Thursday, February 19, 2004
Sparks Form Israel
The Sadness of Purim
Purim is approaching, the month of Adar, the month of Simcha, when we are supposed to increase our joy. But I remember one year my Rabbi telling me about the sadness of Purim. What sadness was he speaking of? He said to me, while the people were celebrating; imagine how Mordechai must have felt. His daughter (some say his wife) had been forcibly taken by a Gentile king who had his way with her.
Some would say, alas this is the vocation of the Tzadikim, to suffer and accept their own painful circumstances with the knowledge that their suffering is benefiting the rest of the nation. This principle of course is true and we see it in practice every day. Those who dwell in Yehuda and Shomron for example suffer more tragedies than the rest of the Nation, yet their very existence preserves the rest of the Nation. The Nation of Israel suffers more tragedy than the their brothers outside of Israel, yet the very existence of Israel preserves their brothers outside of Israel.
Although the rewards of self-sacrifice may give solace to the tzadikim who suffer, what solace is there for the people of this Nation who benefit from their suffering? Is Esther the best we can do? Should we be celebrating the forced marriage of the purest soul of Israel because it will gain us political advantage? Is this redemption?
Certainly much of the joy of Purim is predicated on the fact that those who sought our demise found only their own demise. It is the celebration of a war we were given permission to wage against those who planned our destruction. This part of the story is clear and hopeful, and reminds us that we have a real G-d who watches over us and is hidden in all historic events. But what a sad ending to such a hopeful story.
The book of Esther closes the books of Torah and Tanach. It is the last glow of Sinai as prophecy faded into the darkness of 2000 years of exile; a signpost that the best that we can expect of our leadership now is the glory of Esther which is a compromised and tarnished glory.
Today as the world saw the re-birth of our Nation from the ashes of darkness and we continue to witness the beginning stages of the revival of the dead, there are many who are unaware that the exile has ended. It is easier to take the Jew out of the exile than the exile out of the Jew.
The exile mentality remains with us, just as slavery remained within the hearts of the desert generation. The idea that some must be sacrificed for the benefit of us all and there is nothing we can do about it- is not a Jewish idea. This is the idol worship that died with the generation of the desert.
The generation of soldiers and farmers who entered the land then and who enter it now, will bring with them a new Purim and a complete redemption. No longer will we celebrate the provisions our queen provides for us from the bedchamber of a Gentile who abducted her. The sun is rising in the east upon a new generation of David’s who have no fear of the tidal wave of hatred that surrounds the lamb of G-d. They will not surrender an Esther and celebrate her accomplishments. They have pockets of pebbles to answer the Goliaths ’s who dare to stand between the Almighty and the one He desires.
This year let us celebrate a complete redemption and a truly happy Purim.
The Sadness of Purim
Purim is approaching, the month of Adar, the month of Simcha, when we are supposed to increase our joy. But I remember one year my Rabbi telling me about the sadness of Purim. What sadness was he speaking of? He said to me, while the people were celebrating; imagine how Mordechai must have felt. His daughter (some say his wife) had been forcibly taken by a Gentile king who had his way with her.
Some would say, alas this is the vocation of the Tzadikim, to suffer and accept their own painful circumstances with the knowledge that their suffering is benefiting the rest of the nation. This principle of course is true and we see it in practice every day. Those who dwell in Yehuda and Shomron for example suffer more tragedies than the rest of the Nation, yet their very existence preserves the rest of the Nation. The Nation of Israel suffers more tragedy than the their brothers outside of Israel, yet the very existence of Israel preserves their brothers outside of Israel.
Although the rewards of self-sacrifice may give solace to the tzadikim who suffer, what solace is there for the people of this Nation who benefit from their suffering? Is Esther the best we can do? Should we be celebrating the forced marriage of the purest soul of Israel because it will gain us political advantage? Is this redemption?
Certainly much of the joy of Purim is predicated on the fact that those who sought our demise found only their own demise. It is the celebration of a war we were given permission to wage against those who planned our destruction. This part of the story is clear and hopeful, and reminds us that we have a real G-d who watches over us and is hidden in all historic events. But what a sad ending to such a hopeful story.
The book of Esther closes the books of Torah and Tanach. It is the last glow of Sinai as prophecy faded into the darkness of 2000 years of exile; a signpost that the best that we can expect of our leadership now is the glory of Esther which is a compromised and tarnished glory.
Today as the world saw the re-birth of our Nation from the ashes of darkness and we continue to witness the beginning stages of the revival of the dead, there are many who are unaware that the exile has ended. It is easier to take the Jew out of the exile than the exile out of the Jew.
The exile mentality remains with us, just as slavery remained within the hearts of the desert generation. The idea that some must be sacrificed for the benefit of us all and there is nothing we can do about it- is not a Jewish idea. This is the idol worship that died with the generation of the desert.
The generation of soldiers and farmers who entered the land then and who enter it now, will bring with them a new Purim and a complete redemption. No longer will we celebrate the provisions our queen provides for us from the bedchamber of a Gentile who abducted her. The sun is rising in the east upon a new generation of David’s who have no fear of the tidal wave of hatred that surrounds the lamb of G-d. They will not surrender an Esther and celebrate her accomplishments. They have pockets of pebbles to answer the Goliaths ’s who dare to stand between the Almighty and the one He desires.
This year let us celebrate a complete redemption and a truly happy Purim.
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