“(Not) Every Day is Purim!” by Rabbi Schapiro
Read a piece on the Chassidus titled “(Not) Every Day is Purim!” written by Rabbi Sholom Schapiro, the Shliach of the NY Torah Center on 5th Avenue in Manhattan • Full Story
Read a piece on the Chassidus titled “(Not) Every Day is Purim!” written by Rabbi Sholom Schapiro, the Shliach of the NY Torah Center on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.
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Purim is celebrated as the most joyous day on the Jewish calendar. In every Jewish community around the world, Purim is a day for feasting, rejoicing and thanking G-d for the miracles.
How did this happen? Why was Purim selected from all of the other holidays? Seemingly, Purim has the least to celebrate, considering that other holidays commemorate greater miracles in our history. So why Purim?
On the contrary, the story of Purim is the most natural of all of our holidays. It is a series of the right person being in the right place at the right time. Vashti is killed, Esther is chosen as queen. The king can’t sleep, and chooses to reward Mordechai. Every key event in the story occurs in a completely natural setting.
If so, why does the celebration of Purim go so overboard? How did it become the most joyous of all holidays?
In fact, the Talmud tells us that all of the holidays will lose their uniqueness in the times of Moshiach, since every day will be on the level of our holidays. The exception to the rule is Purim, which will be unique even when Moshiach comes. Why is that so? What sets Purim aside from the other holidays?
Nature vs Miracles
Every holiday celebrates a miracle.
A miracle is an act of G-d, demonstrating His power over the laws of this world. A miracle is defined by how inconceivable it is considered.
The purpose of each miracle is to show that G-d rules this world, and that He has the ultimate power.
Yet, at the same time, a miracle reveals an apparent weakness. During the long quiet intervals between miracles, does G-d not rule the world? Where do we see the power of G-d when there are no miracles? The very power of miracles underscore their absence the rest of the time.
For this, we need Purim.
The miracle of Purim happened within the realm of nature. No laws of nature were broken, and no seas were split. Rather, an astounding series of events took place which clearly demonstrated that G-d was running the show, in a completely natural setting. What appears to be an absence of G-d is actually another way that G-d runs the world.
Purim was the moment when the veil was pulled back just enough to show us that G-d operates through the guise of nature as well.
Sometimes, we think that G-dliness and nature are two distinct forces. Purim reminds us that nature is a tool that G-d uses to run this world, and that He controls what happens here.
This explains why Purim will be a holiday when Moshiach comes. The purpose of Moshiach is the recognition that our world is an extension of G-d. Purim is the holiday that expresses how our world is truly an extension of G-d’s energy.
And this is why we celebrate Purim so joyously. It is our holiday, it is the day when we celebrate that G-d is in our ordinary, natural lives. The miracles that we see every single day seem natural, and Purim is a reminder that it is all orchestrated by G-d.
When we are aware that G-d is running our lives, there is no room for sadness or despair. On the contrary, this knowledge fills us with pure joy, because we are living the miracle within nature every single day.
Happy Purim!
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Sholom Schapiro
KOLLEL TORAH CENTER
393 Fifth Avenue, Ground Floor
New York, NY 10016
212-532-7618
www.thetorahcenter.com
“Let’s welcome Moshiach with acts of goodness and kindness” – The Rebbe
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