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Question:
I am a dorm-counselor in a Chabad girls high school. One of my many responsibilities is arranging extra-curricular activities and outings for the students. Purim is coming up, and I was thinking of two ideas: (1) That the girls should put on a live production for the local community. (2) To hire a magician to come perform for the girls. Is there anything I should be aware of before I finalize my plans?

Answer:
Firstly, I would like to wish you hatzlacha in your special shlichus and commend you for being so creative in trying to fill the off-time of the students in a nice and productive way.

The following are some guidelines that the Rebbe said and wrote to people about Purim productions by girls and magicians:

(1) Acting Out Haman

On Taanis Esther 5743 (1983), the Rebbe spoke publicly about Purim plays and how problematic it is that a Jewish child should act out Haman. The Rebbe mentioned later (see Beis Moshiach issue #1159) that it is inevitable that in a Purim play someone will need to play the role of the wicked Haman. The Rebbe warned that we should be very careful about giving this role to a Jewish child and we should definitely not encourage the child to excel in the performance of that role. (Likkutei Sichos Vol. 31, pages 279-280).

[The same would be about the costumes that children wear on purim. It is very important that we be careful not to have our children dress up as any wicked or non-kosher animal or character. This can have a direct influence on the hashkafa and Yiras shamayim of the child.]

(2) Care For Halachic Considerations In a Play

To a young woman that was involved with arranging extra curricular activities for her students including drama productions, the Rebbe writes: “In general it is a very very good idea. It is just very important to be careful about many halachic considerations that people seem to ignore. Examples are: (1) Women wearing men’s clothing (2) mixed crowds should be avoided (3) The Halachos of singing in public etc. (Igros, Vol. 10 page 238; #3200).

[While not directly related to our topic, I would like to share another part of the above mentioned letter that can be an important directive to many of us. This young woman wrote that she is hesitant to be involved in chinuch as she does not feel that she has enough knowledge to be able to share and influence others. The Rebbe responded (ibid):

“Even if we were to assume that your premise, about your lack of knowledge, is true; In our generation, if you don’t have the ability to give the full hundred percent, you must give whatever you can and daven to Hashem that the abilities should be utilized manyfold. It is definitely not a reason to stop working to influence others, especially that the waves of kefirah are getting stronger and stronger..”]

(3) Halachic Guidelines for a Magic Show

Rabbi Aharon Serebryanski was the director of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch in Australia, and was involved in the local education institutions in Melbourne, Australia. In 1957, he wanted to bring a magician to perform for the students and received the following answer from the Rebbe: “In regards to bringing a magician – in the future, I am sure you will make sure that it is done in a way which is permissible according to Shluchan Aruch (Yorah Deah, siman 179).” (Igros, Vol. 17 page 30; #5807).

[Without going to the entire halachic discussion, the following is the ruling of Rabbi Yosef Braun Shlit”a (from AskTheRav.com):

“It is permissible to perform, watch, or bring out a magician (when done in a tznius fashion) only if the magician explains to the audience that everything is sleight of hand tricks etc. and that none of the magic is real or possible. It is even better if he demonstrates with one trick how it is done. Many poskim permit it even without the explanation if it is done by a non-Jew.” ]

The Moshiach Connection:

If one is thinking a little abstract, they can easily imagine that this entire exile is really a magical performance. What the eyes tell us that they see is not the reality. While we see physicality and darkness, the reality is that Hashem is here with us and there are many miraculous things unfolding around us. We have merited that the Rebbe — especially in the sichos of 5751-5752 — has shown us the truth and even spent time “explaining the trick” (see sicha of Mishpatim 5752 for example) and is thus giving us the ability to open our eyes and see a world that is experiencing the transformation to Geulah.

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