Page 38 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

PURIM READING

Esther, Chapter One

— א קרפ ,רתסא תליגמ — Rabbi Shalom Rosner

Take a Second Look

he Megillah begins with י ֵ מי ִּ ב י ִ הְי ַ ו unclear to our great leaders as to the Yet we know and understand that
ׁש ֹור ֵ ו ׁ ְ ש ַ ח ֲ א, “it was in the days of categorization of this mitzvah? it’s so much deeper. The dozens of
TAchashverosh.” The first chap- “coincidences” that happened to
ter describes in elaborate detail the Moreover, let’s look at the Megillah work out for the salvation to occur
180-day celebration the king arranged itself as one of our kitvei hakodesh, must be seen in the broad strokes of
for all of his subjects. Achashverosh holy writings in the Tanach. Shmuel the Master Artist. The real Melech is
plays a major role in the entire story, (Megillah 7a) tells us that although pulling all the strings. The message
Esther is included in our canon, it
his name and position being men- is not םִי ַ ד ָּי ַ ה ת ֶ א א ֵּ מ ַ ט ְ מ, it does not of Purim, therefore, is that what you
tioned countless times throughout have full sanctity as do all the other see is not always what it seems. It
the Megillah. But it doesn’t stop there. books of Tanach. Why such an looks like a purely rabbinic obliga-
Even Chazal seem to say that Achash- exclusion? Shmuel explains, “since it tion, but maybe it’s not so simple. It
verosh defined the entire time period. was given to be read and not to be looks like kitvei hakodesh, but then
The Gemara (Shabbat 88a) tells us written.” What does that mean? Is again, there’s more than meets the
that Am Yisrael re-accepted the Torah it or isn’t it part of our kitvei hako- eye.
at the time of the Purim story. The desh (see Tosfot and Pnei Yehoshua Achashverosh himself perhaps cap-
language used by the Gemara is ר ֹוד ַ ה ibid.)? The Ritva suggests it is sanc- tures the essence of this entire idea.
ׁ ש ֹור ֵ ו ְ ׁש ַ ח ֲ א י ֵ מי ִּ ב ָ הּול ְּ ב ַ ק, “they re-accepted tified enough to be included in the He appears at times foolish and at
it in the days of Achashverosh.” Why Tanach, but it’s not exactly called other times evil. At times whimsi-
do our Rabbis define those days as Torah shebichtav. It’s somewhere in cal and at times decisive, at times
the days of Achashverosh, and not, the middle. What does this mean, controlling and at times being con-
for example, in the days of Mordechai and what is its message? We have no trolled. We recognize that we always
and Esther? It seems as if Chazal are other parallel among the other 23 have to dig deep and view our own
using him, or at least his personality, books of Tanach. lives, and the world around us, with
to hint to us the secret of this special a discerning eye, one that recog-
day. There seems to be a pattern here. nizes there is always a רי ִּ ת ְ ס ַ א ר ֵּ ת ְ ס ַ ה
The level of obligation of kriat
The centerpiece of Purim day is, Megillah is not clear, and the element. Let it be G-d’s will that
of course, the reading of Megillat status of the sefer itself is surpris- very soon, He will reveal Himself in
Esther. There is a fascinating con- ingly under discussion. What is the all His glory, and we will be able to
troversy as to the level of obligation underlying message? merit open closeness with the One
regarding reading the Megillah. Above.
Some (Ran, Ta’anit 7a) assume it’s The secret of Purim, as we know, is
a purely rabbinic obligation, while hester panim, G-d’s acting behind
others (Tosfot, Rid, Megillah 20a) the scenes of world events: ן ִ מ ר ֵּ ת ְ ס ֶ א
suggest it might even be Biblical. רי ִּ ת ְ ס ַ א ר ֵּ ת ְ ס ַ ה י ִ כֹנ ָ א ְ ו ?ןִי ַּנ ִ מ ה ָ ר ֹו ּ ת ַ ה – “From
Many others (Ramban, Rashba) where in the Torah can one find
assume it’s a strong rabbinic law, an allusion to Esther? as the verse
rooted in a pasuk in Tanach, while states: “And I (G-d) will hide (haster
still others (Turei Even, Megillah 4a) astir) My face...” (Gemara Chullin Rabbi Shalom Rosner is a Rebbe at
139b).
suggest it’s somewhere in between Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh and Rabbi of the
Nofei HaShemesh community.
a Biblical and a rabbinic law. After The Megillah seems like a natural,
the dust settles, what are we to make explainable story of a nation in dis- A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
of the discussion itself? Why is it so tress, followed by a logical salvation. mizrachi.org/speakers

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