The Gemara (Shabbos 88.) says that at Har Sinai, Hashem placed the mountain over the heads of Bnei Yisroel and told them that if they didn't receive the Torah, they would be buried under the mountain. They were forced to receive the Torah. However, after the Purim miracle, the nation accepted the Torah again, this time with love. The Chasam Sofer (Drashos p.164.) writes, "Therefore, the megillah is more honored and greater than the Torah itself." It was accepted out of love and is therefore considered extremely great.
And, since the megillah is so holy, one should listen to the megillah with awe and passion. The Kedushas Levi (Kedushah Rishonah) writes, “One should listen to the megillah with a fiery passion in his heart. He should think he is now accepting the yoke of Torah and mitzvos. He should think, 'What was, was. From now on, I will keep Hashem's mitzvos. The best time for teshuvah is during the reading of the megillah because, at that time, Hakadosh Baruch Hu purifies Bnei Yisrael from Above.”
She’eiris Yisrael of Valednik zt’l (Shaar HaZmanim 2, Purim אף ה"ד) teaches that reading the megillah atones for עריות גילוי, adultery, and is therefore called מגילה from the word גילוי. The Beis Aharon (66:) writes, "Tzaddikim say that they see in the megillah everything that will happen that year."
The Satmar Rebbe zt’l said that it is worthwhile for a person to live seventy years if only to hear the megillah just once. Fortunate are those who had the merit to hear the Satmar Rebbe read the megillah with an outpouring of his soul. When he came to the words (4:11), "I have not been summoned to come to the king for thirty days," he cried profusely, and it was hard to hear the words. He also cried copiously when he read (3:2), "But Mordechai would not bow and would not prostrate himself."
Reb Yonason Eibshitz zt'l (Yaaras Dvash 1:3) writes, “Please listen, wise nation, whom Hashem chose from all other nations. Please, don’t think Megillas Esther is a history book containing stories of what happened to our forefathers. If that is all the megillah is about, why must we read it twice on Purim? Baruch Hashem, we all know the story. Children make plays, acting out what happened. Rather, it is for the benefits that we get from the megillah. Additionally, there are many Torah secrets in the megillah, upon which the masters of kabbalah elaborate. It is called אסתר מגלת (which can be translated as "the hidden megillah") because it contains many hidden secrets of Creation. Furthermore, the megillah can be studied as a mashal, discussing the battle and struggle between Bnei Yisrael and the yetzer hara. There are many mussar lessons in the megillah, teaching us how to live.”
When a spy operating in enemy territory reports back to his government, he doesn’t write clearly because the message might be intercepted. So, he writes in code, but his government knows how to read between the lines and understands the message. This is a mashal for the megillah. It is full of secrets and divine lessons, but one must look closely to find the messages.
The Minchas Elazar zt’l related that when Rebbe Mendel of Riminov zy'a was imprisoned, the police allowed him to take one item with him into prison. The Rebbe requested a megillah (although it was Tamuz). Rebbe Naftali of Ropshitz zt'l instructed Reb Mendel's students not to fulfill his request. "With the power of the megillah, he can destroy the entire world." The Minchas Elazar adds that if Reb Mendel of Riminov could have destroyed the world with the megillah in Tamuz, imagine what he could have accomplished on Purim when there is a mitzvah to read the megillah! Although we can’t comprehend the depth of this story, we see the immense holiness that lies within the holy words of the megillah.
The Yismach Moshe (Purim end of 3) writes that מגילה מקרא means והתאספות הזמנה, that all the revelations gather and become revealed when we read the megillah."
The end of the megillah states (10:2), “All his mighty and powerful acts, and the account of the greatness of Mordechai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in the book of chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia." Reb Yechezkel Abramsky zt'l explains this closing statement: If you want to study history, there are chronicles on the subject. They tell about Mordechai and his accomplishments in the government. If you seek to study history, you can read those chronicles. But that isn't the purpose of the megillah. The purpose of the megillah is to teach us so much more.
The Gemara (Megillah 7.) provides several proofs that Megillas Esther was written with ruach hakodesh. Every word of the megillah is precious.
Kav HaYashar (ch.99) writes, "You need to know that there is a new world in heaven that is extremely holy. It is revealed only once a year, on Purim. Its revelation begins when the megillah is read. Mordechai HaTzaddik's neshamah comes from this world. We must arouse Hashem's compassion that this world should become revealed, and its light should shine on the people who gather to listen to the megillah with a pure heart and kavanah." The Kav HaYashar adds that when we recite the brachah מגילה מקרא על, "We should remember that Hashem commanded us to bring forth this great light, and this is the translation of מגילה מקרא [to call to the revelation of this holy, world of compassion]. The congregation should answer amen with immense kavanah."
Klal Yisrael needs a lot of compassion. We live in difficult times. We need this holy world where Hashem's mercy manifests itself to become revealed. It begins with the megillah reading and remains with us throughout Purim.
