The Misfortune of Purim

Woe: We have Tzorus!

The Talmud makes an observation. Wherever the Torah uses the word vayehi-and it was it is an expression of misfortune or pain. It is compounded when it is followed by the word bimei-in the days of.

One of the prime examples of this is the opening two words of the Megillah. Scroll of Esther: “Vayehi bimei.

Presumably, the misfortune the Megillah is alluding to is the decree of annihilation of the Jewish people, but that does not appear until much later. Why would that misfortune be hinted at the very outset? And if we are basing it on what happened much latter, why stop there? The end of the Megillah is rather positive.

Celebrating at the Wrong Party

One simple answer: The party that Achashveirosh threw was a tzoro, because the Jews “had pleasure in the party of that wicked man.” The Jews were faulted for attending and enjoying that party because it marked the celebration of their defeat.

To better understand this point we have to go back to Achashveirosh’s predecessor, Cyrus who allowed the building of the Second Temple. When Achashveirosh assumed leadership he stopped the building of Bais Hamikdosh. He was apprehensive that it would undermine his sovereignty.

This, our Sages reveal, is why he told Esther “I will give you up to half of my kingdom,” implying not the whole. He thought Esther might be asking for the Jews to get permission to continue building the Temple.

When 70 years past, according to his calculations, and the Temple had not been restored he was confident that the predictions to its restoration were not going to materialize.

At that point Achashveirosh threw the two parties that celebrated his triumph over Israel. Because of the smug feeling he had, he was brazen enough to use the vessels of the Temple that were in captivity.

The fact that the Jewish people came to the party and enjoyed being there was a Chilul Hashem, a desecration of G-d’s name. To enjoy a party that celebrated their defeat and the “defeat” of G-d’s plan was a horrible degradation.

And it was this transgression that precipitated Haman’s decree.

That is what the Talmud was referring to when it says that the Megillah begins with misfortune; it is the misfortune of the party the Jews happily attended.

The Problem is the need for a Hint!

However, the Rebbe asked that this still does not fully satisfy the question where is the misfortune at the beginning of the Megillah.

The premise for the question is a Midrashic interpretation that the word Achashveirosh— the first word after the words “and it was in the days of” is a composite of the words, “Mi sheacharis v’reishis shelo-the One to whom the beginning and end belongs.” This word alludes to G-d Himself who transcends time and space.

Why then, the Rebbe asks, is this considered a misfortune, if G-d Himself is hinted in the very first word that follows the opening words that usually suggest misfortune?

The Rebbe answered that the misfortune is that G-d was only present in a hint. The fact that G-d’s presence was concealed is the greatest misfortune that led to all the others.

This si the rationale, the Talmud gives for not reciting the Hallel psalms on Purim to extol G-d for His miracles because even after the miracle we remained subjects of Achashveirosh. This means that G-d remained in a hint even after the miracle of Purim. That is the great misfortune that we pray will end with the true and complete Redemption!

From the book Light from the Future: Purim by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.