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PURIM READING

Megillah Overview Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

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nyone singing Az Yashir (Shemot the Jews had an opportunity to return to introduces Mordechai (2:5) may be the
15:1–18) or reciting the Hallel Jerusalem, just as the prophet Yirmiyahu most ironic line in the entire Megillah!
A(Tehillim 114) declares pub- had predicted (see Ezra 1:1–7). Could Note that the phrase ish Yehudi is men-
licly and explicitly that G-d receives the the fact that Am Yisrael remained scat- tioned only one other time in the entire
credit for the miracles of the Exodus. In tered among the 127 provinces of the Tanach – in Zechariah 8:23. There, the
contrast, an audience listening to Megil- Persian Empire (see 3:8), even though ish Yehudi describes a devout Jew in
lat Esther has no idea if G-d is behind they could/should have returned a gen- Jerusalem – leading a group of non-Jew-
our salvation, for His Name is never eration or two earlier, not relate to the ish pilgrims who have come to the
mentioned, not even once! prophetic message of the Megillah? Temple in search of G-d. Furthermore,
Nonetheless, the Talmud (Megillah A second clue can be discerned from the word haBira, up until this time,
14a) considers the public reading of the the opening words of Haman to Achash- had been used exclusively to describe
Megillah equivalent to our recitation of verosh: “There is a certain nation scat- the Temple (see Divrei HaYamim 29:1
Hallel and the Song of the Sea! tered among the nations whose laws are & 29:19). Now it describes Shushan!
different than any other nation, but the Finally, the name Mordechai is most
Chazal seemingly understood the laws of the King they do not keep, and provocative for it stems from the name
absence of G-d’s Name from the Megil- it is not worthwhile for the King to leave of the chief Babylonian deity – Marduk
lah was not only intentional, but also its them be...” (3:8). (see II Kings 25:27 & Yeshayahu 39:1).
key message! The deliberate obfuscation
of G-d’s Name begs the reader to find Chazal raise the possibility that at times Might we conclude that the Jewish
G-d “hiding” behind the dramatic nar- “the King” in Megillat Esther may be people had replaced their G-d with
rative. This style of composition may “holy,” i.e. it may be alluding to G-d Him- Achashverosh, and their Temple with
reflect an eternal religious message, self, and not only to Achashverosh. If Achashverosh’s palace? Had the bira in
that throughout our history, we must correct, this verse may be a subtle allu- Yerushalayim become Shushan haBira?
constantly search for G-d, even though sion to G-d’s disappointment with the The Megillah’s primary message is surely
He appears to be hidden. (It may also fact Am Yisrael had not returned to their for the reader to perceive the hidden
explain the peculiar name change of Land. After all, in Yirmiyahu’s proph- hand of G-d behind our salvation. Yet
Hadassah to Esther. ) ecy of future redemption (29:10-14), he its more subtle message may be that this
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promised not only the opportunity of entire crisis could have been averted had
If our assumption is correct, then possi- return from Exile, but also stated G-d’s
bly another key Biblical theme may also expectation that Am Yisrael would be we only answered G-d’s earlier call to
be intentionally ‘missing’ in the Megil- eager to return and re-establish them- begin our redemption.
lah, i.e. the Land of Israel. Could the selves as His nation in the Land of Israel. A more detailed version of this essay can
author of the Megillah want the reader be found at tanach.org/purim.htm.
to ask not only where is G-d, but also – Furthermore, the Cyrus Declaration
where is His Land? had provided the Jews not only with the
“right of return” but also the opportunity 1 Lehastir = to hide. See Esther 2:7 and Chullin
If so, we would expect the Megillah to to rebuild their Temple. There may be 139b.
leave us with at least a few clues. a subtle allusion to this in the Megil- 2 See 1:7 & 5:1. Note also Megillah 12a.
The first clue may be “hiding” in its lah’s extravagant detail of the vessels at
opening verse, as it highlights that Achashverosh’s party in Shushan and in Rabbi Menachem Leibtag is an internation-
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Achashverosh is a Persian king. Con- its description of his palace. Had the ally acclaimed Tanach scholar and online
Jewish education pioneer.
sidering that Cyrus (Koresh) is known Jews chosen Shushan over Jerusalem?
to be the first Persian king, hence the Finally, when we consider the proph- A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
story in Megillat Esther takes place after ecies of Zechariah, the very verse that mizrachi.org/speakers

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