Ron

“In each and every generation, they rise up against us to destroy us, and the Holy One, Blessed Be He, rescues us from their hands.”(Passover Hagaddah) 

Passover is quickly approaching, but Purim is coming even sooner. The story of Purim, celebrated by Jews around the world, commemorates a profound moment of survival and triumph against the specter of complete annihilation. The narrative, preserved in Megillat Esther, tells of a time when the Jewishpeople living in the Persian Empire were saved from extermination through the courage and wisdom of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai. This miraculous deliverance is not an isolated incident in Jewish history, but a recurring theme that echoes the resilience and enduring spirit of the Jewish people in the face of relentless persecution.

The Purim narrative itself is a complex interplay of both hiddenness, and conversely, of revelation. It’s famous Jewish trivia that none of G-d’s names are ever mentioned even once in the Megillah. In our story, the Divine presence is masked behind the veil of seemingly random events. It is this very nature of the Purim story that invites us to explore deeper intellectual and spiritual themes, reflecting on the patterns of history, as well as the nature of existence itself. The famous events of Purim, though they occurred in ancient times, continue to resonate through the ages, serving as a beacon of hope and often as a reminder of the possibility of redemption even in the darkest of times.

Personally, I find one of the most chilling and yet affirming echos of the Purim story in modern history the "Purim Fest 1946" incident, which occurred during the Nuremberg Trials following the Holocaust. For those who are unfamiliar with this story, as unbelievable as it sounds, it actually happened: Julius Streicher, the most notorious Nazi propagandist, was among those sentenced to death for crimes against humanity immediately after the Holocaust. As he was being led to the gallows, his final words were shrieked by him right before being hanged: "Purim Fest 1946!”. In his final moment on earth, Streicher declared that he identified with Haman, the Amalekite, the arch-villain of the Purim story. It’s hard to fathom an evil as deep as this. As unbelievable as it sounds, we know that it happened. This moment in history serves as a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of Jewish persecution and redemption. It doesn’t matter whether Streicher was literally a reincarnation of Haman, or if he was delusional. As the expression goes: “If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck: it’s a duck.” What kind of monster loudly shrieks as his last words that he is the heir to a Biblical archvillain, 2,500 years later? Streicher's identification with Haman, whether delusional or not, underscores the perpetuation of the depths of anti-Semitic hatred throughout history , and the miraculous survival of the Jewish people against all odds.

The connection between Purim and various instances of Jewish persecution and redemption throughout history is a testament to the enduring strength and resilience of the Jewish spirit. From the Spanish Inquisition to the pogroms of Eastern Europe, and through the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, the Jewish people have faced existential threats time and again. Yet, just as in the story of Purim, each of these dark periods in history has been followed by renewal and survival. The Purim story encapsulates a profound truth about the Jewish experience: the interplay of darkness and light, persecution and redemption, despair and hope.

In reflecting on the Purim story and its echoes throughout history, we are invited to contemplate the nature of evil and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppression. The "Purim Fest 1946" incident, in particular, serves as a poignant reminder that the forces of hatred and tyranny, though they may rise, are ultimately doomed to fall. It underscores the belief in a moral universe where justice,
though sometimes delayed, is inevitable.

In the end, the story of Purim and its reverberations through history challenge us to recognize the depth of human potential for both good and evil. It calls upon us to stand firm in the face of tyranny, to champion the Divine cause of justice, and to celebrate the indomitable spirit of survival and renewal. As we reflect on the miraculous story of Purim and its significance throughout the ages, we are reminded of the enduring power of faith in the Holy One Blessed Be He, courage, and in the possibility of finding redemption even in the darkest of times. 

Sources
• Passover Hagaddah
• Megillah 13b-14a
• Sanhedrin 96b-97a
• Rashi on Megillat Esther
• Ibn Ezra on Esther
• Malbim on Esther
• Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z"l
• Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik
• Rav Kook
• Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 690
• "Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial" by Joseph E. Persico