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The Eternal Secret of Our Purim Triumph by Rav Yaakov Feitman
The Eternal Secret of Our Purim Triumph
By Rav Yaakov Feitman
Everything about Purim is a mystery.
From the beginning of the Megillah until the end nine long years go by. Even Klal Yisrael forgot why Hashem was angry at them (Megillah 12a). All they could see was that Mordechai had incensed Haman, bringing about his enmity and a vicious decree of genocide against us. Esther’s rise to the throne is an enigma, for many reasons including her actual age and other factors indicating that miracles were happening. Of course, Hashem’s Name is absent from the Megillah because this is a nes nistar – a hidden miracle – and Purim teaches us that Hashem is always with us, even and especially when He is not readily apparent.
But there is another aspect to the Megillah which is also concealed from open view. That is the secret mesiras nefesh of Mordechai and Esther. First of all, Mordechai risked death when he wouldn’t bow down to Haman. Later, Esther equally endangered her life by appearing uninvited to Achashveirosh. It has been suggested for many centuries that Mordechai and Esther both took these drastic steps as an antidote to the fact that Klal Yisrael benefitted and even enjoyed Achaveirosh’s party even though he was parading in the garments of the Kohain Gadol and gloating over the holy utensils of the Bais Hamikdash. Some say that we had no choice; after all, he was the king and could have us executed for lack of participation. Others point to the fact that all of the food was kosher, under the supervision of Mordechai, the ultimate mashgiach. True enough, but they should have put on a smiling face, crying inside over the chillul Hashem. They apparently did not, and so their fate was sealed. The B’nai Yissaschar famously teaches that this is the source of the masks of Purim. We should have put on a mask then, but since we didn’t, we do so today as a kaparah. According to the Gemara, Mordechai and Esther also paid a personally great price for their heroism, since they became forbidden to each other as husband and wife at the end of the saga.
Yet, this is only part of the story. Chazal (Megillah 15a) teach that Esther told Achashveirosh that Mordechai had saved his life and thereby brought about the salvation of Klal Yisrael. From this noble act, the Gemara derives that whenever someone repeats anything in the name of the originator, he or she brings a geulah to the world. The Imrei Emes of Gur is surprised. Would we really think that Esther would lie? Why was this conversation so extraordinary? His answer goes to the heart of the Megillah and our eternal triumph.
Chazal (Sanhedrin 89b) teach that when Hashem reveals a prophesy all the other nevi’im of the generation receive it as well, although each in their own unique form and understanding. Thus Esther, who was one of the seven Nevi’os, also knew of the plot against the king which had been revealed to Mordechai. Esther could morally and ethically have claimed credit for the revelation and cemented her position as queen. Instead, she took no personal credit and attributed the king’s rescue to Mordechai alone. That was her moment of greatness.
We should also add here the insight of my rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Hutner, zt”l, (Pachad Yitzchok, Purim No. 13, page 56). Mordechai seems to warn Esther, “Do not imagine that you will be able to escape in the king’s palace any more than the rest of the Jews. For if you persist in keeping si-
lent at a time like this, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from some other place, and you and your father’s house will perish.” The Rosh Yeshiva points out that we cannot even consider that Mordechai suspects Esther of cowardice or lack of caring for her brethren. So what was this mussar shmuess all about?
He answers that we know (Bava Kamma 92a) that one who prays for someone else and he requires the same salvation, the one who is davening is answered first for his own trouble. We also know (Sotah 5b) the tremendous power of a prayer which emanates from a broken heart. He or she who gives away their own priority to someone else does not forfeit that power. On the contrary, they are answered first and only later is the one for whom the original prayer was uttered helped and saved. Esther thought that since she was the queen and immune from persecution, she is not the best person to represent her people. However, Mordechai pointed out to her that Vashti, too, was a Queen and that didn’t work out so well. Therefore, she can certainly be the one to represent Klal Yisrael in their moment of need.
What we therefore see about Esther is that her every thought, strategy and plan was based upon what best for Klal Yuisrael, certainly not for herself. Mordechai, too, at the end of the Megillah (see Megillah 6b) is rejected by some of his colleagues in the Sanhedrin because he is not
learning as much Torah as he used to. For Mordechai, as great and successful as his efforts were, the personal loss at the end of the Purim story was very great.
Purim is the story of Klal Yisrael’s redemption from the hand of the evil Haman, but it is also a story of personal triumph using the middah of mesiras nefesh.
In the Tshebiner Yeshiva, there was an impoverished bochur who became engaged but had absolutely no means to make a wedding and begin his married life. After the engagement, many of his friends tried to raise funds and help, but it became very difficult and soon most of them gave up and lost interest. One of the older boys who had encountered dif-
ficulty finding a shidduch himself decided to take on the project. He reasoned that if he himself could not seem to find a wife, at least he could help someone else who had already discovered his life’s helpmeet.
Things here, too, were not going smoothly, and he was not succeeding in Eretz Yisrael. He asked his rebbe for permission to travel to America to raise the funds. His rebbe thought it would be a good idea and granted the permission and the use of some of the funds raised for travel expenses. On one of his stops, a wealthy family asked him the obvious question. “Are you the chosson’s relative or best friend?”
His answer came readily but surprisingly. “No, we are not related, and I never even spoke to him before his vort in the Yeshiva.”
“Then why are you doing this?”
His answer simply was, “I cared, and I would like to help him.”
At that moment, the lady of the house thought of her amazing niece who had also been having difficulty with shidduchim. The shidduch was suggested, found favor with both, and they got married, eventually raising a beautiful family.
When Hashem sees mesiras nefesh for others, with no personal gain in sight, He brings the redemption rapidly. That is the story of Mordechai and Esther, and that is the mysterious history of Klal Yisrael.
A freilichen Purim to all.
Rav Yaakov Feitman is the rav of Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi in Cedarhurst, NY.
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