Purim 3

The story of the Megillah covers several years of the reign of King Ahasuerus, but concentrates on the single year of the plot against the Jews, and the reversal of the planned genocide. Nevertheless, it would seem like an overemphasis on a thin slice of history. But the Sages of the Talmud and Midrash saw the story in a much broader light. They ask "Where is Haman in the Torah?" That seems like a strange question, as the Purim story takes place about 800 years after Moses! But they answer with G-d's words to Adam "Hamin Ha'etz..." (Did you eat from the tree...?) The word "hamin" has the exact letters of "Haman". The Torah is here hinting that the confusion of good and evil was already inherent since the sin of Adam. The Purim story is essentially but another chapter in remedying that confusion. The Torah also tells us to remember the malevolent Amalekites; Evil incarnate. The Kings of Amalek were called Agag. Haman is often referred to as the Agagite. He is Amalek. He is Evil rearing its head yet again. "Where is Esther in the Torah?" "I will surely hide (Haster astir) my Face on that day" (Deut 31:18). A time of G-d hiding. But if He is hiding, He is not ABSENT, but simply unseen. The Purim story is then a drama of grave errors, G-d's invisibility, and G-d's ultimate action! It is the story of Man's fall, and Man's deliverance! It is not the story of a single year, but the story of world history, from beginning to end! There is a Talmudic statement that "one who reads the Megillah backwards, has not fulfilled his obligation." Who would read it backwards? On a simple level, it probably means if he has read it out of sequence. But the Baal Shem Tov is quoted as saying that "l'mafre'a" (backwards), can also mean "long ago; in the past". That is, if one sees the Megillah as a nice piece of ancient history, one has not really read it. It is a high point in a drama, but one that is ongoing. Rabbi Natan Sterenharz, the main disciple of Rabbi Nachman, commented on the fact that the Torah reading on Purim morning, which speaks of Joshua's battle with the Amalekites, only contains nine verses. There is no other Torah reading with less than ten. Rabbi Natan suggests that the Megillah is in fact the tenth verse, to show that the story is ongoing, and it is ongoing still. G-d hides as a result of Man's actions. Man seeks G-d, finds him, and all is made right. The final stage will be when the Mashiach comes, when "Thy teacher (G-d) will no longer be hidden". (Isaiah 30:20). Next time, I will deal with the mitzvot of the Megillah and Purim, and how they fit into this cosmic drama.