Purim Morning Update

Has there ever been a Purim like this one, aside from the very first Purim??? (Okay, 1991, when the Gulf War ENDED on Purim and Israelis were able to throw off their gas masks and emerge from their sealed rooms is right up there)

Many shuls are closed (if there is no safe room, they are technically supposed to be closed, although many, including ours, announced they would be closed and then had small minyanim and left it to the participants to figure out where they would go if a siren went off) . Sign up sheets have been going around for home readings of the megillah. Signing up is necessary as people are only accepting the maximum number they can fit in their mamad/safe room.

I missed the sign-up for our neighbor across the street and asked him if we could join anyway since we could easily get back to our house's mamad. He said we could chance it but that, if they ended up in the mamad, he was going to continue reading the megillah (and since one has to hear every word of the megillah, we would have had to go to a second reading)

Our street minyan (started during Covid and still going strong in what, during the week, is two parking spots under a house and on Shabbat and holidays becomes a full [if small] synagogue with upholstered chairs, a fully library, air conditioning and a gorgeous Sefardi Torah scroll] at the last minute announced a reading, so Penina, Ilana and I went there. Easy to sprint home if necessary. b''H made it through the entire megillah without even a pre-warning (most of us thought that a barrage would start the second the sun went down and it became Purim).

The way I grew up, a LOT of noise is made every time wicked Haman's (booooo) name is read. While there are readings like that, I think the most common thing is to booooo only the first and last time his name is read. And if it wasn't your minyan's custom *before* last night, it certainly is the custom today, as everyone is doing their best to get through the entire megillah without interrupting and hearing the entire thing (ie so participants don't need to go to another reading). There are zoom links going around for readings that kids can participate in and make all the noise they want (not for adults to count as fulfilling the mitzvah of hearing the megillah)

One siren during the night.....

Got up and davened with the neitz sunrise minyan, the earliest time. Off to try to grab the full spiritual potential of this incredible day.

Happy Purim! Join me in praying for miracles.

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Here are the guidelines sent out by the Rav of our shul:

Dear Wonderful Community,
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has volunteered to read the Megillah and to host the community for tefillah and the reading. Your dedication is deeply appreciated.

Guidelines for Purim
1. Pikuach Nefesh — The Highest Priority
The Torah commands: “וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּם מְאֹד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם” (דברים ד:טו) “You shall carefully guard your lives.”
Chazal teach: “וחי בהם — ולא שימות בהם” (יומא פה ע״ב) “You shall live by them—and not die by them.”

“פיקוח נפש דוחה את כל התורה כולה” (יומא שם; רמב״ם הלכות שבת ב:א; שולחן ערוך אורח חיים שכח:ב) “Saving a life overrides the entire Torah.”

Therefore, it is a halachic obligation to act responsibly.
2. Megillah Readings
Megillah readings will take place at designated locations.
Please see the group chat for exact times and locations.
3. In Case of a Siren
• Everyone should proceed to the nearest protected space
4. Continuing the Reading in a Safe Room
If:
• There is sufficient space, and
• It is safe to do so
The Megillah reading may continue in the protected space.
5. If the Reading Must Stop
If it is not possible to continue:
• Stop the reading
• Avoid unrelated speech
Halachic basis:
• One should not interrupt with unrelated matters during Megillah reading (שולחן ערוך או״ח תרצ:ה)
• Even Tehillim should not be recited aloud during the interruption
When it becomes possible to resume:
• Continue from where you stopped
• There is no need to return to the beginning (משנה ברורה תרצ:טו)
6. Missing Words During the Megillah
If someone missed words:
• They should read those words from a text in their possession
Halacha: One who misses even one word must complete it

(שולחן ערוך או״ח תרצ:ג; משנה ברורה שם)

This applies even if:
• The text is not a kosher Megillah (not written on parchment)
7. Making Noise at the Mention of Haman
To avoid prolonging the reading:
• On context to the Minyan - Noise will be made only at the first and last mention of Haman
Halachic note:
• The custom to make noise exists, but one must ensure that every word is heard (רמ״א או״ח תרצ:יז)
8. Megillah Blessings
• The blessings before the Megillah are recited even without a minyan

(שולחן ערוך או״ח תרצב:א)

• The blessing after the Megillah: “הרב את ריבנו” is recited only with a minyan (שם; משנה ברורה תרצב:י)
9. Drinking on Purim (With Awareness of the Current Situation) and Remember you can go to Sleep!
The Gemara teaches: “מיחייב איניש לבסומי בפוריא” (מגילה ז ע״ב) “A person is obligated to drink on Purim.”
However, the poskim clarify:
• One should not become dangerously intoxicated
• One must maintain awareness and dignity (רמ״א או״ח תרצה:ב; משנה ברורה שם)
Given the current situation:
• One must remain alert and able to respond to instructions

With gratitude to Hashem for the protection of Am Yisrael,
May we merit:
• The downfall of all evil
• The revelation of Hashem’s presence
• The complete redemption
• And the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash במהרה בימינו, אמן

Much Love,

Yehoshua Gerzi

Morning Update (Mourning?)

Our "sleepy suburb" has, thankfully, been pretty sheltered from the brunt of war. Until yesterday. Sunday afternoon an Iranian missile that the NY Times estimates was carrying HALF A TON of explosives crashed into a residential neighborhood in the older part of our city, about a 10-12 minute drive from where we live. The missile made a direct hit on a neighborhood bomb shelter. As of now, 9 people are confirmed dead. 11 are still missing. 40 are wounded, some critically.....Gd help us....

We don't have friends in the neighborhood that was hit, but friends about a five minute walk away all had extensive damage to their houses, including windows blown in, but, thankfully, they are all unhurt.

We appreciate that so many of you reached out to make sure we were okay. I will continue to try to write daily blog posts (probably easier just to check the blog site rather than waiting for the emails to be sent out 24 hours later) and post Whatsapp status updates.

We have just started the Fast of Esther. May we have the ability to channel our inner Queen Esther and may Hashem listen to our pleas for permanent peace, safety and security.

Iran (part 3). Hopefully the final part....

 

First siren Saturday morning. SO thankful that we had a normal night before this all went down....

We had a full house for Shabbat, b''H. Malden's own Ariella with Chaim and their beyond-adorable kids (3 and 9 months) and Ilana's friend Noa. And then two guys from the local Yeshiva for lunch. Despite a bunch of times in the mamad, a lovely Shabbat.  Since we don't use phones etc on Shabbat we had little clue what exactly was going on, but, from a faith perspective it was great: a reminder that it's all from Above and scrolling is not really important.

Our guests all decided to go back home to Jerusalem and made it safely, b''H. Menashe even was able to take the bus there and back without sirens to get things they needed to temporarily move in here.

Ilana's seminary roommate and her father are in Israel on a trip and the needed to leave their AirB&B, so we trooped upstairs after Shabbat ended and changed sheets and cleaned up for the next in the revolving door :).

It is wild that this is all going down in the Hebrew month of Adar with Purim just a few days away. We are truly reliving the Purim story (and, hey, Iran--it didn't turn out so well for you guys the last time either).

Praying for peace, safety and security in our beautiful holy land. Praying for peace throughout the wold. 

Podcast!

Well, it's been a while since my last post....

--Made it through shiva and shloshim for my Mom (I have a piece coming out in an upcoming issue of Family First magazine about what shloshim was like, so stay tuned for a link whenever that gets published).

--We had the tenth yarhzeit of my sister-in-law Hilary. Still can't believe it's been a decade without her....

--Gd only knows what's about to happen with the US and Iran (let's just say I'm REALLY not keen to find out what will get sent Israel's way if that one goes down, although I get strength from the fact that we're in the Jewish month of Adar, when Purim took place in what is now modern-day Iran. Didn't end well for the bad guys then and b''eH won't end how they want now, either).

So let's talk about something totally different!

In the Fall, I started a podcast called "Frum Women in Motion". The goal is to encourage myself and every other religious Jewish woman who struggles to find the time, energy and desire to exercise. I interview really interesting women who, at the same time, are so resoundingly NORMAL! 

Here's the link to the show on Spotify (it's on most other major places to play podcasts as well):

https://open.spotify.com/show/7mQKNmFF6NCOPrPFiu9gai?si=QKEaS68bQMqPMlGF1m0LOA

Hopefully a new mini episode coming out later today. I would so appreciate it if you rate/follow.

Baruch Dayan Ha'Emet

Baruch dayan ha'emet. With tremendous sadness along with deep gratitude for our many years together, I share with you that my beloved mother Rhoda Diane (Shapiro) Zagorsky died yesterday, January 7. 

My mother with her parents, Pearl and Jack Shapiro a''h and my father, Norman Zagorsky a''h

Funeral Friday morning, January 9, at 9 a.m. at Goldman's Funeral Chapel in Malden, MA. Funeral Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81972945846

I will be sitting shiva in the US until Sunday at 4 pm, then in Israel from 3;30 pm Monday b''n until getting up from shiva Thursday morning. Please send me a private message if you would like shiva details. 

May the memory of Risha Devorah bat R. Yaakov HaCohen be for a blessing

Welcome Home, Eitan Mor

Eitan Mor is one of the group of 20 hostages who were freed almost two weeks ago. He was working as a security guard at the Nova Festival and wasn't taken hostage until the *afternoon* of October 7. He could have gotten away, but kept returning to the site to try to get more people out. Until he himself was captured.

He spent 738 days as a hostage. He was moved 40 times, and for a YEAR was held hostage alone.

Today, Eitan Mor went home from the hospital.

"Eitan Mor is returning home! 
You are invited to accompany Eitan on his journey home
Come with Israeli flags and a lot of love"

Our city was the first one off the highway on his back home.

We joined the crowds lining the road. Sang "Am Yisrael Chai". Held our flags and cheered our hearts out as he went by.

And it felt SO GOOD to join the crowds lining the road and do it all NOT for when a soldier has died. I've been to six "flag processions" since October 7 and they are heartbreaking. You take your flag and stand in honor on the side of the road as the family drives by to Har Herzl for the military burial and there are no words for how sad it is. And today, b''H, it was so beautiful to take my Israeli flag out for something HAPPY. 

When the van taking Eitan drove by us, we walked in back of it for a bit, just like we do in the flag processions (which is inspired by what is done at a funeral, when we walk in back of the casket). 

Tiny bits of healing. Thank you, Hashem

(not my photo. I was "in the moment")

May Eitan, and all the released hostages, have complete physical, emotional, mental and spiritual recoveries.

SO.....MANY....EMOTIONS

The twenty living hostages came home to Israel on Monday. Monday was also the holiday of Hoshana Raba, the last day of Sukkot. One of the reasons this holiday is special is that it is considered the main time that the "who will live/who will die" spiritual verdict of the High Holy Days is sealed. 

As Herb Keinon, commentator for the Jerusalem Post, wrote: "Rare are the days when history and holiness meet, when the Jewish calendar's rhythms and the country's pulse seem to beat as one. Monday was one of those days".  It was also the rare holiday when things like phones and driving are allowed. And, for me, one of the VERY rare times that I not only had my phone with me in synagogue, but had it face up and looking at every update Penina was sending to me. 

How many emotions can our hearts hold at once? 

Intense joy at the return of the hostages

Heavy grief at those, already murdered, whose bodies are still being held as bargaining chips

Deep sadness at the number of soldiers seriously wounded or killed over the past two years

Gnawing fear that the 2000 terrorists released from Israeli jails as part of this deal are already planning what new evil they can perpetrate

and, with every photo and video of families of hostages being reunited with their sons/brothers/husbands/fathers who they had such a high chance of never seeing alive again....intense joy. And the cycle starts all over again.

For more than a year, Avinatan Or was chained inside a cage shorter than he is and barely larger than his mattress. It is estimated he lost 30-40% of his body weight while in captivity

While October 7 was last week on the secular calendar, on the Hebrew calendar, the dates worked out pretty incredibly: Hoshanah Raba is exactly one day before Simchat Torah, the day this all started two years ago. Amazing that Hashem gave us this "day before", when we could all be glued to the media showing the hostages coming home and THEN give us the whole-heart joy that is Simchat Torah, when we finish reading the Torah for one year and start again with Bereishit: "In the beginning". And this moment certainly is a new beginning for those twenty families. May it also be a new beginning for this entire region.

The bodies of 21 people are still being held captive. Please Gd they will be returned soon for proper burial in Israel.