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Parshas Ki Sissa: Celebrating a Joyous Occasion No definitive Halacha LeMa'aseh conclusions should be applied to practical situations based on any of these Shiurim. When the Torah lists the ingredients needed to produce the Shemen HaMishchah, the anointing oil, which would be used, as the Pesukim indicate, to anoint the Mishkan and its vessels, as well as all the Kohanim (Shemos 30:26-30), the first ingredient mentioned is "Mor Dror," usually translated as pure myrrh (Ibid. Pasuk 27). As pointed out by the Ramban in his commentary on the Torah (Ibid. s.v. Mor Dror), however, there are many authorities, including the Rambam (Hilchos Klai HaMikdash 1:3), who hold that Mar here is a perfume called musk, which is a fragrance extracted from an animal. This is also the position of Rabbeinu Saadyah Gaon, as cited by Ibn Ezra (Ibid. s.v. U'Milas Mor), and the Abarbanel (Ibid. s.v. V'Yidaber), among others. The Ramban himself (Ibid.), however, prefers the view that Mor here is not musk, but is indeed myrrh, which is a plant extract, an herb which produces a sweet fragrance when burned; he cites several proofs that seem to corroborate this. Although the Abarbanel (Ibid.) tries to refute these proofs, the position that Mor is myrrh is agreed upon by the Ra'avad (Hasagas HaRa'avad Al HaRambam Ibid.), and by Rabbeinu Bechaya (in his Peirush on Shemos Ibid.), and by others. In either case, Mor is a perfume which helps give the Shemen HaMishchah a pleasant aroma. In a homiletic vein, however, the Gemara in Chulin (139b) understands something quite different from the words Mor Dror, viewing them as representing a hint in the Torah to Mordechai, the hero of the Purim story. As the Gemara (Ibid.) explains, this conclusion is arrived at because according to the Targum, the Aramaic translation of Mor Dror is "Mira Dachya," a phrase which likewise means pure myrrh (or pure musk, depending on the above cited dispute), but which sounds and is spelled like the name Mordechai; it is thus a hidden reference to Mordechai in the Torah despite the fact that he did not live, and the Purim story did not take place, until close to a thousand years later. Many commentators try to find a somewhat deeper connection between Mordechai and this sweet-smelling perfume, aside from the phonetic similarity; Rashi (Ibid. s.v. Mor Dror) suggests that just as Mor Dror was the first of the fragrances for the Shemen HaMishchah mentioned in the Posuk in this Parsha (Ibid.), Mordechai was the first, or head, of the Tzaddikim and the Jewish leaders of that time. The Torah Temimah on this Posuk (Ibid. Os 48) elaborates on this idea by citing the Gemara in Megillah (10b) where Mordechai is identified as the head of all the Besamim, the aromatic spices, a reference, according to him, to the Tzaddikim and the Sanhedrin of his generation. The Maharsha in Chulin (Chidushei Aggados Ibid. s.v. Moshe) writes similarly that Mordechai is compared to the first of the spices of the Shemen HaMishchah because of his stature as a leader of the Jews. The Kedushas Leivi, (brought down in Sefer Yimai HaPurim, Imros Kodesh, Amud 285), however, suggests that the connection relates as well to the fact that the Geulah, the redemption, in the days of Mordechai was the "head" of all the redemptions, that is, the most prominent of them, because the Jews were saved from death; it is thus the Geulah of Mordechai, not the man himself, that is compared to the Mor Dror, which is the first of all the ingredients of the Shemen HaMishchah. The implication of this statement is that the redemption at the time of Purim, in a certain sense, paved the way for other redemptions that took place, or will yet take place in the future. It is worth noting that according to the Gemara in Megillah (7a), the decision to establish Purim as a permanent holiday was not a simple one. The Beis HaMikdash was no longer standing at the time of the Purim story, and, as the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (18b) implies, when there is no Beis HaMikdash, and certain minor holidays which were once celebrated have consequently been nullified (Batla Megillas Taanis), it is inappropriate to add any new holidays. The Pri Chodosh (Orach Chaim Siman 496 Sif Katan 2 Os 14) understands that it is in fact forbidden to institute a new holiday when there is no Beis HaMikdash. HaRav Hershel Schachter has suggested (Article on the topic of Megillas Taanis, published in Or HaMizrach Nisan 1974) that it is perhaps precisely because it was felt that the Geulah of Purim would indeed lead to another, more complete Geulah, including the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, that the holiday was in fact established. He writes that this seems to be the position of Rabbeinu Yaakov of Lisa (author of the Nesivos HaMishpat) who writes, in commenting on a Posuk in Megillas Esther (9:19) in his Sefer called Megillas Starim, that Purim was originally proclaimed as a full-fledged Yom Tov because the people thought that they were experiencing an Aschalsa D'Geulah, a first stage of redemption, which would lead to a permanent Geulah. Similarly, the Sefas Emes, in his discourses about Purim printed in his Sefer on the Torah writes that the miracle of Purim was a preparation for, and, indeed, a "key" to the building of the second Beis HaMikdash. Although the Chasam Sofer (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Chasam Sofer Chelek Orach Chaim Siman 191) and the Avnei Neizer (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Avnei Nezer Chelek Orach Chaim Siman 515) both write that Purim has nothing directly to do with the Beis HaMikdash, the implication of the above explanations is that the Yom Tov of Purim was actually established, despite the absence of the Beis HaMikdash, only because it was felt that the miracle of Purim would indeed lead to the building of the Beis HaMikdash and a complete Geulah. This would mean that to institute any kind of day of celebration not related at all to the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash would be forbidden today, as mentioned by the Pri Chodosh (Ibid.) who thus rules that personal (or family) holidays established by individuals to celebrate and commemorate some certain kind of miraculous salvation have no Halachic significance, and the continued observance of such holidays is, at best, optional. Many authorities, however, disagree with this opinion, as indicated by the Sdei Chemed (Klalim, Maareches Yud Klal 53). The Magen Avraham (Orach Chaim Siman 686 Sif Katan 5) quotes from the Maharam Alshakhar (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Maharam Alshakhar Siman 49) that the members of a community have the right to establish a holiday for themselves, as well as for their descendants, meaning that it would continue to be binding on future generations, in order to celebrate the occurrence of a miracle; his conclusion implies that individuals and families have that same right. The Kaf HaChaim (Ibid. Os 12, 13) quotes that some people had the practice to abstain from any work on these mini-holidays, like on a regular Yom Tov; he also states (Ibid. Os 14) that some people would treat these holidays like the real Purim, even in so far as fasting on the day beforehand. The Chayei Adam (Klal 155 Sif 41) likewise rules that an individual or a community that experienced some sort of miracle may declare that day to be a holiday which will be observed even by future generations, noting that the meal eaten in honor of this occasion has the status of a Seudas Mitzvah, as implied by the Yam Shel Shlomo in Bava Kamma (Perek 7 Siman 37), who writes that any meal set up in order to recall the wonders of Hashem is considered a Seudas Mitzvah. The Mishnah Berurah (Orach Chaim Siman 697 Sif Katan 2) agrees to this as well. The Chayei Adam (Ibid.) then writes that the aforementioned Pri Chodosh (Ibid.), who does not consider such a meal to be a Seudas Mitzvah, was unaware of this comment of the Yam Shel Shlomo, which had not yet been printed in his day, and he adds that the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (Ibid.) cited by the Pri Chodosh (Ibid.) to show that it is inappropriate to establish a holiday in the absence of the Beis HaMikdash refers only to the establishment of a holiday which would be binding as a Mitzvah upon all Jews; individual or communal celebrations are therefore allowed. The Chayei Adam (Ibid.) concludes by stating that he personally, with his family, celebrates such a "Purim" yearly in commemoration of having been saved from a dangerous fire, and he writes which Tefillos and chapters from Tehillim he would recite at that time. The Malbim, in his commentary on the aforementioned Posuk in Megillas Esther (Ibid.), also writes that no new Yom Tov can be established for the entire Jewish world today, but individual people or communities can establish such holidays. The Chida, in his Sefer Sheim HaGedolim (Maareches Gedolim, Erech Rabbeinu Ovadiah M'Bartinura) also states that only holidays intended for the entire Jewish public cannot be instituted, but yearly observances by individuals or communities are certainly allowed. He then writes that the Rambam observed such a personal holiday each year on the date on which he had found a copy of a Sefer Torah which had apparently been written by Ezra HaSofer himself, and from which he copied a proper text of the Torah. The Chida (Ibid.) concludes that he too observes such a personal holiday each year. The Chasam Sofer (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Chasam Sofer Ibid. end Siman 163) likewise justifies the custom of certain communities to celebrate a holiday to commemorate some salvation, although he says that the reason is that the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (Ibid.) eliminates only holidays related to miracles directly connected to the Beis HaMikdash following its destruction; outside of Eretz Yisrael, however, it is proper to establish such communal holidays since the occurrence of a miracle there is cause for celebration specifically because it indicates that Hashem has not abandoned us in Golus. He also notes that the celebration of Lag BaOmer was instituted after the Churban; he concludes (Ibid. Os 1) that it is indeed a Mitzvah for an individual or a community to observe such mini-holidays. In a later Teshuvah (Ibid. Siman 191), the Chasam Sofer writes that all this is proper only if the miraculous event saved a life, or lives, as in the days of Mordechai and Esther, and as implied by the Gemara in Megillah (14a); he concludes that he too observes such a holiday, as observed by his Rebbe, Rav Nosson Adler, but that he arranges a Siyum on that day so that the meal will unquestionably be a Seudas Mitzvah. Of course, a person or a community can celebrate a joyous occasion by having a Seudas Mitzvah without necessarily establishing the day as a holiday to be observed each year. As noted above, the Yam Shel Shlomo (Ibid.) considers any Seudah held in order to praise Hashem, or in order to publicize a Mitzvah or a miracle, to be a Seudas Mitzvah; he then lists many occasions on which such meals should be held, including what we call a Shalom Zachar, a Bris Milah, a Pidyon HaBen, a Siyum of a Sefer, perhaps the dedication of a new home, and a Bar Mitzvah. Regarding a Bar Mitzvah, however, he writes that the meal is a Seudas Mitzvah only if held on the day the boy turns thirteen; otherwise, it is a Seudas Mitzvah only if the boy delivers a Derashah or a Dvar Torah. The Chavos Yalr (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Chavos Yair Siman 70), who also discusses the parameters of a Seudas Mitzvah, listing additional appropriate occasions on which to have one, notes that if Divrei Torah are presented, the meal becomes a Seudas Mitzvah, but that the assembled people must actually listen to the Divrei Torah. He also notes that the celebration of one's 70th birthday, which he believes warrants the recitation of the Beracha of Shehechianu is not a Setidas Mitzvah, unless a Derashah is presented. The Gemara in Moed Kattan (28a) relates that one of the Amoraim made a big celebration upon reaching the age of 60; the Ben Ish Chai (Shanah Rishonah, Parshas Re'eh Os 17) writes that in his household, all birthdays were celebrated, but he states earlier (Ibid. Os 9) that when one reaches the age of 60 or 70, one should wear new clothing or take a new fruit and recite Shehechianu, having in mind the birthday as well. A celebration with Divrei Torah on these occasions would also seem to qualify as a Seudas Mitzvah.
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