The promises Dawn

“This day has a great segulah that our prayers should be accepted in the merit of Mordechai and Esther. Anyone who needs Heaven’s mercy in a certain area…  should take out time on the day of Taanis  Esther and first recite the 22nd chapter of Tehillim, Ayeles Hashachar. Then he should pour out his words before Hashem, and make his request, and mention the merit of Mordechai and Esther…. His prayer will be received with favor.”

Whatever you ask for! Whatever you want, you will receive on this day – the day when Esther touched the tip of the scepter. What do you need, dear Yid? Today is the day to receive your request…

In every generation, the scepter is held out all the way to you. On the day when rescue and relief was granted to the Jews from the decree of extermination with the king’s seal. There are yeshu’os waiting for you, too!

Just ask, just stretch out your hand!

It is almost Purim. Jewish homes are bustling with last minute preparations.

Switch the hat you bought for the costume of the six-year-old, melt another five ounces of chocolate for the dessert ganache, run to the store for another roll of cellophane, and don’t forget the last minute alterations that need to be done on the Queen Esther dress!

Purim music is blasting. Children are trying out graggers and anything else that makes a lot of noise. Baking pans go into the oven one after another.

In the midst of all this happy tumult the royal scepter is extended to you. It reaches all the way to you: What do you desire, dear Yid?

Just ask, and you will receive!

Stretch out your hand, and touch the tip of the scepter…

This is why, despite all the difficulties, which only become more complex from year to year, we don’t let Taanis Esther go by without Vaad Harabbanim’s Tefilah in Iran!

Communication between Eretz Yisrael and the Jews of Iran is very complicated. You can’t just pick up a phone and call, or send an email. All coordination needs to be made through a third country, carefully and responsibly.

Vaad Harabbanim receives the donations, puts together a long, long list with hundreds of names, creates a reliable and secure file, which then stops at a few stations before it finally reaches our shluchim tzaddikim in Teheran, with all of your names.

Afterward, on the day of Taanis Esther itself, the shluchim of Vaad Harabbanim make the arduous drive that takes hours on back roads until they arrive in Hamadan. There, while fasting, they pray fervently at the ancient tombs of Mordechai and Esther. They daven for us, with our name and the name of our mother, and with our particular prayer request, and, thanks to the special time and location, utilize the zechus of Mordechai and Esther to our advantage.

And we are answered by Heaven!

Just look at what the Kav Hayashar says about the day of Taanis Esther. As well as we may already know this text, every year these words excite us again.

In the king’s courtyard stands Queen Esther, with a yellow complexion, weak from three days of fasting. She knows very well about the death sentence that falls on someone who approaches the king without prior invitation, and her legs are trembling. “Please save me!” she silently shouts. She begs and pleads…

Until her prayer ascends to a holy and awesome place, and the king – the Heavenly King – extends to her the golden scepter and draws down upon her an invisible pipeline of grace and kindness and mercy.

“And not just to her did Hakadosh Baruch Hu extend the golden scepter,” writes the Kav Hayashar, “But in every generation!”

The Ribono shel Olam turns to her and asks her: What would you like, My child? Without cheshbonos, without checking what you deserve and why and how much.  Like a little child that asks Father and receives with infinite love. Anyone who stretches out a hand, receives!

“This day has a great segulah that our prayers should be accepted in the merit of Mordechai and Esther. Anyone who needs Heaven’s mercy in a certain area…  should take out time on the day of Taanis  Esther and first recite the 22^nd chapter of Tehillim, Ayeles Hashachar. Then he should pour out his words before Hashem, and make his request, and mention the merit of Mordechai and Esther…. His prayer will be received with favor.”  

 Whatever you ask for! Whatever you want, you will receive on this day – the day when Esther touched the tip of the scepter. What do you need, dear Yid? Today is the day to receive your request…

In every generation, the scepter is held out all the way to you. On the day when rescue and relief was granted to the Jews from the decree of extermination with the king’s seal. There are yeshu’os waiting for you, too!

Just ask, just stretch out your hand! One phone call, one donation – and the request will be done!