The period in which the miracle of Purim occurred was one of the most flourishing times for the Jews during the exile. The Jews had reached high positions in government. Mordechai, the head of the Sanhedrin, was among the king’s officials; Esther, the queen, was Jewish.
At first glance, there seems to have been no period during the exile in which the Jews could have felt completely secure, as in the days of Achashverosh. In reality, the opposite occurred: precisely when, according to the natural order, the Jews were so secure, the most terrible decree fell upon them—to “destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.”
An Illogical Decree
A decree like this had never existed before. In all the other exiles (except Egypt), the Jews were never concentrated under a single rule. The Sages said (Pesachim 87b): “The Holy One, Blessed be He, performed a charitable deed toward Israel in that He scattered them,” because if, Heaven forbid, one nation tried to harm the Jews, those living in other lands would be saved. True, in Egypt all the Jews were concentrated in one country, but there was not such a complete decree of annihilation there, since Pharaoh decreed only against the males.
However, Achashverosh ruled over the entire world, leaving nowhere to escape. Moreover, the decree was to destroy all the Jews in a single day, leaving no time to flee. The question arises: how could such a terrible decree develop from a situation that was, according to natural order, so secure?
Spiritual Rectification
The Talmud explains that the decree was issued because the Jews enjoyed Achashverosh’s feast. From this, it follows that Jewish existence and the natural order are two separate things. The fate of the Jews is not determined by the laws of nature, but depends on the observance of Torah and mitzvot. According to natural order, there was no reason for a decree at that time. Yet, once they “enjoyed the feast of that wicked man,” and stumbled with forbidden foods and in attempting to assimilate among the nations around them, something entirely unexpected occurred.
Even the method of salvation illustrates the same lesson: the nullification of the decree was not by natural means at all. Esther instructed Mordechai to take spiritual action through fasting and repentance: “Go and gather all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for my sake, do not eat and do not drink for three days, night and day.” Esther herself also fasted for three days, even though such a harsh fast would naturally have reduced her chances of finding favor with the king.
Dealing with Distress
But Mordechai and Esther knew that just as the decree did not happen through natural means, so too salvation would come from Above, and the natural order was merely a garment through which Divine salvation would arrive. What would bring the salvation was the rectification of the causes that had led to the decree, and therefore they focused on fasting and awakening repentance, which indeed quickly brought about the reversal of fortune—ונהפוך הוא“.”
From this we learn an eternal lesson: some believe that diplomacy ensures the survival of the Jewish people. One must remember that the natural order is only an external covering, while the true processes are determined on another level. If, Heaven forbid, a time of distress comes, the Jewish people must examine their actions, correct what requires rectification, and only then can natural efforts be effective.
(the Rebbe, Likutei Sichot, Volume I)
