LESSONS FROM PURIM

Dear Family,

I hope that everyone is well.

Claude (Comaroff) is struggling with health issues and his Hebrew name is Yechezkiel ben Ester.

We should also remember the health of Dov Hyman.

Wishing them a refuah shleimah, and soon!

Mazal Tov to Chana Lieba for her birthday next week. Wishing you a year of much achievement. Especially keep travelling and visiting London!

Mazal Tov Mariasha on your birthday next week. And on the same day this year, is the birthday of Shlomo Tuvia. Mazal Tov again! Wishing your whole Family much happiness and growth and looking forward to seeing you all for Pesach BEH!

Mazal Tov to Kerry Lee on her birthday next week. I hope all is going well with you all in SA. Wishing you a great year Kerry Lee!

Mazal Tov to Mikayla on her birthday, same day as Kerry Lee. Wishing you a year of much joy and development!

Mazal Tov to Sarita for her birthday next week. This is your real Batmitzvah day. Wishing you a happy year with many Mitzvos!

And last but far from least, Mazal Tov to Shlomo Moshe Vogel on his birthday tomorrow, on the same day that Moshe Rabeinu was born BH. Wishing you a very happy year Shlomo, and to give your parents lots of nachas!

I saw an interesting letter from the Rebbe about PURIM which I would like to share.

Below is a summary, and I have attached the full text for those who have more time:

Not to bow down.. (Mordechai)

" One of the most inspiring lessons of Purim is the extraordinary courage of Mordechai HaYehudi, who would not kneel or bow down (to Haman)...despite us being a minority among an overwhelming majority among the nations....This resulted in 'light, joy, gladness and honour for the Jews' and an awesome respect!

Purim teaches us that the strength of our Jewish People, and similarly of every individual Jew, is in our G-d given capacity of not kneeling or bowing down to any force that is contrary to our Jewish Essence, which is rooted in the Torah and Mitzvot...

This true Jewish Spirit should not remain in the abstract, but should be translated into action, and this is especially relevant to young Jewish people, and especially young couples starting out to establish a home on the foundations of Torah and Mitzvot

The Jewish woman.. (Esther)

The main foundation of the home is the Jewish woman who is called the akeret hababayit (the foundation of the home), where Hashem has entrusted her with the major responsibilities of the character and conduct of the home such as Kashrut, Shabbat, Laws of Family Purity, raising the children etc

The importance of the role of women can be seen, in the name Megilat Esther. Even although the whole story was a combined effort between Mordechai and Esther, the Megilah was named Megilat Esther!

Gut Shabbos to all and a continued Happy Adar heading for Purim next Friday BEH