In many Jewish communities Purim jesters visit homes to enliven the festivities and collect money for worthy causes. They sing a famous Yiddish song-song that roughly translates to this: “Today is Purim, tomorrow no more. Give me a dollar and throw me out the door.”
Today is the day after Purim. Is Purim truly no more?
For the last two weeks we’ve been studying the Megillah at our Tuesday night classes and many were surprised to discover that the miracle of Purim was an episode that extended for close to a year. Often storytellers make it seem as if once Haman was killed the Jews lived happily ever after...
That's not what happened.
Haman cast his lots two days before Passover and scheduled the Final Solution for eleven months down the line. Mordechai and Esther swiftly sprung to action and within three days Haman was hanging from the gallows, but his murderous decree was still very much alive. Since it was signed with the king's signet ring, so long Achashveirosh remained in power the Jews still faced a terrifying end.
Even after Esther begged and pleaded that he rescind the decree, the mighty king demurred claiming it was against “the process.” Once a decree was stamped with the royal signet ring it was unchangeable. For two months Mordechai and Esther petitioned incessantly, until Achashveirosh agreed to issue a counter decree that the Jews should defend themselves on the day they were condemned to death. By no means had the danger passed until they were victorious the next year.
The decree had an interesting loophole. It only targeted “Yehudim” which referred specifically to Jews who refused to become heathens. A Jew that would forsake his or her faith in G-d would be spared death. Nevertheless, not one Jew used the loophole.
It was the first time that the entire Jewish nation faced such a test of faith and they passed it with flying colors. For a full year, every single Jew clung to the Jewish faith under penalty of death.
It emerges that the miracle of Purim did not only unfold in the halls of power. It was manifest in the behavior of every Jewish man, woman and child for the duration of an entire year. Their deepest connection to G-d was on full display every single day.
More than any other holiday, Purim teaches us that Torah and Mitzvot are not exclusive to special times and places. Judaism is not only relevant on Shabbat and Festivals, in the synagogue, around the seder table or next to the menorah. We are Jews every moment of the day, wherever we are.
Turns out that every day is Purim.