed Rav Zeira and then brought him back to life [on Purim]. Why did Rabbah kill Rav Zeira in the first place? It was to teach everyone that Purim is the time of the resurrection of the dead. We find in the Gemara in Megilla (7b) the story about Rabbah’s killing of Rav Zeira.
It is possible for one person to bring another back to life on Purim, for a powerful light of the resurrection descends on Purim. Rabbah killed Rav Zeira and then revived him. The following year, Rabbah invited Rav Zeira to his festive meal once again. Rav Zeira answered, “Once is sufficient. You’re not going to pull the same trick on me every Purim.”
“Rabbah slaughtered Rav Zeira.” Rav Zeira was able to enter a fiery furnace without being harmed. Rabbah wanted to show Rav Zeira that not only could he escape from a fiery furnace unscathed, but that he could also be killed and brought back to life. Not everyone knew that Rav Zeira could enter a furnace every thirty days without being harmed.
The entire matter of Purim is about entering a fiery furnace.
For the Refuah Shleima of Rav Eliezer ben Etya and L’ilui Nishmat Tzvi Ben Mosher Reuven
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