I just came back from a visit to a friend of ours in Oxnard who is home-bound and fighting cancer. She was overjoyed that we came to read the Megillah for her.
I took advantage of listening to the Megillah from up-close, taking in every word.
Unexpectedly, my eyes filled with tears when Rabbi Dov read the following words, from the holy and ancient scroll: “And these days are commemorated and celebrated in every generation, by every family, in every province and every city. And these days of Purim will never pass from among the Jews nor shall their memory depart from their descendants.”
Mordechai and Esther wrote these words, and established this joyous Holiday of Purim. And here we are – 2,371 years later – reading the Megillah in Oxnard, California. Today, our fellow Chabad Shluchim are reading the Megillah over and over, in all of our neighboring cities off the 101 Freeway. Countless Shuls are reading, banging out Haman’s name, and rejoicing. Powerful! What a vision! Mordechai and Esther had us in mind, while writing those words back then!
This brief, yet powerful thought strengthened my belief, in a way that I wasn’t expecting, yet I so badly needed today.
Joy does not come easy to everyone. Yet the joy that comes from knowing that you are connected to something so real, so true, and so everlasting, is the most tangible joy that I know of.
The evil inclination will try to pull us down today. Let us not let this ancient, yet so modernly relevant Holiday, pass us by.
Around the world today, there are hundreds of thousands of happy faces dressed in costume and sharing gifts and treats. Let’s take in the joy, take in the truth.
Most of all – those special words in the Megillah of Mordechai and Esther– “For the Jews there was light and happiness, joy and glory” should come alive again as we meet Mordechai and Esther in person – with the coming of Moshiach today!
