Megillat Esther

Megillat Esther opens with King Achashverosh hosting a gala celebration. During this famous party, he shows off the spoils of the Be HaMikdash, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians several decades earlier. According to the Gemara in Massechet Megilla, Achashverosh even wore the clothing of the Kohein Gadol, and wine was served directly out of the holy vessels of the Bet HaMikdash

וְהַשְׁקוֹת֙ בִּכְלֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב וְכֵלִ֖ים מִכֵּלִ֣ים שׁוֹנִ֑ים וְיֵ֥ין מַלְכ֛וּת רָ֖ב כְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Royal wine was served in abundance, as befits a king, in golden beakers, beakers of varied design. (Esther 1:7)

These acts of desecration were an affront to God, and a sign of disrespect to the Jewish people, humiliating them throughout his kingdom.

But as loyal subjects of the king, and loyal citizens of Shushan, members of the Jewish community attended this celebration, despite Mordechai, a leader of the Jewish community, warning them not to go, as this was essentially a celebration of the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash - our greatest nation tragedy. The equivalent today would be to join in a celebration of the Holocaust, instead of mourning all those Jews who were slaughtered.

The Gemara goes on to explain that during the feast, the Jews in attendance ate Achashverosh’s non-Kosher food. They acted as if they were Persians, assimilating into their culture, as opposed to acting as Jews.

It was because of this participation in the feast that God punished the Jewish people with Haman’s decree of extermination

But due to the courage efforts of Mordechai and Esther, who proudly displayed their Jewish identity, this decree was rescinded. Mordechai was not afraid to say no to Haman, when he refused to bow to him - as a Jew does not bow to a man. Esther proudly stated that she was part of the Jewish people that Haman wanted to destroy. Mordechai and Esther’s behavior was the exact opposite of the Jewish assimilation that happened at the beginning of the Purim story. So when assimilation led to God’s decree against the Jewish people, Jewish pride led to the rescinding of this decree. Sadly, assimilation is all too easy and all too common for the Jews living outside of Israel today. It’s more fun to join in with the local gentile culture, eat in their restaurant and participate in their celebrations. More Jews in America have Christmas trees than keep Shabbat or Kashrut. Fortunately, we have our own Jewish State in our own Jewish Land. Assimilation into Israeli society means assimilating into Judaism. The local celebrations are Jewish celebrations. After the Purim story ends, the book of Nechemia tells us that Mordechai came to Israel to help rebuild the Bet HaMikdash. Mordechai, despite his exalted position in Shushan in the King’s court, understood the dangers of assimilating into diaspora gentile culture. He again demonstrated Jewish pride by coming to the land of Israel, and participating in building the Bet HaMikdash. The parallels to today’s Jewish society are all too obvious.

כִּ֣י ׀ מׇרְדֳּכַ֣י הַיְּהוּדִ֗י מִשְׁנֶה֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ וְגָדוֹל֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְרָצ֖וּי לְרֹ֣ב אֶחָ֑יו דֹּרֵ֥שׁ טוֹב֙ לְעַמּ֔וֹ וְדֹבֵ֥ר שָׁל֖וֹם לְכׇל־זַרְעֽוֹ׃

For Mordecai the Jew ranked next to King Ahasuerus and was highly regarded by the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brethren; he sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all his kindred. (Esther 10:3)