Purim is just around the corner! Though marked by masquerading and merriment, there are some very serious themes that lie behind the ribaldry that marks our joyous holiday.
The Jews Found Light and Gladness, Happiness, and Honor
לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשֹׂן וִיקָר׃ (Esther 8:16)
These six beautiful Hebrew words capture the restoration of hope and security to the Jews after Mordechai and Esther succeed in vanquishing the murderous Haman.
This tale of near annihilation, of the fortuitous rescue of the Jews through luck and guile, is not a story told just once. It’s a feature of Jewish history. My grandmother’s actions (told here) are not unique. Quite the contrary. Throughout history, the actions of a few enable the redemption of many. And, tragically, far too many slip from the grasp of salvation. In an irony of eponymy, just swap the “n” in Haman for an “s” to reflect our times.
Perhaps that is the reason that we celebrate Purim with such fervor. We dress up, we hold carnivals, we put on ridiculous skits, and eat hamantaschen without regard for their caloric content. Our children march in parades and sing silly songs. When one is acutely aware of the consequences of a world bent on destruction, the generation that escapes that devastation holds on to life with even more passion.
We humans can hold many emotions in our hearts at once and such is required these days. As the news of Jewish hostage bodies returned from Gaza overwhelms us with sorrow and loss, we are that much more acutely aware of the blessings that exist for the living and the free. Perhaps the insight this year from Purim is that it is incumbent upon all of us who live in freedom to celebrate every moment, even as we recognize the pain that is carried by others.
Purim is coming. We will sing, be silly, dress up like kings and queens because that is what we do in the face of a dangerous world. We laugh and celebrate the blessings we cherish and will continue to receive.
–Rabbi Ron Stern