Page 44 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

PURIM READING

Esther, Chapter Six

— ו קרפ ,רתסא תליגמ — Rabbanit Sally Mayer

Esther, Yosef,

and the First Gulf War

oth the language and the sto- י ִּ מ ַ ע ת ֶ א א ָ צ ְ מִי – how can I stand by and was, as Saddam Hussein attacked Israel
ryline of Megillat Esther are rich see the evil that will befall my nation – with Scud missiles, the air raid sirens
Bin parallels to the story of Yosef the same words that Yehuda uses when that blared and the gas masks we wore.
in Egypt. What are these parallels? begging the ruler to let Binyamin go I remember how amazed we were that
ְ
And what is the message of these many home: ן ֶּ פ י ִּ ת ִ א ּוּנֶני ֵ א ר ַ עַּנ ַ ה ְ ו י ִ ב ָ א ל ֶ א ה ֶ ל ֱ ע ֶ א ךי ֵ א G-d protected us from terrible casualties
connections? י ִ ב ָ א ת ֶ א א ָ צ ְ מִי ר ׁ ֶ ש ֲ א ע ָ ר ָ ב ה ֶ א ְ ר ֶ א – how can I in those attacks. And then the war ended
First, Yosef and Esther are both children go back to my father, and the boy is not on Purim, and it was clear to us all that
of Rachel Imeinu, as Mordechai, Esther’s with me, lest I see the evil that will befall it was Yad Hashem, that the leader of
cousin, is described as an ish yemini – my father? Persia (Iraq) was once again attacking
from the shevet of Binyamin. They are What is the point of all of these us, and G-d saved us on Purim, just as
both described as beautiful: yefeh/yefat similarities? What message did Esther He did in the time of the Megillah. Then
it occurred to me that when the history
toar. Both are a Jew in disguise – Yosef’s and Mordechai intend to send by using books write about the Gulf War, they will
brothers think he is an Egyptian viceroy, language that clearly compares their
and Esther hides her Jewish identity story to that of Yosef in Mitzrayim? not talk about G-d. They’ll talk about
the date it began, the date it ended, the
from the royal court. In both cases, we strategy Saddam employed in trying to
find an inconsolable mourner – Ya’akov The story of Yosef is the story of a Jew bring Israel into the war. The story in
tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth, and in galut, exiled from his homeland. The the history books would actually read…
refuses to be comforted by his children Torah makes it abundantly clear that just like the Megillah, with no mention
over the loss of Yosef; Mordechai too G-d is with Yosef every step of the way of G-d. This is the message of Megillat
tears his clothing and puts on sackcloth – we read that Potiphar saw that G-d Esther: That it is our job to see the Hand
when he hears of Haman’s evil decree, blessed his house because of Yosef, that of G-d in history, and furthermore, to
and he refuses to accept Esther’s offer of G-d was clearly with Yosef in jail – the sense the presence of G-d in our very
a change of clothing. name of G-d appears again and again own lives.
throughout the story. The Megillah,
Both Yosef and Esther are where they on the other hand, is written without
are for a reason – Yosef tells his brothers even one mention of the name of G-d,
that G-d planned his descent to Egypt to symbolize that G-d is hidden from
so that he could save everyone from us. Mordechai and Esther intentionally
famine, and Mordechai says to Esther: evoke the Yosef story to teach us that
who knows, perhaps this (to save the even though we are in galut, and even
Jews) is why you have become queen? when we cannot see G-d, He is with us,
When Ya’akov sends Binyamin down to and, even more importantly, G-d will
Egypt to the ruler who asked to see him, redeem us, as the Jews ultimately left
he says to his son י ִּ ת ְ ל ָ כׁ ָ ש י ִּ ת ְ לֹכׁ ָ ש רׁ ֶ ש ֲ א ַּ כ – and Egypt to enter the Promised Land.
if I am bereft, so be it. Clearly parallel Rabbanit Sally Mayer serves as Rosh Mid-
language describes Esther’s attitude to This idea reminds me of my experience rasha at Midreshet Lindenbaum’s Overseas
Program and teaches Talmud and Halacha.
going to the king when she has not been when I was in Israel for the year at Ohr
called: י ִּ ת ְ ד ָ ב ָ א י ִּ ת ְ ד ַ ב ָ א ר ׁ ֶ ש ֲ א ַ כ ְ ו – and if I am Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum
destroyed/killed, so be it. She also uses during the first Gulf War, in 1991. I A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
the words, ר ׁ ֶ ש ֲ א ה ָ ע ָ ר ָּ ב י ִ תי ִ א ָ ר ְ ו ל ַ כּוא ה ָ כ ָ כי ֵ א remember how scared everyone in Israel mizrachi.org/speakers

44 |