Page 36 - HaMizrachi Purim Australia 5781

PURIM READING

Esther, Chapter One

— א קרפ ,רתסא תליגמ — Rabbi Shalom Rosner

Take a Second Look

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

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