PURIM IS ON OUR MINDS

   As we begin the joyous month of אדר שני, I begin to think about the forthcoming holiday of Purim.

   Permit me to share with you a very interesting and thought provoking idea that our Rebbe, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik זצ״ל, reflected upon regarding the Holiday of Purim.

    Rabbi Soloveitchik outlined how the Megillah of Purim was, at first, not intended as part of the Biblical Canon. Initially, the story of Purim was transcribed by Mordechai, and shared far and wide with the Jewish community as an “Igeres”, a letter. 

    Esther wrote another letter, basically, a repetition of Mordechai’s initial request, seeking to establish these days of the 14th and 15th of Adar as Purim, for all times.

   “What did she ask for?” said Rabbi Soloveitchik. “Whatever she wanted had been fulfilled.  Her request for establishment of the holiday was granted.” Esther’s request, he explained, was that this “letter” be elevated to the level of the Holy Books.  Once that happened, the message of Megillat Esther — now one of the books of the Torah — became more powerful and eternal. 

    “An Igeres is a story — a true story,” said Rabbi Soloveitchik. “I don’t want to mitigate the importance of an Igeres. But once the recounted Purim story became an actual Book of the Bible, he continued, there’s a new dimension to the Megillah. The Megillah is, now, part of the Torah. Certain halachot must be derived from the Torah... its relevancy is for to today and for always.”

   Rabbi Soloveitchik shared his philosophy that “any book of the Torah must be a source of Torah knowledge, a source of halachot, of rules of conduct, a source of morality, a source on which one may draw from time to time, when he’s in doubt, in confusion. An Igeres is an historical document, not a source of knowledge.”  Biblical stories, stressed Rabbi Soloveitchik, are not merely stories. There are laws and directions in life to be learned from these narrative moments in the Torah. 

    As Rabbi Soloveitchik approached the conclusion of his lecture, he asked his listeners, “What Jewish law can we learn from the Purim story told in the Book of Esther?”

   There are multiple laws that can be derived, but Rabbi Soloveitchik was searching for the one that stood apart from the others. “The Central Halacha in Megillat Esther,” he answered, “is the duty of the individual to sacrifice his life, if the destiny and the future of the community is at stake.” And someone — in this case Mordechai — may also advise or coerce him/her to give his/her life if it will save the people.

       Rabbi Soloveitchik seems to suggest that Esther’s determination to have “Her” book, included in the Biblical Canon, went beyond a formal recognition of the salvation afforded the Jewish People. Her major intent may have been that her personal sacrifice — where she gave of her life, and could have in fact lost her life — would be conveyed to the generations as a proper approach for each Jew to take when they have the unique opportunity to act on behalf of their People. After all, the other halachot observed during the holiday, show Purim to be a celebration of Jewish connection, shared fate and shared fortune.

    May this Purim bring salvation to the Jewish people throughout the world and may we be Blessed with a lasting and permanent peace for the State of Israel.