| A Message from the Kalever Rebbe | |
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| Feeling threatened by antisemites needs to awaken trust in Hashem | |
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 | Gravesite of the Abarbanel in Padua, Italy |
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| "And he called there in the name of Hashem, G-d of the world." (Breishis 21:33) | |
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| When one opens the belly of a large fish that has swallowed a smaller fish, an astonishing thing is observed: | |
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| The head of the small fish is usually found facing the tail of the large fish. This shows that the large fish swallowed the smaller one while swimming directly toward it, face to face. | |
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| At first sight, this seems to contradict the natural order. We would expect the larger fish to seize the smaller one from behind, by its tail, rather than from the front. For from the front, the smaller fish can see the predator approaching, and flee, whereas from behind it remains blind to the threat. | |
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| R' Yitzchak Abarbanel explained this marvel with deep insight: | |
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| As the small fish swims through the water, it turns to its Creator in prayer, saying, "Before me are two eyes with which I can guard myself from danger, but behind me, where I cannot see, there I must rely solely on You to watch over me and save me from being swallowed." | |
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| And Hashem says, "Indeed, from behind, no one will be able to swallow you; but from in front—where you think you need no help from Me and can guard yourself—that is precisely from where you will be swallowed." | |
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| The Lesson of Queen Esther | |
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| Based on this idea, R' Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza explained why the miracle of Purim occurred specifically in the month of Adar. | |
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| In the days of Achashverosh, there was a heavenly accusation against the Jewish people declaring that they were not praying to Hashem with the proper devotion. They felt secure, trusting that Queen Esther's position in the royal palace would suffice to protect them from harm. | |
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| Therefore, Hashem orchestrated that Haman the wicked would rise to a position of influence within the royal court to show them that even in such a situation, when they believed themselves safe, an enemy of Israel could rise to greatness and endanger them. | |
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| When Queen Esther went to plead before the king, yet she requested that, at that same time, all the Jews should gather to pray, demonstrating that the Jews must realize that the most important thing is to Hashem in heartfelt prayer, and recognize that human effort is secondary and simply the fulfillment of the natural obligation to act. | |
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| And through the prayers of the people, Hashem turned the heart of Achashverosh for good, and thus the miracle of Purim came to pass. | |
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| Therefore, this miracle occurred specifically in the month of Adar, whose mazal is Dagim, fish, because from the fish we learn the very principle that was revealed during the miracle of Purim. If a person does not daven to Hashem, he loses Divine protection, just as we see in fish that are swallowed from in front because they did not pray for protection there. | |
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| This same principle was evident in Egypt: | |
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| At first, the Jews were leaders and influencers there, under the good and righteous governance of Yosef HaTzaddik, who was second to the king. | |
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| But later, when they began to rely on their connections in Pharaoh's palace, Hashem turned the hearts of Pharaoh and his ministers against them, as it says (Tehillim 105:25): "He turned their heart to hate His people." | |
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| Only after they cried out to Hashem in prayer, did He bring about that Pharaoh agreed to release them. | |
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| This teaching stands as a lesson for all generations. When the Jewish people feel threatened, when vile antisemites rise to positions of power despite the Jewish community's influence with these governments, that is precisely the moment to awaken and fortify one's trust in Hashem alone. | |
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| The Tiferes Shlomo of Radomsk explained, that this is the deeper meaning of David HaMelech's words (Tehillim 118:8), "It is better to take refuge in Hashem - from trust in man." It is good to strengthen one's emunah and bitachon in Hashem precisel - by observing the outcome of those who place their confidence in man. | |
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| When a person fortifies this trust, salvation surely follows. As David HaMelech further declares (Tehillim 146:3–5): "Do not trust in princes, in mortal man who has no salvation... Fortunate is he whose help is the G-d of Yaakov, whose hope is in Hashem his G-d." For when one places his hope solely in Hashem, he becomes worthy of Hashem's own aid. | |
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| It is told that once a chassid came before the holy R' Menachem Nachum of Rachmastrivka, and poured out his heart in distress. He was facing a most severe judgment in court, and all the lawyers had despaired, and none could see any possible path to acquittal. | |
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| The Rebbe said to him, "My father, the holy R' Yochanan of Rachmastrivka, offered a beautiful interpretation of the phrase from our liturgy, 'Tishuas Hashem k'heref ayin'—'The salvation of Hashem comes in the blink of an eye.' He explained that the salvation comes when the eye relaxes, when a person ceases to look toward people whom he imagines capable of helping him. It is in that moment, when his trust is placed solely in Hashem, that the salvation of Hashem appears." | |
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| I once explained what we find concerning our father Avraham, (Breishis 14:21): | |
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| After receiving divine assistance to defeat the kings who had conquered the king of Sodom and taken its people captive, Avraham's renown spread, and he became greatly honored in the eyes of all. | |
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| Then the king of Sodom, the one who had escaped, approached him with an offer saying, "Give me the people," meaning, allow the people of Sodom to return and acknowledge me once more as their king, "and take the possessions for yourself," that you may, in turn, receive wealth and favor from me for as long as I reign. | |
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| But Avraham respond by proclaiming his emunah saying, "I lift my hand to Hashem, G-d Most High, Creator of heaven and earth." That is, I raise my hands always in prayer to the Creator and Ruler of all beings, and I shall continue to do so should I ever require anything from you. For success comes not through alliances or agreements, but through davening to Hashem, in whose hands lie the hearts of kings and rulers. | |
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| In the same manner, we can understand what is written later in this very parsha: | |
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| Immediately after Avraham made an effort by entering into a covenant with Avimelech, king of the Philistines, to live in peace, the pasuk says, "And he called there in the name of Hashem, G-d of the world." | |
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| He proclaimed at once that above all worldly efforts, one must remember that the essence lies in davening to Hashem, the One who governs and directs the entire universe. | |
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