Page 6 - HaMizrachi Purim Australia 5781

TORAT MIZRACHI MIZRACHI EDUCATORS

Rabbi Reuven Taragin

A Corona Purim

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

6 |