Purim reveals the hidden light of Torah

ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה.

"The Jews had light and gladness" (Esther 8:16).

The piece opens with the verse describing the Jews' state of light and joy after their salvation in the Purim story.

אמרו חז"ל אורה זו תורה.

Chazal said: "light (orah) — this is Torah" (Megillah 16b).

Chazal interpret the "light" of the verse as a reference to Torah.

וכ' היתה אורה.

And it is written, "there was (haysah) light."

The Sefas Emes notes the precise wording — "there was" light — which he will read as referring to a particular light.

פי' אור הגנוז דכתיב יהי אור ויהי אור דרשו חז"ל שאור הראשון נגנז.

The meaning is the hidden light (ohr haganuz), of which it is written, "Let there be light, and there was light" (Bereishis 1:3) — Chazal expounded that the original light was hidden away.

"There was light" alludes to the primordial light of Creation, which Chazal teach was concealed for the righteous in the future.

לכן כתיב ויהי לשון צרה.

Therefore it is written "vayehi" (and there was), which is a term connoting distress.

Chazal note that "vayehi" often signals trouble. Here it hints at the loss felt when the light was hidden away.

שאין האור מתגלה בשלימות בעוה"ז.

For the light is not revealed in its completeness in this world.

The distress is that this hidden light cannot shine fully in our world.

לכן כתיב בכל הימים ויהי ערב ויהי בוקר.

Therefore it is written, regarding all the days, "and there was (vayehi) evening and there was morning."

Each day of Creation uses "vayehi," signaling that on no day was the light revealed in full.

שלא הי' האור בשלימות.

For the light was not in its completeness.

The repeated "vayehi" marks the incompleteness of the light throughout the days of Creation.

וכאן כתיב היתה אורה.

But here it is written, "there was (haysah) light."

The Megillah's verse uses the form "haysah" rather than "vayehi" — pointing to a different, joyful quality.

והיה לשון שמחה שנתגלה אור הראשון.

And "hayah" is a term connoting joy — that the original light was revealed.

In contrast to "vayehi" of distress, "haysah" connotes joy, hinting that on Purim the original hidden light was actually revealed.

ואיתא במדרש נמנעה השמחה מן הרשעים כו' שהוצרך הקב"ה לישב עם ב"ו בנר.

And it is brought in the Midrash that joy was withheld from the wicked … for Hashem had, as it were, to sit with flesh and blood by lamplight.

The Midrash (referenced to Beha'aloscha) teaches that complete joy belongs to the hidden light. In this world, where that light is concealed, Hashem "dwells with man by lamplight" — by a lesser, partial illumination.

ע"ש פ' בהעלותך.

See there, in parshas Beha'aloscha.

He refers the reader to his comments on Beha'aloscha for the fuller treatment.

והיינו דאור הגנוז בו השמחה השלימה באור פני מלך חיים ובפורים מזה האור ניתן חיים לכל ישראל.

And this means that in the hidden light is the complete joy, in "the light of the King's face is life" (Mishlei 16:15); and on Purim, from this light, life was given to all of Yisrael.

Complete joy resides in the hidden light, which is the very "light of the King's face" that bestows life. On Purim a flash of that light shone, granting renewed life to all of Klal Yisrael.

ובאמת בשעת מתן תורה הי' גילוי מאור הגנוז.

And in truth, at the time of Matan Torah there was a revelation of the hidden light.

At the giving of the Torah, the hidden light had been openly revealed to Bnei Yisrael.

וע"י החטא נפלו בנ"י מדרגא זו.

And through the sin, Bnei Yisrael fell from this level.

The sin of the Golden Calf caused them to lose that exalted level of revealed light.

ובפורים נתחדש קבלת התורה ונגלה אור הגנוז.

And on Purim the receiving of the Torah was renewed, and the hidden light was revealed.

Chazal teach that on Purim Bnei Yisrael re-accepted the Torah willingly. With that renewal, the hidden light was once again revealed.

כל החטא מעגל בא ג"כ ע"י עמלק שקרך בדרך.

The entire sin of the Calf also came about through Amalek — "who happened upon you on the way" (Devarim 25:18).

The Sefas Emes links the Calf to Amalek: Amalek's "cooling" attack opened the door to that sin, just as the verse says he "chanced upon" Israel.

ולכן בכל מחיית עמלק יש מחילת החטא.

Therefore, in every blotting-out of Amalek there is forgiveness of the sin.

Since Amalek was the root cause of the Calf, defeating Amalek — as on Purim — brings atonement for that very sin.

וכ"כ וחמת המלך שככה.

And so it is written, "and the wrath of the king subsided" (Esther 7:10).

The verse hints that with Haman's (Amalek's) downfall, the King's wrath — the residue of the Calf's sin — was calmed.

אע"ג דכתיב ביום פקדי שנשאר רושם החטא.

Even though it is written, "on the day that I make My account [I will account this sin]" (Shemos 32:34), indicating that an impression of the sin remained.

Although Hashem said the Calf's sin would leave a lasting trace, reckoned in later times of judgment.

מ"מ בעת רצון נמחה זה החטא כמ"ש גם אלה תשכחנה:

Nevertheless, in a time of favor (eis ratzon) this sin is erased, as it says, "even these will be forgotten" (Yeshayahu 49:15).

Yet in a moment of divine favor such as Purim, even that lingering trace of the sin is wiped away — "even these will be forgotten."

Summary: "The Jews had light" — and "light is Torah," specifically the hidden light of Creation. The Sefas Emes contrasts "vayehi" (distress, because the light was never fully revealed in the days of Creation) with the Megillah's "haysah" (joy), teaching that on Purim the hidden light was actually revealed, giving life to all Yisrael. This light had first shone at Matan Torah but was lost through the sin of the Golden Calf — a sin rooted in Amalek. Therefore Purim's blotting-out of Amalek renewed the acceptance of Torah, revealed the hidden light again, and, in that time of favor, erased even the lingering trace of the Calf's sin.