The Gemara (Sotah 49.) says, "After the Churban Beis HaMikdash, on what does the world stand? It exists on the kedushah that we say in לציון ובא." What is special about this kedushah more than any other kedushah that we say?
We say kedushah in the brachah Yotzer Ohr (before kriyas Shma), and we say kedushah in Shemoneh Esrei. The Shibolei HaLeket (quoted in Beis Yosef, Orach Chaim 132) writes, "They added that we should say another kedushah in לציון ובא, because they weren't able to say kedushah in the davening because guards would stand in the beis haknesses and didn't permit them to say kedushah. After the tefillah, the guards left, and then they would say kedushah loudly. They said the kedushah and the translation of Targum... so it would be considered as if it was said twice. This double kedushah made up for what they missed in Shemoneh Esrei and the brachah of Yotzer Ohr. Today, we say kedushah during the tefillah, nevertheless the takanah remained to repeat it in לציון ובא because they thought perhaps sin will result [that they will once again be forbidden to say kedushah]."
These words of the Shibolei HaLeket help us understand why this kedushah is so special, and why the world stands on it. When guards stood in the beis haknesses with drawn swords, forbidding the community from saying kedushah, people didn't say, "We can't say kedushah, so what can we do? Let us make peace with the reality." Instead, they sought ways and devised plans to say kedushah and sanctify Hashem's name. When the resha'im left the beis medresh, they immediately shouted out, twice, קדוש קדוש קדוש to complete the two kedushahs that they missed. The tefillah in לציון ובא is very precious because it demonstrates the yearning and the desires of the Jewish nation to keep the Torah as best as they can in all generations and all situations, even when it was risking their lives.
When Yidden say kedushah in לציון ובא, Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, "I don't have any pleasure in the world like the time they raise their eyes, they look at my eyes, and I look into their eyes (Sefer Heichalos, quoted in Tur 125). Again, this can be because of the desire and yearning for Hashem expressed in this tefillah.
5. The Chasam Sofer (Toras Moshe, Esther, במגילה איתא ה"ד)
explains that the food at this party wasn't kosher. Nonetheless, they were permitted to eat there since it was a situation of pikuach nefesh. Their fault was that they should have eaten at home before going to the party, so the food at the party would be גסה אכילה (eating when completely full, which isn't considered eating, according to halachah).
And therefore Shulchan Aruch (132:1) states, בכוונה לאמרו מאוד בה לזהר וצריך, "We have to be very cautious to say לציון ובא with kavanah." The Zohar HaKadosh also writes about this very high and exalted tefillah.
The kedushah of לציון ובא is called קדושא דסידרא. Rebbe Asher of Stolin (Seder HaYom, quoted in Beis Aharon) said, דסידרא בקדושה יזהר בכל מסודר שיהיה היום כל על תיקון זה כי גדולה בכוונה לומר הענינים, "Be cautious with the kedushah of the seder [which is לציון ובא] to say it with a lot of kavanah because it is a great rectification for the entire day that everything should be מסודר, organized and well, in all ways."
There are people who are happy to have the opportunity to say, "What can I do? I am an onus. פטריה רחמנא אנוס, the Torah doesn’t obligate the person when it isn't his fault and responsibility. But at these times there comes forth the innermost feelings of an ehrlicher Yid who shouts, "Why should I lose this opportunity to say kedushah?" He doesn't look for excuses, he doesn't want to be exempt, he wants to perform the mitzvah.
The Chasam Sofer zt'l (Drashos 166) says that this is the meaning of the words חטא על וברצון באונס לפניך שחטאנו, "For the sins that we sinned by accident and with desire." Why should we say viduy for sinning באונס, by accident, against our will? Those aveiros aren't our fault! But the problem is that it was וברצון באונס, which means we were happy that we had this onus. Let’s explain this with a mashal:
A Yid and a non-Jew were traveling together, and they stopped to eat lunch. "Do you want some wine?" the goy asked. "No thanks. I am a Jew, and a Jew may not drink wine of non-Jews." "How about a sausage? I have extra." "No, thank you. We can't eat that either." "It is very good. Are you sure you can't eat any of it?" "I'm positive. The only time one may eat such foods is when his life is in danger." The goy took out a knife and said, "Eat my food, or I'll kill you." The Yid began eating. What could he do? It was pikuach nefesh.
A few moments later, the goy said, "I'm sorry I did that to you. I was just joking." The Yid said, "I forgive you for playing that prank on me, but I won't forgive you for telling me that it was a joke so soon. Why didn't you wait until I finished the meal?" This is an example of לפניך שחטאנו חטא על וברצון באונס. The problem wasn’t the sin that was performed באונס, since he was coerced. The problem was that it was also ברצון, that he wanted that situation!
Chazal say that Haman had the ability to decree annihilation, r'l, because מסעודתו שנהנו אחשורש של, because they enjoyed Achashverosh’s meal. The problem wasn't that they attended the meal. They had to be there, or they would be punished by Achashverosh. The problem was that they were happy to be there. שנהנו, they enjoyed the meal. Because even when one is forced to perform an aveirah, chalilah, his wish should be that he wasn't put in that situation.
