pg.l
The Jewish people do not live only "in the now". Our existence is forever bound
with our rich history. While other peoples might focus on days of personal thanksgiving,
we commemorate the triumphs and salvations of our forefathers. On Tes Vav Nissan,
we were taken out of Mitzraim. Thus, on Tes Vav Nissan every year since, we
visualize
as if we ourselves went out from slavery. Likewise, on Shavuous we were given our
Torah and every year on that same day, we learn throughout the night to better prepare
ourselves to accept the Torah anew. On Succos, the Ananei HaKavod were returned to
us in the wilderness (according to Gra) consequently, until this day, starting on that date
we leave our homes and enter Succos of our own. In all these, we are not merely
acknowledging our past but embracing our very being and how we got to where we are.
Who we were yesterday defines us as a nation today.
Interestingly, Purim seems to be an aberration in this system. On Yud Gimel Adar
Jews everywhere were to be annihilated. Amazingly, through an elaborate series of
events, that date became a time when we wiped out our enemies. The hunted became the
hunter. Clearly, on the year in which the Ness occurred the celebrations had to be
postponed until the following day,Yud Daled (or Tes Vav in Shushan). Yet, when this
Yom Tov was later institutionalized, Yud Daled was selected as the day
to remember this
miracle, a day in which no Ness by any means occurred, rather than the day when
"Vnahapach Hu " reached its zenith - Yud Gimel. The day of the
Ness seems to be
ignored.
"Al Kain Karu LaYamim Ha'ayle, Purim, Al Shem Ha'pur..." (Esther 9/26)
Many of our Yomim Tovim focus on more than just one miracle. On Chanukah,
we not only recall our victory over the Yavanim, but we also display our gratitude for the
miracle of the Menorah. Yetzias Mitzraim, the quintessence of Pesach, was a
constant
flow of marvels from the ten Macos up until Krias Yam Suf. We therefore, through story
and ritual, recount all of those events in detail. The story of Purim is no exception. From
the choosing of Esther up until Haman's downfall, it is an extraordinary narrative that no
person would dare play the odds of ever happening. After a close study though, the
miracle of the Pur/lottery seems somewhat inconsequential. Yet it was precisely that
incident which we canonized as the name of the Yom Tov. Why?
"Esther Min Hatorah Minayin - V'anochi Hasster Asstir Ponaiy" (Chulin 139b)
The story of the Megillah
differs from others in that G-d appears to be absent. As a
casual reading it may be a real page-turner, but it will be far from a religious
experience.
On the other hand, to a keen eye and after careful and deliberate study it becomes
the
ultimate story of G-d's hand existing in the mundane; how every seemingly trivial
matter
came full circle, connected and we were saved. What seemed insignificant was
part of a
plan and what appeared to be a matter of luck, was in truth the stuff of fate.