Q&A: And to the Jews in Their Script and in Their Language
And to the Jews in Their Script and in Their Language
Question
Late Adar 2023
On Purim they appointed me Purim gabbai,
something like a Purim rabbi.
I called up a cheerful ignoramus kohen properly, as required. And when he finished, I blessed him: “May He who blessed the fathers bless the sons,” and we said “OK” to the famous tune; the congregation accepted it and answered “OK” loudly.
For the Levi, unfortunately, there was only that Torah-type Levi with the gloomy face, eternally dour, worry written on his face as on every day.
When he finished, he demanded: “May He who blessed the fathers bless the sons, and let us say Amen” — just like that, plain and simple, with no flourish and no melody. I had no choice but to comply, and on top of that he gave me moralizing lectures about mockery that overrides one hundred missiles and so on.
I asked:
A. Is that Torah-type Levi with the gloomy face, like the Ninth of Av, actually right — that one is obligated to do it only in Hebrew? (There are many immigrants from the U.S. and Britain in the community.)
B. After all, the whole enactment that a kohen and then a Levi are called first is because of the ways of peace.
And this Torah-type Levi with the gloomy face (and mindset) is, in principle, always trying to cast an atmosphere of gloom around him.
So perhaps the enactment of the ways of peace דווקא on Purim requires not calling him up as Levi, but giving him gelilah, for example, or making him the gabbai who rebukes the children who are extra meticulous about banging at Haman, and the like — and instead calling up the cheerful kohen again in his place?
I would be happy to receive a reply.
With best regards,
The Purim Gabbai
Answer
Purim has already passed. Questions like these should be asked to a certified Purim rabbi.