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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>From: Micha Berger <A
href="mailto:micha@aishdas.org">micha@aishdas.org</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>>>Strengthening Our Belief in Hashem and His Beautiful
Torah<BR>by Rabbi Chaim Jachter<BR><BR>[snip]<BR>Rav Yoel Bin Nun on Megillat
Esther<BR><BR>One may wonder why so many intelligent people are not convinced of
the<BR>truth of Hashem and Torah. ...<BR>Rav Yoel notes that the Megillat Esther
at first glance seems quite secular. For<BR>example, it contains no mention of
God and even seems to deliberately<BR>omit mentioning Hashem's name (see, for
example, Esther 4:14-16). Rav<BR>Yoel explains that one has to look behind the
superficial presentation<BR>of events in Megillat Esther to discover Hashem,
such as why Esther<BR>among all the beautiful women of the Persian Empire was
chosen as queen,<BR>why Mordechai foiled a plot to kill Achashveirosh, and why
Achashveirosh<BR>was sleepless and reading about Mordechai's actions the night
that Haman<BR>came to ask permission to execute Mordechai.<BR><BR>Similarly, the
world functions today as it is depicted in Megillat<BR>Esther. Hashem has placed
a secular veneer upon the world and we must<BR>use our common sense to peel back
this secular layer in order to be able<BR>to find
Hashem.....<<</FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
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<DIV>The series of coincidences in Meg. Esther do of course point to the
existence of Hashem, orchestrating events "behind the lattice wall." So
much is a truism.</DIV>
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<DIV>I would like to add though that there is one place where belief in Hashem
is so obviously alluded to that it is /almost/ overt: when Esther asks all
the Jews to fast for three days and adds that she herself and her maids will
also fast. Other than a religious reason, there is no conceivable secular
reason for everyone, or anyone, to fast.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG>--Toby
Katz<BR>=============</STRONG></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff>Romney -- good
values, good family, good
hair<BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------
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