YIGN Parsha Pundits

Parshat Tetzaveh
David Kufeld - February 25, 2010

One of our most enjoyable and anticipated chagim is Purim, yet it is easy to get lost in the pure simcha (and often frivolity) of the day, and forget the serious and sobering message that sippur Purim holds for us.

Interestingly, according to Gemarah Megilla, the rabbanim in the Persian empire were originally not going to include Megillat Esther in Tanach, as they considered the story to be of strictly local interest, but relented when Esther HaTzadeket convinced them that it had profound relevance for future eras.

These days, it doesn’t require much imagination to see the contemporary parallels with the saga of Purim. Once again we have a maniacal ben-Amalek (Ahmadinejad) plotting to eliminate all of Israel (in one day a la Haman Harash-a), abetted by the feckless and immoral Achashverosh – namely the west, led by Europe and the United States.

The hope for the entire civilized world is again embodied by our contemporary Mordechai and Esther – the State of Israel and her security forces.

The lesson for us today, however, is to really examine the actions of the Jews of Shushan and all the myriad provinces, who eagerly attended the Bacchanal Feast of Achashverosh and dined using the Kaylim of the Bet HaMikdash (yibaneh b’zman karov). How different are we from them? Would we not clamor to get the best seats? If we didn’t get an engraved invitation we would surely put the Salahis to shame with our machinations!

Like the Jews of Shushan, we ingratiate ourselves with a government that does not even recognize Yerushalayim as the capital of Israel, nor its sovereign borders. But what ties us further to our ancestors (in ignominy) is our spurning of the opportunities offered us by our modern Cyruses – Balfour and Ben Gurion.

This year, after the groggers stop cranking and the warm glow of our Seudat Purim begins to fade, let’s examine the direction of our lives before it’s too late. We must distinguish ourselves from the behavior of the Jews of Megillat Esther (which precipitated the crisis to begin with), but also learn from what finally enabled them to overcome the most horrible of enemies.

As we learn all about the laws of Bigdei Kehuna (the clothing of the Kohanim) in this week’s parshat Tetzaveh, let us strive to adorn ourselves with the Techeilet Mordechai of mitzvot and maasim tovim, and may this be the last Purim we celebrate in Chutz La-Aretz!

All YIGN members are invited to participate in this project (young, older & in-between).
Please write to Dave Kufeld (dkufeld@aol.com) to express your interest.