Purim: The Holiday of Extremes and Then Some
I read the Megillah for my congregation which takes a lot of preparation. It also means that I get a chance to really think about the text, perhaps more so than the person who is reading it for the first time each year when they hear it in shul. So each year when I prepare it I try and a different theme to think about and understand. This year my thoughts came to me as I was trying to come up with a short story that gives a background story to Queen Esther, but this is also where my thoughts about Purim begin.
From the moment we are introduced to Esther, we are confronted with an extreme: not one, but both of her parents have died. As the Megillah continues, there are more extremes associated with her: “everyone she meets finds favor in her eyes” (Esther 2:15). Prior to her approach to the king, she not only insists on herself fasting, but also her entire entourage and the entire city of Shushan. Not just for one day, but for three, and not just during the day, but during the night too (4:16).
Her actions after the climax where Haman is revealed as the perpetrator are also extreme. She feels the need to fall at his feet but also begin weeping over the still relevant decree against her people (8:3). Obviously the concern is justified, but was it performative on any level? She was the queen, after all!
Finally, we can’t ignore Esther’s most extreme action of all, the request to continue the fighting for an extra day in Shushan (9:13). This part has always struck me as extremely dark especially given that in modern times Esther is viewed as a heroine and specimen of beauty, but should this part of her character be completely overlooked? I’m not one who can judge whether the retribution was justified or not, but if I was given one wish from the king, I’m not sure this would be it.
Examples of beyond-extreme can be found in relation to other characters as well. Mordechai, who can often be viewed as subdued and the level head in the story, is also introduced to us with no fewer than his own name and then four more generations back. He then goes a little overboard towards the end with sending lots of letters to the Jews (it’s ok, the mail is cool). His stubbornness to comply with the edicts from the king (again, justified) also evokes thoughts of extremism (could he not agree to high-five Haman when they passed each other? Was Haman such an antagonist that he purposely passed by Haman? Like just avoid him, right?)
Haman is no exception to this thesis. His beef is with Mordechai, yet he takes it out on all the Jews (though is there a midrash that says since other Jews bowed down to Haman that they were all liable for death? I can’t remember). But even once Haman decides to take it out on all the Jews, next Tuesday isn’t good enough for him. “Let’s do a lottery,” he says. Oh and what about Mordechai, his arch-enemy? Build an insanely high gallows (150 feet) in a matter of hours (did he have this ready just in case he needed it like in cartoons)!
King Achashverosh joins in on the party too (pun intended). At the party that kicks off the Megillah story, this ain’t no 1-day shebang, no, it is a whole half year of revelry (Esther 1:4). Then, using plain old cups and silverware wouldn’t cut it, rather he needed “different cups” (1:7). Also, Mr. King, you are king, and can do pretty much whatever you want, including revoking your own edicts. You could have saved a lot of trouble and death had you not had two conflicting edicts floating around. Extreme inflexibility would seem to be the name of Achashverosh’s game in the Megillah (we never really find out what happened to Vashti for not showing up, but it couldn’t have been good).
“Extremism-plus” is even found outside the confines of the Megillah on this holiday. The Halacha oddly dictates that one must make themselves so drunk to the point that they do not know the difference between “Bless Mordechai and Curse Haman” (OC 695:2). Being that many other holidays have along with them the requirement to eat meat and drink wine, chazal (our rabbis) felt it necessary to go one step further on this holiday.
So why do I think this is the case? Why is the Megillah and this holiday an example of going to the extremes? To me, I think of all of the holidays, Purim is the one which represents the exile more than any other. It doesn’t take place in Israel, and isn’t related to the formation of our nation. Often in the broader world things are only seen in their extremes. Overcoming these extremes is something we need the strength to overcome and part of that strength comes from what we see in the Megillah. But coping with the extremes 365 days a year can be stressful, so we are given one day to channel and act in our own extreme way (safely and within reason, of course).
With the perspective of the Megillah and the holiday of Purim, we can muster the strength to survive in the exile. In the Megillah the extremism comes from both sides, but just as is the case today, our “extremism” is for the good of the people and the nation, but the extremism of others is for their own personal gain or their false-vendetta against the Jews.
Happy Purim!
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