HaRav Shimon Schwab, Z’tl, (Rav Schwab on Prayer, Artscroll, p.526) poses a "I should have thought of that" question: Why does the Megillah in some detail, and why do Chazal subsequently in Al HaNissim, spend the time and effort to describe that Haman was hung on a tree, and that his 10 sons were hung on the tree almost a year later? Why do we have to remind ourselves of this every year in the Megillah and in the Al HaNissim so many times? Indeed, Rav Schwab points out--even in the Maoz Tzur of Chanukah (!) we sing "Rov Bonov Vekinyanav Al Hoetz Tolisa--Haman and a good number of his sons were hung on the tree." What special significance does the tree have to this very special day of Purim?

Rav Schwab luminously suggests that Chazal (Chullin 139B) teach that Haman is alluded to in the Torah with the Eitz HaDaas--Hashem asks Adam: "Hamin Hoetz Asher…--Did you eat of the tree which I commanded you not to eat?" What is the relationship of Haman to the Eitz HaDaas--is it merely a play on words of Haman and Hamin? Obviously not. There is a great lesson here. Haman intended to commit the most heinous crime imaginable--the genocide of an entire people. The aveirah of Adam and Chava seems to be of no comparison whatsoever. After all, they wanted to grow spiritually--to know the difference between Tov and Ra (Beraishis 3:5)--it was an aveira for them to eat only because Hashem did not want them to grow in this way at this time. They succumbed to the appeal which the fruit had to their senses--albeit a supernal and lofty one. As Rav Schwab teaches: "This was the most exalted form of an aveirah ever committed." Nevertheless, the Megillah and Chazal teach that the worst possible aveira known to man--genocide--had its origins in the sublime and elevated desire of Adam and Chava. This is the route of aveira, this is the path of the Yetzer Hora. Those "worst kind" of aveiros start somewhere--they have their origin in the slightest of aveiros. Haman’s aveira only began...because of the "Hamin" that engendered it.

So, when we read and refer to--and even pray about--the Tree of Haman this Purim, let us make sure that we glean its great lesson. We will tell the Yetzer Hora, "No, I am not going to begin--the one word of Lashon Hora, the one bite of questionable food, picking up the muktza item because maybe it is a "mitzvah" to do so, not paying the worker what he asks because you want to teach him a lesson…all of the good intentions, all of the "practically no aveira" of what you may be thinking, doing or saying--remember that particular 50 amos-high tree--look up to its top--and to the Shomayim which lies beyond!

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Hakhel MIS