The thoughts in the head are basically like the admixture of flour and water. If properly mixed and baked within the proper time span, they become like matzah. If however, they are delayed, they ferment and take on a leavened form. Leavened bread is a distortion of the true reality of the mixture - flour and water.
So too, thoughts in the mind, if proper and holy, they go in, are digested into the brain, and produce proper and good results. If however they are not proper, they become like leavened bread - "Chametz" - which become altered and distorted, creating unbalanced/fermented thoughts in a person's head.
The result of holy and pure wisdom is the proper Fear and Awe of Heaven, as the Mishnah cites in Pirkey Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers): If there is no wisdom, there can be no fear. Meaning, only with true wisdom can their be true fear and awe. This is because a person is directly, emotionally and subconsciously, affected by what he lets into himself, with these ideas building up the person's perspective and way of thinking in life.
Thus, if a person is concerned about allowing only Torah knowledge to enter his mind, this knowledge will make a total impression upon the person's perspectives, attitudes and values. The result is that a person takes to heart and is concerned with matters in life that are connected to what he has let into himself. Thus, he will also fear, awe and respect the ideals building the backbone of what knowledge he has let into himself. In the case of Torah knowledge the result is the awareness, acknowledgement, fear, awe and respect towards Hashem and His Will.
However, the opposite is also true: if a person lets into himself secular and foreign ideology and knowledge outside the boundaries of the Torah, he will be directly and indirectly affected by this. The result is that this impure mixture of knowledge will ferment and become leaven, like Chametz, and will distort his proper and true perspective (as delineated in the Torah). He will then take to heart, fear and respect these distorted perspectives, leading a person to fear in and take awe of items that he shouldn't.
For example, a person should only have awe and fear of Hashem. Meaning, he should take to heart everything which is the Will of Hashem, and to trust Hashem that He will never abandon or let down a person through whatever situation he may go through in life.
However, if a person is afraid of people (e.g. police, lawyers, gangsters etc.) or has worries of situations (e.g. how to pay the rent, future health issues etc.), it is a clear sign of a lack and deficiency in his Fear of Heaven, for if he truly feared Hashem, he would believe and trust that Hashem is there for him and won't let him go, and that no one can do him harm against the Will of Hashem.
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By learning from and coming close to the True Tzaddikim, they imbibe us with their Torah teachings which have the power to infuse a person which such a high degree of Fear and Awe of Hashem, that a person will recognize the need to restrict any foreign ideologies and wisdom due to their negative effects and ramifications.
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Another factor is that even if a person takes upon himself from this point on to filter in only holy and pure wisdom and knowledge, he is still under attack from the "Chametz" - the fermented and distorted wisdom and knowledge - that he had let in beforehand.
For this reason, a person must be a warrior and "do battle" with these negative thoughts, pushing them out as they attempt to re-enter the person's attention.
In the wording of Rebbe Nachman, a person must "break" the leg of the letter "Chet" (ח) and transform it into a "Heh" (ה), this being the essential difference between "Chametz" and "Matzah" (Chametz and Matzah have the same letters asides from the chet of the chametz and the heh of the matzah, where the difference is only the gap between the left leg and roof of the letter). This breaking is the battle and fight a person must display to kick out these fermented and distorted thoughts.
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By extension of all this, food, which is the fuel of the body and brain, has a direct influence on a person's thoughts too.
If a person allows only pure and holy food into his system, also consuming it with the proper intent and conduct as expressed in the Torah, this food becomes like Matzah, producing good and holy thoughts.
However if a person lets in impure and improper food substance, along with lustfully consuming it, like chametz, it produces a negative affect on the mind.
Thus, one must be in a "Matzah-mode" of eating all year round (even if one is actually eating Chametz).
(For more on these concepts please listen to the following playlist: LIKUTEY MOHARAN LESSON #5)
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With this we can now understand a deeper dimension of the Purim miracle.
Haman knew that the only way to get the Jews was to first attack and weaken their Fear of Heaven. For with a strong Fear of Heaven a person is, so to speak, protected by Hashem since he can pray to Him with a fuller heart (and as the verse states in Psalms: "Hashem is close to all those who call out to Him sincerely").
By planning with Achashverosh to get the Jews to eat of the king's feast - with the forbidden food, wine and eventually women too - Haman's intent was to get the Jews in a fermented/"Chametz" mentality, so that they would have a blemish in their Fear of Heaven. With this, he would be able to get them in a panic with his ultimate decree to destroy them utterly.
Thus, although the nations took lightly Haman's official decree (due to Achashverosh's first decree to have every man rule in his home), the Jews were in such a panic that they started open mourning ceremonies even a year before the decree was actually supposed to take place.
Instead of turning to Hashem in prayer with hope, they despaired.
However, Mordekhai along with the elders of the Sanhedrin, did not partake of the forbidden foods at King Achashverosh's feast. Mordekhai was able to maintain a clear "Matzah-headed" perspective of things. He wasn't even afraid of Haman, and did not bow down to him nor his idol.
Rather, he told the Jews that the decree was serious and real, but with teshuvah and prayer it is possible to overturn the decree.
He also turned to Esther with the mission of not "fearing" Haman's decree not to enter into Achashverosh's courtyard without prior consent from the king. This display of Fear of Hashem alone would be the key for saving the entire Jewish Nation.
Esther then ordered Mordekhai to get the Jews of Shushan to fast 3 days. This fast was intended to purify the Jews of the impure and tainted affect of the food - "Chametz" - that they took in at Achashverosh's feast. The 3 days correspond to activating the merit of our 3 forefathers with Yaakov as the third day. Regarding Yaakov, Hashem tells him: "Don't fear, my servant Yaakov".
On the 3rd day, which was actually the second day of Pesach, Esther invited King Achashverosh and Haman to her meal which she prepared with "Matzot". By doing so, she showed Haman that the Jews have left the Chametz-phobia and our now in the Matzah-Fear of Hashem mode. They are now able to nullify any decree through their prayers and hope in Hashem's kindness.
The result was that the decree was totally nullified, with the enemies of the Jews "fearing" them, giving them the utmost respect and honor.
(for more on this subject please listen to this audio class: PURIM - FACING THE FEAR)
(for more on this subject please listen to this audio class: PURIM - FACING THE FEAR)
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May we see speedily in our days the modern-day miracle of Purim, the power of Matzah consciousness, and the rebuilding of our nation's complete Fear of Hashem and ability of proper prayer, along with the nullifying of all harsh decrees. And through all of this may we speedily see the coming of Mashiach, Amen.
Sincerely
Meir Elkabas
Jerusalem
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A GOLDEN PURIM OPPORTUNITY
To help the needy of Jerusalem for Purim, please follow this paypal link: HELP FOR PURIM IN JERUSALEM
THANK YOU, TIZKU LEMITZVOT AND PURIM SAMEACH
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