The Shikar
Two weeks prior to Purim, the shikar of Krakow started drinking. He was under the influence of wine for the entire two weeks, unlike the rest of the year where he drank periodically, pausing after every drink. This conduct didn’t stop at Purim but continued two weeks after Purim, as well.
“Why did you drink so much?” they questioned him.
He explained: “I’m outdoing Haman’s plan.”
“How does your drinking for a whole month outdo Haman’s strategy?”
“There’s a deep question on Haman. He planned to destroy all the Yidden on one day. Why only one day? Shouldn’t he have taken an entire month to do that? Maybe some Yidden will have managed to hide from him on that day, but soon after they’d get caught and he’d have to get them afterward. So why only one?
The shikar continued: “Deep down, Haman knew that Hashem might have rachmanos and save them from the decree. If that would be the case, what will become of these days? It’ll become a Yom Tov. Now, how long would that Yom Tov be? As long as the salvation. If their salvation was for one day, then they’ll have a Yom Tov for a day. If they have a salvation for an entire month, then it’ll be a month of Yom Tov!
“For the Yidden to have a month-long Yom Tov, that Haman couldn’t tolerate. So, he concluded that the official decree would be for only one day, and that’s it, so even if they have a salvation, they nevertheless would only have a one-day Yom Tov.
“Now” continued the shikar, “Do you think I should just agree with Haman’s logic? I absolutely won’t follow his guidance, trying to prevent me from celebrating a month-long Purim. That is the reason why I drink throughout the entire month. (Si’ach Sarfei Kodesh 20, who brings that R’ Avraham of Sokachover would repeat this chronicle.)
B”H, we are not this shikar, but we definitely should be b’simchah during this month and remember that Hashem is at our side in all situations and that He cares for us in whatever we are facing.
