Money Matters and Monkey Business

I didn't think I would write this week. And as I sit here staring at this blinking cursor on the blank computer screen, I'm still not sure if I can. There is so much on my mind, and so much I wish to say, but the impossibilities are endless. "Purim" is what they call it, but the word has multiple and paradoxical connotations. To some it's their greatest source of joy, for others it's their biggest nightmare. Generally, in order to discover the true and clear meaning of a religious expression one searches the inner dimensions of the Torah, the "Wisdom of Truth" as revealed by our sages. However, in the case of Purim this paradox of meaning is confirmed and even strengthened by its spiritual significance so much so that when one grasps these depths they are awakened to, and even slapped in the face by, the deep paradox of our reality. So as I sit here trying to figure out how to put this into words the voice in the back of my consciousness, taking on the tone of a professional sports coach, repeatedly warns, "keep it grounded." But 'how?', my rational mind asks, 'can I make logical sense of this chaos'?
I then thought of the chaos taking place around the Yeshiva this week leading up to Purim and remembered that all spiritual realities manifest themselves on all levels, which means that this reality of Purim is also manifested on all levels. So I searched for relatively calm waters in the endless sea of thought - a place to anchor this idea. And what better place than the laws of the day as they have been transmitted to us by our sages and the customs of our people as they've been arranged and transformed throughout the generations.
For the sake of "order" I have included a list of the laws and customs of Purim which fit into the general idea that I will try to give over. As we move further along it should become clear where each detail finds its place in the general scheme of things.
On Purim it is a mitzvah to get extremely drunk until we lose all perception of reality as the Gemara says, "A person is required to get drunk until they don't know the difference between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai."
Mishloch manot, it is a mitzvah to send gifts to friends (preferably through the hands of an intermediary). The gifts should be like a prepared meal and consist of at least two kinds of food in a readily eatable form.
Matanot Levyonim, it is a mitzvah to give gifts to the poor.
It is a custom to get dressed up, either to wear a mask and costume pretending to be something else or to just dress silly.
Purim Shpiel, there is a custom to conduct a comical play, usually making fun of the absurdities of everyday life.
The story of Purim as related in Megilat Esther ("revelation of the hidden") reveals the Hashkacha Pratit (Divine Providence) in the world. All events that took place, though at the time seemed evil and undesirable, in turn, led remarkably to a perfect conclusion and couldn't have been planned better.
We are continually taught in the holy books of our sages, that everything in the world is being sustained by the constant Will of Hashem. The Ramchal teaches that were Hashem to take his creative force off of any part of creation for one moment, that aspect of creation will immediately cease to exist. Whether it's the vast stellar galaxies or the smallest speck of dust, it is constantly being recreated and sustained by Hashem. Nefesh Hachaim writes that creation is actually reoccurring at every moment as we say daily in our morning prayers, "He renews in his kindness, everyday continuously, the work of creation."
It is a fundamental of Judaism to believe in G-ds' unity. To believe that G-d is not detached from nature or natural events, rather He is the source of nature and is guiding it at every moment, as the verse says, "You shall know today, and take it into your heart, that Hashem is Elokim, is there nothing else besides Him." Elokim, which is the numerical value of Hateva (Nature), is the "powerful force behind all abilities and powers, the cause of all causes." Hashem (YKVK), the G-d that "Was is and always will be", that transcends time and space, is the same G-d that controls all forces in the world. There truly is "nothing besides Him."
While many of us believe this in our minds it is obviously very hard to take it into our hearts and live our lives in line with this belief. This is reflected in the way we conduct ourselves in business, thinking that the more effort we put into something the more successful we will be, as if we are the masters of our success. In truth, however, like it says by the manna that fell from heaven (and the Mishna Brura still applies the principle today) "The one who increases [physical effort] doesn't gain, and the one who decreases [physical effort] doesn't lose." A failure to believe this can easily lead to a life of manipulation, deceit, constant worry, frustration, and unhappiness.
But "When Adar (month of Purim) enters joy increases."
When one knows that everything will work out even if they completely let go of all control they can release themselves of worry and reach true joy. This is the idea of getting as drunk as one can until they lose all sense of reality. We need to reveal that the level of my involvement and control in the world doesn't really matter, the deep truth is that this reality, which I take so seriously, is all a purim shpiel and we are all just actors in the play. Sefer Yetzirah says that the character trait of this month is "laughter." The ability to laugh in the face of adversity comes from realizing that it's all part of the shpiel. The sign of this month is Pisces "dag" fish, which is understood as the rectification of da'ag "worry," especially in financial matters.
This ability to release control does not mean that I can copout on life and sleep all day because nothing I do has any significance. Mordechai tells Esther when asking her to save the fate of the Jewish People, "If you keep silent at this time, rescue and liberation will come for the Jews from some other source, but you and your fathers lineage will perish, and who knows whether at this time next year you will retain your royal position." Mordechai is saying that the situation is guaranteed to work out for the best no matter what, the only question is whether you will be part of it, whether you will accept the gift of existence by contributing towards it even though the contribution may seem like a joke, like it is unneeded. This is why we give gifts to the poor on Purim. When one knows that Hashem is controlling everything and whoever He wants to be rich will be rich and whoever He wants to be poor will be poor, a logical question to ask is, 'why should I give charity to a poor person? If he is poor it seems obvious that God wants it that way so what is the point of trying to go against the will of God by taking this person out of poverty?' The answer to this is very deep. The poor people in the world, the people needing charity, whether monetary charity or other charity, are put there for your benefit, in order to give you a chance to be a part of this world, in order to retain your royal position. Of course Hashem can give them whatever they need, they don't need you to give them money, you need them to give money to, so you can play a role in this existence, take part in the shpiel. God gives a measure of deficiencies in the world along with an equal measure of plenty, all of us have a portion of each. This is truly a blessing. The essence of our life is one of giving and receiving, without this interaction we cannot be considered "alive." When we discover what we have excess of and we seek to give to those who lack, we are not merely giving them a gift - rather we are purchasing our place in the world. This is the secret of charity, whenever you place a few coins in a poor persons hand or write out a check to a worthy cause, you are purchasing something way beyond the value of the money. When someone comes knocking on your door asking for help, realize who needs who.
Another significance of giving charity on Purim is that even though one may work hard and earn money without the proper faith, it can all be turned around in a moment if one gives charity from the money he earned. On Purim to come to the realization that all our wealth and everything we have comes from a higher source we have to let go of some of it and give it up to charity.
The Hebrew letter represente by the month of Adar as Sefer Yetzirah puts it is the "kuf" which also means "monkey." On Purim we overcome Amalek, from whose lineage Haman comes. "Amalek" is the numerical value of "safek" (doubt), he is the one who says all events are random, that there is no connection between God and the natural world. The Megilla tells us that "these days are called "Purim" because of the pur (lottery)", the lottery that Haman did in order to decide which day will be the destruction of the Jewish People ended up being their liberation day. It is on Purim that we fight Amalek on his own turf.
If Amalek is going to try to destroy us by revealing the chaos of our existence and trying to mock any idea of real meaning in this world, we must show that even in the chaotic world of "no-meaning", G-d is there.
The word "Amalek" is spelled "amal-kuf", which means to 'work like a monkey.' It is when this world is detached from any Divine guiding hand that I have to work like a monkey in order to succeed. On Purim we had a 'v'nahafoch hu', everything got switched around, the letters of "Amalek" now spell "alamek," "alam-kuf," 'the world is a monkey,' monkey see - monkey do, we become reflections and imitators of the Divine. So the same randomness of the lottery that meant to kill us actually redeems us, when we see that to let go into the world of chaos is actually where we touch the deepest truth of who we are and the way our lives are run. "Haman" is "the manna" the bread from heaven which comes freely without any work needed. Only when we awakened to the vanity and chaos of the revealed reality can this deepest reality be revealed.
This 'manna' is the significance of mishloach manot (the sending of man), and it is sent through an intermediary because we know that even though all we see are the many intermediaries between us and Hashem, truly everything we receive is directly from Him. He is just hiding behind the mask. So on Purim we put masks on our faces to show that the dark reality as we perceive it is only a mask covering the Divine face.
On Purim we experience this raw and intense energy of godly light in the world, the Rabbis brilliantly planned the holiday of Pesach immediately following, so that we can take this chaotic energy into the seder (order). May we be blessed just this one day with the courage to let ourselves go and completely lose control so that we can experience this tremendous light, and may we be granted the ability to bring the awareness down into our daily lives and have it reflect in whatever we do.