Parsha Hashavua
Igniting the Geulah Oil with the Simcha Flame
By BJLife/Judy Landman
Posted on 03/29/25
Rosh Chodesh Nissan is nearly here and Pesach is definitely in the air. Walk into the supermarkets and note the blessed fully stocked aisles of Pesach items. Open up any of the local publications and you will find stores advertising their new merchandise for Yom Tov or pop-up shops with items for the whole family, as well as a plethora of car/van cleaning and kashering kitchen services. I’m still holding onto Adar.
You might think I’m crazy, but you won’t be the first one to think that. It’s not that Purim themes with matching costumes and shaloch manos galvanize me for the whole year. On the contrary, I used to get quite stressed when my kids were younger about managing all their wants and wishes and making that practical reality along with my own Purim responsibilities and then trying to manage the very busy day, sanely. Ha! Over the years, I have learned to tap into the spiritually saturated day while imbibing all those yummy calories and learned to go with the flow, and leftover mess, especially this year on Erev Shabbos! (We had a great buffet dessert!)
Is it because I need the sugar rush for the upcoming holiday or a quick boost to fill those energy reserves for intense cooking and cleaning? Nope. At some point in my life, I learned that Purim needs to precede Pesach because Simcha Mevi Geulah; Joy heralds in the Redemption. Hmmm…
As a preschool Morah, I have witnessed how much the children love Purim. For one day a year they get to revel in the LOUD, BOISTEROUS and EXUBERANCE nature of the day, the stuff of their candy-filled dreams. It is pure heaven for (most) children whose organic state of being is such. In school, we decorate the halls, our classroom, and of course prepare for this chag with excitement mounting as the day approaches. The enthusiasm is infectious. Even the Morah’s feel it and get in on the fun. This year, mah nishtana ha shana hazeh, it was different. This year I don’t have to tell you why the Morah’s, including this one, could just not get into it. One of my fellow co-workers admonished me,” come on! Morah Judy! Purim is your yom tov! What happened?” I looked at her and sadly smiled. She would not take no for an answer. And so, I pushed myself. I told myself Ivdu Es Hashem B’Simcah. This year it was an Avodah. I reminded myself that Geulah can’t come without the Simcha. I marched into school with my emoji heart blue tooth speaker and cranked up the playlist, and along with 16 leibeidik boys, we spread that joy on every floor of the TA Preschool. My morah friend smiled at me, the other classes stared back with their own smiles. Most significantly, when we huffed and puffed our way back into the room, after climbing many stairs up and down, one boy said, “thank you Morah, that was so much fun!”
Purim came and Purim went. I decided to honor Agam Berger with a braided sheitel and ribbon, my nod off to our People, and it was indeed a beautiful day.
And now here we are about to herald in Z’man Geulaseinu. What now? Read the news, and it certainly doesn’t feel like it. It is day number 537- plus that our precious brothers are still held captive. Nauseating to say the least. The world has still not woken up from its madness, with the exception of our President, a friend of our Nation. The politics in Israel, including the US, are way too convoluted to follow and I’m scratching my head, thinking, “Really? You need to deal with this stuff now??” I feel like I am still watching the Purim story unfold, except the year is 5785.
I remind myself not to get sidetracked or depressed. There is a Haggadah to make with my talmidim and projects to complete, never mind get my own house ready for Yom Tov. When I venture on my early morning walks, and at other random times, the reality hits me. The bleakness of those still alive and suffering tremendously with those who need Kevurah pierce my heart and soul. Sometimes, when my students are belting out Acheinu and Ani Ma’amin, the way only five-year-old children can, I close my eyes to prevent the tears from running down. They still slip out.
Where or where is Geulah? Like the flask of oil the Kohanim sought for by the Chanuka story and the song that we sing in preschool (shout out to Morah Suri!) , I feel that we too are searching desperately still in the mess and the destruction of the aftermath of October 7th.
And yet it’s there; Hidden glimmers of hope, and stories of open Miracles. The Ahavas Yisroel and acts of chessed continue ad bli dai, without stop. We know and pray, and it is what I tell my boys Hinei Lo Yanum V’lo Yishan Shomer Yisroel, the Guardian of Israel does not slumber. I beg to include that it is also Klal Yisroel who does not sleep! That’s finding the Pach, that precious jar. That’s finding the Geulah.
In my own classroom, I am privileged to witness this daily. The other day, I was explaining the very last part of the Hagaddah, L’Shana HaBa’ah B’Yerushalayim and described to the boys about when Mashiach will come. As if on cue, they all began saying how they can’t wait!
“Why,” I asked them. Their answers were so beautiful and so pure like the shemen zayis zach, and yes the tears definitely were waiting in the wings. One boy said, “ I want to see the Beis HaMikdash!” Another said, “I want to see the Kohein!” “I also want to!,” chimed in the others. When I showed them pictures of the Mishkan with the most recent Parshiyos, they looked in awe at the Keilim. The anticipation was palpable.
The mantra for the year, is Hakol Yachol; Hashem can do anything. At PTA, a parent told me that she overheard her son, my student, informing this idea to his toddler brother who had a hard time doing something. This is my personal flask that I fill with the stories of hope from my Kitah. This is what fuels Geulah within me.
Every day, like we all do, I recite Ani Ma’main B’Emunah Sheleimah with all my heart. It is a zechus to feel the Achaka Lo in classroom and know that B’Chol Yom SheYavo with these 16 precious neshamos it will be the reality. That is the Simcha flame that ignites the Geulah oil. And that is why I keep holding on.
Chodesh Tov!
Morah Judy