Ask anyone to explain the mitzvah of "Ad delo yoda,"
and the probable answer will be, "Who knows!" (Pun intended.)
Let's pull out the stops and let the thought process ferment.
The Yainoh shel Torah will take hold, and hopefully the
essence of Purim will rise to the surface.
The plain meaning of the gemora (Megilla 7b) is that we
are enjoined to partake of wine on Purim day until one is
unable to discern between the concepts of "Orrur Haman" and
"Boruch Mordechai."
Maharam Chalava, disciple of Rabbenu Shlomo ben Aderes, as
cited by his son in a commentary on Torah named Imrei
Shefer, discusses the topic and amplifies the difficulty
here:
The human condition can be likened to a ner, or oil
candle. Pouring shemen into it provides fuel so the
candle's light can last. If one overfills it, however, the
flame will be extinguished.
When one imbibes wine this dulls the seichel,
intellect, like the overloaded candle in the parable. Why,
then would Chazal establish such a mitzva?
Wine, with its intoxicating potential, can bring on an
undesirable scenario, as was the case with Noach when he
planted grape saplings and grew a vineyard.
When, in the course of human events, the Borei Olom
sees fit to perform a miracle, it transcends the normal
order. The Purim episode follows this sequence. How so?
A passage in the Megilla makes the point that Esther
invited Achashverosh to an unconventional meal; this was a
Mishteh Hayayin — a banquet whose exclusive focus was
the delicacy of royal wine.
"Yayin av lechato'im"—This alcoholic beverage has the
potential to make one stray far from what is proper.
As Achashverosh imbibed, the edict of Adar was brought to his
attention. Esther asked that he reconsider and rescind the
decree. Sane, sober reasoning was called for at this crucial
juncture, a clear, lucid mind to weigh matters in their
proper perspective. The Persian king was hardly a friend of
the Yidden and, laden with drink, hadn't a semblance of
sobriety, either. Ordinarily, this would have brought out the
worst in human nature; he should have affirmed the
gezeiroh. But Hashem turned nature on its head and the
King repealed the edict.
Chazal wanted Klal Yisroel to experience, at some
level, this great nes, or miracle. But how could this
be accomplished? By drinking "ad delo yoda" one reaches
a state the King of Persia was in at the time. Chazal's
message resonates here: A person realizes that just as he is
no longer in a sound state of mind at this point,
Achashverosh was in a similar scenario back then; his speech
should have reflected his natural disdain for Klal Yisroel
should have prevailed, but Hashem decreed otherwise! The
Borei exacted the opposite effect of what could have
normally been expected, and Achashverosh said all the right
things to bring about salvation for our people.
Casting Away Intellect: The End of Days
Here is another approach, a different and fascinating track
of thought that explains this mitzvah. In Shulchan Oruch,
Hilchos Purim, the Gra writes a terse comment about the
mitzvas hayom:
"[This is to say] until one can no longer discern [the
difference] between the revenge wrought on Haman and the
greatness Mordechai received, as it says: [Brochos 33a]
"[Divine] nekomoh is great, as it is placed between two
Names of Hakodosh Boruch Hu, as it says, "Keil
nekomos Hashem" (Tehillim 94:1). Dei'ah, or
knowledge, is great as it is placed between two Names of
Hashem, as it says "Ki Keil Deos Hashem" (Shmuel I
2:3). Once the Daas is taken away, one no longer knows
. . ."
This is cryptic for sure. What's the significance of the
gemora Brochos here—that both Nekomoh and
Daas are wedged between Hashem's Names? What's the
relationship in sequence between the two? What does the final
sentence mean?
Surely, people would appreciate even a small window into the
Gaon's concise words, here.
I heard an explanation similar to this: "Der Aibishter ken
gebben a kush, un er ken gebben a potch." In the course of
charting human events in this world, the Almighty conducts
history utilizing two hanhogos, or attributes: for the
righteous, Hashem metes out chessed. This is known as
"Im chosid tischasod" (Samuel II 22:26). The
wicked, however, are dealt with akmimus, in a crooked
manner, measure for measure. They are punished in roundabout
ways that no one could guess the outcome, as they lead to the
rosho's ultimate downfall—"Im ikeish titapol"
(ibid).
The historical Purim event portrays this concept. There were
two distinct forces at work here: Haman, personification of
evil, zera Amolek, descendant of Eisov, at the
threshold of accomplishing his sinister objective to fully
eradicate an entire people, as opposed to Mordechai and the
chosen nation, whose fate hung in the balance. Hashgochoh
intervened "Ve'nahapoch Hu"—the former met an
untimely end, while the Ish Yehudi was given royal
glory.
Which brings out greater kovod Shomayim?
The former rather than the latter, because even though the
greatness bestowed upon Mordechai portrays Divine
intervention, when Hashem uproots the force of evil from its
source it is entirely eradicated, and only kedushoh
prevails.
Step 1: When the Borei topples the deviant, this
is a Divine manifestation of nekomoh. This term does
not mean base revenge, but rather that since man was placed
in the world to bring out Hashem's glory, to deny the
ultimate truth is to negate one's own purpose of existence
and necessitate Divine retribution. This middoh
enhances and elucidates the contrast between the chain of
events that the wicked experienced, as opposed to what
occurred to the tzaddik.
Step 2: Daas denotes the intellectual capacity that
must be tapped into, to differentiate and qualify Haman's
fall from power as the ultimate factor that brings out the
eternal truth of Divine reign, as opposed to gedulas
Mordechai, Mordechai's ascent to power. Obviously, the
human thinking process is a mavchin, as it is utilized
here to differentiate between the two phenomena that the
Megilla relates.
Thus, both Divine Nekomoh or retribution and Daas
are litmus tests. The first displays the stark contrast in
Hashgochoh as it is doled out to polar opposites; the
second reveals Gilui Kevodo Yisborach, the existence of
the Omnipotence of the Creator.
Once the Borei removed Haman from the picture, there
was no longer a need for the middoh of, "Im ikesh
titapol"— deluding the wicked any more, as they no longer
exist. Further: If there are no longer two variant middos
of Kevayochol at work, there is no need to possess
the intellectual ability to qualify one middoh of
Hashem over the other; once evil is eradicated, the sole
hanhogoh of Hashgochoh is chessed to
tzaddikim.
For this reason, we are enjoined by Chazal to partake of wine
until one loses the capability to discern that it was Haman's
downfall that brought out who is the ultimate Melech,
rather than Mordechai's ascent to power. We are making a
statement: the day will come when Amolek will be annihilated
entirely, and if it will no longer exist, there's no need to
contrast it versus gedulas Mordechai!
Purim is a precursor for the end of days, as per the
Mechilta's comment on the posuk "Milchama LeHashem
Ba'makek midor dor," Hashem wages war with Amolek from one
generation to another. The first refers to the epoch of
Mordechai, the second to the dor, or generation of
Moshiach.
The nexus is this: The Borei took out the power of
Rish'oh in the days of Achashverosh, but He will
destroy it totally by eradicating Amolek's progeny entirely
with Moshiach's arrival.
By casting away a human being's unique ability of thought we
are demonstrating our belief that a time will come when
Hashem will totally remove evil from creation, and there will
no longer be a need to qualify which middoh versus the
other brings kovod Shomayim; whether it is the
attribute that the wicked are dealt with, or the middoh
the tzaddikim are subjected to. The sole
Hashgochoh on the world will be "Im Chasid
Tischasod," ultimate chessed for the chosen nation
of Klal Yisroel. Back then, the darkness of
hopelessness turned to day for our people, yet the salvation
affects us lanetzach, forever.
Purim puts life into perspective. The Supreme Power can
change facts on the ground in an instant, for things are
orchestrated from Above. The unjust are ultimately dealt
with. When Hashem removes them from the world scene, the
koach of kedusha prevails.
Let the day come soon which will be the fulfillment of
"Layehudim hoysoh orah," Amen.
