The
Joy of Purim
By Dani’el Rendelman
www.findemet.com
Every
year at the first of Spring
there is a huge party with
costumes, drinking, noisemakers,
and a carnival-like atmosphere.
Masks, music, and mayhem
join together, not for Mardi
Gras, but for Purim. Purim
is the celebration of the
story told in the book of
Esther. In this story, good
and evil struggle as Yisrael
faces extermination by the
wicked man Haman. Haman
plots to kill all the Hebrews,
but this evil plan is stopped
by Esther and her cousin
Mordechai. Since that time,
Hebrews everywhere have
celebrated this appointed
time with joy and ruckus.
There is much we can learn
from celebrating Purim and
examining the Purim story
and the joy it brings.
In English Bibles, the term
“joy” is often translated
from the Hebrew word “simchat”.
Simchat in Hebrew means
“mirth, gladness, and pleasure
experienced by specific
actions”. Simcha is felt
as a person does something.
It is dependent upon exterior
factors and is a fruit of
the Spirit. Simchat is the
result of celebrating Purim
and worshipping YHWH. (*YHWH
is the ancient Hebrew name
of the Creator, revealed
in Exodus, chapters 3 &
33. This term is used almost
7,000 times throughout the
Bible, hidden behind the
capitalized terms "LORD"
and "GOD.")
The Purim story reveals
the downfall of the vicious
anti-Semite Haman. He was
a descendent of Amalek,
the traditional enemy of
the Hebrews. As Prime Minister
of ancient Persia, around
2300 years ago, he sought
to murder all the Yisraelites
in that land.
Events happen such that
Haman himself plays a crucial
role in the coronation of
Queen Esther, after the
former Queen Vashti was
banished. No one realizes
that Esther is a Hebrew.
Haman, who has become a
powerful man in the kingdom,
is upset that Mordechai
does not bow down to him.
He succeeds in getting King
Achashverosh to authorize
a royal decree to annihilate
an unspecified nation he
claims is an enemy of the
King. Initially, he does
not identify the nation
so that the King can later
claim that he did not know
that the decree was against
the Yisraelites.
Haman casts lots (“pur”)
to determine the day this
was to happen. Mordechai
and Esther lead the Hebrews
in a return to YHWH, through
prayer and fasting. Esther
invites the King and Haman
to join her for dinner.
In response to the king's
offer of "half my kingdom
for your wishes," all
she asks is they come again
tomorrow to another dinner
"and I'll tell you,
then." (She will reveal
to them the reason for her
invitation). The story reveals
Haman working through the
night to construct a gallows
upon which to hang Mordechai.
At daybreak, he plans to
appear before the King to
denounce Mordechai.
In desperation to get some
sleep, the King asked his
servants to read from the
Royal Chronicles. The Book
opens to a long forgotten
story of how Mordechai discovered
an assassination plot by
two royal servants against
the King. At the exact moment
the King is inquiring whether
Mordechai was rewarded for
his loyalty, on the scene
appears Haman.
Before getting a chance
to make his request to hang
Mordechai, Haman is ordered
by the King to parade Mordechai
through the capital city
in royal garments. Immediately
afterwards, a crestfallen
Haman is whisked to the
second Royal dinner, hosted
by Esther. At the dinner,
she reveals to the King
that she is a Hebrew and
that Haman, is an enemy
of the King because he seeks
to destroy the Hebrew people.
The embarrassed and angry
King storms out of the room.
Haman pleads to Esther for
his life. He "somehow"
loses his balance and falls
on the couch where Esther
is reclining. The King comes
back at just this moment.
He is very upset and explodes
in anger.
The King orders Haman to
be hanged on the gallows
built for Mordechai. The
King elevates Mordechai
to Haman's recently-vacated
position. Mordechai issues
orders, with the King's
permission, allowing the
Hebrews to fight against
their enemies. On the thirteenth
and fourteenth days of Adar,
the Yisraelites won tremendous
victories and were saved
from the threat of total
annihilation. Since that
time, we celebrate Purim
in accordance with the book
of Esther.
“On the thirteenth day of
the month Adar; and on the
fourteenth day of the same
month they rested, and made
it a day of feasting and
simcha (joy). As the days
in which the Hebrews rested
from their enemies, and
the month which was turned
from sorrow to simcha (joy),
and from mourning into a
Yom-Tov (feast day): that
they should make them days
of feasting and simcha,
and of sending portions
one to another, and gifts
to the poor,” Esther 9:17,
22
For obvious reasons, Purim
is called “the feast of
happiness”. It is a time
of gift giving, costume
parties, and celebrating
the victory YHWH gives against
oppression. When the story
of Esther is read on Purim,
it is customary to interrupt
the reading with celebration.
When Haman's name is read
in the story, the congregation
erupts in a deafening chorus
of noise-makers, clanging
pots, cap-guns, clapping,
booing, and sirens. The
congregation also applauds
and celebrates when the
hero, Mordechai is mentioned.
One strange, yet, traditional
way to celebrate Purim is
to drink wine. The Talmud
says that “on Purim a person
is obligated to become intoxicated
to the point where he can
no longer tell the difference
between ‘cursed be Haman’
and ‘blessed be Mordechai.”
Yes, on this one date, Judaism
encourages drunkenness.
Or does it?
A careful reading of the
Talmudic quote will reveal
that the mitzvah is not
to drink wine. The commandment
is to become intoxicated.
Don’t be mistaken. A person
can be drunk without taking
a drink! The joy of Purim
is not found in drinking
alcohol, but in elevating
the Spirit! “Do not be drunk
with wine, but be filled
with the Ruach HaKodesh,”
Ephesians 5:18.
During the first Purim celebration,
the scroll says the Hebrews
had “simchat”. It never
says they drunk Manashevitz
kosher wine. No wine was
needed. They were simply
intoxicated with YHWH’s
joy!! This is the real meaning
of simchat. “And Mordechai
went out from the presence
of the melech (king) in
royal apparel of blue and
white, and with a great
keter (crown) of gold, and
with a garment of fine linen
and purple: and the city
of Shushan rejoiced and
was in simcha. The Hebrews
had light, and gilah (rejoicing),
and simcha, and kavod (glory),”
Esther 8:15,16.
To have the joy of YHWH
is to blur the lines of
reality as a drunkard. True
simchat is viewing the evil
actions of Haman as equal
to the righteous actions
of Mordechai. Simchat sees
through the “good” and the
“bad” events in life to
agree that YHWH is in control.
“What shall we then say
to these things? If God
be for us, who can be against
us?” Romans 8:31.
In
a sober state, we view Mordechai’s
righteousness as more beneficial
than Hamaan’s wicked plans.
A drunken person though,
cannot tell the difference
between Mordechai and a
monkey. As believers filled
with the Ruach, we, too,
should have our vision blurred.
The events of life should
not lead us to worry. Instead,
we should agree that what
may begin as evil will turn
out for the good. Sober-minded
people only see facts, doctor’s
charts, and negative bank
balances. Those drunk with
joy know that all things
work together for the good
of him that loves YHWH.
This isn’t a blissful existence,
but an awareness that YHWH
is in control. " And
we know that all things
work together for good to
them that love God, to them
who are the called according
to his purpose,” Romans
8:23.
Remember too, that Purim
occurs during the month
of Adar, the 12th month
in the Biblical calendar.
The Sages have said that
“our joy increases in Adar.”
In Hebrew, “adar” means
“power, force, or strength”.
This proves once again the
joy of YHWH is our adar
strength! Just as YHWH rescued
Israel from impending danger,
He protects and keeps Israel
today.
Simchat is a gift from YHWH
that is to be manifested.
Its like a seed planted
inside the soul that must
be watered and cared for
until it grows. We are told
to serve YHWH with simcha
in Tehillim / Psalm 100.
The dangers of not doing
so are treacherous. The
27th and 28th chapters of
Devarim / Deuteronomy describe
the Torah and the blessings
and curses presented to
the nation of Yisra’el.
The curses for Torah disobedience
were centered on the fact
that the nation did not
serve YHWH in joy. “Because
you did not serve YHWH your
Elohim with simcha, and
with gladness of lev (heart),
for the abundance of all
things; Therefore shall
you serve your enemies that
YHWH shall send against
you, in hunger, and in thirst,
and in nakedness, and in
want of all things: and
He shall put a yoke of iron
upon your neck, until He
has destroyed you,” Devarim
28:47. Clearly, joy is no
laughing matter. It’s a
subject that needs to be
taken seriously. It’s a
fruit that should be enjoyed
like a fresh apple plucked
from a tree. But, watch
out for worms!
The worms of the adversary
will try to corrupt the
fruit of joy. Everyone knows
that one bad apple spoils
the bunch. Let us guard
against the enemy stealing
our joy. Y’shua said, “The
thief comes to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy:
I am come that they might
have chayim, and that they
might have it more abundantly,”
Yochannan / John 10:10.
This verse describes the
three main ways the adversary
tries to steal our simcha.
First, he wants to STEAL
our joy. He does this by
tricking us to live life
in the past. We cannot experience
life in abundance, if we
walk around with regret.
Too many believers are defeated
because of yesterday’s sins.
The concerns, pains, and
hurts of the past will stop
simcha from flourishing.
The enemy also wants to
KILL our future. He does
this by whispering to us
about what might happen.
Fear grips the weary heart
and paralyzes the saint
not walking in the fruit
of joy. The enemy knows
he can defeat us, if we
are uptight and worrisome.
However, YHWH says, “I know
the plans I have for you,
plans to prosper you and
not harm you,” Jeremiah
29:11
The enemy knows that if
he can keep us uptight and
fearful of tomorrow or living
in the regret of yesterday,
then he can DESTROY our
present. If we are gripped
by fear or pain, we cannot
experience the abundant
life of Y’shua. However,
the enemy shouldn’t defeat
us because Moshiach defeated
him! “For this purpose the
Son of YHWH was manifested,
that He might destroy the
works of the adversary,”
1 John / Yochannan 3:8.
Y’shua came that we might
have chayim – life and life
to its fullest. The connection
is clear. Life comes through
walking in the simcha of
YHWH. On Purim we are told
that each person should
become intoxicated until
the reality of good and
bad is distorted. The traditional
toast to any Hebrew cup
of wine is “l’chaim” – to
life! This shows that one
can experience the simcha
of YHWH when one is filled
with the life of YHWH. L’chaim!
Let us be filled with the
Ruach to life and to life
abundant! Trust YHWH no
matter what happens. He
came through for Mordechai
and the Hebrews and He will
come through for us!
