By Rabbi Carol Calise

The Feast of Purim is celebrated in the month of Adar, which usually falls in March. The celebration is one of great joy and fun. The traditional saying – “Be happy, it’s Adar! – is connected to this celebration. Synagogues celebrate with carnivals, costume parties and the reading of the Megillah (the book of Esther) or the telling of the story of Purim usually in some type of play. Special foods include hamantashen (“oznei Haman” in Hebrew) which is a three-cornered filled pastry that reminds us of the villain of the story. (Tradition says he wore a three-cornered hat.)

This holiday commemorates the deliverance of our Jewish people through Queen Hadassah (Esther) as told to us in the book of Ester in the Tenach. Our Jewish people were in exile in Persia. An evil plot to destroy them was concocted by a man named Haman. This man was hungry for power and had a personal vendetta to destroy the Jewish people. Through a series of events Hadassah had become queen of Persia but never revealed her Jewish identity. She had been raised by her cousin Mordecai who continued to counsel her while she was in the palace. When Haman plotted to kill all the Jewish people in the kingdom, Hadassah was the only person in a position to stop him. She called upon her people to join her in a fast for three days. Then she approached the king, revealed her identity, and begged for mercy for her and her people. The king, shocked to hear of Haman’s scheme, had Haman hung on a gallows he had built for cousin Mordecai and gave the Jewish people permission to protect themselves from anyone who would seek to harm them.

Throughout the book of Ester we see several important spiritual truths to encourage us. First and foremost is that Adonai always protects and defends the Jewish people. Throughout the centuries HaSatan has sought to destroy our people. He wants to thwart the plans of Adonai for them. However, Adonai promises us that He will always protect and defend us. He will never leave us alone. His power is greater than any force of darkness. He declares, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”

We also see that Adonai has a destiny for each of our lives. Adonai had strategically placed Hadassah in the palace for such a time as this. I’m sure this is not the course she would have chosen on her own. Yet, her presence in the palace was the means Adonai use to save an entire nation. Sometimes we do not understand why Adonai takes us into certain situations and circumstances. But we can be assured that He has a purpose and a plan for each of us. In His word He promises us, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and to give you a hope and a future.” If we will listen and follow Him closely, He will lead us into His destiny for our lives. Though the way be unfamiliar, in the end we will see, as did Hadassah, that “His ways are higher than our ways and that His thoughts are greater than our thoughts.” Walking in His destiny for our lives enables us to experience the peace and results in the greatest fulfillment as we see Adonai working and moving through us to perform His purposes on the earth.