Adar Message
Rabbi’s Purim Message… in relation to his latest trip to Israel (about which he wrote in this recently published article)
Experiencing now the joyous month of Adar – which features the miraculous story and exuberant celebration of Purim – provides the perfect moment to highlight two hidden messages of this holiday, each of which stems from both a surface textual absence coupled with a deep religious presence. It is often noted that while God is not explicitly mentioned in M’gillat Ester, His strong guiding hand is clear throughout, leading to the story’s victorious, exultant, and forward-looking denouement. The other key and indispensable aspect of Judaism not explicitly mentioned in the m’gillah is Israel/Y’rushalyim/Tziyon. Here, too, subtle and backdrop allusions to these are very present in the narrative, and are prime drivers of how we comprehend the story’s ultimate messages. The Jews did not win and survive merely to live and breathe; rather, they endured for the purpose of carrying forth the foundational Jewish essentials of our people’s eternal life – God, Torah, and Israel – and actively and meaningfully living accordingly always and everywhere.
It is in this Purim frame of mind that I share with you a recently published article I wrote about my latest trip to Israel. As in the Purim story, we who live outside of Israel experience both times of tranquility and of turbulence. We do our best to make things work well where we live, and to participate fully with allegiance, affection, and appreciation for all the goodness wherever we dwell. Simultaneously, underlying it all, we “always remember and never forget” (from Parashat Zachor, read the Shabbat before Purim) to keep focus of heart, mind, and soul on Israel as our eternal Jewish homeland, Tziyon as our eternal Jewish heritage and patrimony, Y’rushalayim as the Jewish people’s and Jewish nation’s eternal holy capital city. With God’s help, עם ישראל חי וקים – Am Yisraeil Chai V’kayam – the People of Israel lives and endures!
ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר" – כן תהיה לנו!”
“The Jews had light and joy and gladness and honor” (M’gilat Ester 8:16) – may it be so for us!
Happy Purim! חג פורים שמח!
Rabbi Jonathan Pearl
https://www.jns.org/when-is-the-best-time-to-visit-israel-right-now/