THE VESSEL OF HALACHA

This past Shabbos I started learning "Megillas Esther" with a Breslov commentary and already found some inspiration. It didn't really come from the commentary itself, but rather from an insight of my own, but I feel that this is even better.

 When describing the feast of Achashverosh, the Megillah says that "drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of assorted design..." Our Sages explain that Achashverosh took the holy vessels of the Bais HaMikdash and used them in his drunken feast. This was a tragedy for the Jews because, as the commentary I was reading explains, these vessels represent the tools we have for coming close to Hashem and deepening our awareness of His constant Presence. 

With the Bais HaMIkdash destroyed once again and its vessels nowhere to be found, we now find ourselves in more or less the same place. Yet all is not lost. The word "כלי" ("a vessel") has the same gematria as the word "הלכה" ("Jewish law"), which means that they are inextricably connected. This also means that we still have the tools that we need so much! Through careful observance of Halacha, we can grow ever closer to Hashem and continue deepening our awareness of Him. Of course, it is not the same as when we had the Bais HaMikdash, but this is enough not to fall into despair. After all, as Rabbeinu famously said, despair doesn't exist at all!


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