Purim
Purim is a festive Jewish holiday that
celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies in the biblical Book
of Esther. Purim is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar,
which usually falls sometime in February or March. (This year corresponding to March 21st). According to Jewish tradition, Adar
is the happiest, most joyous month of the Hebrew calendar. In fact, its motto is “When Adar
comes, joy is increased.” The abundance
of joy in Adar is primarily due to the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Purim is so-called because the
villain of the story, Haman, cast the “pur” (the “lot” as in “lottery”)
against the Jews yet failed to destroy them.
The most important Purim custom is reading the Purim Story from the
Scroll of Esther, also called the Megillah. Jews usually attend
synagogue for this special reading. Whenever Haman’s (the villain's) name is
mentioned people will boo, howl, hoot and shake noisemakers (groggers) to express their dislike of him.
Esther
is the reluctant heroine of the story who did not want to take part in the
Persian version of America's Next Top Model that King Achashverosh
created to find himself a new wife. When her turn arrived to meet the king, she
is the only one who is not interested in the M*A*C goodie bag to make herself
up. When she was offered an AMEX
Platinum and a day at the mall before the meeting, Esther said, “No thanks.” She
wins the contest anyway.
The Book of Esther reveals her
secret by mentioning that the king loved her more than any of the women for “she
had grace and kindness over all the others.” Apparently it was not just her
good looks but this “grace and kindness” that did the trick in securing her
victory. Esther was one of those rare
people who have the unique talent of allowing others to feel as if she is one
of them by instantly connecting with and relating to whomever she meets. She
knew how to listen, see another's needs, and concentrate on them and not
herself. By giving another this total and undivided attention, every person who
came in contact with Esther felt she knew and understood them. This is the “grace and kindness” that King
Achashverosh immediately felt upon being in her presence.
The Book of Esther is the only book
in the Bible that does not mention G-d once. It is
a story filled with coincidences, implausible turns of events, and improbable
incidents. Although the word serendipity may describe these “fortuitous
happenstances,” it does not explain them. Even though Esther appears to
be the heroine of the story, from a Jewish
perspective, G-d is the one who is pulling the strings. G-d is masked in
the guise of serendipity. Serendipity
is G-d whispering to us. When we heed G-d’s
voice, we will see G-d everywhere-- in our hearts, in the hearts of others, in
the day to day events that shape and form the tapestry of our lives.
Be like Queen Esther – reveal your
inner “grace and kindness.” Peel away
the layers of nonsense and glitz. “Let
It Go” and find the part of you that -- like Esther -- can pierce through any
armor, even your own.
With best wishes for a joyous Purim and
May we live to see a world free of Hamans.
Rabbi Stuart Paris, HaKohen
We thank you in advance for your help and generosity.
