This year, when Purim falls out on Friday, there is a unique connection that unfolds between Shabbos and Purim.
We spent much time discussing the halacha of פורס מפה ומקדש, which basically means that if one’s Purim meal is extending close to Shabbos, one can stop the meal, cover the challah, make kiddush, and then continue the meal, which now becomes a Shabbos meal. The big shayla we discussed was whether one can make hamotzi and a bracha on wine. Since it’s a safek, we suggested that one should be meharer. We also discussed what to do about על הניסים and רצה –does one say both or not? We concluded that you can say both or make up Al Hanisim by הרחמן.
This is all a halachic discussion. However, what also emerges is a very interesting connection between Shabbos and Purim from a more Kabbalistic view. The Ohr HaChaim in Beraishis explains that if Adam and Chava would have waited and not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, they could have eaten from it on Shabbos; the mistake was in the timing.
Shabbos is clearly a time of tikkun for the sin of Adam and Chava, as Shabbos represents going back to the state of Gan Eden and is also called מעין עולם הבא. Purim is also very connected to Gan Eden. The Gemara in Chullin connects Haman the Rasha to the Tree of Knowledge: “המן מן התורה מנין שנאמר המן העץ”. There is another connection to the drinking of wine. According to one opinion, the Tree of Knowledge was a grape vine.
It is also interesting to note that the Gemara in Sanhedrin tells us that when Adam and Chava were in Gan Eden, the angels roasted meat and prepared wine for them. What is going on here in this special Garden? The answer in short – but this requires much deep thought – is that Hashem wanted – and still plans – to give us tremendous both physical and spiritual good. We get to enjoy a sample of this experience every Shabbos, and ultimately, this will be our experience in the World to Come. The test that we have in this world – and is really the test of Purim together with Shabbos – is to take the main foods of joy, like meat and wine, and make sure to eat and enjoy them at the right time and in the right manner in order to repair the mistake of Adam and Chava.
May we all be zoche to the true experience of Shabbos and Purim, now and in the close future.
