You can both watch this work (there are some cute visuals) and listen to it on Max's YouTube channel here.
Max has styled his work "Blessing of Song". It was composed during the Covid pandemic as a prayer for all humanity, expressing a profound and immensely topical desire that life should return to normal.
Many of us are old enough to remember when Iran used to be called Persia. Appropriately, From Persia to the Present is the theme of this fascinating article by our member Rabbi Paul Bloom.
Megillat Esther is not merely a historical account of the
Jewish people in ancient Persia. Like much of Tanach, it conceals within it
deeper spiritual layers—codes, allusions, and prophecies that stretch far
beyond its time. One of the most astonishing hidden messages in the Megillah
relates to the ten sons of Haman and a shocking parallel in modern history.
The Ten Sons of Haman and the Shadow of Amalek
Why is this significant?
On October 16, 1946 (6 Tishrei 5707), ten top Nazi war
criminals were executed by hanging following the Nuremberg Trials. One of them,
Julius Streicher, a notorious Jew-hater and propagandist, reportedly cried out
“Purimfest 1946!” as he was led to the gallows. The eerie parallel between
Haman’s sons and these modern-day Amalekites is hard to ignore. It’s as if the
Megillah whispered across the ages: “Ten sons of Haman will fall again.”
The Talmud teaches that Amalek is not just a nation but a
spiritual force of hatred and opposition to the Jewish people. The Nazis were
not merely political enemies; they were ideological Amalekites. The execution
of ten of their leaders by hanging—on the exact year encoded in Megillat
Esther—is a chilling fulfillment of this idea.
Parashat Shelach Lecha: The Ten Spies and the Sin Against
the Land
This week’s Torah portion, Shelach, contains another story
involving ten individuals—the ten spies (meraglim) who slandered the Land of
Israel and dissuaded the people from entering it. Their actions caused a
national tragedy. As a result, that entire generation was condemned to wander
the desert and die without ever entering the Promised Land.
The common thread? Ten individuals whose actions had massive
consequences for the Jewish people.
Just as Haman’s ten sons and the ten Nazis represented the
spiritual force of Amalek, the ten spies represent another destructive force:
internal opposition to Eretz Yisrael. Their sin was not merely fear—it was the
creation of a false narrative about the Land of Israel, weakening the resolve
of the nation to fulfill God’s command.
We must take this lesson seriously today. Any leader or
influencer within the Jewish world who discourages or neglects to promote
Aliyah—the return to our Land—is, perhaps unknowingly, walking in the footsteps
of the meraglim. The message is clear: to speak against Eretz Yisrael is no
small matter—it carries national, even generational, consequences.
The Power of 23 Sivan: From Darkness to Light
There is another gem hidden within Megillat Esther: the
repeated mention of the 23rd of Sivan (Esther 8). This was the day when the
second royal decree was issued by Mordechai and Esther—empowering the Jews to
rise and defend themselves against their enemies.
Even after Haman’s execution on 17 Nissan, his genocidal
decree remained in effect. But on 23 Sivan, hope returned. A new edict was
written, translated into every language of the empire, and sent to all 127
provinces. The Jewish people were no longer victims—they were empowered.
The Sages and kabbalistic writings describe 23 Sivan as a
spiritually potent day—a day when evil decrees can be overturned, when darkness
begins to give way to light. As it says in Esther 8:15-16:
"And Mordechai went out from
before the king in royal garments... and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was
glad. The Jews had light, and joy, and gladness, and honor."
This verse became part of our Havdalah service—symbolizing
transformation and hope.
How to Tap Into the Power of 23 Sivan
Many spiritual teachers recommend practical steps to draw
blessing and protection on this special day:
Light two candles in honor of Esther and Mordechai.
Give charity:
Recite specific chapters of Tehillim (Psalms): Chapters: 22,
35, 79, 83, 94, 130, and 142
Read Chapter 8 of Megillat Esther.Pray from the heart—ask
Hashem to overturn personal or national decrees of hardship.
Accept a new mitzvah into your daily life—a concrete act of
spiritual growth.
From Persia to the Present – The Journey Continues
The messages of Megillat Esther and Parshat Shelach are
timeless. They call us to vigilance against external enemies and inner doubts.
They remind us that history is not random—it is guided by Divine Providence,
encoded with lessons and hints meant to awaken us.
As we approach this 23rd of Sivan, let us remember: history
can turn on a single day. A sealed decree can be overturned. A people marked
for destruction can become a nation cloaked in joy.
May this Thursday, 23 Sivan, be a day of great light and
gladness for all of Am Yisrael—a day when sorrow turns to celebration, fear to
strength, and exile to redemption.
Continuing our series of weekly Pirkei Avot posts on the perek of the week, we return to Perek 3. Now here’s a mystery. We have a three-part...
