5785/2025
At a time when our enemies are once again trying to destroy us, we must turn to the story of Purim and learn from its timeless lesson of Jewish survival.
In Manot HaLevi, Rav Shlomo Alkabetz’s commentary to the Megillah, he wonders why the Purim celebration specifically demands the mitzvah of Mishlo’ach Manot. What about the Purim miracle inspired Mordechai and Esther to obligate each of us to share food with one another? Rav Shlomo Alkabetz answers by pointing to the very reason Bnei Yisrael got in this mess with Haman in the first place. When we look at Haman’s justification for killing the Jewish people he describes us as being “Mefuzar U’Meforad Bein Ha’amim”, “A nation that is separated and scattered among the nations” (Esther 3:8). Haman understood that when we aren’t a unified people, but a people scattered and divided, then we are vulnerable to attack. Thus, what must happen for the decree of Haman to be reversed? When Esther tells Mordechai that we need to fast and daven before she approaches Achashverosh, she says: “Lech Kenos Kol HaYehudim”, “go and gather the entire Jewish people” (Esther 4:16). If we want to overcome Haman, we have to fast and daven, but first and foremost we must unite as a people. That, says the Manot HaLevi, is why we celebrate Purim with the mitzvah of Mishlo’ach Manot. Mishlo’ach Manot is the way we ensure that we share the joy of Purim with as many Jews as possible which creates a greater sense of Achdut and closeness between all of Am Yisrael.
It seems that our lack of Achdut not only brought about the threat of Haman, but when we look back to Amalek’s earlier attacks we find the same thing. When Amalek attacks us in Parashat Beshalach, there is no explicit reason in the Pesukim as to what provoked them. Yet, if we work backwards we may find an explanation. We know that when Bnei Yisrael arrived at Har Sinai to receive the Torah the Pasuk refers to the people Belashon Yachid, as the Pasuk says: “Vayichan Sham Yisrael Neged HaHar” (Shemot 19:2). Thus chazal comment that at the moment we were “Ke’ish Echad BeLeiv Echad.” We were like one person with one heart. By describing the unique level of unity achieved at Har Sinai the Torah may be implying that such unity wasn’t present beforehand. And what story happened right before Har Sinai? Considering that the Torah is not always in chronological order, many assume the beginning of Parshat Yitro really took place after Matan Torah, putting the war with Amalek as being immediately before Matan Torah. Perhaps then it was our lack of unity that brought Amalek upon us. Along these lines the Kli Yakar notes that the place where Amalek attacked was Refidim. If you rearrange the letters in Refidim by switching the Reish and the Phey you get Pridim, which means the separated ones. Just as Haman described us an Am Meforad, a divided nation, so too in Refidim we were an Am MeForad.
How then do we beat Amalek? By becoming K’ish Echad B’leiv Echad. It is no coincidence that both battles against Amalek are followed by an acceptance of the Torah. As the Gemara comments on the phrase “Kiymu Vekiblu HaYehudim” (Esther 9:27), following the Purim miracle we reaffirmed our acceptance of the Torah out of love. Only when we recognize the importance of each member of Klal Yisrael and join together as a nation do we find ourselves worthy of the gift of Torah.
In our very Parashah we find this very idea in the description of daily Ketoret offering. Among the 11 spices that made up the ketores was Chelbenah, galbanum, which is known to be very foul smelling. Yet it is just as critical to the Ketoret as any of the other sweet smelling spices. Chazal understood that just as the Chelbanah is enhanced and even enhances the other spices when mixed together, the same is true of even the most distant Jew in Klal Yisrael. Thus, the Gemara in Keritot (6b) comments as follows:
"אָמַר רַב חָנָא בַּר בִּזְנָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חֲסִידָא: כׇּל תַּעֲנִית שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מִפּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָהּ תַּעֲנִית, שֶׁהֲרֵי חֶלְבְּנָה רֵיחָהּ רַע וּמְנָאָהּ הַכָּתוּב עִם סַמְמָנֵי קְטֹרֶת."
“Rav Chana Bar Bizna says in the name of Rabbi Shimon Chasida: Any fast that does not include the participation of the sinners of the Jewish people is not a fast, as the smell of galbanum is foul and yet it’s one of the ingredients of the incense. “
Precisely, on a fast day, which indicates a time of crisis, we put aside our differences and include every type of Jew in our attempt to approach Hashem in Teshuvah.
We must never forget the division that plagued the Jewish people leading up to the horrific attack of October 7th as it opened the door to a new chapter with our war with Amalek. May Hashem give all of us the strength to learn from Megillat Esther and see the beauty of each and every Jew no matter how different we may seem from each other and become Ke’ish Echad BeLev Echad.