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spirit and the light of G-d to rest upon the brave warriors who struck fear into the A path forward
people of Israel unless they first remove hearts of the nations: “No man could
from within their souls the terrible fear withstand them; for the fear of them was As Mordechai proved, we will not defeat
which has clung to them like an infected fallen upon all the peoples” (Esther 9:2). antisemitism by waiting for it to blow
wound from their years of exile and perse- over or by emphasizing our victimhood
cution at the hands of lowly and evil ene- This was Mordechai’s greatest achieve- and hoping our non-Jewish friends come
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ment – ֹול ְד ָּג ַחּור ְל ֹותּול ְפ ִ ׁש י ֵמי ִּ ב ם ָע ָה ת ֶא ך ֵּנ ַח ְל,
mies” (Ikvei Tzon, 21). In exile, our vision is to the rescue. Our path to salvation will
impaired; our fear of the gentiles makes “to educate the nation during its time of come from looking inward and remember-
it difficult to clearly assess our situation lowliness to develop a spirit of greatness” ing who we truly are!
and reach the appropriate conclusions. In (Rav Kook, Orot, 5). And how did he accom- Ultimately, we are neither “Persians” nor
the words of Rav Moshe Avigdor Amiel, plish this? By reminding the people that “Americans”, neither “South Africans” nor
“‘Jews in exile are worshippers of idolatry they were not merely Jews in exile, but “Australians”. As Mordechai reminded the
in purity’ (Avodah Zara 8a). This refers to also the glorious nation of Israel! By recon- Jews of his generation, we are the chil-
the exile Jew’s inner nullification of self necting the Jews of exile to their glorious dren of Israel, G-d’s chosen people – the
to the cultural influences of the gentiles. heritage in the Land of Israel, Mordechai greatest nation on earth! “Not only are we
In exile, we constantly think: ‘what will awakened his people and revealed their different from all the other nations, set
the gentiles say?’ instead of ‘what will the latent glory! apart by our unique national history that
Jews say?’” (Ezer el Ami). By the end of the Megillah, Mordechai has no parallel among the peoples of the
The Jews of Persia, a frightened minority reaches the pinnacle of power, replacing earth, but we are also loftier and greater
living in a foreign land, instinctively Haman as vizier. But he remained known than any other nation! If we know our
bowed before Haman. They couldn’t con- as “Mordechai the Jew”: ה ֶנ ְ ׁש ִמ ,י ִדּוהְּי ַה י ַכ ֳ ּ ד ְר ָמ י ִּ כ greatness then we will know ourselves,
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ceive of any other alternative. םי ִדּוהְּי ַל לֹוד ָג ְו , ׁשֹור ֵו ְ ׁש ַח ֲא ך ֶל ֶּ מ ַל, “For Mordechai but if we forget our greatness, we will
the Jew was second to King Achashverosh, forget ourselves; and a nation that forgets
But Mordechai was different. The Megil- and great among the Jews.” Not only itself will be small and lowly…” (Rav Kook,
lah describes him as םִי ַל ָ ׁשּורי ִמ ה ָל ְג ָה ר ֶ ׁש ֲא, as did his proud Jewishness not diminish Orot, 5).
a Jew “who was exiled from Jerusalem” his power, it was the very source of his
(Esther 2:6). This is a strange introduc- strength! By refusing to identify as a Per- When we remember who we truly are
tion; Mordechai was hardly the only Jew sian – even in the very halls of Persian – Eretz Yisrael Jews who never bow to
of his time who was exiled from Jerusa- power – Mordechai demonstrated that antisemites – we recognize Jew haters
lem! But the Megillah, of course, is not the Jewish people are unlike any other. for what they truly are – dust in the wind.
merely informing us of Mordechai’s back- We don’t operate by the rules of normal When we remember that we are G-d’s
ground; it is telling us who Mordechai is, nations, nor do we need their approval, royalty, the likes of Haman, Ilhan Omar
in essence! Though living in exile, Mor- even when we live among them. and Nick Fuentes will cower in fear! “For
dechai identified as a Jew of Jerusalem behold Your enemies, Hashem, behold
– an “Eretz Yisrael Jew”! He never forgot To Persian antisemites, Mordechai the Your enemies will perish…” (Tehillim
that he was G-d’s royalty, a Jew who was “Eretz Yisrael Jew” was deeply discon- 92:10).
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ה ָדּוהְי-ך ֶל ֶמ הָיְנ ָכְי ם ִע ה ָת ְל ְג ָה, a Jew of royal lin- certing. Mordechai feared no man and As the miracle of Purim reawakened
eage “exiled together with Yechonyah, the was impervious to their tactics of intim- Diaspora Jewry’s pride, spurring thou-
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King of Judah”! idation. Under his leadership, אּוה ךֹופ ֲה ַנ ְו, sands of Jews to return to the Land of
“everything was turned upside down”; Israel, so may the antisemitism of today
Alone among the Jews of Persia, Morde- instead of Jews cowering in their
chai remained impervious to the spiritual synagogues behind armed guards, it awaken our people’s pride – and bring
degradation of exile. Though he lived in was the antisemites’ turn to be afraid. them home!
galut, he was not “galuti”. He consciously ם ֶהי ֵל ֲע ,י ַכ ֳ ּ ד ְר ָמ-ד ַח ַּ פ ל ַפ ָנ-י ִּ כ, “for the fear of
identified as a noble Jew of the Holy Mordechai had fallen upon them” (Esther
Land. Ya’akov, the man of exile, might 9:3).
bow to our enemies, but Mordechai is a
descendant of Binyamin, the only son of They had good reason to be afraid, for
Ya’akov to be born free and proud in our Mordechai was neither merciful nor
own Land. Mordechai refused to bow – forgiving to antisemites. When Achash-
for Jews of the Holy Land do not bow to verosh commanded Haman to honor Mor-
antisemites! dechai, Mordechai humiliated Haman:
Mordechai’s defiant act ignited a revo- Haman stooped down and Mordechai mounted
lution of Jewish pride – a revolution [on his back]... and kicked him. Haman said: Rabbi Elie Mischel
which transformed the Jews of Persia. “Is it not written in your books, ‘Rejoice not is the Editor of HaMizrachi magazine.
At the beginning of the story, we were when your enemy fails?’” Mordechai replied:
Join me at the
pachdanim, a frightened people, a “nation “That refers to a Jew, but in regard to you it is World Orthodox Israel Congress
scattered and dispersed” (Esther 3:8). But written, ‘And you shall tread upon their high orthodoxisraelcongress.org Est. 1902
120 YEARS OF RELIGIOUS ZIONISM
by the end of the story, we were giborim, places’” (Megillah 16a).

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