By the Grace of G‑dThird Day of the Week,“Twice1 blessed with good”30th of Adar I — 1st Day2 of Adar II, 5746Brooklyn, N.Y.

Greeting and Blessing:

This day—the link that connects both months of Adar, Adar I and Adar II; right in the middle between Purim-Koton³ and Purim-Godol,⁴ which serves to underscore even more strongly the corresponding content⁵ of both months, that appear under the sign of the Purim miracle; thus becoming, as it were, one long month⁶—“The month⁷ which was transformed for the Jews from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a festival”;

This year, being a Jewish Leap Year⁸—the joy is doubled.

This day surely provides a most suitable opportunity to reflect on “What is Purim?”⁹ In other words, what is really the significance of Purim, which took place some 2300 years ago, in Persia and Media—for us today and here?

What is really the significance of Purim, which took place some 2300 years ago, in Persia and Media—for us today and here?

Actually, in some respects, Purim—even more than any other special day or festival in our Jewish calendar—has a special significance for every Jew, man and woman,¹⁰ in the midst of our Jewish people, in the present time¹¹ and in every land of dispersion.

Purim took place at a time when the Jews were in Golus (Exile), and even after the miracle of Purim, remained¹² in Golus (until the time when the construction of the Second Beis Hamikdosh was completed).¹³

The Megillah relates—and our Sages explain even in greater detail—that materially and economically, the Golus in Persia and Media (the last phase of the Babylonian Exile) was not at all severe¹⁴. On the contrary, Jews were invited¹⁵ to the Royal Banquet; a Jewish woman, Esther, was the Queen,¹⁶ and “Mordechai the Jew” was one of the prominent men in the Royal Court.¹⁷ Yet, precisely during this time, there arose a wicked Haman who sought to “destroy,¹⁸ slaughter, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in one day!” Whence did Haman get the audacity for such a plan?

The answer may be found in Haman’s words to King Ahasuerus: “There¹⁹ is one people, dispersed and scattered among the nations in all the lands of your kingdom, and their laws are different from those of any other people.”

Haman understood that Jews are one²⁰ people, even when they are dispersed throughout the world, and that the thing that unifies all Jews is their adherence to their own laws—the Torah and Mitzvos; and then no nation in the world can have any power over them.

However, when Haman comes to the Royal Banquet and meets there also Jewish guests; and he sees that although there is no compulsion—on the contrary, everything is “according to everyone’s wish"²¹—yet, there are among them individuals who are not particular about Kashrus, and who are ashamed to show their Jewishness, etc.—then he concludes that the Jews are not only “dispersed,” but also “scattered"²² (disunited). Then he feels bold enough to come up with a decree of total destruction of a whole people in one day,²³ which no enemy of the Jews before him has ever conceived;

Till his nearest rival, the arch enemy of the Jews of half a century ago.

Comes Purim and reminds us how Mordechai the Jew, and Esther the Queen, and the whole Jewish people, “Mordechai’s people²⁴,” responded to Haman’s decree:

Mordechai the Jew—“does not kneel nor bow down²⁵” to anyone or anything which would make him compromise Yiddishkeit;

Esther the Queen risks her life to bring a deliverance to her people—“My life is my request, and my people is my plea²⁶”;

All Jews join in a movement of Teshuvah and self-sacrifice²⁷ lasting almost a whole year²⁸, although they could have easily saved themselves by declaring themselves as Yehudim (Jews) no longer²⁹;

Last but not least³⁰—the Jewish children³¹, from the tiny tots³² of Cheder, are gathered under Mordechai’s leadership, and are inspired with the spirit of Mesiras-Nefesh for Torah and Yiddishkeit. And in their Zechus³³ especially, together with the Zechus of all the Jews, men, women and children, who are again reunited into one people—one people united through one Torah, given by the One G‑d³⁴ —

With the Zechus of all the Jews, men, women and children, who are again reunited into one people—one people united through one Torah, given by the One G‑d

Haman’s decree becomes null and void, and HaShem’s deliverance is complete—a deliverance not only from distress to complete relief, but even in a manner of a complete reversal³⁵: Instead of Jews being afraid of their enemies, the enemies become afraid³⁶ of the Jews; instead of Jews being ashamed of their Jewishness, they show openly and proudly that they are Yehudim, who acknowledge and follow the whole Torah³⁷; culminating in: “For the Jews there was Light, Joy, Gladness and Honor³⁸”—in all respects, not only spiritually³⁹ but also materially.

* * *

Also in the Sedras of this week⁴⁰—Vayakhel at the beginning and Pekudei at the end—the above points are indicated:

Vayakhel Moshe—Moshe Rabbeinu gathers all the Jews and unites them into one kohol (congregation), and they begin immediately with actual deeds: to strengthen Shabbos observance etc., to prepare quickly all that is needed for the Mishkan, and starting forthwith⁴¹ the construction of the Mishkan and all its sacred vessels.

And in the Sedra Pekudei, it is underscored, repeatedly⁴² many times, how each thing was done exactly as HaShem had commanded Moshe; and how the whole sacred undertaking was completed and the Mishkan was erected on Rosh Chodesh Nissan⁴³,and immediately everyone sees how the Shechinah filled⁴⁴ the Mishkan; whereupon all realize the fulfillment of HaShem’s command and promise⁴⁵, Make Me a Mikdash (Sanctuary) and I will dwell in their midst—with each and every Jew making a “sanctuary” in one’s heart⁶⁴, and in one’s home, and in the whole environment—through the actual conduct in the everyday life in accordance with the Will of the Creator, in a manner of “Light—this is Torah⁴⁷ etc., Honor—this is Tefillin (including all Mitzvos⁴⁸).”

“For the Jews there was Light, Joy, Gladness and Honor,” adding immediately, “So be it for us”

May HaShem grant that very soon indeed we shall all see the fulfillment of our prayer and request, which we say in the Havdalah, at the beginning of every week, immediately before the week sets in with all its mundane activities: “For the Jews there was Light, Joy, Gladness and Honor,” adding immediately, “So be it for us”;

And from the temporary Geulo, while still in Golus, we would proceed⁴⁹, from strength to strength⁵⁰, to the eternal Geulo, the complete and true Geulo⁵¹ through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, when “the fulfillment of all the Mitzvos⁵² each and every⁵³Mitzvah with all its pertaining Dinim”—will be carried out to perfection.

With esteem and blessing for a joyous Purim, Purim Godol—a “great” Purim in general and particularly in matters concerning Jews and Jewishness;

/Signed: Menachem Schneerson/