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This wasn’t just another Shabbat. This was the kind of Shabbat that reminds you history isn’t something we read, it’s something we walk into.
At Chabad NDG in Montreal, a Persian-themed Shabbat table became something deeper: a meeting point between ancient Persia and modern Iran. Between the story of Haman and the voices of real Iranian activists fighting for freedom today. Between fear… and courage.
Then came the moment no one planned.
Walking to synagogue the next morning, before even hearing the news, the streets began to speak. Neighbors stopped, embraced, thanked. By the afternoon, the entire area around Chabad NDG filled with music, celebration, life. And suddenly, an ancient custom, making noise for Haman felt different.
Because this isn’t just about a villain from 2,500 years ago.
From medieval children smashing stones with his name, to the teachings of the Rebbe, to a Midrash where noise literally drives away darkness—this episode explores a powerful idea:
Sometimes holiness isn’t quiet. Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do… is make noise. Not noise of chaos. Noise of clarity. Noise that says: Didan Natzach. We are still here.
Key Takeaways
Haman is not just a character, he’s a pattern. Every generation meets its version of Amalek. The question isn’t if, it’s how we respond.
Noise can be holy. From ancient Jewish customs to Midrashic stories, making noise isn’t childish, it’s spiritual resistance. It’s the soul refusing to be silent in the face of darkness.
Joy is not denial, it’s defiance. The celebrations outside weren’t ignoring reality. They were transforming it. That’s the deepest Purim energy: turning fear into song.
The street became a synagogue. When neighbors hug you, when music fills the air, when gratitude replaces tension, you realize holiness doesn’t only live inside walls.
Children understand something we forget. They bang, they stomp, they erase Haman without overthinking it. There’s a purity in that. A clarity adults sometimes lose.
“Didan Natzach” is not just a phrase, it’s a posture. It means: we don’t wait for darkness to pass. We confront it. Together. Loudly. Joyfully.
Available now:
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Experiment-What-Would-Your/dp/1069217638
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR2QNJL6
Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4tPFZhV
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