Purim

Overview

Purim, on the fourteenth of Adar in late winter, commemorates the rescue of the Jews of the Persian empire from Haman's decree of annihilation, as recorded in the Megillah of Esther. Because the salvation came through a chain of seemingly natural events, Purim celebrates Hashem's hidden providence. Its mitzvos are hearing the Megillah read evening and morning, sending gifts of food to friends (mishloach manos), giving charity to the poor (matanos la'evyonim), and a festive daytime meal. It is a day of joy, costumes, and the blotting out of Amalek.

Themes

• Blotting out Amalek
• The hidden miracle within nature
• Re-accepting the Torah in love
• Unity of Yisrael
• Salvation above knowledge
• The hidden Torah revealed

Must-read teachings

1. 1Purim unity and the downfall of AmalekThe matter of the Yom Tov of Purim was a preparation for the building of the Second Bais Hamikdash, and it came about through the power of arousal from below (isarusa diletata) — this is the matter of the Anshei Knesses HaGedolah (Men of th…תרמ"ג
2. 2Blotting Amalek Reveals the TorahIt is brought in the Gemara: "They re-accepted it [the Torah] in the days of Achashverosh..." (Shabbos 88a). The Sefas Emes begins with the teaching that in the Purim story Bnei Yisrael willingly re-accepted the Torah, completing what had b…תרנ"ג
3. 3Truth of Yaakov outlasts Amalek's falsehoodAnd Purim is a preparation for the future geulah, the beginning of the victory over Edom, whose power is very strong. Purim, the defeat of Haman the Agagi (of Amalek/Edom), is the first installment of the ultimate geulah — the conquest of E…תרס"ב
4. 4Hidden Torah endures through concealmentIt is brought in the Gemara: From where in the Torah is Esther alluded to? As it is written, "And I will surely hide My face" (Devarim 31:18) — for the word "astir" (I will hide) hints at "Esther." Chazal find Esther hinted in the Torah spe…תרנ"ה
5. 5Purim reawakened love of Torah"For the Yehudim there was light (orah)" (Esther 8:16) — "this is Torah." The Sefas Emes cites Chazal's reading that the "light" the Jews gained in the Purim victory refers to Torah. Even though we had already received the Torah. This raise…תרס"א
6. 6Purim's salvation from above knowledgeIt is brought in the Midrash: all the festivals (moados) are destined to be nullified, except for the days of Purim. The Midrash teaches that in the future all the Yamim Tovim will be annulled, but Purim alone will endure — the Sefas Emes w…תרס"א
7. 7Miracles above time and renewed TorahConcerning what Chazal said: "They re-accepted it [the Torah] in the days of Achashverosh," as it is written "they fulfilled (kiyemu) and accepted (vekiblu)" (Esther 9:27) — they fulfilled now what they had already accepted earlier. The Gem…תרמ"ז
8. 8Elevating eating through Torah on PurimThe matter that they established these days [of Purim] for feasting and rejoicing. The Sefas Emes opens by asking why Purim was specifically fixed as a time of eating, drinking, and simchah (joy), as opposed to a fast. And in truth, all the…תרנ"ד