The tzaddik R’ Michoel Ber Weissmandl zt”l was famous both for his survival and rescue efforts during the Holocaust as well as his teachings based on what would later be termed “Equidistant Letter Sequences” (ELS), later popularized by Aish HaTorah and other programs as “Bible Codes.” Notably, the well-known code of the Nuremberg trials and “Purimfest 1946” was first attributed to him in 2002 by Rabbi Chaim Alexander Neiman. While the Nuremberg teaching is not itself an example of ELS, it is often mentioned in the context of other “Bible Codes” and viewed as part of that genre.
Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai Greenwald z”l was a renowned Torah scholar and widely respected therapist. He had strong personal relationships with many Gedolei Yisroel, including the Steipler Gaon zt”l, who frequently referred clients to him. He related that although the concept of “Bible Codes”—hidden secrets in the Torah—is well known today, he was zoche to serve R’ Michoel Ber Weissmandl, who was the “Father of Codes.” He didn’t have a computer or programs that we have today, and all his calculations were done inside his brilliant mind.
Rabbi Greenwald relates the following amazing story: “I was once visiting Rav Weissmandl before Purim and he asked me, ‘Did you count how many letters there are in the megillah yet?’ I told him I didn’t know. He continued, ‘There are 12,196 letters!’ I told him, ‘Okay, and what can we do with that number?’ He asked me to bring him a chumash. I brought him one.
“‘Count from the first “alef” in the Torah the same number of letters as there are in the megillah—12,196—and you’ll reach a “samech.” From that letter, count the same number of letters again and you’ll get to a “saf.” Do it once more and the following letter will be a “reish.” And there you have the name “Esther.” It’s unbelievable!’ Indeed, it truly was breathtaking.
“‘And what about Mordechai?’ I asked, half-jokingly. ‘Don’t you think he might feel left out?’
“‘I don’t know,’ the Rav responded honestly, ‘come back next year.’
“Sure enough, the following year I returned and asked R’ Michoel Ber, ‘Nu, what’s with Mordechai?’ He excitedly told me that he found a clue to Mordechai as well. Chazal teach: Where is the name Mordechai hinted to in the Torah? From the words in Parshas Tetzaveh: ‘Ve’atah kach lecha besamim rosh mor deror’ —which the Gemara translates as ‘meira dekhya’—which contain the same letters as the name ‘Mordechai.’ This is the place where the name of Mordechai is hinted to in the Torah.
“‘So now,’ continued R’ Michoel Ber with a glint in his eye, ‘count from the “mem” of mor deror the number of letters in the megillah—12,196—and you’ll get to a “reish.” Count again and you’ll reach a “daled.” Count the same amount again and you’ll see a “kaf,” and once more and you’ll hit the letter yud—and there you have Mordechai. Truly wondrous!’
“Rabbi Greenwald continued, ‘That is not the end of the story. Many years ago, we hosted a very intelligent woman one Shabbos. She was in a women’s seminary to learn more about Yiddishkeit and kept arguing with the rabbanim and moros there about everything she learned. It was difficult on them, and they asked us to host her. After the seudah, she asked to speak with me privately and she unloaded on me all of her personal questions. She told me that she didn’t believe that Torah was from Heaven and that it’s unattainable. Suddenly, the incredible findings that Rav Weissmandl had taught me years earlier came to mind. I told her about the holiday of Purim, and shared with her the hints to Mordechai va’Esther in the Torah. She listened quietly, then got up and went to her room. In the morning, she came down with puffy eyes, looking totally exhausted. She said she had stayed up all night working on her computer, as it was her field of work. It took her the entire night to figure out the mathematical equations and the exact statistical percentages of what I had told her. “It’s simply impossible from a statistical standpoint!” she concluded.
“Years later, I attended a wedding. When I came down from the chuppah, I heard a woman calling my name. I turned around but didn’t recognize the person who had called me. “I apologize,” I told her, “but you don’t look familiar.”
“‘Rabbi, I am the Mordechai va’Esther girl!’ she exclaimed. ‘After what you told me, I changed my entire life! I now cover my hair, my husband learns in kollel, and my children are attending wonderful yeshivos, Baruch Hashem!’” (Binas HaMiddos)
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.