Miracles re
all around us. The Jewish people are a
miracle; the world is a miracle; our existence is
a miracle.
Our sages explain that there are three types of miracles. When nature changes, as in the splitting of the Red Sea, or the miraculous healing of someone the doctors gave up hope on, we are face to face with a miracle. Yet nature itself, as in the sun coming up each morning, is also a miracle! Nature represents G-d’s creation following a “predictable” pattern, something from nothing. Then there is a third type of miracle, the greatest of all. This is called a “miracle in nature.” It looks like things are happening naturally, but behind the scene is the absolute hand of G-d.
Such was the miracle of Purim. All the true events which transpired, as recorded in the holy Book of Esther, appear at face value to be natural outcomes of things happening. King Ahasuerus makes a party where, in a drunken state, he invites his Queen Vashti to appear. She refuses and is sentenced to death. The king makes a beauty pageant and chooses Esther as his new queen. Mordechai, her cousin, and leader of the generation, tells Esther not to reveal her identity, and the people she comes from. Haman, the wicked prime minister plans to kill all the Jews and Esther saves the day when she approaches the king and informs him of Haman’s wicked plan. The Jews are saved and a holiday is born with the Megillah reading, gifts of food to friends, charity to the poor and feasting on the day of Purim. This year, Purim begins on Wednesday evening, March 20, and continues on Thursday, March 21. All four mitzvot need to be done on Purim day, with a Megillah reading the night prior.
So why the dress up on Purim? Of course, the story of Purim is far more nuanced than the few sentences above. In 10 chapters, Esther and Mordechai tell the story of what happened. Our sages fill in the many details behind the scenes that help us see the hand of G-d in every detail and every step of the way. Thus leading to the downfall of the wicked Haman, and the salvation of the Jewish people.
The story of Purim is the ultimate miracle. Clothed in nature, the hand of G-d is concealed. Yet every discerning individual must surely understand that each occurrence led to the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people, like pieces of a puzzle when put together bring out the beautiful picture.
So it is in our lives. We are walking miracles. Each breath we take is a miracle. Every day of our lives is a miracle. Our body functioning properly is a miracle…
Let us recognize the hand of G-d in our lives and be grateful and happy to do His bidding.
And when we open our eyes, we will see that very soon we too will witness the overcoming of evil in this world and the true and final redemption with Moshiach, when peace will reign in the whole world. May it be very soon!
Happy Purim!
Blumah Wineberg, together with her husband Rabbi Sholom Wineberg, is a longtime Chabad emissary in Kansas City.
