The Yalkut Shimoni (Mishlei 9 ois 944) explains the aforementioned pasuk as follows: When Moshiach comes, all of the Yomim Tovim will become bateil, nullified, except for Purim. The only Yom Tov that will remain in its present form in the future is Purim. It is the only Yom Tov that will endure forever.
The Medrash then quotes R’ Elazar, who disagrees, maintaining that Yom Kippur will also remain in observance. The pasuk states: והיתה זאת לכם לחקת עולם – “And this [Yom Kippur] shall be to you an eternal decree” (Vayikra 16:34). Therefore, E’ Elazar concludes, both Purim and Yom Kippur will exist forever.
The Rashba (Shu”t 1:93) is completely baffled by the words of the Medrash. It is a principle of faith that the Torah will never be changed or altered. As the Rambam states: אני מאמין באמונה שלמה שזאת התורה לא תהא מחלפת ולא תהא תורה אחרת מאת הבורא יתברך שמו - “We believe with complete faith that this Torah will not be changed; it will always remain as is.” We are not permitted to alter even a single letter of the Torah. It seems blasphemous to even consider that anything written in the Torah will become bateil.
The Torah, as given to us from Hashem on Har Sinai, is eternal. How can the Medrash tell us that the Yomim Tovim we are commanded to celebrate annually, which are mitzvos in the Torah, will no longer be observed?
Furthermore, if the Yomim Tovim are, in fact, going to be nullified, why would we continue to celebrate Purim? If the de’O’raisa holidays will no longer be kept, why would we continue to celebrate Purim, which is deRabbonon?
The Non-Jews Will Never Abolish Purim, Even Temporarily
The Rashbah explains that the words of the Medrash are not to be understood literally, Indeed, every word of the Torah will remain eternally; likewise, every Yom Tov will continue to be celebrate forever.
The Rashba explains that the Medrash is in fact conveying a completely different lesson. Every Yom Tov that we celebrate may, at some point in time, be subject to decrees issued by the ruling faction of the time. At some point in history, Klal Yisroel may sin, and, as a punishment, Hashem may allow the prevailing powers of the country of residence at the time to issue edicts declaring it unlawful to observe Jewish mitzvos. A well-known example where this occurred was at the time of Chanukah, when the Yevonim decreed that the Jews were not allowed to keep Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, or bris milah.
There is no guarantee that the laws to which we will be subject will not prohibit Klal Yisroel from observing Yomim Tovim. The pasuk in Eichah alludes to this very eventuality when it states: שכח ה' בציון מועד ושבת – “He made Tzion oblivious of festival and Shabbos” (Eichah 2:6). The Jews forgot about Shabbos and Yom Tov. Similarly, in Sefer Nechemiah (8:13-18), we read that Klal Yisroel did know about Succos.
Observance of Shabbos and Yom Tov may be declared illegal, as a result of which they may then become forgotten. Observance of these mitzvos may be wholly neglected due to ignorance. However, Purim will never be subject to this. We have a guarantee that Purim will forever be remember and observed.
וימי הפורים האלה לא יעברו מתוך היהודים וזכרם לא יסוף מזרעם, is a promise, a havtocha, that Purim will never – even temporarily – be forgotten or neglected. There will never be a time when Jews will not keep Purim.
However, the Rashbah adds, when it comes to Yom Kippur, the havtocha from Hashem is different. R’ Elazar understands the pasuk to mean that Hashem is promising that if someone were to fast on Yom Kippur but does not do teshuvah, Yom Kippur will still retain its power of forgiveness. The mere act of fasting will always lead to kapparah. Ultimately, we do not rule this way. We maintain that Yom Kippur atones only if teshuvah is done. R’ Elazar, however, holds that when the Torah says לחקת עולם, it is promising atonement for anyone who fasts, even if they do not repent. Even without teshuvah, the day of Yom Kippur will always be effective.
The Maharal’s Approach to the Medrash
The Maharal (Ohr Chodosh – hakdomah pg. 48) disagrees vehemently with the approach of the Rashbah. He does not understand why every mitzvah and every Yom Tov are subject to potentially being nullified through shmad, apostasy, while Purim (and Yom Kippur) are not. There does not seem to be any logical explanation as to why Purim would be different from any other Yom Tov.
For this reason, the Maharal takes a completely different approach to the Medrash. The Maharal points out that most of the festivals we celebrate are zecher l’Yetzias Mitzrayim, they commemorate the miracles of the Exodus of Egypt. Pesach, obviously, is זכר ליציאת מצרים, but so are the other Yomim Tovim. On Succos and Shavuos we mention in kiddush that these days commemorate Yetzias Mitzrayim, and this is true for Rosh Hashanah as well. We always include the phrase זכר ליציאת מצרים in the kiddush of Yomim Tovim.
Now, there will come a time when Hashem will redeem us from the long and bitter exile in which we find ourselves and return us to Eretz Yisroel. The Maharal writes that at that time, release from shibud malchuyos, our subjugation and domination by the nations of the world, will be of paramount importance. Our past redemption from Egypt will not be as significant as the joy of freedom Klal Yisroel will experience when we shed the chains of galus Edom with the coming of Moshiach.
The miracles that will transpire at the time of Moshiach will be of such incredible magnitude that the miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim will pale in comparison.
Of course, we will continue to celebrate the Yomim Tovim recorded in the Torah, but the miraculous events that they mark and commemorate will seem almost insignificant next to the miracles of the Geulah Sheleimah. The celebration and festivities surrounding the coming of Moshiach will totally overshadow the celebration of Pesach, Shavuos and Succos.
In contrast to other Yomim Tovim, the theme of Purim is not zecher l’Yetzias Mitzrayim. It is a day on which we memorize our salvation from the clutches of Haman and our miraculous survival of the threat of complete annihilation, Purim was an event that falls under the banner of shibbud malchuyos, which has no connection to the Exodus of Egypt.
When Moshiach comes, as astounding and incredible as the miracles well be, Purim will remain a significant event. Unlike the other Yomim Tovim, it will not become a mere shadow of a miracle in contrast to the Geulah Sheleimah. In short, Purim will remain unchanged, continuing to be as meaningful as it is now. (R’ Doniel Glatstein)
