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The underlying theme of the Purim story is hiddenness. Esther hides the fact that she’s Jewish – that’s why she’s referred to as "Esther" – which means "hidden" - and not by her real name, Hadassa. Mordechai, too, hides the fact that he’s related to Esther (& certainly that he is married to her!) for otherwise Achashverosh would certainly have known her lineage.
Hashem, too, is "hiding, in a sense, because this is one of only two books in all of Tanach (along with Shir HaShirim) where G-d’s outright name is absent. In fact, the visible hand of Hashem is nowhere to be seen; nothing at all supernatural occurs in the Megila. Things just…happen:
- Esther "just happens" to be crowned Queen at not one, but two beauty contests; - Mordechai "just happens" to overhear a plot against the king, & his act "just happens" to be forgotten until exactly the right moment; - Haman "just happens" to build a gallows in eye-view of Achashverosh, so there is a convenient - & ironic – way to dispose of the madman when the time comes.
As these various events transpired in "real time," no doubt they seemed by the local public to be disconnected & haphazard, fortuitous as they may have been. But when they are seen from above – or from beyond, long after the story has ended – they form an intricate pattern that defies randomness & screams out Hashgacha Pratit, Divine supervision.
Unlike the events of Pesach, when nature is dramatically suspended & all manner of outright miracles bombard our senses, here the choice remains ours to make. Will we chalk up all these various inter-weaving occurrences to chance or to coincidence, or will we acknowledge that some overriding force – hidden & behind the curtain as He may be – is painstakingly directing the action to a greater goal?
It is far from an easy choice to make. Indeed, Esther had to plead passionately with the rabbis to include these Purim events in Tanach, & she was met with a lot of resistance. Part of that may have been due to the fact that glorifying the marriage of a devout Jewish woman to a non-Jew - king though he be - was not something they wanted to publicize. But they may also have wondered if future readers would get the message that Hashem is ever-present, even when His actions are hidden & invisible.
We generally view world events through a glass, darkly. But Purim bids us to see through the fog & spot the truth, and to confirm the adage: "Had I not believed it, I never would have seen it."
Rabbis in Midrash
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Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 2
The King of the Kazars, in his search for truth, starts by inviting the philosopher. This is a "crash-course" on Aristotelian philosophy and the reasons why the king is not convinced. Through this dialogue, R. Yehuda HaLevi already foreshadows some of his central ideas that will appear later.
Shavuot "Love of Torah = Love of Israel"- for Shavuot
People often identify Judaism as just a religion, but upon examination, we see, even halachically and explicitly in the siddur, that the Torah is dependent upon Am Yisrael, Jewish nationalism.
Ein Aya The Middle-Child & Anti-Tzni'ut Syndrome- Negative Attention
Although tzni'ut is for men just like women, Rav Kook deals here with the sources in Yishayahu and the Talmud which deals with the special problem of lack of tzni'ut in women's dress and actions, where it's not just a problem of midot and character traits, but also can include practical, social and national ramifications, as well, which caused the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and exile from Israel. The class continues the previous one (Ayn Aya Shabbat vi, 29), and is a must for all educators and parents of high-school aged and young adults.
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts