Toras Purim 5773 part 3

Mordechai wrote es kol tokef. Tekifus Ha'Da'as - in the positive sense - is the basis of the midda of Hishtavus. Because Mordechai possessed it, he alone lo kam v'lo za before Haman. Amalek is Seder shel Mikreh - the order of disequilibrium, the antithesis of equanimity, the absence of balance. When Am Yisroel is imbalanced, Haman is able to say v'la'mekech ein shaveh l'hanicham. Haman himself is the antithesis of equanimity - everything is going well for him, he's at the top of the world, yet, v'kol zeh eino shaveh li for the smallest detail of Mordechai not rising at his approach. Both Mordechai and Haman are kashim k'erez, but Haman's erez is not cut into a platform for Avrohom Avinu. Mordechai's is, by virtue of his being in Emek Shaveh, hu Emek HaMelech. Haman is ultimately defeated by his own weapon, as Esther says key ein ha'tzar shaveh b'nezek ha'melech.

Ten l'chacham v'yechkam od!