Page 46 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

PURIM READING

Esther, Chapter Eight

— ח קרפ ,רתסא תליגמ — Rabbi Yuval Cherlow

The Right of Self-Defense

any readers breathe a sigh of project, the following political solution Megillat Esther, the Jews lacked this
relief when they reach this is found: the law will not be annulled. ability until the new letters were issued,
Mchapter – Haman and his The decree is in place. In another few so their reality was threatening and truly
sons have been hanged and it seems months, it will be permitted to kill the terrifying, bringing about fasting and
the story of the Megillah has reached Jews. But according to the new letters mourning, and the trials and tribula-
its conclusion. sent out, the Jews will be permitted to tions of this harsh decree (but also the
congregate and defend themselves: great bravery of Esther). This has been
This is not a correct reading of the true throughout Jewish history – lacking
Megillah though. In our chapter we see “To this effect: The king has permitted independence, dependent on the good-
that even though Haman is no longer in the Jews of every city to assemble and will of foreign rulers, we found ourselves
the picture, the decree to wipe out the fight for their lives; if any people or locked between discriminatory formal-
Jews still stands. If nothing is done, the province attacks them, they may destroy, ity and outright hatred and hostility that
verdict will still be valid, and the future massacre, and exterminate its armed didn’t even need to hide behind the hyp-
of the Jews is at risk. This stems from the force together with women and chil- ocritical mask of regulation.
laws of the Persian kingdom: dren, and plunder their possessions…
So the king’s scribes were summoned at Through G-d’s grace, in Megillat Esther
“...for an edict that has been written that time, on the twenty-third day of the
in the king’s name and sealed with the third month, that is, the month of Sivan; we were privileged to come together
and protect ourselves, to fight for our
king’s signet may not be revoked.” and letters were written, at Mordechai’s lives, and to be free to defend ourselves
dictation, to the Jews and to the satraps,
Indeed, in our chapter we read about the from harm. An essential part of reading
actions Esther takes, with great courage, the governors and the officials of the one Megillat Esther is to look at the reality
to try to annul the decree: hundred and twenty-seven provinces in which we are privileged to live today:
from India to Ethiopia.” we are a nation which does not expect
“Esther spoke to the king again, falling Thus, before us are nine months of another country to save us from trouble,
at his feet and weeping, and beseeching drawn-out suspense – what will happen but which stands on its own two feet,
him to avert the evil plotted by Haman with G-d’s grace. May we merit to realize
the Agagite against the Jews.” when the month of Adar comes? Will the the heroism, courage, confidence and
enemies of the Jews succeed in execut-
True, Haman was the catalyst, but from ing their plot, or will the Jews succeed bravery hidden within it, and to defend
the moment Achashverosh agreed, he in overcoming their enemies? Slowly, it ourselves – united as a people – from
became part of the hostility toward the became apparent that the victory would our enemies.
Jews. Moreover, the first letters were be at the hands of the Jews:
still in place, due to a formal excuse. “And in every province and in every city,
Achashverosh doesn’t care about jus- when the king’s command and decree
tice or morality; he does as he wishes, arrived, there was gladness and joy
even to Vashti, not to mention the actual among the Jews, a feast and a holiday.
decree to kill the Jews. Many times, the And many of the people of the land pro-
wanton hide behind the letter of the fessed to be Jews, for the fear of the Jews Rabbi Yuval Cherlow is a Rosh Yeshiva and a
law, while their true motivation is not had fallen upon them.” founding member of an organization devoted
officialdom but the desire to wipe out to bridging the religious-secular divide in
the Jews entirely. What can we learn from our chapter? Israel.
To overcome this formal problem, and to The ability to defend oneself is a great A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
force Achashverosh to give up the entire privilege. It is not self-evident. In mizrachi.org/speakers

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