What a week.
I think my wife and I had to go to war against four different opponents in four different areas in life. Some of them major, some of them, not so.
I always joke with her, “the reason that mitzvos between man and his fellow men, are so difficult for us, is because other people exist.”
I’m glad Shabbos is here.
There are a few things that makes Purim and Pesach similar. Hashem performed miracles. The Jewish people were saved. Both eventually led to our settlement in Eretz Yisroel. However, there are also a few differences. With Pesach, we were brought out by a promise to Avraham. And even with that promise, we needed to do something to make us worthy. We did bris mila and korban Pesach. And those two mitzvos helped give us the merit of redemption.
Purim however, was different. With Purim, we had a death sentence hanging over us. There was nothing for us to do. No mitzvos to earn merit. No forefathers’ merit to call on our behalf. Our backs were to the wall and we had absolutely nowhere to go. The only thing we could do was simply beg and hope that Hashem would step in. As Rav Shimshon Pincus said, “In times where we must awaken mercy, there is no place for hishtadlus."
Purim is a time where we realize “there is only Hashem." That is why we get drunk. We try to get to the point where we are unable to see "reality" and begin to see reality.
Rav Pinkus continues, “The point of the davening during Purim is to ask Hashem to rip up the current judgement and to help us begin anew. It is a time where the gates of Heaven are open and the ability to change our situation is available."
It’s not through mitzvos. It’s not through segulas. It’s simply davening that Hashem should have mercy on us, knowing that EVERYTHING is in His hands.
Many use Purim as an excuse to get drunk and have a good time. There is certainly a mitzvah to enjoy Purim and to celebrate it, however, it’s a much deeper time than we think. It’s a time where we hit the point where we are honestly able to say, “there is only Hashem."
With that, I leave you with a wonderful Shabbos and a meaningful Purim!