Purim- Accepting...Happiness

We had a farbrengen with Rav Ne'eman who teaches the Israelis on Rosh Chodesh- Tuesday night. He is such an incredible person, who really gave us some incredible insights onto the upcoming holiday. Let me share them with you:

Purim is, in a sense, greater than Matan Torah, the giving of the Torah at Mt.Sinai. How can this be? At Sinai, it says that the mountain was 'held over their heads' and the Jews were 'forced' to accept the Torah. This is to be understood as a metaphor-- when a person has two options, say, to eat a healthy orange, full of Vitamin C which will boost his energy levels, or to eat a poisonous lump of fibre, he really has only one option- at that moment where he takes the orange, his free choice is taken away from him. The same is true for the event of the giving of the Torah: It says in Parshas Yisro that the Jews 'saw the sounds and heard the sights.' This statement shows us that all of the coverings of nature in which Hashem covers Himself were completely disregarded-- Everyone could literally see the True Essence and Infinite Light of Hashem... So when He told us to accept the Torah, our free choice was taken away- we had no other option, we could not deny Hashem! That was the giving of the Torah. During the story of Purim, Hashem was so hidden that no one was sure what was happening- the entire story happened over the course of one year- Haman cast the lots to destroy the Jews in Nissan, and the war against his decree (and the victory) happened 11 months later, in Adar! The Jews had 10 1/2 months to give up the Torah and forget about their Judaism, and escape the threat of death, but what was done? They held rallies, gatherings, and strengthened themselves in Judaism and prayed to Hashem, the Commander of the whole world. On Purim, we decided to take the Torah upon ourselves- without Hashem's Presence being revealed in the world.

We have to ask ourselves: Do I really know what is light and what is dark?
For Before the time of Moshiach, there will be a 'double, thickened darkness'- darkness so dark that we'll think it's light. People will call light darkness and darkness light. In this time, seconds before the final redemption and revelation of the Infinite Light of Hashem, we must make sure we are sure of light and dark. As the Rebbe says, "In present times, times in which many mistake light for darkness and darkness for light, the foundations [of a building/Jewish home] must be illuminated and permeated with the 'luminary of Torah,' the inner portion of Torah, which has been revealed in the Torah of Chassidus."

"When the month of Adar enters, we increase in Simcha." We must ask, "what is true Simcha- happiness?" "How do I achieve it?"
When a person is struggling with a situation, say he has a seven- page term paper to write, when does he feel finally relieved and happy? When he is redeemed from his struggle- when he finally hands it into his teacher. Then he can go home and read the newspaper, talk on the phone- he is freed from the restraining responsibility of writing his paper. In many circumstances, we find that redemption leads to happiness. It is also true that happiness leads to redemption-- although the gates for tears are never closed, "Simcha Poretz Geder"- Simcha, true happiness and joy, breaks the constricting walls. If we are happy, we will be redeemed, and if we are redeemed, we will be happy... Happiness of Purim leads to the redemption of Pesach.
How do we get redeemed? What's the best way to find a personal redemption?
CHASSIDUS: The inner dimension of Torah, a very fine garment of Hashem. When we learn the P'nimiyus HaTorah [inner aspects, essence] of Torah, it is like hugging Hashem and feeling His Heartbeat. By entering into other styles of learning- P'shat [simple explanation of Torah], Remez [things hinted to by the verses], Drush [things extrapolated and learned out from juxtapositions, etc], Sod [secrets], or Halacha [laws]- we are still hugging the Essence of the Holy One, but we are hugging Him 'wearing' a thick wool sweater, a shirt, and a coat-- it's harder to feel the life-force inside. By learning Chassidus, we are allowing the G-dliness to permeate into our personality.
Rav Ne'eman also commented that a person's redemption can be on the shelf for years, but all he has to do is to take it and use it. He told a personal story where he was in the army, before he was religious, and he always took a siddur with him wherever he went- to the base, out in a camping trip, etc. He just never opened it, never used it. One day, during the Yom Kippur war, he took it out and started looking at it and exploring the different prayers- Shacharis, morning blessings, Shabbos, Musaf, Hallel... and he has been praying ever since. All he did was take the key and open the lock.

Some last thoughts:
~ By learning Chassidus, we come to the realization that this world is a mask. Chassidus gives us the ability to undress physicality and realize the spirituality inside.
~ Walk down the street- you are walking in the Garden of Eden- the world of Hashem. All you have to do is take off the mask. Reveal the inner essence.
~ As much as you live your inner redemption, you elevate your exile: Past produces present, but when you live the present, you elevate the past.
~ Your work is important- you're dealing with the goal of the world.