If they had only been patient, and waited for Moshe, there would not have been a חטא העגל. Patience is a big Yesod in Avodas Hashem. A gentile needs instant gratification, like Eisav; you can’t tell him that there is another world Olam HaBah to wait for. A general Yesod: Even when you feel compelled to do something that you shouldn’t do, try to hesitate! People who work on Ta'avas A'chila (their desire for food) just hesitate for one minute till they eat. And this makes a major difference. That “one-minute wait” makes them no longer a Baal Ta'ava’nik. They have control!
When the Steipler Zatzal was in the army, he was forced to stand guard all night at the border. It was freezing cold, and whoever stood guard was provided with a pelt coat to withstand the elements. One Shabbos, it was the Steipler’s turn to stand guard, and he found the pelt coat hanging from a tree, where the previous guard had left it. Removing it off the tree involved an Issur D'rabanan (of: ןָליִאְבּ ןיִשְׁמַתְּשִׁמ ןיֵא using a tree on Shabbos). Without wearing the pelts, a person would freeze to death in the Russian winter, Chas V'shalom.
So he decided to wait 10 minutes before putting them on, since 10 minutes wouldn’t kill him. After 10 minutes, he decided to wait another 10 minutes. This continued again and again, until the entire night passed and he survived! Waiting and hesitating and taking things one step at a time is a holy Midda, like Menuchas HaNefesh and Bitachon.
A Yid Goes Slow, And Doesn’t Become Tzu’tu’melt
And this was the official reason Yaakov told Eisav why he didn’t want to travel together with him, since: םיִכַּר םיִדָלְיַה גל חלשיו יג the children are fragile and I have to go: ְל ַא תּ ְל ַאתּ slowly! A Yid goes slow, and doesn’t become: ָבּהוּ ל hyper and panicky. Notice how often Megilas Esther is loaded with: ָהיֶקוּרְמַתּ תֶא לֵהַבְיַו ב ט he “hurried” to bring her oils, and: ןָמָה תֶא איִבָהְל וּלִהְבַיַּו די ו they “hurried” to bring Haman, and: םיִצָרָה ˂ֶלֶמַּה רַבְדִבּ םיִפוּחְד וּאְצָי ג טו the messengers went out in a “hurry”. They are running and flying and getting Tzu’tu’melt. Indeed, Chazal say that Persians have no Menucha like a bear.
Our Issues and Daily Tests from Shamayim Are All Dimyonos and Fake Masks
Chazal say: דוֹס אָצָי ןִיָי סָנְכִנ א הס ןיבוריע When wine goes in (a person), all his secrets come out. We can say: ְבּ ֶד ֶר ˂ ֶר ֶמז that Purim is a day of revealing the truths of our lives. We wear scary masks, but we realize that it’s only a mask, and there is nothing to be afraid of. The same is with our issues and daily tests from Shamayim. They are all Dimyonos and fake masks. So all our Nisyonos aren’t real. Usually, our pain comes from the loss of Kavod, which is: םיִלָבַה לֶבֶה just hot air.
Or we are forgetting the greatness of Yissurim, which saves us from even worse punishments, like Gehinom. So all our “problems” are really a lie; like a mask that’s not real. And our partying can be a symbol of what Olam HaZeh really is, like Chazal say: יֵמָד אָלוּליִה יֵבְכּ אָמְלַﬠ יאַהעירובין נד א this world is like a party (which will soon end) יִתְשׁיִא ףוֹטֲח לוֹכֱא ףוֹטֲח so eat and drink as much as you can (i.e., acquire as much Torah and Mitzvos as you can). A Yid has to realize that this is the truth of his existence, like the Mesilas Yesharim says: ה לַﬠ גֵנַּﬠְתִהְל אָלֶּא אָרְבִנ אֹל םָדָאָהֶשׁ ' a person came to this world only to receive eternal pleasure in the next world.
When R’ Yaakov Galinsky Zatzal came to Novardok, he overheard the Steipler learning the above Chazal (that this world is like a party) with a Mussar Niggun. Indeed, in Novardok they experienced this world like a party, since they enjoyed working on their Middos. On Purim: דוֹס אָצָי the truth comes out, the true: סוֹ ד secret of Olam HaZeh comes out, and we are involved in Seudas Purim with plenty of dancing and singing. Remember to continue to be Purim’dik all year, i.e., by working on your Middos like Mordechai and Esther, you’ll feel like you’re always at a party.
