PURIM REFLECTIONS
Upon examining the ninth chapter of Megillas Esther very closely, we find the actual word Purim recorded five times. “Therefore, did they call these days Purim…..” (Esther 9:26) “And these days of Purim will never vanish from the Jews…..” (Esther 9:28) “…..To fulfill this second letter of Purim.” (Esther 9:29) “To fulfill these days of Purim in their times…..” (Esther 9:31) “And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim…..” (Esther 9:32)
The Chaishek Shlomo instructs that these five references of Purim coincide with the five possible days of reading the Megillah. The first Mishna in the Gemarah of Megillah- based on ‘to fulfill these days of Purim in their times’- instructs that there are five possible days when the Megillah may be recited- the 11th (of Adar), the 12th, the 13th, the 14th, and the 15th- no earlier, and no later.

Now, the 15th is reserved for those cities which were surrounded by a wall from the time of Yehoshua (even if that wall does not exist anymore). Throughout the Persian Empire, the Jews fought their enemies on the 13th day of Adar, and celebrated Purim on the 14th. However, in the capital city of the Persian Empire- Shushan (a walled city)- they fought their enemies on the 13th and 14th days of Adar, and celebrated Purim on the 15th- or, Shushan Purim as we refer to it. Therefore, Jews living in un-walled cities have more of an affiliation with the Jews of the Persian Empire (14th), and Jews living in walled cities have more of an affiliation with the Jews of Shushan (15th).

However, Jews in the outer villages may have the Megillah recited for them early (these villagers were not expert in reciting the Megillah)- based on the Yom HaKenissah (day of entering). What exactly is this Yom HaKenissah? Monday and Thursday are each a Yom HaKenissah.

Rashi explains that the Batei Din (Rabbinical courts) in large cities would sit in session on Monday and Thursday, based on the Takanah (edict) of Ezra. The outer villagers would enter the large cities on Mondays and Thursdays to have their litigations settled by Bais Din. That is, these outer villagers had no expert Dayanim (judges) in their own communities, and depended on the Batei Din of the larger cities.

The Rabbeinu Chananel teaches that Mondays and Thursdays are always referred to as Yom HaKenissah, because the people of the outer villages did not have their own Minyanin- they could not necessarily gather ten men. Hence, on Mondays and Thursdays, these villagers would enter a large city to Daven with a Minyan, and hear the reading of the Torah.

Therefore, when the 11th, 12th, and 13th fall on a Yom HaKenissah, the Megillah is recited for these outer villagers on these days, and they are not inconvenienced to return to the larger cities on the 14th to hear the Megillah. Of course, if the 14th falls on a Monday or Thursday- when the outer villagers will be in the large cities in any event- the Megillah is not recited any earlier for them.

Continuing with the Chaishek Shlomo, we find that two of these five references of Purim in Esther are written in full form- with the Hebrew letter ‘Vov’ included. Three of the five references are written in partial form, without the letter ‘Vov.’ The two full references of Purim signify that there are really only two official days of Purim- the 14th (for the un-walled Jews) and the 15th (for walled Jews- Shushan Purim). The three partial references of Purim signify the 11th, 12th, and 13th- where only the recitation of the Megillah and Matanos Lo’Evyonim (gifts to the poor) take place- without any actual Simcha (joy)- which is only reserved for the 14th and 15th, depending on location.

From a more elementary perspective, the name of the Holiday- Purim- imparts other fascinating information. In the Megillah we find, ‘Therefore, did they call these days Purim after the name of Pur…..’ (Esther 9:26) At first glance, this Pur (lottery) seemingly refers to the lots thrown by Haman HaRasha, to determine the best day for the destruction of the Jews in the Persian Empire. Now, this is very odd indeed, because Yomim Tovim are generally named after their most positive aspects, and after the redemption of Jews in those times. They are not named for the endeavors of our enemies to destroy us.

As an example, the other Rabbinical Yom Tov of Chanukah is not named for the enemy Antiochus, or for those Jews who Hellenized themselves at the time. Rather, its name refers to the dedication of the 2nd Bais HaMikdash from the contamination of the Greeks- a name of victory and redemption. Pesach is named for the fact that the houses of the Bnai Yisroel were ‘passed over’ on the night of Makkas Bechoros (slaying of the first born of Egypt). The Yom Tov is not named after the bondage of Bnai Yisroel to Mitzrayim (Egypt). Why then, is Purim named after the evil lottery of Haman HaRasha? Could not a more positive name be utilized- something that would signify Mordechai and Esther- the source of the entire salvation from this very lottery?

The Midrash Yosiphun teaches however, that the singular form- ‘Pur’ (one lot of the lottery) appears three times in Megillas Esther. “…..They cast the Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman…..” (Esther 3:7) “…..And had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them…..” (Esther 9:24) “Therefore, did they call these days Purim after the name of the Pur…..” (Esther 9:26)

In the first two instances of Pur, the Megillah writes, ‘that is the lot’- a reference to the endeavors of Haman HaRasha. However, in the last instance of Pur, there is no mention of any lottery against the Jews- and no definition of what the word Pur means. And, in this case the word Pur does not mean or refer to any such lottery, as it does in the Persian language (Ibn Ezra). Rather, the word Pur can be translated into the Hebrew for ‘making void’- as the Torah refers to someone voiding a Neder (an oath). When a husband hears his wife making a Neder that he does not wish her to keep, the Torah states, “…..Then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that she uttered with her lips, with which she bound her soul, void…….” (Bamidbar 30:9) Haforah- the voiding of Nedarim- is of the same root in Hebrew as Pur.

And so, continues the Midrash Yosiphun, while Haman HaRasha cast his own Pur to destroy the Jews of Persia, HaKadosh Baruch Hu enabled His own Pur- His voiding the intentions of Haman- into play. That is why the Yom Tov is named Purim- not for the destructive lottery of Haman, but rather for the voiding of Haman’s harmful intentions. And here, as in other Yomim Tovim, the day is named for its positive aspects- for its redemption of Persian Jewry.
In the third chapter of Esther, Haman, in an attempt to vilify the Jews, says to Achashveirosh, “There is a certain nation (the Jews) scattered and strewn amidst the other nations throughout your kingdom, their religion is different from all the people, and they do not abide by the king’s laws……” (Esther 3:8) The Midrash Rabbah notes that the Hebrew word in this Passuk for ‘there is’- is ‘Yeshno’- a derivative of Shainah- or sleep. According to the Rabbah, what Haman actually related to the king was, “He, of Whom it is said, ‘…..HaShem is one’ (Devarim 6:4), is actually asleep to His people.” However, when HaKadosh Baruch Hu heard this, He stated, “There is no sleep for Me, as is stated, ‘He does neither slumber nor sleep, the guardian of Yisroel’ (Tehillim 121:4)- and you say that sleep does affect Me! As you live, I will awake (from the semblance) of sleep against you, and destroy you from the world!” And so it is written, “Then HaShem awaked as one asleep…..and struck His enemies backwards.” (Tehillim 78:65- 66)

And that is one of the essential lessons of Purim- that the vigil of HaShem in protecting His nation is continuous- without interruption. May we constantly merit this protective vigil, and may we see the Geulah Shelaimah speedily in our days.