[Avodah] Parshas Ki Sisa: Rav Shimon Schwab - Mordechai's Brings Real Freedom For His Nation

[Prof. Levine]

 From http://revach.net/article.php?id=5215

The gemara in Chulin 139b says that Mordechai HaTzaddik is hinted at 
in the Torah in the pasuk (Ki Sisa 30:23) of the sweet fragrance used 
for the Shemen Mishcha called "Mor Dror". The Targum is Meira Dachya 
which sounds like "Mordechai". Rashi says the Mor Dror is the first 
of the Besamim as are the Tzaddikim.

Rav Shimon Schwab asks why do we need to base this on the Targum and 
not suffice with the words of the Torah? He answers that Dror means 
freedom. We may mistakenly think that Mordechai's greatness was that 
he helped Klal Yisroel gain a measure of freedom. In reality they 
were still slaves of Achashveirosh even after Haman's downfall. 
Rather Mordechai's greatness was that he helped Klal Yisroel gain 
spiritual freedom and kept them pure which is the meaning of the word 
"Dachya" that Targum uses to translate Dror.

The meaning of true freedom for Klal Yisroel as transmitted from 
generation to generation has nothing to do with our political status 
or self governance in our own homeland. The only true freedom is 
breaking free from the pressures around us to serve Hashem with 
purity. This freedom can be achieved anytime and anywhere under any 
circumstances. We need not the recognition of the world nor do we 
need definable borders. Mordechai taught us this in the dark Galus of 
Paras, and with that became the true father of the nation and model 
for all future true Jewish revolutionaries.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20120304/3c74aa89/attachment.htm>