Close To Torah

This series title will probably have many different meanings to different people! We all would love to celebrate the festive and exciting day of Purim throughout every moment of our lives! So what is my objective here? I strive to take one verse or theme found in the stirring Sefer of Megillas Esther and show how beautiful and relevant its’ message is for us at all times and not just once a year!

Purim is a Yom Tov who’s very mention evokes many fond memories. Megillah reading, Haman banging, meshloach manos, and family celebrations! Indeed many people look forward to the arrival of this sacred holiday all year!

The purpose of this series is to illustrate how one can learn many practical lessons for how to serve Hashem and how to live a happy and productive Torah life from the verses of the Megillah and from the story of Purim itself. Every topic discussed will be one complete self-contained thought, exploring a relevant message which the Megillah brings out to us. Though a sensitive eye will discern the collective themes of the entire series!

It is my sincere hope that the reader will find the topics discussed to be both thought-provoking and inspirational. If I have encouraged one to look at the Megillah, and Torah in general, with a deeper appreciation towards gleaning its’ timeless lessons, then indeed I have fulfilled my wish.

May Hashem guide me to interpret His holy Torah correctly, and may the lessons contained here be shared properly from my heart and enter gently and smoothly into your heart. May we all merit to serve Hashem to our fullest and to celebrate Purim’s lessons all year round!

Why Learn This All From Esther?

“Very nice idea,” you’re thinking, “but why did you choose Megillas Esther as the place from which to extrapolate lessons for life, is not the entire Torah meant to be instructions for how to live?!”

Excellent question! A most appropriate place for us to begin. Please listen carefully as I explain the first idea which I would like to share. This perhaps could encapsulate the entire theme of this series and will certainly give one the ability to take all of the concepts and lessons contained within to their fullest degree.

You are fully correct in stating that all of Torah is our guide to life, so what makes Megillas Esther unique?

It’s So Easy!

In order to delve into the lessons of Torah, it is necessary for one to be familiar with the Torah topic which is being discussed. Before one can show the depth of a Torah verse or topic, he must first make sure that his listener is somewhat familiar with the actual matter being explored. Thus, Esther has a distinct advantage in this domain for two reasons. Firstly, its’ storyline and even actual text is well known by many Jews, young and old. Consequently, when discussing Esther, we have the lead in that we are able to jump right into the depth!

Secondly, the story itself is a semi-short, self contained narration, and a most thrilling description of events which are easy to follow and attention-grabbing! Thus, we have the ability here to develop the depth of many points.

Going Deeper-Microcosm of Lessons

In truth it is really much deeper than that. Chazal (Shabbos 88a) teach us that the Jew’s acceptance of the Torah at Sinai was not fully binding. They had been partially forced and therefore could claim that their acceptance was not totally from their own freewill. After the Purim miracle the Jews then made a commitment for themselves and for all future generations that they would now reaccepted the Torah, totally on their own accord and their acceptance could no longer be rescinded. Thus, we may suggest that Megillas Esther, which records the events that led up to their true acceptance of the Torah and contains hints to the actual reacceptance as well, is like the Torah itself which contains all of the practical lessons in the world. It is like the original Torah which they accepted at Sinai which has all of the eternal truths in it.

Additionally, our Holy Sefarim call the miracle of Purim, “Techiyas Hamasim, resurrection of the dead.” This means that the Jewish people’s fate was signed and sealed by Hashem to be annihilated. When they repented whole-heartedly Hashem then rescinded the decree and gave them life. This is an element of resurrection from a state of eminent death. Thus, the deliverance from the adversity was like a new start at life for the Jewish Nation. This ties into the above thought as well that Megillas Esther encapsulates all Torah ideas. Just as when a child is born, his body contains the miniature form of his future self, in a microcosmic way, so too the Megillah itself which discusses the amazing resurrection which the Jews underwent, contains a hint to all of the great lessons of the Chumash itself. This is hinted to by the rebirth of Klal Yisrael.

The lesson is that when one contemplates Torah he will find much depth and understanding that will guide and shape the way he thinks and lives!

Hence, I chose Purim and Megillas Esther as the starting point from which we can discuss and colorfully illustrate many of the important foundations of our faith. In each essay I will try to show an idea learned from Purim and how it can be lived everyday of the year!

I welcome you to this fun project and look forward to growing together with you!

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Machshuvah Megillas Esther