Purim - Then and Now
Remembered and Reenacted
One of the Purim mitzvot is the reading of the Megillah - the Scroll
of Esther, in which the miracle of Purim is recounted. The Talmud tells
us that "whoever reads the Megillah backwards does not fulfill his
obligation." Our Sages explain that "backwards" does not
only mean in reverse order; it also means that whoever reads the Megillah
merely as ancient history has missed the point. The Purim story is directly
relevant to our contemporary world. As the Megillah itself tells us, that
when we celebrate Purim each year, the miraculous events of Purim are "remembered
and reenacted" in our lives.
Haman, Then and Now
One does not have to look far to find Haman's modern-day heirs. Now,
as then, there are evil schemers who seek to scapegoat the Jewish people
and -- Heaven forfend -- to erase us from the face of the earth. Each time
they rise up to destroy us, their schemes are foiled by the miraculous Hand
of G-d. The most striking example in recent times was the Persian Gulf War
that ended victoriously on Purim, 5751 (1991).
From Redemption to Redemption
Throughout our history, we have seen miracles. Despite centuries upon
centuries of persecution, we have survived and flourished, by the Grace
of G-d. Yet we have remained in exile for nearly 2,000 years, hoping and
praying for the final and complete Redemption -- the Redemption that will
end suffering and exile forever. May the observance of Purim be a precursor
to the coming of Moshiach, our Righteous Redeemer, whose imminent arrival
will bring about a better life for all the nations of the world
