Most years we see that Purim usually falls out around the week of Tetzaveh. There are many insights discussing the linkage between Parshas Tetzava and Purim, which typically involve the discussion of the kohen‘s uniform in Tetzaveh and all the mentions of clothing in the megillah — people wearing their finest at the party, Esther’s change into royal clothes, sackcloth when the news of Haman’s plot came out, Mordechai being dressed up in the king’s finery, etc... However there is an interesting connection between Purim and Parshas Ki Sisa.
After the sin of the Eigel, the Golden Calf, Moshe comes down from the mountain, confronts the Yidden on the sin of the eigel and shatters the first Luchos. In the aftermath of the consequent punishment to the worshippers of the calf, Hashem and Moshe have a long exchange, including Moshe asking, “L ¤cŸa §M z ¤` ,` ̈p i ¦p ¥` §x ©d ̈. Please let me see Your Glory.” And Hashem replies: l©r i ¦aEh l ̈M xi ¦a£r ©` i ¦p£` ,x ¤n`ŸI©e x ¤W£` z ¤` i ¦Y §n ©g ¦x §e ,oŸg ̈` x ¤W£` z ¤` i ¦zŸP ©g §e ;Li¤p ̈t §l 'd m ¥W §a i ¦z` ̈x ̈w §e ,Li¤p ̈R x ¤n`ŸI©e .i ̈g ̈e ,m ̈c ̈` ̈d i ¦p ©` §x ¦i `Ÿl i ¦M :i ̈p ̈R z ¤` zŸ` §x ¦l l ©kEz `Ÿl ,x ¤n`ŸI©e .m ¥g ©x£`z ©x §w ¦p §A Li ¦Y §n ©U §e ,i ¦cŸa §M xŸa£r ©A d ̈i ̈d §e .xES ©d l©r , ̈Y §a ©S ¦p §e ;i ¦Y ¦` mŸew ̈n d¥P ¦d ,'d;i ̈xŸg£` z ¤` , ̈zi ¦` ̈x §e ,i ¦R ©M- z ¤` ,i ¦zŸx ¦q£d©e .i ¦x §a ̈r c©r ,Li¤l ̈r i ¦R ©k i ¦zŸM ©U §e ;xES ©d .E` ̈x¥i `Ÿl ,i©p ̈tE(df-yh dk ,una)
And Hashem said: I shall pass all My Goodness over your face and I will call out in the name “Hashem” before you; and I will be Gracious to whomever I will be Gracious and I will show Empathy to whomever I will be Empathetic. And He said: You will not be able to see My “Face”, for no person can see Me and live. Hashem said: Here there is place with Me, and you shall stand on the rock. It will be when I pass My Glory, I will place you in a crack in the rock; and I will place My “Palms” upon you. And I will then remove My “Palms” and you will see My “Back”, but My “Face” will not be seen. (33:19-22)
Moshe is taught a powerful lesson that man cannot see or understand why Hashem shows his Graciousness or Empathy to this person or in this situation and not in another. The Posuk explains: We can only get a small glimpse, sometimes, “from the back”, with hindsight. The Talmidei of the Besh’t explain the concept of z ¤` , ̈zi ¦` ̈x §e .E` ̈x¥i `Ÿl ,i©p ̈tE ;i ̈xŸg£` This means that when something happens to a person and it seems that it is not good. However, in the end if someone is a smart man, he would see that it was Divine Providence and for his benefit. Only Hashem knows and does what is for the benefit of the creation. The first Ani Maamin is: “I believe with complete faith that the Creator, blessed be His name, is the Creator and Guide of all the created beings, and that He alone has made, does make, and will make all things.
The Thirteen Middos of Rachamim, 13 Attributes of Mercy have been known to bring salvation and forgiveness to the Jewish people throughout the generations. In the Talmud, Rabbi Yehudah states that “a covenant was established regarding the 13 Attributes of Mercy that they will never be returned empty-handed. The holiest and most intense prayer of the year is Neila on Yom Kippur in which we repeat the 13 Attributes many times.
The Torah calls the Day of Atonement “Yom hakippurim“, which the Tikunei Zohar from the Tan Raban Shimon Bar Yochai homiletical explains, “a day which is comparable to Purim”. On Purim we read the Megilas Esther. The commentators explain the name “Esther” is associated with the Megillah not only because of its principal character but also because her name connotes “hester panim”, Hashem “placing His ‘Palms’ upon us and hiding His ‘Face'”. It is only after the events unfold that His plans were visible. Until then, it all looks destructive.
After the Luchos were destroyed, Moshe descended with the Second Luchos on Yom Kippur. We had Shavuos to accept the Torah the first time. However, because of this destruction, the giving of the Torah on Shavuos needed to be repeated. And our second acceptance of the Torah isn’t complete until Purim itself. ‘micedid elawe eniw" The Jews established and accepted’ (Esther 9:27) xak elaiwy dn eniiw (twwg jp ,ca) “They established that which they had already accepted.” (Shabbos 88a). The first luchos were entirely made by Hashem. The second luchos were quarried by Moshe. The first luchos represented a world where Hashem would not be hidden. Our sin shifted us to a reality in which He hides by weaving His Plan into the outcomes of nature and human action. The world of Purim. This is the link between Yom Kippur and Purim to address the loss of Torah caused by the the sin of the Golden Calf.
This attribute we learn in Parshas Ki Sisa, hence we have a strong connection to Purim. Purim is the day that we can pray and Hashem answers our prayers, as the 13 tributes of mercy is opened then.
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
