Purim is a time of joy and gratitude for the wondrous miracle that was performed for our ancestors in those days at this time. The Purim miracle is unique in that we merited to see the perfect miraculous salvation, where not a single Jew was harmed by Haman’s evil plans. On the contrary: Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, from young to old, children and women, on one day, and ultimately, his decree was turned on its head – venahafoch hu – and the Jews killed tens of thousands of their enemies and not a single one of them was harmed.
I have mentioned many times the words of Eliyahu Hanavi (Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah 10) about the power of answering amen to protect us and spare us from those seeking our souls: “In the merit of who does HaKadosh Baruch Hu take revenge for Am Yisrael on the non-Jews? In the merit of people who go to the beis knesses and beis medrash morning and evening and answer amen...”
The miracle of Purim, in which, as we said we saw how Hashem “took revenge for Am Yisrael on the non-Jews in such a perfect way, can also be attributed to the power of answering amen. The passuk (Esther 2:7): “Vayehi omen es Hadassah he Esther,” is explained by Rabi Eliyahu Hakohein Ha’itamari, author of Shevet Mussar, as follows: The passuk uses the word “omen” without the vav, written the same way as אמן to teach us that Mordechai taught Esther to be strict to answer amen (Minchas Eliyahu Chapter 32).
I would like to add based on his words that the passuk (ibid 20): “V’es ma’amar Mordechai Esther osah – ”כאשר היתה באמנה אתו indicating that even after Esther was taken from Mordechai’s house, she continued to be strict about answering amen.
Based on his words we can say that this is why the passuk mentions answering amen at the beginning of the words about Mordechai and Esther, to teach us the root of the salvation of Am Yisrael. As Eliyahu Hanavi taught us about the war of Sisera, likewise, the great miracles that they merited in the times of Mordechai and Esther were from the power of answering amen. One of our loyal readers also shared a remez to this in the word amen itself, because it is an .נס מרדכי ]ו[אסתר acronym for
Indeed, it is remarkable to see that in the Yotzros for Parashas Zachor, the songster emphasizes the power of answering amen, לדוערים ולשומרים ממונים כל“ staying להזכיר קדושתהיום וכל הלילה מוזמנים, נוצר אמונים, להעריץ זכירת גוי שומר ובשם ישראל מתכניםאמונים,.”
In light of this it is possible that the HaKadosh Baruch Hu here is called the “Notzer Emunim,” and Am Yisrael “Goy Shomer Emunim” in order to allude that the miracle of Purim took place because of the power of answering amen, as HaKadosh Baruch Hu preserved the power of Mordechai and Esther’s amen for Am Yisrael, and this merit helped them be spared from Haman.
In light of this, we can understand the words of the Kav Hayashar, whose yahrtzeit falls on Purim, that those wondrous oros that one who hurries to answer amen merits – are the ones that illuminated for Mordechai and Esther and saved Am Yisrael, and it is in their merit that we have a custom to light a lot of candles on Purim (see the yahrtzeit segment). Because the light and the abundance of answering amen is the root of hatzalah that advocated for our ancestors in the times of Mordechai and Esther.
Dear Brothers! We need so much Heavenly compassion in our times to be spared from the nations of the world that rise up against us! If we are faithful to the words of Eliyahu Hanavi, that in the merit of those who rise to answer amen, HaKadosh Baruch Hu takes revenge for Am Yisrael against the nations of the world, let us rise early each day to answer amen after Birchos Hashachar, and we will also merit to see the fulfillment of the passuk (ibid 8:16): “Layehudim haysah orah vesimchah vesasson viyekar.”
A Freilichen Purim
Yaakov Dov Marmurstein
ת.ד 102 בני ברק | פקס : 03-5055919
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