In the story of the Book of Esther all the action revolves around the fact that Mordechai refuses to bow down to Haman. What frustrated Haman was the opposition of Mordechai. That Mordechai stood against evil.
Category: Culture
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Clothes Make the Man
The Torah spends a lot of time describing how the Priests in the Taberbernacle should dress. The reason is what they represent. They represent God to the people and the people to God.
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Shabbat is Holier than the Tabernacle
The pasha ends with an admonishment to the Jews that the observance of Shabbat overrides the building of the Tabernacle. This is to teach us that as important as the Tabernacle was, without observance of Shabbat it is meaningless.
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We All Have Talent on Loan From God
Bezalel was chosen to be the architect of the Tabernacle. His name translates as “a shadow of God. This is to teach us that we all have talent from God and it is up to us on how we use it.
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Where is God?
This was a question asked by the Kotzker Rebbe in the 19th Century. The answer is wherever you let Him in. God wants to enter the world, but we have to let Him in by our actions.
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We Need the Tabernacle
The purpose of the Tabernacle was not for God but for us. God does not need us to build Him a home. Just as our prayers are more for us than for God.
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Do Not Pervert Judgement
The Torah admonishes judges to be upright and follow the law, even when the majority want it to do otherwise. The worst thing that can happen to a society of that there is no justice.
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Slaves Cannot Serve God Fully
If a slave states that he prefers slavery to freedom, he is punished. This is to teach us that slavery is not the normal state of a person. God wants us to be free people.
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God Wants Action, Not Words
God wants us to do the right thing. No where in the Torah is there a commandment to believe in God. But there are on how to behave.