מניין שאדם הראשון נברא בפורים?                                              

Hagaon Hatzadik R’ Yackov Meir Shechter Shares an inspiring story:

A prestigious city was in the process of choosing a new Rav. After the city’s’ learned scholars sifted through the many candidates, three great talmidei chachamim made it to the final top. They were required to pass the final and decisive test given by the city’s ‘Rosh Hakohal’, who was known as an illiterate man who barely knew any learning. However due to his honorable position as and great wealth his opinion had to be taken into consideration.

The three great scholars came to the Rosh Hakahal for the final test and he asked them the following question: When was Adam Harishon created?

The first scholar responded Adam was created on Rosh Hashanah. The Rosh Hakahal was not impressed with the answer and moved on to the second contestant.  The second scholar answered Adam was created on Friday. That answer didn’t either satisfy the Rosh Hakohal. The third contestant was asked the same question, he answered that Adam Harishon was created on Purim. The answer found favor in the eyes of the Rosh Hakohal and he stretched out his hand wishing the congratulations to the scholar upon becoming the town’s new rabbi.

The stunned townspeople approached their new Rabbi and humbly asked “How did you know what answer would satisfy the (unlearned) Rosh Hahakol”?

 “I did my homework” answered the newly appointed rabbi. “I inquired into about the books the rosh Hakohal reads and I discovered that he gleans most of his Torah knowledge from the Yiddish book called Tzenah Re’ena. I was also informed that he is not good at properly pronouncing words. When I heard the Rosh Hakohals original question from the first contestant I started to mentally review the Tzena Re’ena’. I remembered the Pasuk “"בצלם אלוקים ברא אותו  the Tzena Re’ena translates that into Yiddish, Hashem created adam   “in ayn farum”- meaning in the same form and tzelem. I immediate understood that here lied the mistake. The Rosh Hakohal probably understood from here that Hashem created Adam Harishon on Purim, mistaking the word “farum” for ‘פורים' “.

Upon hearing the Rabbi’s explanation the people of the city agreed  this is even more of a reason to appoint this man as their Rabbi, for anyone who is wise enough to enter the shoes of another person even an ‘Am Ha’aerz’ is  definitely befitting for a rabbinic and leadership position.