Dear readers, Shalom.

You know me already and for those who are there to listen to my sermons on Shabbat, know and understand my philosophy of understanding the Torah. Every parasha and every story is not only related to Jewish History, it has a moral, a hidden message for us to perceive and understand.

Very soon, we will be celebrating the Purim festival and as always our main focus will be the reading of Megilath Esther. While most of us know and heard the story of Megilath Esther with its main characters – the wicked Haman, the foolish king Ahaseurus, the righteous Mordechai and Queen Esther. When I read the Megila every year, I try to find something to learn from it. Many here in Wellington have raised the question as raised in the Talmud “Why were Jews of that generation facing genocide dangers?”

Chapter 3 of Megilath Esther, the words of Haman to King Ahaseurus “Certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people….their laws were different……”gives a hint to the answer of the above question. I think that the problem of the Jews then and perhaps even today is the separation or the dispersion – every small group wants to be different from the other. Mordechai thought that by crying and mourning, and prayers he would solve the problem for the Jews. “ And Mordechai donned sack cloth and ashes….” But I think Esther was cleverer and came with a different approach. She commanded Mordechai (V16) – “ Go, assemble all the Jews that are to be found and then fast for me….” Esther’s idea was to first gather and unite before starting prayers and this according to the Rabbis of the Talmud saved the Jewish people and helped them learn that when the community is united in one goal without separation, their prayer can be answered.

“ The Jews had light and gladness and honour.(Ch 8,v16).

Chag Purim Sameach!

-Rabbi Haim Dovrat