It is now one day after Purim, and right after Purim, the Shulchan Aruch says, the first thing we are supposed to do is start thinking about Pesach. And the first thing brought down in the Rama is the concept of raising money for people in need, which is called Maot Chitin. Rabbi Elimelech Biderman says that David HaMelech says in Tehilim( 30,12), פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה׃ You opened/undid my sackcloth ( from mourning) and you girded me with joy Simply, this means, You undid my sadness and made me happy. You turned me around. But there is another way of explaining this, the Derush: A man came to a great rabbi and said, “ I have everything. I have family, I have a successful business, I have friends, I have everything. But I am not happy. Why aren’t I happy?” The rabbi told him this pasuk פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה But in this case, the word for sackcloth , Saki , can also mean pouch , like a money pouch. Open up your ( money ) pouch, give to others, and you’ll be girded with happiness. That is the rule- You can only be happy if you give to others. That is why the Sfat Emet says that the first special Parasha we read to start the season off is the Parasha of Shekalim . MiShenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha The month of Adar ( and Nisan, as Rashi says) brings much joy to our people. So we have almost 2 months of happiness. How do we start it off? Only with Shekalim . Only by giving to other people. If you are focused on yourself, you cannot be happy. You can only be happy when you think of others. Haman was called Haman Hatzar , which means enemy, but it also means tight . Rav Yitzhak Ezrachi, the Rosh Yeshiva of Mirrer says that Haman wasn’t happy, despite having everything in the world, because he was tzar/tight. He was in his own world. He was egoistic. He didn’t think about anyone else. Therefore, he was unhappy. To be happy, you must give. There was a great rabbi, Rav Shlomo of Zhil. When he was a young avrech in his late 20s, learning in kollel, he was poor. One Erev Shabbat, he had no money. He was an outstanding Talmud Chacham, even at his young age, and a man sick with a terrible disease once came to him, gave him money (as is customary when one goes to a rabbi), and asked for a beracha. The rabbi gave him a beracha and he was healed. Thirty years later, the disease came back, so he returned to the rabbi for another beracha. This time, the rabbi apologized and said he couldn’t help. The man asked why, if he was able to do it 30 years before, when he was a young man, and hardly known. Now he was a big rabbi with a Yeshiva and many hasidim. Why couldn’t he help? The rabbi explained, “ I didn’t help you then. I was poor then, and you gave, and made a poor man happy and that is what got you out of your problem.“ With that introduction, we are officially starting our annual drive for Lev Chana , an organization which gives cards to needy families, that they can redeem in certain clothing stores. I am starting early this year, and I am starting with this group of Ahavat Yisrael enthusiasts, because you love Jewish people and you want to help. The daily lessons are free, of course, but this is a great opportunity to give a little Hakarat HaTov , even though it doesn’t go to me. I am committed to giving out $150,00 and the money goes out before I raise it, so I am counting and relying on you to help out. Anyone who wishes to participate in this special mitzvah can click on this link https://www.rayze.it/levchana/ Or write a check made out to Lev Chana and mail it to Lev Chana c/o Rabbi David Sutton, 1059 E. 10th St., Brooklyn, NY, 11230. One can also reply to this email, or email me directly at rabbisutton@gmail.com , and a bill will be sent. You can quickpay to the email address above as well. Tizke Lemitzvot, and May Hashem bless everyone with happiness. Thank you. Rabbi David Sutton