Dear B’nai Shalom members, families, and friends:
Before I “dive in” to the substance of my monthly bulletin article, I want to acknowledge once again, with tremendous appreciation and respect, the incredible kindness of the B’nai Shalom family who have, unfailingly, continued to embrace and warmly welcome Robin and me each and every Shabbat we are in B’nai Shalom. Your kindnesses through the Kiddush you scheduled in honor of my recent “big” birthday, the thoughtfulness and consideration with which you blanket us each time we are privileged to be with our B’nai Shalom friends, and the genuine, caring manner with which the B’nai Shalom members conduct their lives are attributes for which Robin and I are more grateful than we can convey in words. May Hashem continue to bless B’nai Shalom and all its wonderful members, families, and friends, and may B’nai Shalom continue to shine as a synagogue that should be the shining role model for all other synagogues and Jewish communities.
Now, on to your “regularly-scheduled programming”:
There is no question that the focus of the month of Adar is the joyous holiday of Purim. While we should have no need to compare our holidays for purposes of determining the “most happy” holiday (since, after all, it is really not a contest), many may come to the erroneous conclusion that Chanukah is the most joyous of all. Undoubtedly, much of the thinking leading to that point would be influenced by what I call the American “Christmasization of Chanukah” wherein Chanukah has been elevated to a level of prominence generally only reserved for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or even Passover. Not to demean, diminish, or minimize Chanukah, since it is in fact, an important and holy festival for us, replete with its commandments and ritual obligations, BUT, in this country, Chanukah has become a holiday known to the masses unlike Jewish holidays far more holy and more deserving. Shavuot and Sukkot come to mind immediately.
Purim, because of the very reason it exists, would likely qualify as the most joyous of all our holidays if we WERE looking to determine the most happy of all Jewish holidays. Our very existence was threatened in the events that became the Purim holiday in a plan to wipe out the entire Jewish population throughout the massive Persian empire — every man, woman, and child: very Nazi Holocaust-like. Following the story that unfolded surrounding the entire episode, the Jews of Persia prayed to Hashem, fasted, put on sackcloth and ashes, and displayed a sincere countenance of repentance resulting our being spared and saved from total annihilation. This qualifies Purim as the epitome of our national elation: the extent to which, G-d forbid, we would be mourning the mass murder of the Jews of the Persian Empire is the extent to which we celebrate our salvation by the hidden hands of the Merciful One, Blessed Be He.
But Purim is even more than that. Chag HaPurim is lifted up as the quintessential experience that we Jews can point to, and from which we can learn, since it, more than any other time in our history, has the essential steps of true penitence in which we follow-through in the manner in which we are expected to do so. According to the clear narrative of the Megillah, we sinned, we were punished, we showed contrition, we repented, and we were saved. Nowhere else in our history do we quite follow the requisite stages and procedure for fixing a situation in which we failed by transgressing our values. On Purim, we do exactly what we are supposed to do. AND, the system works! We did our part and HaKadosh Baruch Hu came through and did His part for us.
It is for this reason that there is a Midrash that at the end of time, following the arrival of the Moshiach, all Jewish holidays will fade away EXCEPT for Purim. That is a curious prophecy. Purim? Why Purim? Simply put, Purim is the way to go. We will undoubtedly continue to sin, to stray from the game plan prescribed for us. That is what ALL human beings do. We are flawed and not meant to be perfect. Therefore, when we find ourselves falling short of the Torah’s expectations for us, we can derive strength and resolve from the chapters of the Megillah, knowing that we can, and will be forgiven for our errant ways by throwing ourselves with sincerity at the mercy of our Eternal Father, who is a forgiving G-d. He is the Lord who listens to our prayers and responds to our prayers in the manner which we want and need. Purim teaches us that. Purim reminds us of this fact.
With this is mind, I wish you all a Chag Purim Sameach,
Rabbi Dr. Yaacov Dvorin