The Persian calendar in the times of the Megila was exactly 360 days (a real "ma'agal hashana," "yearly circumference"). So Achashverosh's party of 180 days was exactly half a year.

The Rokeach points out that the word "shmonim," "80," from "180 days" has an extra "vov." This hints to the third year of Achashverosh, when he made the party, since 6 x 180 will equal 3 years, "be'shnas shalosh le'molcho."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Halachah Le'Moshe mi'Sinai" as the distillation of Torah She'be'al peh. In general the written Torah gives to the oral Torah  just as Yehonatan took of his princely armour and gave it to David. A concept that is compared to the masculine giving to the feminine. Most laws in the Torah are based on the verses they are learned out from. However, the concept of "Halacha le'Moshe Me'Sinai" represents the essence of the Oral Torah as it exists as a direct divine gift from above. These are the halachos that do not have a proof in the oral Torah. This is not because of a lack on their part, but because they are the Oral Torah as it expresses the essence on its own. This can be understood in the same vein as miracles beyond nature that effect the physical world, like the splitting of the sea, and miracles that are within nature itself, like the miracle of Purim. The miracles beyond nature bring shem Havaya (past, present and future as t...
Read more

The 16 expressions of forgiveness

The 16 different expressions of forgiveness, extended explanation. Translation by Rabbi Mendy Greenstein  Kapara - atonement, “atone for your nation Israel. כפרה - כפר לעמך ישראל . When you are in debt to get forgiven for it you need to give a כופר נפש , a payment of your soul. This is  judgment that descends upon you and a difficulty you go through in order to atone. A direct exchange for atonement all at once. Thus, on Yom “Kippurim” we ask for complete forgiveness in the merit the five עינוים afflictions we subject ourselves to.  Slicha - forgiveness, by the golden calf, “and Hashem says, I have forgiven, as you said” סליחה - ויאמר ה׳ סלחתי כדבריך . The idea is forgiveness for now, but the punishment is still in the wings and has not gone away. Even if there is punishment for now, to affect the forgiveness, it is not over. Just as by the golden calf it states וביום פוקדי ופקדתי , “on the day I remember (to punish you for a sin) I remember (to pu...
Read more

Reasoning behind אותו ואת בנו

ב''ה The reason that an אונן who lost their mother or father is not obligated in מצות until they are buried is that the child has a little of the the soul of their parents in them. When the parent dies a part of the child also dies. When a person is dead, they are free from מצות, 'במתים חפשי'. Similarly, when an animal loses its parent it is part dead, treifa, therefore it is forbidden to slaughter it the same day as its mother. It would not be a kosher Shechita. From תפארת יונתן פ' אמור
Read more