Torah Portion - March 6, 2009
D'var Torah
"Be Happy, it's Adar!" A familiar refrain around the Jewish world at this time of year. Of course every Jewish month a Jewish holiday falls in every Jewish month but one – Heshvan (between Simhat Torah and Chanukah). It is therefore called "the bitter month of Heshvan – MarHeshvan." Following the annual holiday cycle, we experience the full depth of human emotion – from starting over at the New Year to retreating inward for the holidays to acknowledging destruction (Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day and Tisha B'Av) to rebirth and renewal (Passover and Yom Ha'atzma'ut – Israel Independence Day, and Chanukah).
And we cannot forget Purim – the mythological holiday of our people celebrating the defeat of our enemies and their destruction! Why do I say "mythological?" Because considering Jewish history as we know it, could this have happened? How often in Jewish history were we the victors and not the victims?!
This story, the Book of Esther, was so dear to our people that when the final version of the Biblical Canon was codified, Esther was included in spite of the opinion of the rabbis. Why? In this short book, there is one particular character in the story that does not appear. God. Yes, aside from God's appearance throughout the Bible, God is not even mentioned here.
The rabbis had an issue with this. In their view, God was everything – the Creator, Designer, Orchestrator, etc. In Megillat Esther, the Scroll of Esther, God's absence spoke volumes! Could it be that people controlled their own destinies and that they masterminded saving the Jewish people in ancient
You can imagine that this story – of NOT bearing the brunt of punishment by the King Achasveirosh (Ahashuerus) – would hold a special place in the hearts of the Jews. As such the Book of Esther was included in the Biblical Canon because of its preciousness to the majority of the people.
So until today we celebrate! Even have permission to get a bit drunk to blur our perception between the hero and villain (Mordecai/Esther and Haman) of the story. It's worth celebrating.
Join us this Friday night at 7:30p to remember if not actual history, a sense of Jewish victory of good over evil.
Shabbat Shalom!