Page 8 - HaMizrachi #27 Purim USA 2021

TORAT MIZRACHI MIZRACHI EDUCATORS

Rabbi Reuven Taragin

A Corona Purim

urim has special meaning for us of the Egyptians in the water they hoped a miraculous process. Hashem does this
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this year, and not just because we to drown the Jews in as אּוה ךֹופ ֲ הַנ ְ ו? to help us appreciate the involvement of
Phave prepared for it by wearing אּוה ךֹופ ֲ הַנ ְ ו applies uniquely to the Purim His hidden hand. 2
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masks all year. It marks a year since miracle, not just because the Jews were As opposed to the miracles of Yetziat
Corona began to affect our lives. saved, but because it was the very system Mitzrayim and many others, the Purim

Haman constructed to murder the Jews miracles were hidden ones – Hashem
הכובנ ןשוש ריעה that ended up being used by the Jews acted behind the scenes. Purim teaches
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Confusion and Bewilderment against him and their enemies. us the importance of seeing Hashem’s
More significantly, our new reality hand even in natural occurrences by
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reminds us of the Purim story. Megillat Chapter 8’s description of how Morde- appreciating extraordinary phenomena
Esther (3:15) tells us that when Haman’s chai and Esther got permission for and like reversals.
notified the kingdom of the Jewish peo-
plan became public knowledge, the city ple’s right to defend themselves is par-
of Shushan was bewildered and con- allel to chapter 3’s description of what Our Corona Reality
fused. The Jewish people had become Haman had initially done to threaten We all pray that the pandemic ends in
used to a reality they assumed would the Jews. After receiving the king’s the near future. When it does, it will
continue. Suddenly, their survival was signet ring (3:10 / 8:2) and confirming be critical that we appreciate Hashem’s
threatened. The security they felt in the king’s agreement (3:9–11 / 8:5–8.), hand in it and what He wants us to learn
Shushan and throughout Achashverosh’s the plan is read by the king’s scribes from the process. Not only in His ending
empire turned out to be a mere facade. and then sent to the officers and all the the pandemic, but also in His having
driven it. The more we appreciate the
Our lives and our basic assumptions provinces in their diffference languages lessons He intends for us to learn from
have also been turned upside down. So (3:12 / 8:9) through an elaborate postal these times and the aspects of salvation
many things we took for granted have system (3:13–15 / 8:10–11,14). we have experienced, the more we will
changed dramatically. We have lost The Megillah accentuates the parallel grow from this difficult period.
world and community leaders and many between attack and salvation by con-
of us have lost loved ones and friends. trasting Mordechai’s clothing and the
Others have suffered with sickness, atmosphere in the capital Shushan and 1 Shemot Rabbah 23:3. We use the phrase in the
Selichot we say on Ta’anit Esther.
employment issues, and professional around the empire after Mordechai and 2 See Shalah, Pesachim Bi’ur Aggada 1.
and personal challenges. Esther’s reversal with those described
in the wake of Haman’s decree. Chap- 3 See Chullin 139b.
What lesson can Purim – the holiday ters 3 and 4 describe Mordechai don- 4 See Ramban, Shemot 13:16.
that celebrates the happy resolution of ning mourners clothing (4:1), the city
such confusion – teach us? What chizuk of Shushan confused (3:15), and the
can Purim offer to us in these difficult Jews throughout the empire mourn-
times? ing, fasting and crying (4:3). Chapter
8 concludes by describing Mordechai
אוה ךופהנו wearing royal garments (15), and the Scan here to join Rabbi Taragin’s
Megillat Esther describes the Purim mir- Jews in Shushan (15) and throughout WhatsApp group with daily Divrei Torah
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acles as אּוה ךֹופ ֲ הַנ ְ ו. Why is this particular the empire celebrating (17). Rabbi Reuven Taragin is Educational
salvation described this way? The Jewish Chazal describe this phenomenon Director of Mizrachi and Dean of the Yeshi-
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vat HaKotel Overseas Program.
people were threatened many times by as Hashem “using the wound as the
enemies they ended up vanquishing. For bandage.” Because only the One who A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
example, why not describe the drowning orchestrates reality can coordinate such mizrachi.org/speakers

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