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Today is the conclusion of the fifteenth of Adar, Shushan Purim. It is after the evening service which parallels the offering of the limbs on the altar which can be carried out throughout the entire night. Thus, we have completed the entire service of Purim, that of both the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar. At present, we must seek to rise to a higher level for we are commanded to always ascend to a higher level of holiness. Therefore, this is a fitting time to summarize the spiritual service of Purim and to explain the service appropriate on the day(s) which follows.

The service of both days of Purim are relevant to all Jews. Even those who do not live in walled cities must carry out the spiritual service of the fifteenth of Adar. The two days represent a progression. After completing the service of the fourteenth of Adar which is related to those who live in unwalled cities, a Jew proceeds to the service of the fifteenth, becoming in a spiritual sense, a resident of Shushan, the capital city.

Since the numbers fourteen and fifteen both possess the number ten (yud -- in Hebrew numerology), it follows that the difference between them parallels the difference between the numbers 4 (daled in Hebrew) and 5 (hay in Hebrew). The letter daled is representative of a state of dalus, "poverty." [There is, nevertheless, a difference between the poverty alluded to by the daled and that alluded to by the reish, the latter representing a more downtrodden state. Therefore, the daled has a yud in its shape, while a reish does not.]

The hay is formed by making an addition to the daled, adding the left leg. This symbolizes a person's leaving the state of poverty and achieving wealth.

To explain the parallels to the above in our service of G-d: The first stage of a person's service is bittul, self-nullification, "My soul is as dust to all." This represents the expression (in the sphere of holiness) of the letter, reish. Afterwards, the reish is transformed into a daled, by revealing the yud. Though the yud is found only behind the daled, and not before it, this is sufficient to take one out of the state of absolute poverty. However, one should not remain content with this step and should seek to proceed further. Ultimately, he will have the yud revealed within his inner being, i.e., a reversed yud is added as the left leg of the letter hay, bringing one to a state of wealth.

To relate the above to Purim: The fourteenth of Adar represents a state of poverty (though not the abject poverty of the reish), while the fifteenth of Adar represents a state of wealth. This concept can also be related to the concept of unwalled and walled cities. Unwalled cities represent a state of poverty in the service of G-d. They do not have a wall to protect them from unnecessary influences and therefore, must take additional precautions. In contrast, the fifteenth represents a state of wealth, people protected by a wall.

The preparation for this service is the Fast of Esther which alludes to the level of poverty associated with the letter reish, "My soul is as dust to all." Also, a fast day is a day of will and the date of the fast, the thirteenth of Adar, is numerically equivalent to the word, echad, "one." This brings about the potential for the entire service of Purim, demonstrating how despite the fact that the Jews are in exile, "scattered and dispersed among the nations," they are "one nation," connected to the "one G-d," by the "one Torah."

The process of growth from the thirteenth to the fifteenth of Adar can also be related to the explanation in Likkutei Torah of the difference between the fourth and fifth year of a tree's produce. For the first three years of a tree's growth, its produce is referred to as orlah and forbidden. This parallels the Fast of Esther when it is forbidden to eat. (The Fast of Esther commemorates the three days which Esther asked the entire Jewish people to fast and thus, its connection to the three years of orlah is even stronger. Also, on the Fast of Esther, it is customary to give three half-shekels which are also related to this three day fast.)

Afterwards, one proceeds to the fourth year during which the produce can be eaten. However, it must be eaten within Jerusalem with all the restrictions of Ma'aser Sheni; i.e., it represents a state where, as explained in regard to the unwalled cities, precautions are necessary. In contrast, the fifth year represents a state of wealth where such precautions are not required. The person has internalized his awareness of Jerusalem to the extent that wherever he is, it is as if he is within Jerusalem and his consumption of food is similar to the consumption of the sacred foods as intimated by our Sages' comment, "A person's table resembles an altar."

The contrast between the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar can also be explained within the context of our Sages' description of the difference between the prophecies of Yechezkel -- whom they compared to a villager -- and Yeshayahu -- whom they compared to an inhabitant of a walled city. Our Sages explained that Yeshayahu also perceived everything that Yechezkel perceived. However, he reacted with far less excitement. Why? Because he was "an inhabitant of a walled city," i.e., he was familiar with the King and saw him frequently. In contrast, Yechezkel responded with tremendous excitement, for as "a villager," he was unaccustomed to seeing the King.

[Yechezkel's vision was from a lower level, the world of Yetzirah, and, thus, was associated with excitement. In contrast, Yeshayahu's vision was from a higher spiritual level, the world of Beriah, and, thus, was above excitement.]

A parallel to the above can be seen in the two days of Purim, the fourteenth of Adar parallels the vision of Yechezkel, "a villager who sees the king." Afterwards, we proceed to the higher level represented by the fifteenth of Adar, "an inhabitant of a walled city who sees the king."

In the spiritual realms, the three years of orlah which relate to the thirteenth of Adar are associated with the worlds Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. The fruit of the fourth year which relates to the fourteenth of Adar is associated with the world of Atzilus and the produce of the fifth year, which relates to fifteenth of Adar, is associated with those spiritual levels which transcend Atzilus.

The above provides a lesson for each Jew in regard to his study of Pnimiyus HaTorah. He must realize that he is "an inhabitant of a walled city who sees the king;" when one speaks to him about Sefiros, even the Sefiros of Atzilus, he need not become excited since this does not represent a new concept for him. Yes, a Jew's life should involve excitement. However, that excitement should concern matters above Atzilus.

The service of making the daled into a hay described above relates to G-d's Name, Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay. Thus, the day which follows Purim relates to a level above the Name, Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay, the level associated with the point of the yud.

May the service of Purim, including Shushan Purim, lead to the time when we come to the true state of Shushan, the capital, which is Jerusalem as it will be rebuilt together with its wall in the Messianic redemption.

Since the preparations for Pesach are begun thirty days beforehand, it is proper to mention the importance of collecting Maos Chittim (the charity associated with Pesach) to provide everyone with their Pesach needs.

Also, everyone will be given money to give to charity. May the resolution that each person accepts upon himself to make this gift to charity hasten the coming of the Mashiach. May he come immediately.