A freilichin Purim through the eyes of history

After the Second Gulf War, after a lovely Purim Mesiba, I sat down and wrote a long and rambling Purim shpiel. I teitched it up and added onto it over the years, but it remained very long.

It also emphasized the wonderous things that happened on Purim.

This is a more introspective summary for the Purim of these times.  Same story. Same facts.  But trimmed down to point out that teshuva; repentance, was really the whole raison d’etre behind Purim.

Tractate Megillah, 10b, quotes Megillas Esther:
“And it was in the days of Achashverosh.”
The gemara continues: “R’ Levi said… Whenever the term ‘and it was’ is mentioned,” it introduces a painful narrative.
“And it was in the days of Achashverosh,” there was Haman, who sought to destroy the Jews…

In my story, I am taking the time when Achashverosh became King, which is three years before Megillas Esther begins.
In my story, that time (when Achashverosh seized the throne) was February 28th, 1991; Purim 5751, when Saddam Hussein surrendered at Basra Iraq, ending the First Gulf War.

In Megillas Esther, it was three years later when the Megillah begins – In Tractate Megillah, 12a, we learn:
The students asked Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: “Why did the Jews of that generation deserve annihilation?” He told them, “What do you think?” They said, “Because they enjoyed partaking in the great party of Achashverosh [an event that took place roughly nine years before Haman issued his edict]. He objected, “In that case, the Jews of Shushan, the capital, [the Jews who attended this party] would deserve such a punishment, but why would all the Jews in the world who did not participate be included in the edict of destruction?” They said, “You’re right, so you tell us.” He said, “They bowed to the idol of Nebuchadnezzar [an event that took place roughly seventy years earlier].”

In my story, three years later, on February 25th, 1994; Purim 5754, Baruch Goldstein murdered 39 Arabs worshipping at the Mearas Hamachpelah; the Cave of the Patriarchs, in Chevron, in the Land of Israel.
(Oddly “coincidental”, during the first Gulf War, Saddam Hussein attacked Israel with 39 scud missiles in order to murder Israelis; he wanted to annihilate the Jews.)

According to the Megillas Esther, from the beginning of King Achashverosh’s reign to the time that Haman’s evil plans were overturned, and Haman was destroyed, was a period of twelve years.

In my story, twelve years later (after President George Bush accepted Saddam Hussein’s surrender in 1991), President George Bush announced, on March 17^th, 2003, after Purim had begun, that: “Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict, commenced at a time of our choosing.”
Thus began the Second Gulf War.

On the thirteenth year of the Purim story in Megillas Esther, the new Jewish holiday of Purim was established by the authority of Queen Esther and the new Prime Minister, Mordechai.  This decree of Law said: “That is why they called these days ‘Purim’ from the word ’pur’.
Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and because of what they had experienced, and what had happened to them, the Jews undertook and irrevocably obligated themselves and their descendants, and upon all who might join them, to observe these two days, without fail, in the manner prescribed, and at the proper time each year.”

In my story, thirteen years after its beginning, a New Constitution for Iraq was scheduled to be signed on Sunday, March 7th, 2004, Purim.
However, for reasons known only to the Grand Ayatollah Sistani, the leading Muslim Shia authority in Iraq, the signing of the new Constitution was postponed for one day.
Instead, this new Constitution; this new Decree of Law in Iraq, was signed on Monday, March 8th, Shushan Purim, in the walled City of Baghdad.

“But the Jews in Shushan mustered on both the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and so rested on the fifteenth, and made it a day of feasting and merrymaking. That is why village Jews, who live in unwalled towns, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and make it a day of merrymaking and feasting, and as a holiday and an occasion for sending gifts to one another.” (Megillah, the Book of Esther, IX, 18)
Our Sages tell us that, after the time of the Megillah, Achashverosh was no more and that a new king arose in Persia who looked favorably on the Jews and who allowed the Jews to build the Second Temple.

In my story… Where is the “New King” of This World who looks upon us favorably?

In 2005, 2006, is when Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, turning over its rulership, not to Arabs who wanted peace and prosperity, but to Arab mufsidun who were immersed in hatred and horror and opposed to even the Jewish possibility of ushering in a new era of Holiness.

* * *

We Jews are a stiff-necked peoples.
There is a joke that goes like this:
Three men are boasting what great shots they are.
The Russian takes an apple and puts it on another man’s head.
He shoots the apple off the man’s head and says: “I’m Ivan!”
The American says: That’s nothing, and puts a grape on the man’s head.
He shoots the grape off the man’s head and says: “I’m Bob!”
The Israeli puts a watermelon on the man’s head.
He shoots and puts a bullet right though the guy’s head and says: “I’m Solly!”
The point being is that we (Jews; Israelis who understand this joke better than non-Israelis), never say “I’m Sorry.”

Mordechai and Esther inspired the entire Jewish nation to do teshuva – to sincerely repent for their sins. And they did! All of Israel repented; Haman, the Enemy of the Jews was destroyed; Mordechai became Achashverosh’s Prime Minister in place of Haman.
And “the Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.”
The First Temple was destroyed on account of Murder; Idolatry; and Immorality.
The Second Temple was destroyed on account of Baseless Hatred.
We are told that the Third Temple will only be rebuilt when we have done teshuva for these sins.

In the gemara in Taanis, 29a, we learn: “Rabbi Yehuda… taught in the name of Rav: Just as when the month of Av begins happiness is diminished, so too, when Adar begins happiness increases.”
Megillas Esther is a narrative when the Jewish people are told unequivocally that Adar is the month “which was switched for them from tragedy to joy.”

All Hashem asks is that we repent; that we do teshuvah.
The Nation of the Children of Israel are, indeed, living in the times of venahafoch hu; we are living in a flipped over story.
In the face of a world that wishes to destroy us, it is G-d’s Chosen People that must repent; that must turn from their sins and place themselves under G-d’s Justice and G-d’s Mercy.
And, every year, Purim offers us a new opportunity to do just that. The celebration of Purim is a masquerade party.
But the mitzvos of Purim are caring deeply about your fellow Jew and showing them kindness and generosity.
Hashem decreed a timeline when His Second Temple should be rebuilt. He fulfilled that promise with the miracles of Purim over 2,000 years ago.
There is no timeline for the Final Redemption.
But, in today’s modern flipped over story of Purim – every year; everyday, gives every Jew everywhere, a new opportunity to do teshuvah.