Purim & Turning Things Around

 What is the best part of Purim?

There are plenty to choose from. Each observance of the holiday provides an enjoyable experience. We come together with friends, family, and community to hear the Megillah and celebrate (even more festive in costume). We are required to think of those less fortunate and give charity. We share gifts of food, and it is a mitzvah to, literally, eat, drink, and be merry!  

This year, I can’t get the words “V’Nahafoch hu -Things turned around” (Esther 9:1) out of my head.

On Purim, we celebrate the unlikely turnaround of the Jewish situation in Persia. The day meant to mark our annihilation turned into a great victory. Purim is the holiday celebrating that things can turn around.

There is always something to “turn around.” In particular, this year, there is a lot going on in Israel which is very concerning, difficult, painful, and in need of being turned around.

There is loud and painful disagreement over the proposed judicial reform.

There are protestors blocking roads, and police using water cannons and stun grenades to disperse them.

There have been 13 Israelis murdered in the last 6 weeks with an uptick in violent attacks against Jews.

There were shocking pictures of Jews attacking and burning Palestinian homes in what an IDF General called “a pogrom.”

There have been hateful remarks by Israeli leaders include one saying “the village of Huwara should be erased.” (Even though the minister provided a clarification, this is the headline the world reads.)

It would be simpler to just move forward, but we need to confront reality and try to turn things around.

This week, we read Parshat Zachor which commands us to remember the evil of Amalek as well as battle against all subsequent evil. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev provides a radical explanation of what it means to remember and fight against Amalek.

“It is not only that the Jews…are commanded to erase (destroy) Amalek…Rather, every person in Israel needs to erase the evil part that is concealed in one's heart that is known by the name Amalek.” (Kedushat Levi, Derush L’Purim, Devarim 25:17)

If there is evil, we need to confront it and address it – even if we cannot solve it.

“Ohavei Hashem sin’u ra – Those who love God must hate evil.” (Tehillim 97:10)

So much of the disagreement we see today seems to be entrenched. One person’s hero is another’s violent extremist. If we love God, we need to be united in opposing hatred, discord, and anger from taking root amongst us. Things don’t seem to be getting better, and I often feel a sense of déjà vu when reading the news. We  cannot let feelings of despair overwhelm us. Even without a solution or resolution on the horizon, we still need to believe in “V’Nahafoch hu,” things can turn around.

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is a leading Religious Zionist Rabbi in Israel today. In advance of Purim, he sent out a letter encouraging people to see the upcoming holiday as an opportune time to find areas of agreement. Even a united nation is permitted (and sometimes even good) to disagree. But always to love and listen with respect.

Since Ta’anit Esther, 13 Adar, commemorates a moment of Jewish unity, we should use this coming Monday to pray for each other (especially those impacted by recent events), to find areas of agreement and consensus, not to speak badly of those with whom we disagree, and try to listen to those with differing opinions. He composed a prayer to be recited after Torah reading on Ta’anit Esther and Purim: 

מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם, יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִשְׁמֹר כָּל אֶחָד וְאַחַת מֵעַם יִשְׂרָאֵל,יִתֵּן בְּלִבֵּנוּ לְהַבִּיט בְּעַיִן טוֹבָה עַל הַכֹּל,יִתֵּן בָּנוּ אַהֲבָה גְּדוֹלָה עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאַחַת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל,וְנִזְכֶּה לְאַחְדוּת אֵיתָנָה וְלִגְּאוּלָּה שְׁלֵמָה בְּקָרוֹב בְּיָמֵינוּ,וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.

May God who blessed our patriarchs bless and protect each and every member of the Nation of Israel. Place in our hearts the ability to look favorable on all and give us a love for each and every Jew. May we merit to achieve genuine unity and the complete redemption soon in our times and let us say Amen.

While we celebrate and enjoy Purim, we should remember that Purim is not only a one-time phenomenon. Purim was the first – and won’t be the last – crisis from which we will emerge victorious.