There are many different ideas to be learned from the story of Purim. What better proof is there that Hashem protects us in any and every situation? Or a more specific example, the hidden miracles that are done for us each day. There are many other ideas and themes which are seen in the megillah, but all of these examples have to do with what we see written clearly in the story. The point of every story in Tanach is for us to take something from it that makes us better people that might not be so obvious. Let’s explore Purim to find this lesson.
There are four mitzvos which we do on Purim: reading the megillah, mishloach manos (food gifts to friends), matanos l’evyonim (gifts to the poor), and seudas Purim (festive meal). All of these mitzvos have one thing in common, they all promote achdus, unity. It is obvious how the last three promote achdus, the megillah also falls into this category because there is an extra mitzvah to read the megillah with a large crowd. It seems strange that this would be the theme of Purim as for all intents and purposes it seems that the Jews in Shushan were united? What is it about Purim that the Chachamim decided to make it a day promoting unity?
Two weeks ago, we read Parshas Shekalim, which talks about B’nei Yisrael each paying a silver half-shekel to help pay for certain parts of the Mishkan’s construction. (This practice was continued in the time of the Beis Hamikdash with the money going to pay for the public korbanos.) There was plenty of money donated for the Mishkan, why did Hashem require B’nei Yisrael to pay an extra half-shekel? The answer is so that everyone could say they had an equal share in the building of the Mishkan. When Haman went to Achashverosh to ask him for permission to kill the Jews, he offered him a bribe of 10,000 silver coins. The midrash asks how come that specific amount and how come the coins were silver and not gold, the more precious metal? The answer is that Haman calculated that the amount of half-shekels that the B’nei Yisrael in the desert would have given in their lifetimes combined would equal 10,000. Haman recognized this power that the giving of the Machatzis Ha-shekel had to bring B’nei Yisrael together. In order to counteract the power of the Jewish unity, Haman promised the same amount of money and in the same currency, as the Jewish donations to Hashem.
Another example is from that same conversation between Haman and Achashverosh. It’s based on how Haman describes the Jews. Before he actually names which nation he wants to kill out, Haman says to Achashverosh, “יֶשְׁנוֹ עַם-אֶחָד מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד בֵּין הָעַמִּים” “There is a nation which is separate and spread out amongst the other nations…” (Esther 3:8). The midrash explains that Haman didn’t mean that they were physically spread out, rather that they remain separate from the rest of the nations as a group. The specific example the midrash brings is that Jewish stores were closed on Jewish holidays but remained open on Non-Jewish holidays. Is there a more obvious separation than that!
From our own enemy, we learn a very important lesson. We are different than all the other nations and we always will be. We are lucky to be the Chosen Nation and we must embrace this status in all aspects of our life. If our most hated enemy can recognize this power, how much we must take advantage of it! This holiday of Purim, let us all work on our achdus in order that we can continue to serve Hashem in the best way possible, as a group.
Shabbat Shalom and Purim Sameach!
AIMeM
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