Translated from the outstanding Lev Shomaya Parsha series, which contains highlights from the lectures and derashos delivered by Harav Shmaya Low shlita of London, England.
The Thirty-Day Bridge
We are currently in the period of thirty days between the two Yamim Tovim of Purim and Pesach. This is a very special interval since it lies between one redemption and the other.
Chazal tell us that there is a particular significance in the closeness between one geulah and another. Indeed, for this reason, during a leap year, Purim is celebrated in the second Adar rather than the first, so that there should not be more than one month between these two significant Yamim Tovim.
The proximity of the months of Adar and Nissan is therefore not coincidental.
Furthermore, the Gemara states:
שואלין ודורשין בהלכות הפסח שלושים יום קודם הפסח
One should inquire into and study the halachos of Pesach thirty days before the Yom Tov begins.
This is ruled in Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim סימן תכ״ט) that during these days one should familiarize himself with the relevant halachos in preparation for Pesach.
Purim is the first day of these thirty days.
While most poskim maintain that this rule applies to every Yom Tov, some explain that it was stated particularly regarding Pesach, because Pesach contains many complex halachos, such as:
- grinding the wheat
- baking matzos
- kashering utensils
- removing all chametz
Understanding the Number Thirty
One may wonder: Why did Chazal specify precisely this number of days for preparing ourselves toward Pesach?
Furthermore, what is the deeper connection between Purim and Pesach?
The Bnei Yissaschar offers an in-depth explanation.
He explains that although it is certainly important to study and clarify all the details and halachos of the many mitzvos of Pesach, these days also possess a special inherent spiritual power.
He cites several instances in Chazal where a thirty-day preparation period was established not only for Yom Tov but also for other time-related mitzvos.
However, the Bnei Yissaschar states that the source for the thirty-day preparation period originates specifically from these days between Purim and Pesach, and from here it was extended to other areas as well.
The Cleansing Process
The Bnei Yissaschar writes that during these days we undergo a cleansing process that takes us from the spiritual high of Purim until the time arrives for the ultimate eradication of Amalek.
The process of מחיית עמלק begins on Purim and reaches its pinnacle on ערב פסח.
These days therefore portray the significance of this special period.
Just as we possess the power to remove Amalek and the forces of evil during this time, so too it is during these thirty days that Hashem lifts us out of our spiritual stagnation.
Three Mitzvos Regarding Amalek
The Bnei Yissaschar, citing the Chesed L’Avraham (the grandfather of the Chida), explains that there are three mitzvos regarding Amalek:
זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק To remember what Amalek did to us.
לא תשכח Not to forget it from our minds and hearts.
תמחה את זכר עמלק To completely wipe out the memory of Amalek.
Not only must we verbally recall Amalek’s evil, and not only must we remember it internally, but we are also commanded to obliterate Amalek entirely — his name and existence.
Thought, Speech, and Action
The Bnei Yissaschar explains that these three mitzvos correspond to the three fundamental faculties through which a person operates:
- Thought (מחשבה)
- Speech (דיבור)
- Action (מעשה)
Remarkably, the Bnei Yissaschar points out that there are exactly 720 hours in thirty days:
30 × 24 = 720
The numerical value of עמלק is:
240
Thus:
240 × 3 = 720
This corresponds to the three dimensions of thought, speech, and action.
During these thirty days between Purim and Pesach, the influence of Amalek can be completely erased from every dimension of our being.