B"H

THOUGHTS ON AN ECLIPSE

Dear Friends:

Something unusual happened this Purim, and I cannot resist some additional thoughts.

Returning from the Megillah Reading after Shabbos, I happened to notice the moon.  Something was strange.  Then I realized: the moon should have been practically full, yet it appeared more like a crescent.

Was I already drunk? 

Perhaps the moon was covered by a cloud.  But, as I kept looking, the moon's shape did not change.  What was going on? 

When I returned home, my wife told me she had heard there was an eclipse.  Of all nights!  An eclipse precisely on Purim? 

I tried to understand this, and the following thoughts came to me.

Purim is a time of huge significance.  On this day the children of Israel were saved from a threat greater even than that in the recent European Holocaust.  The evil Haman desired to "destroy, to slay and to exterminate all the Jews young and old, children and women in one day." [1] We were saved from this "final solution," Haman was hanged upon the gallows he had intended for Mordechai, and the children of Israel accepted the Torah perhaps upon an even higher level than we had originally accepted it at Mount Sinai. 

Purim, therefore is a day of eternal significance.  In fact our sages tell us that Purim will be celebrated forever, even perhaps on a higher level then the Biblical holidays. The fate of nations is decided on this day.

Why was there an eclipse of the moon?

In my book WORLDSTORM, I discuss the calendars in use by the various nations.  Suffice it to say here that the children of Ishmael, the Moslem nations, use a lunar calendar.  The children of Esau, the Western nations, on the other hand, use a solar calendar.  (Thus, the secular calendar used in the Western world is based on a solar year beginning January 1.)  There are many ways in which Ishmael is related to the moon and Esau/Edom to the sun.

Our sages have told us that just before the coming of Moshiach ben Dovid, the Moslem nations will seem to be in control.  This is the Exile of Ishmael, the final portion of the Exile of Edom from which we have suffered for the past two thousand years.

Since and even before the attacks of 9/11/01, the Western powers have been at open war with the Moslem powers.  Some people think these conflicts are a product of political miscalculation, but in fact, our Great Sages predicted these wars between the children of Ishmael and the children of Esau thousands of years ago, based on the writings of our Biblical Prophets. 

And now, on the momentous day of Purim, we witness an eclipse of the moon.  What could it mean?  Could it be that the shadow of Esau, the Western Powers (remember that they are compared to the sun) is trying to eclipse the power of Ishmael, the Moslem nations?  Are the heavens informing us what is happening on earth?

Does Esau succeed in eclipsing Ishmael?

No! 

How do we know? 

Because the eclipse was not complete; the moon did not disappear.  The shadow of the earth moved on and the moon was still there!  Ishmael was not eclipsed!

Perhaps G-d is telling us that we are indeed in the predicted period when the Western powers will not be able to eclipse the Moslem powers!  Perhaps G-d is telling us that we are on the threshold of the Final Redemption and the coming of Moshiach ben Dovid, a time when civilizations will crumble just as Egypt crumbled before the Biblical Redemption of the children of Israel!

If anyone finds this frightening, that is probably understandable, but great sages of Israel tell us that if we cling to the Torah with all our strength we will be able to march into the world of the Final Redemption unhurt by the "birth pangs of Moshiach."

I want to end with beautiful words of strength that I heard on Shabbos (a few hours before the eclipse!) from the beloved Rosh Yeshiva of Sh'or Yoshuv, Rabbi Naftali Jaeger. 

We read on the Shabbos before Purim the Haftara describing the fateful encounter between King Saul and Agag, the king of Amalek.  King Saul is taken to task by the Prophet Samuel for failing to kill Agag as commanded by G-d through the Prophet.  But King Saul answers Samuel in a strange way: "I have fulfilled the word of G-d." [2]

What does he mean?  He has specifically NOT "fulfilled the word of G-d."  That is why Samuel responds, "What is this sound of sheep in my ears...."

Rabbi Jaeger gave an amazing explanation in the name of the Admor Rabbi Yisroel of Rhuzin.  How is it possible that a man of such towering greatness as King Saul could have said, "I have fulfilled the word of G-d," when in fact he had NOT fulfilled the word of G-d?   In a sense he had not, but in a sense he was speaking words of profound depth, perhaps words of prophesy. 

IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE "MISTAKE" OF KING SAUL, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO HAMAN, NO PURIM, NO ETERNAL SALVATION FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND NO RE-ACCEPTANCE OF THE TORAH IN LOVE, A RE-ACCEPTANCE THAT IS THE BASIS FOR THE ETERNAL REDEMPTION THAT WE CELEBRATE ON PURIM!

No one wants to make a mistake, especially in the service of G-d.   But these words come to teach us that even our mistakes become transformed by G-d into the ingredients of salvation.  Every morning we say, "Master of all worlds, not in the merit of our righteousness do we cast our supplications before You, but in the merit of Your abundant mercy!" 

It is not our greatness that will bring the Redemption, but the mercies of G-d.

We tend in these dark days to be depressed.  Among other things, I think that many of us worry how it is possible for us to be worthy of attaining the necessary spiritual level to merit bringing Moshiach into a world filled with such corruption.

The words of Rabbi Jaeger and the Rhizoner Rebbe should give us courage.  If we expend all our strength in the service of the Al-mighty G-d, we can be sure He will bring salvation to the world regardless of the fact that we are but "flesh and blood."  It is not in our merit that Moshiach will come, but through the mercies of the Al-mighty G-d Who has already set the process in motion! 

If we but trust in G-d we will surely see that great day soon!

Remember, my friends, on Purim the moon is not quite full.  The mastery of Esau and the mastery of Ishmael is only illusory, never complete.  We await the moment when the light of Torah fills the entire world!  May we see it soon in our days!

With blessings,

Roy S. Neuberger

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