The Talmud (Shabbat 88a) interprets the verse: "The Jews fulfilled and accepted upon themselves" (Book of Esther 9:27) as meaning that we fulfilled on Purim that which we had already accepted at Sinai. Why especially at that point in our history? Because the Torah tells us that prior to the revelation at Sinai, the people of Israel "stood beneath the mountain" - seemingly threatened with extinction -- unless we accepted the Torah.
And herein lies the greatness of Purim. For it was during the days of Mordechai and Esther that we accepted the Torah willingly, without any external force, and internalized our heartfelt declaration: "We will do and we will understand (na’aseh v’nishmah)."
Now how are we to interpret our acceptance of the Torah while threatened to do so? Chassidut teaches that this "coercion" was not in any way negative, and certainly not against our wishes. On the contrary, we proclaimed our desire to "do and understand" with a burning flame of love for G-d.
But it was precisely this degree of love which represented the "coercion." G-d showered us with such an overwhelming love at the time of the giving of the Torah by enveloping us within His eternal light, that our very souls almost expired. His Divine intimacy attracted us to such degree that we uttered "we will do and we will understand."
And it was precisely this statement that embodied the description of G-d's “hanging the mountain over our heads”. The “mountain” is representative of G-d's overpowering show of love. As a result of that love, our free choice was, so to speak, taken from us. How could we not accept the Torah!
In contrast, we find that during the days of Purim the period was characterized by Divine concealment. Haman's evil decree and all our successful attempts to escape from it, all appeared as natural events. There is no description of supernatural miracles nor even a mention of G-d's name throughout the narrative.
For a full year, we were seemingly left to fend for ourselves under the threat of Haman's evil decree - utter annihilation of every Jew on one day. This was the first time in our history that the loyalty of the entire Jewish people towards G-d was put to the test. And it was a most trying test.
On the one hand, we were threatened with utter extinction; and on the other hand, we had the possibility of denying our religion and being saved. Nevertheless, there was not a single Jew who even considered taking the latter option.
This dedication represented a reestablished declaration of everlasting faith in G-d and His Torah, and expressively not at a time of intense supernal revelation - but rather at a time of seeming Divine indifference. Nothing could therefore more profoundly express the sense of free choice involved. We reacquired the Torah through our own volition and will, and hence the intense significance of these days.
Adapted from Sichat HaShevuah
Purim - The Eternal Festival
"All the festivals will be annulled in the future time, except for Purim"
The future revelation of Divinity will be so intense that the revelation currently evinced by the festivals will be as insignificant as a midday candle. Purim, however, will be the exception, because the Purim miracle was called forth by the year-long self-sacrifice of the Jewish people of that time (they could have averted Haman's decree by apostasy). Their self-sacrifice evoked a Divine reaction so sublime that even in the future time it will never be annulled.
(Alter Rebbe)
