By Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum

The letter Yud is a strange one indeed. We find many words that seem to have an extra Yud while there are many words that are missing it. Did you ever notice that in the megillah the word "Yehudim" is spelled with an extra Yud five times. One wonders why Mordechai added a Yud that doesn’t seem to belong there? One doesn’t add letters without a good reason. What is this seemingly extra Yud all about?

Did you ever notice that the name Yerushalayim is spelled with an extra Yud five times throughout all of Nach? Why?

In Chumash (Shmos 3:18) when Hashem commands Moshe to go to Pharaoh and tell him that the G-d of the Jews sent him, we also find that the word "Ho’ivrim" is spelled with an extra Yud. This extra Yud says Rashi, hints at the ten plagues that the Egyptians would receive. (This seems rather strange since the ten makos are mentioned clearly in the p’sukim and therefore one wonders what purpose is served by hinting to them in the word "ho’ivrim?" While this answer fits into Parshas Shmos, it certainly doesn’t seem to fit into the Megillah or anywhere else. Besides, if Mordechai felt that the word "yehudim" should be spelled with two Yuds instead of just one, then he should have spelled it this way throughout the entire Megillah. Why only in these five instances?

Remember when the N’esiyim didn’t bring their donation for the Mishkon on time they lost the holy letter Yud in their name. Remember that when the Jews arrived to Refidim and they became lax in their observance of Torah and mitzvos it is the Yud that’s missing in the name "Refidim?" That’s when Amolek attacked Klal Yisroel.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that David’s name is spelled with an extra Yud (Daled-Vuv-Yud-Daled) throughout the entire Divrei Ha’yomim. Rashi there, explains that the addition of a Yud is a sign of great honor. In fact it was this letter that Moshe added to Yehosuah’s name. The Yud stood for Hashem. Moshe prayed that Hashem come to Yehoshuah’s rescue so that he doesn’t fall into the trap of the Meraglim. It was also this Yud that Moshe added to the names of the Shfotim making them Ho’ruvaini etc. It therefore is obvious that the loss of the Yud is a sign of shame and therefore it is this letter that was taken away from the Nesiyim.

The Yud is a very Holy letter indeed since it is the first letter in Hashem’s Holy Name. It is also the letter with which Hashem created the next world which, as Rashi explains in B’reyshis. The two Yud’s in the word "vayitzar" says Rashi correspond to the two lives man was created with. One life in this world and another in the World to Come. When animals were created, it spells the word "vayitzar with only one Yud, since they only have one life, which is in this world.

Unfortunately, because of their terrible behavior there are some Jews that are mentioned in Mesechta Sanhedrin that lost their share in the World to Come. A Jew that keeps the Torah and mitzvos will certainly have a share in this future world and, therefore, has the two Yuds in his name.

You may also have noticed that in Parshas Pinchos, just after Pinchos killed Zimri, Pinchos’s name is spelled with an extra Yud. The holy Zohar in Parshas Pinchos says that the letter Yud represents the mitzvah of Mila which bonds us to G-d for eternity. It is the only mitzvah that is with us every moment of our lives.

The gemara in Mesechta Sota says that as long as a person is in midst of performing a mitzvah the mitzvah offers him protection. This means that as long as we keep this "os bris" holy, Hashem protects us. The moment we chas v’shalom don’t keep it holy we are left unprotected. Amolek tried to be machshil the Jews in the mitzvah of milah because only then would he be able to harm them, since they would now be unprotected.

When Yaakov’s name was changed to Yisroel the only letter that he kept was the Yud. The Yud must never be lost. This is why the name Yisroel begins with a Yud. A Yud is the first letter of the name Yehudi which openly defies avodah zarah. That’s because the name Yehudi contains within it Hashem’s name.

In the times of Mordechai there were many different types of Jews, just as we find today. Some had unfortunately even assimilated and joined King Achasverosh’s party and even bowed down to Hamon,. despite Mordechai’s warning not to. The great miracle of Purim was in the merit of those Jews that remained loyal to G-d and His Torah. Mordecai alluded to these Jews by adding the extra Yud to the word Yehudi.

The word "Ivriyim" in Parsha Shmos has an extra Yud not for the purpose of hinting to us the ten makos , since the ten makos are clearly spelled out in the Pesukim and need no hint. What is being hinted at here is that Pharaoh got the ten Makos on account of the Jews that kept Hashem’s commandment of mila even in the land of Egypt. As long as we keep it holy, Amolek will be unable to cause us any harm.