Of all the holidays of the Jewish calendar, Purim is among the most enigmatic, full of paradoxes and contradictions. The etymological roots of Purim come for the term pur (lot) as in the lots cast by the wicked Haman to determine the destruction of the Jewish people. This seems to be a peculiar naming choice: Why emphasize specifically the issue of casting lots? Surely, the important message of the day is that Haman wanted to destroy the Jewish people. So then, why is it important how he chose the day to fulfill his evil plan? The story of Esther and Mordechai’s political and military vanquishing of Haman is one of the Bible’s most lasting literary legacies. But this legacy is also one in which we struggle to recognize to the best of our abilities.
As Jews all over the world reacquaint themselves with the sage words of the Megillah, we should be aware of the three primary meta-values that the Purim story attempts to instill in our hearts and in our communities:
Read Full Article »