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Did Moses celebrate Purim?

by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

  

Library » Holidays » Purim » About | Subscribe | What is RSS?

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The miracle of Purim occurred close to a thousand years after Moses' death.

But our sages tell us that Moses was more than an individual person, he is a legacy which continues throughout history. Every generation possesses its own "Moses." This refers to the spiritual leader of the generation, the one who inspires the people to put their trust in G-d and connect to Him through Torah and Mitzvahs.

Mordechai was the Moses of the Purim story. When Haman's plot became known, it was Mordechai who made it clear to the Jews that Haman and Ahasuerus were merely tools in implementing a divine plan. So the solution must be to strengthen our relationship with G-d. Consequently he mobilized the Jews to pray, fast and repent, thus ensuring the salvation.

So to answer the question: Moses may not have heard the Megillah on the fourteenth of Adar, but his spirit was certainly present in the story of Purim.


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Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Purim
A one-day holiday celebrated in late winter commemorating the miraculous deliverance of the Jewish people from a decree of annihilation issued by Persian King Ahasuerus in the year 356 BCE.
Megillah
A scroll. Usually a reference to the Book of Esther, one of the books of the "Written Torah", which is read--from a scroll--on the holiday of Purim.
Haman
Descendant of anti-Semitic tribe of Amalek and prime minister of the Persian Empire in the 5th century b.c.e. Schemed to annihilate all the Jews, and the holiday of Purim was established when the plot was foiled.
Ahasuerus
King of the Persian Empire in the 4th century BCE. Husband of Esther, heroine of the Purim story.
Mordechai
Cousin of Queen Esther, and Jewish leader in the 4th century BCE. Played a large role in saving the Jews after Haman, the Persian prime minister, plotted to exterminate them all. The holiday of Purim was established to commemorate this miracle.
Moses
[Hebrew pronunciation: Moshe] Greatest prophet to ever live. Led the Jews out of Egyptian bondage amidst awesome miracles; brought down the Tablets from Mount Sinai; and transmitted to us word-for-word the Torah he heard from G-d's mouth. Died in the year 1272 BCE.
Adar
The twelfth month on the Jewish calendar. This month (which falls out approx. February-March), is the most joyous month on the calendar due to the holiday of Purim which is on the 14th and 15th of this month.
G-d
It is forbidden to erase or deface the name of G-d. It is therefore customary to insert a dash in middle of G-d's name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.