Adar 5786. Once again, a wicked Haman in Iran is seeking to kill and destroy us.
In 3404 the ancient Haman sat in Iran and plotted, investing his time and money in the hope of killing all the Jews. His wicked plans were foiled, and we celebrate this victory every year in ways that exceed the celebration of any other Yom Tov – we read the Megillah, we eat and drink, we exchange gifts with one another, and we give tzedakah freely.
We are so happy on this day. How is Purim different from all other times?
The Alshich Hakadosh explains that there are two types of miracles. The first is a miracle such as the Splitting of the Sea, and such as when Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya were saved from the fiery furnace. With these miracles Hakadosh Baruch Hu changed nature.
The second type is a much greater miracle: when Hakadosh Baruch Hu takes the plans of a human being, who has free will, and upends them from one extreme to the other. That is a greater miracle, because “one of Hashem yisbarach’s middos is that He does not remove a person’s free will and render him unable to do what he wishes, for if so, there would be no place for reward and punishment” (Alshich, Megillas Esther 8:16).
Hakadosh Baruch Hu created the world and gave human beings free will. When Achashveirosh decreed his desire to destroy Am Yisrael, we needed a huge miracle, one that would be greater than a miracle involving changing the nature of the world.
On Purim we are happier than at other times. Throughout the month of Adar we increase our simchah, because Hashem showed us that we are always in His Hands. It doesn’t matter what this person is planning or what another is thinking. Only Hashem’s plan is what will actually occur.
And not only can the plots of the enemy be canceled, they are upended completely, from all directions.
What we need to do in order to bring the yeshuah is to have emunah.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu showed us on Purim that the yeshuah comes specifically in the merit of pure emunah. Mordechai HaYehudi did not bow down to Haman; he always stood at his full height. When Haman left Esther’s feast, the Megillah tells us, Mordechai “did not rise and did not show any fear of him.” The Alshich explains (5:9) that at that time Mordechai decided that now he could go with emunah to the end, without any fear, and that he would not relate to Haman at all. This angered Haman so much that he decided to erect the gallows...upon which he himself was ultimately hung.
Blind faith – this is what has always brought the yeshuah, and this will bring our hatzalah from the Haman of this generation as well.
Gut Shabbat
Pinchas Shefer
