B"H
THOUGHTS BEFORE PURIM
Dear
Friends:
Some
years ago I heard a tape by Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, the beloved Mashgiach of Bais
Medrash Govoha in Lakewood. Rabbi Salomon spoke
just before Shavuos and just after a tragedy had engulfed
the Lakewood community. People were asking how
it would be possible to enter the holiday in a spirit of simcha, happiness.
Rabbi Salomon took upon himself the challenge of healing the
community.
Now
we face a similar situation. People ask, "How can we
enter Purim when the entire Nation of Israel is in mourning
over the events of the past few weeks?" I think it
appropriate at this time to tell over what Rabbi Matisyahu
Salomon said on that tape. These are my recollections
of his words; if any detail is incorrect the responsibility
is mine.
A
few years after the Second World War, a small group of survivors
from Europe arrived in Israel by ship. They were physically
and spiritually like dead men, having lost everything in the
torture and chaos of wartime Europe. Docking in Tel Aviv,
they felt they had no strength or hope to go on with their
lives. They had heard, however, that the Belzer Rebbe
(who himself had lost almost his entire family in the war),
was in Tel Aviv, and decided to go to the Rebbe for chizzuk, strength
to go on. This is what he told them.
"Do
you know where in the Torah we find a reference to t'chias
hamaisim (resurrection of the dead)? It is well
known that our rabbis found a hint in the Song that the Children
of Israel sang at the Red Sea after their escape from Egypt
and the drowning of their pursuers. [1] The
words 'az yoshir Moshe' imply a future redemption
after our final escape from our enemies at the end of history,
implying that 'Moshe WILL sing' a song in the future, rather
than that 'Moshe sang a song.' But why did the Torah
insert the reference at this particular place? It could
have been anywhere.
"Try
to understand what was happening to the Children of Israel
at that time: they had just come from Egypt. Our rabbis
tell us that during the Ninth Plague (Darkness) four-fifths
of the Children of Israel had died, possibly because they were
reluctant to follow Moshe Rabbeinu out of Egypt. Whatever
the reason, there was not one person among Am Yisroel who was
not in mourning as they left Egypt. All of them had lost
close family members.
"How
is it possible that a Nation in mourning should be able to
stand at the shores of the Red Sea and sing Shira,
a song praising G-d , which is considered the highest level
of simcha, happiness? How can one person, let
alone an entire nation, be transformed in one moment from a
state of mourning to the highest level of happiness?
"The
answer is that they understood at that moment the concept of t'chias
hamaisim, resurrection of the dead. Those who
had left them would come back."
We
who cleave to G-d transcend death.
The
second blessing in Shemona Esreh praises G-d for resuscitating
the dead. Every day, at least three times a day, we repeat
this blessing. We who keep the Torah are beyond death. We
who cling to the Eternal G-d achieve eternity.
As
we approach Purim amidst a world of tragedy, danger and confusion,
we would do well to remember that G-d promises "safe conduct" to
those who adhere to His Holy Law, but our view stretches to
eternity, beyond this world. Whatever happens to any
individual, we are promised an eternity of protection under
His wings. "Indeed, He will hide me in His Shelter on the day
of evil; He will conceal me in ... His tent, He will lift me
upon a rock." [2]
As
Queen Esther said to Mordechai, "assemble all the Jews ...
and fast for me.... I will come to the king though it is unlawful;
and if I perish, I perish." [3] On
this fast day, we must assemble as one and take our prayers
seriously. We are now fighting for our lives, just as
the Jews did in the time of Mordechai and Esther. If
we keep this in mind, then G-d may have mercy on us and enable
to us to live. I know in my own case, I often approach
prayer and life in general with an attitude of nonchalance
which is not appropriate to this era in which we live.
My
friends, we are approaching the days which will mark the end
of our two-thousand year Exile and the beginning of the days
of Moshiach ben Dovid. It will NOT be "business
as usual." Our present way of life, the domination of
our world by the descendants of Ishmael and Esau will NOT continue
forever. The world of Moshiach will be very
different. But in order to survive, we will have to root
out the influence of those foreign cultures within ourselves. Apparently,
eighty percent of our ancestors in Egypt were not prepared
to leave Egypt. Are we prepared to leave our present
cultures to enter the world of Moshiach?
These
are the questions we must ask ourselves.
May
G-d strengthen us in Torah and Avoda. May He
purify our souls to serve Him with complete devotion so that
we may fulfill the words of Megillas Esther, "The
Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor." [4] May
we see this as an eternal blessing soon in our days!
With
eternal hope amidst darkness,
Roy
S. Neuberger
© Copyright
2008 by Roy S. Neuberger
[1] Shmos
15:1
[2] Psalm
27
[3] Megillas
Esther 4:16
[4] Megillas
Esther 8:16
