To the friends, may they live forever,
It’s been a long time since I have written you. I have been waiting for demand to come from you. In the meantime, I will write you an article that I heard from Baal HaSulam in 1948 at a Purim meal at his pure table.
We should understand several precisions concerning the Megillah (Purim story):
1) It is written, “After these things the king promoted Haman.” We should understand what is “After these things.” After Mordechai saved the king, the king should have promoted Mordechai. But what was eventually written? That he promoted Haman.
2) When Ester said to the king, “We have been sold, I and my people,” the king asked, “Who is he, and where is he” (not “this is he”). This means that the king did not know of anything. But it is written that the king said to Haman, “The silver is given to you, and the people also, to do with them as you please.” Thus, we see that the king did know of the sale.
3) Concerning “according to the desires of each person,” our sages said, “Raba said, ‘to do according to the desires of Mordechai and Haman’” (Megillah, 12). But it is known that where it says only “king,” it is the King of the world, so how can it be that the Creator do according to the will of a wicked?
4) It is written, “And Mordechai knew all that was done.” This means that only Mordechai knew. But it is written before that, “And the city of Shushan was perplexed.” Thus, the whole city of Shushan knew about it.
5) Concerning the words, “for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's signet ring may not be revoked,” how did he later write a second decree that revokes the first decree?
6) What does it mean that one must be intoxicated on Purim until one cannot tell between the damned Haman and the blessed Mordechai?
7) What is the meaning of the words of our sages, “‘And the drinking was according to the law.’ What is ‘according to the law’? Rabbi Hanan said in the name of Rabbi Meir, ‘According to the law of Torah.’ What is the law of Torah? Eating more than drinking.”
To understand all the above we should begin with the matter of Haman and Mordechai, which our sages interpreted, “according to the desires of each person,” meaning Haman and Mordechai. Mordechai’s desire is called “the law of Torah,” which is eating more than drinking. Haman’s desire is the opposite: drinking more than eating. We asked, “How can there be a meal according to the will of a wicked? The answer that is written about it is, “no coercion,” meaning that the drinking was not compulsory.
This is same as what our sages said about the verse, “And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look.” And he said, “In return for ‘and Moses hid his face,’ he was rewarded with ‘He beholds the image of the Lord.’” It is so because precisely when he does not need some thing (because he can put a Masach [screen] over it) he can receive it. This is the meaning of “I have helped one who is mighty.” That is, precisely one who is mighty and can walk in the ways of the Creator, the Creator helps him.
This is the meaning of “The drinking was according to the law.” Why? Because there was “no coercion,” for he did not need the drinking. But afterwards, when they began to drink, they were drawn to the drinking, meaning that they were attracted to the drinking and were needy. Then they were in a state of coercion. At that time they revoked Mordechai’s way, and this is the meaning of their saying that that generation was sentenced to destruction, for they enjoyed the meal of that wicked.
This means that had they received the drinking without coercion, they would not have revoked Mordechai’s will, which is Israel’s way. (But) once they took the Creator by coercion, they sentenced themselves to destroy the law of Torah, which is Israel. This is the meaning of “eating more than drinking.” Drinking is disclosure of Hochma, called “knowing,” and eating is called Ohr Hassadim (light of Hassadim), which is faith.
However, we should scrutinize the matter of Bigtan and Teresh, who wished to assassin the King of the world, “But the plot became known to Mordecai … and the matter was investigated and found.” The investigating was not a one time thing, as it was not easy for Mordechai to obtain it. Only after much work was he revealed this matter of the flaw. And once it had been clearly revealed to him, “they were both hanged.” That is, when they felt the flaw about it, then they hung, meaning removed these works and desires from the world.
“After these things,” meaning after all the labor and toil that Mordechai did through his scrutiny, the king wanted to reward for the labor of working Lishma (for Her sake). But there is a rule that it is impossible to give to the lower one anything (if) he has no need for it. The desire and need is called a Kli (vessel), and there is no light without a Kli.
What if the king had asked Mordechai what he should give him? Mordechai was righteous, whose work is only to bestow. He has no desire for any ascension. Rather, he is content with little. But the king desired to extend the Hochma, which is disclosed Mochin that extend from the left line, while his work was in the right line. What did the king do? He promoted Haman, meaning made the left line important.
This is the meaning of “and [the king] advanced him and established his authority over all the ministers.” He put him in charge, meaning that all the king’s servants kneeled and bowed before Haman, since the king commanded that he would be in charge, and everyone accepted it.
Kneeling means acceptance of governance, since they liked Haman’s way more than that of Mordechai. Also, all the Jews in Shushan accepted Haman’s domination so much that it was difficult for them to understand Mordechai’s view, since it is easier to walk in the ways of the Creator by knowing.
It is written that they asked, “Why are you transgressing the king’s command?” And since they saw that Mordechai insisted on walking on the path of faith, they were perplexed and did not know who was right. They asked Haman who was right, as it is written, “They told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s words would hold, for he had told them he was a Jew.” That is, the way of the Jew is eating more than drinking, namely that faith is the most important, and this is the whole foundation.
This was a big interference to Haman that Mordechai disagreed with him, and everyone saw Mordechai’s view, who claimed that only he was following the Jewish way, and another way is already regarded as idolatry. This is why Haman said, “Yet all of this is worthless to me each time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate,” for Mordechai claimed that only through him is the king’s gate.
Now we will understand what we asked, “And Mordechai knew,” but it is written, “And the city of Shushan was perplexed,” which means that everyone knew. This means that the city of Shushan was perplexed and did not know who was right. But Mordechai knew that if Haman would have control, by this he would wipe out the whole of Israel, meaning the way of Judaism, since Haman’s entire grip is on the left line.
This is the meaning of Haman casting lots as it was on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), as it is written, “One lot for the Lord, and one lot for Azazel.” The lot to the Lord is the right, which is Hassadim, called “eating,” which means faith. The lot to Azazel is really the left line, which is “not good for anything,” and “anything” extends from here. This is why there was blocking on the lights, since the left line freezes the lights.
This is the meaning of “cast Pur, which is the lot,” meaning he interprets what he had casted and replies that Pur is (pronounced as) Pi-Ohr (the opening of light), where through the lot to Azazel, all the lights were blocked. It follows that he dropped all the lights below. Haman thought that “the righteous prepares and the wicked wears,” meaning that through the works that Mordechai and those accompanying him were constantly doing, he would take the reward, meaning that Haman would take all the disclosure of lights into his own authority.
All this was because the king gave him charge to extend the light of Hochma below. Therefore, when he approached the king in order to destroy the Jews, meaning to revoke Israel’s domination, which is Hassadim, and establish revealed knowing in the world, the king replied to him, “The silver is given to you, and the people also, to do with them as you please,” meaning as Haman pleases, according to his authority, which is left and knowing.
Thus, the whole difference between the first decree and the second decree is in the word “Jews.” In the edict (edict is the content that came out from the king, and then there are explanations of the edict, which interpret the meaning of the edict), “to be issued as law in every single state, published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day.”
It does not say for whom they should be ready. Only Haman explained that edict, as it is written, “and it was written just as Haman commanded.” In the second decree the word “Jews” is written, “An edict to be issued as law in each and single every state was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.”
Therefore, when Haman came to the king, the king said to him, “The silver,” which was prepared in advance, “is given to you.” That is, you need not add any action, since “the people also, [is given to you] to do with them as you please.” In other words, the people already want to do what is good in your eyes, meaning the people already want to assume your governance. But the king did not tell him to revoke the governance of Mordechai and the Jews. Rather, it was prepared in advance that at this time there would be disclosure of Hochma, which is regarded as “which pleases you.”
“The edict” was “to be issued as law in every single state, published to all the peoples” means that the law was that it would be revealed, that there would be revealing of Hochma to all the nations. However, it was not written that Mordechai and the Jews, namely faith, would be revoked. Rather, the intention was that there would be disclosure of Hochma, yet they would prefer Hassadim in every place.
Haman said that since now is the time for Hochma to be revealed, in order to receive Hochma, while Mordechai’s argument was that the disclosure is only to show what they are taking; it is not compulsory, namely that they have no other choice because there is no disclosure of Hochma here. Rather, they choose Hassadim of their own accord.
This is the meaning of what our sages said, “Thus far by coercion; henceforth willingly.” It is written about the verse, “observed and received,” meaning that the disclosure came now only so they could receive the way of the Jew willingly.
This is why there was a dispute over it between Mordechai and Haman. Haman’s argument was that the reason why the Creator is revealing the domination of Hochma now is so that the lower ones will receive the Hochma. Mordechai claimed that the reason why the Creator is currently giving dominion to the left line is only to include it in the right, meaning that the right is the most important.
It therefore follows that the second letter did not revoke the first letter, but explained and interpreted the first edict. The words, “published to all the peoples,” means that it is for the Jews. That is, so the Jews would be able to choose Hassadim of their own accord.
This is why it is written in the second letter, “so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.” He interprets that the reason why Hochma is currently in control is to show that they prefer Hassadim to Hochma. This is called “to avenge themselves on their enemies,” for their enemies want specifically Hochma, while they reject the Hochma.
By that we will understand what we asked about the king asking, “Who is he … whose heart would desire to do so,” since the king said, “The silver is given to you, and the people also, to do with them as you please,” since the king gave the order only to reveal Hochma. That is, the left was to serve the right, by which it will be seen to all that the right is more important, that this is why they choose Hassadim.
This is the meaning of Megillat (scroll/book, but also Gilui [disclosure]) Ester (Hester [concealment]), which seem to contradict one another. Revealing is because it is revealed to everyone, and Ester means that there is concealment. However, it means that the disclosure is only so as to choose concealment, and specifically by that the lights appear below.
Now we will understand what our sages said, “One must be intoxicated on Purim until one cannot tell between the damned Haman from the blessed Mordechai.” The story of Mordechai and Ester took place before the building of the Second Temple. The building of the Temple is the extension of Hochma, and then Malchut (Kingship) is called the Temple.
This is also the meaning of Mordechai sending Ester to go to the king and plea for her people, and she replied, “All the king's servants … who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death… And I have not been summoned to come to the king for thirty days.” It means that as it is known that it is forbidden to draw GAR below, and one who draws GAR is sentenced to death, since the left line causes separation from the Life of Lives.
“…unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live.” Gold is Hochma and GAR, meaning that only by the awakening of the upper one can he remain alive, meaning in Dvekut (adhesion), but not by the awakening of the lower one. And although Ester, which is Malchut, needs Hochma, it is only upon the awakening of the upper one. But if she draws GAR she will lose all of her self.
In that regard, Mordechai replied to her, “relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place,” by completely revoking the left line, and the Jews will be left with the right line, which is Hassadim, “and you and your father's house will perish.” Because Abba [father] establishes the daughter,” she must have Hochma. However, it must be by eating more than drinking.
However, if the Jews have no choice, they will have to revoke the left line. It follows that her entire self will be canceled. It is in that regard that she said, “If I perish I perish.” If I go, I will perish because I might cause separation. If I do not go, “relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place,” meaning in another way, for they will completely revoke the left lie, as Mordechai had commanded her.
This is why she took the path of Mordechai, meaning invited Haman to the feast. That is, she extended the left line as Mordechai had commanded her, then included the left in the right, so that the entire drawing of Hochma was promptly with the aim not to receive the Hochma, but to prefer the Hassadim. In this way, there is disclosure of lights below.
This is the meaning of Megillat (the revealing of) Ester (concealment). Although there is already disclosure, she still takes the concealment (Ester means Hester [concealment]).
Let us hope that the merit of Baal HaSulam, whose holy words we were privileged to hear although we have not been rewarded with understanding the depth of the matters that are the most sublime.
Let me bless you with a Kosher festival, and may we be granted with salvation in the general salvation.
Your friend, Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag
Son of Baal HaSulam