Book of Esther - Megillah Esther [Hebrew & English]

About 2400 years ago. About 70 years after the first temple was destroyed. The people of Israel lived in exile, in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, from India to Cush. Those in the know, know that there is a promise that the exile will come to an end when the 70 years have passed. Most Jews lived a normal life, worked, shopped, and went to Ahasuerus' feast. They are all immersed in the material life of exile and it seems as if there is no chance of redemption, no chance of returning home. An entire nation sleeps deeply in spiritual sleep.

One day the king appointed a new minister, his name is Haman, and he did not tolerate the Jews. He already had an unpleasant history with Mordechai the Jew and he manages to convince the king to impose a terrible decree on the people of Israel, a decree of destruction. In one day to rise up and kill all the Jews in the empire. Suddenly the exile becomes worse than it had been. Instead of redemption, the Jews find themselves threatened with a sharp sword around their necks.

The Story is known, we read it every year in the scroll ... we had a decree of Haman and it turned out to be a great miracle for all the Jews, everything our enemies planned turned on their heads, and the Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor. Since that miracle, every year in the month of Adar, we celebrate the holiday of Purim.

In our generation, the inner meaning of this great holiday has been almost forgotten. In most of our communities, Purim has become a holiday of food, drinking, and parties. What remains from this great joy? In the end what remains is, the joy that is rooted spiritually and immeasurably high. In this article we will try to touch the tip of it, and the internal part of Purim and understand what a wonderful opportunity is renewed for us once a year on the 14th of Adar, and what can be accomplished with that great enlightenment of Purim.

First of all, it should be well understood that holidays in Judaism are not memorial ceremonies. Holidays are happening now. The Ramchal says in the book Derech Hashem - that again that period of the holiday or the holiday will illuminate upon us the kind of light that shone then, and the result of the same light will be renewed in us. There is no spiritual absence, that the miracle that happened in Shushan could happen to us again this year. As it says in the Megillat Esther - Consequently, these days are recalled and observed in every generation: by every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim shall never cease among the Jews, and the memory of them shall never perish among their descendants. There is no end to these days of Purim. Although the memory of what is important, the doctrine of Kabbalah teaches us, that the essence of the matter in these times, is the action that works in the human soul. To learn and get to know the basics of the holiday and of course to observe the customs of Purim according to Halacha, so the great enlightenment of Purim can enlighten the soul of each of us.

Ar"i Z"L writes that the enlightenment revealed on Purim is higher than all the holidays and even from Shabbat. Even the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, is like Purim כ-פורים

The sages said that all the festivals would be canceled except for Purim. So great that Purim will stay forever.