Page 11 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

Revealing the Internal Jewish Spark

he mitzvot of Purim are charac- ‘Because they took part in the feast of its meaning and consequences, and even
terized by the joyful atmosphere the evil [Achashverosh].’” to fight for it.
Tthey create, and the command-
ment for these mitzvot repeats itself It seems that assimilation ignited the Now we can understand what the Tiku-
in Megillat Esther multiple times in Divine decree, leading to the course of nei HaZohar (57) says, comparing Purim
chapter 9. What is the reason for these events described in the Megillah. Mor- to Yom HaKippurim. On both of these
great celebrations and for the repeated dechai, as opposed to the other Jews days, the inner spark of the special con-
emphasis not to forget this holiday? around him, does not hide his Jewish nection between G-d and Am Yisrael is
identity, and is not prepared to bow to revealed.
The simple reason is that the Jews were Haman. By doing so, he emphasizes
saved from destruction. Haman’s decree his inner Jewish spark. Haman sees in On Yom Kippur, the special connection
placed the Jews in Achashverosh’s king- Mordechai not just a personal threat, between G-d and Am Yisrael is expressed
dom in great danger, seemingly leaving but a national and theological one, through the Kohen Gadol’s entry into
them no chance of survival. In unex- the holiest site, and every Jew sanctifies
pected fashion, the decree was reversed and therefore is not only interested in themselves through prayer and fasting,
harming Mordechai, but all the Jews. In
and the Jews were saved from genocide. the end, Haman (like many antisemites until their souls are cleansed and cling
It is thus very appropriate to celebrate to their Creator. On Purim, the special
such a turnaround and the significant throughout the generations) is the one connection between G-d and Am Yisrael
salvation of the Jews from their enemies’ who reminds the Jews of their Judaism is expressed through the willingness to
ֹ
hands. and of the fact that ל ָּ כ ִ מ ת ֹונ ׁש ם ֶ הי ֵ ת ָ ד ְ ו sacrifice oneself for one’s emunah and
ם ָ ע, “their religion is different from all for that connection between every Jew
Adding another level – the fact that other nations.” Haman is the one who and G-d, through fighting for Am Yis-
Mordechai and Esther do not institute turns all of the Jews into “Mordechais” rael’s existence.
a day for a victory parade, but a day of who refuse to bow down to foreign
performing mitzvot, reminds every Jew influences. This is why Purim is such a happy day.
in every generation that the salvation From the moment the decree was It isn’t empty happiness, but happiness
was not human or by chance, but Divine enacted, the Jews no longer attempt to which expresses the deep connection
and miraculous. Thus, the miracle of assimilate; just the opposite. First, they between Am Yisrael and their Father
Purim joins the miracles of every gen- join together to fast, as Mordechai and in Heaven and the mutual covenantal
eration and strengthens the mindset of Esther command. Esther, whose name bond: the great responsibility of Am
ׁ שֹוד ָּ ק ַ ה ְ ו ּונ ֵ תֹו ּ ל ַ כ ְ ל ּוני ֵ ל ָ ע םי ִ ד ְ מֹוע רֹוד ָ ו רֹו ּ ד ל ָ כ ְּ ב ׁ ֶ ש is reminiscent of hiding, and who until Yisrael to emunah and mitzvot, and
ְ
ם ָ דָּי ִ מ ּונ ֵ לי ִּ צ ַ מ אּוה ךּור ָּ ב, “in every generation now, hid in the palace and hid her Juda- G-d’s responsibility to save them from
they stand against us to wipe us out, but ism, reveals her identity to Achash- the hands of their enemies in each and
HaKadosh Baruch Hu saves us from verosh and openly and bravely acts on every generation.
their hands.” behalf of her nation. In the end, the Jews
We can also see within the Purim story no longer hide before their enemies but
an additional, deeper point. At the stand up and defend themselves, even
beginning of the Megillah, the Jews killing their enemies, something not at
dwell throughout the Persian empire, all obvious in galut.
even assimilating, as the Gemara says
(Megillah 12a): “Rabbi Shimon bar If so, the denouement in the Megillah
Yochai’s students asked him: ‘Why did was not solely salvation from physical
the Jews deserve destruction in the gen- genocide, but the revalation of the inner Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach and
eration [of Mordechai and Esther]?’... Jewish spark, the willingness to deal with is Content Editor for the HaTanakh website.

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