How Destiny Turns
Purim is called Purim because of the pur - lottery - that evil Haman conducted. He wanted to see when the most propitious time would be to wipe out the Jewish people. Instead, the Jewish people rose up against their enemies, and proved victorious, Queen Esther even receiving her wish for a second day of Jewish resistance, turning the momentum and enabling the Jews of Shushan to vanquish their enemies there too, showing that not only were the Jews able to defeat the unjust law permitting the murder of Jews, but rather, there was something inherently unethical about seeking to extinguish the light onto the nations.
Interestingly, the megillah itself states that the holiday is to be called Purim because of the pur, which, perhaps, leaves one asking, "Why isn't the holiday called Pur?" The megillah then continues by stating that it's called Purim because of the two days on which the holiday is celebrated, as we know, the 14th Adar for those living in the outskirts, i.e. cities and places not walled since the time of Yehoshua bin Nun, and the 15th, for cities that were walled since that time. The Talmud Yerushalmi, the Israeli version of the Babylonian Talmud, states that that was to solidify the primacy of Israel, rather than that of the diaspora.
That notwithstanding, we are left with a question; it would seem that the megillah has put the wagon before the horse, bending history to fit its agenda. There was only one lottery; why then "Purim?"
It would seem that Mordechai and Esther saw within the narrative of the megillah itself historical justification for calling the holiday Purim, something clearly brought out in the teachings of the rabbis. Linguistically, and textually, the very same words used as a harbinger of the Jewish people's downfall, serve as an omen of their vindication. Haman says it is not "worth it" for you to "keep" the Jewish people; Esther, upon pleading for her people, says, "If it was only for me, it would not be worth it," and then contends that even economically, it is unwise to wipe out a whole, economically productive nation. Likewise for the word, "fall." Esther falls before Achashveirosh when he first extends his scepter. Later, Haman begins his fall - confiding in his wife that all of his prestige is "worthless, upon seeing Mordechai's defiance - after which his wife tells him, "If you've started falling before the Jewish people, your ultimate fall is surely inevitable." Then, at the last and final party, Haman "falls" before Esther to beg for mercy. Then, when Esther asks for another day to vanquish the Jewish people's enemies in Shushan, it says, for the first time, that she "stood" before the King.
We see thus a tango, a dynamic dance, where the very words used to choreograph our downfall, turn into joyous words of victory, which is why - as the Rabbis teach - Purim is two days; Jews, meant to be united, are to celebrate the profoundness of our victory by the multiplicity of its facets, celebrating two days - and not one - to show that Haman was literally hoisted by his own petard, and the seeds he planted to saw our defeat, ultimately became his own!
I disagree & have sent you my comments in a Word document. I don't see how you've made the case for celebrating two days. Instead, I think you've made an unreasonable leap.
ReplyDeleteCare to elaborate?
ReplyDelete"Le'hapil pur" (literally, from the root of nefilah, to see how your destiny falls) represents the uncertainty of trying your luck with destiny, reflected by the two oppositional usages of the word "fall" in the megillah, the demise of the Jewish people, and then Haman's downfall; that, coupled with the fact that the name, Purim, derives itself from the days celebrated, signifies that it comes to show the dual destinies, the one Haman intended and the one that won out. You should realize that the fact that the holiday was initially celebrated on two days was met by distaste - Jews in walled cities did not celebrate Purim, the Ramban writes, because they were in Israel, and detached from the salvation of their brethren. Mordechai takes something worthy of opprobrium, namely, that the holiday wasn't celebrated by all Jews alike on the first year, and institutes that all Jews celebrate it, but on two days, to reflect - as the megillah itself states - the two destinies; otherwise, the holiday should have been named Pur.
ReplyDeleteAhhh! THAT'S better, BUT...you forgot to write "le-hapil!" However, Judaism doesn't believe in destiny, it believes in free choice, though Divine Providence pushes the universe into those choices to be made. That means that Haman did NOT have to be wicked, nor did he have to be executed. Note, some of his sons were learning Torah in Benai Beraq. Note, too, that since he was the slave of Mordekhai & the only way a Jew can own a slave (NOT a HEBREW slave) is if he is a "Cana'anite" slave which is detailed in Tractate Yevamoth. A Cana'anite slave is obligated in the same commandments that a Jewish woman is obligated, which includes sabbath observance!!! That means since Haman sold himself to Mordekhai for food rations when they were in the military together, Haman was obligated to keep shabbath, keep kosher & many other commandments! IF Mordekhai would have FREED Haman, then Haman would have become a "full" Jew, obligated to kept the Torah commandments just like a regular Jew! Since he was obligated to keep the commandments, it follows he had FREE CHOICE & was therefore NOT bound by "destiny."
DeleteWhat could YOU have said to Haman to CHANGE HIS INTENTIONS??? What could YOU have said or done to Adolf Hitler to change him????
What do you say on a DAILY BASIS to your charges, your students, to try & persuade them to be good people?
If you'd have asked Hitler if he was good, he would have replied in the affirmative. Everyone wants to be good, it's only a question of definition. How do you get people on the right path of goodness, how do you make the case for Judaism?