Purim: Courage in an Upside-Down World

Purim: Courage in an Upside-Down World

Introduction

In an upside-down world, part of the many Mitzvot of Purim is to act “upside down” on purpose. Purim is often remembered as the loudest and most playful holiday on the Jewish calendar and the “upside downness” may be the reason why. Children dress in costumes, adults say L’Chaim until they “can’t tell apart Haman and Mordechai” and gift baskets (Mishloach Manot) of food and drink are exchanged with joy. But beneath the ruckus and celebration lies one of the most intense stories in Jewish history. The story of Purim is one about antisemitism, the danger of hiding who we are, and the quiet but loud courage that is required to survive as a Jewish nation.

The Story of Purim in Ancient Persia

The story of Purim, told in the book of Esther, takes place in ancient Persia where King Achashverosh ruled over a vast, powerful empire. After his wife, Queen Vashti, refused to attend one of the many feasts that he had, King Achashverosh banishes his wife and immediately after, seeks out a new queen. Esther, a young Jewish girl, hides her identity as a Jew and with guidance from her cousin Mordechai, in an attempt to gain leverage in the kingdom, “applies” for Queenship to which she is granted.

Enter Haman, the king’s most trusted advisor, whose hatred for Jews becomes personal when Mordechai refuses to bow to him. Seething in anger, Haman convinces the king to issue a decree calling for the annihilation of all Jews in the empire. This sequence is one of the earliest recorded examples of an empire conducting an act of “justified antisemitism”. This eradication of the Jewish people, men, women and children, was to take place on a single day. In a deceptive and vindictive move, Haman chooses a day via lottery that is the 14th day of the month of Adar.

The Jews are suddenly facing an existential threat, and the mere existence of the Jewish people hangs in the balance. Queen Esther is forced to confront a terrifying decision – remain hidden as a Jew and thus marked safe, or reveal who she is to the king that adores her, but risk everything: her leverage, her safety, her life. Mordechai’s words echo to Esther; the question of perhaps Haman’s decree is the reason you attained royalty status. Esther, through grit and determination, a quality imperative to have as a Jew, chooses courage. She reveals her identity to King Achashverosh, exposes Haman’s plot, and through a series of miraculous reversals, the decree is overturned. The Jewish people, once again, survive.

Chanukah vs Purim: Two Different Threats to Jewish Survival

The dangers the Jewish people faced in the stories of Chanukah and Purim both threaten the nation and its existence but in different ways. The Romans did not want to annihilate the Jewish people the way Haman did. Rather, through outlawing Jewish practices like Brit Milah and Shabbat, they were pressured to assimilate and abandon public expressions of their Judaism. The objective wasn’t to kill Jews but to strip their Judaism from them.

Purim presents a far more dangerous threat. Haman was not interested in religious reform or assimilation. His plan was for the total destruction of Jews, much like the genocide of Jews during the Holocaust in recent times. The issue was not that the Jews practiced their faith but that they existed at all. If Chanukah represents the fight for the right to live openly as Jews, Purim represents the right to live at all. Post-October 7th, this parallel feels especially relevant.

Hidden Miracles and the Concealed Hand of God

Then, the miracles. Unlike Chanukah, where the miracles were open, revealed and of military triumphs, the Purim story unfolds in a concealed manner. Interestingly, in the book of Esther, God’s name is not mentioned, an ode to the idea that the overturning of Haman’s decree did not defy nature in any way like the Maccabees victory over the powerful Grecian army in the Chanukah story. The Divine protection in the Purim story is subtle, and through human action, timing and bravery, were the Jewish people spared from death. This is why costumes are so central to the holiday. They symbolize the hidden realities, the masks people wear, and the danger of being known.

The Talmud notes that one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, can be read as Yom HaKippurim which translates to “a day ‘like Purim’”. Objectively, these two holidays could not be more different. Purim is a day that is celebrated with festivities, joy, and feasting, whereas Yom Kippur is a day of self-reflection, judgement, and fasting. The Talmud explains that the similarities are in revelation. Yom Kippur reveals who we are as people, through introspection before God, and Purim reveals who we are beneath the masks. Both affirm that whether beneath the concealment of sinning or costume is a Jewish soul worth saving.

Antisemitism Then and Now

Haman’s decree was not simply to kill Jews but to erase them as a people. This theme, as usual, feels particularly relevant today where antisemitism is especially rampant. For much of Jewish history, hiding one’s identity was a means of survival. Names were often altered, languages changed, and traditional customs were practiced quietly. Visibility could invite violence, and in dire circumstances, death. Even now, in a modern world that prides itself on inclusivity and tolerance, antisemitism knows no bounds. Sometimes overt and violent, and other times, subtle but indicative. Jews are blamed for the world’s problems, stereotypes are growing, and just like Mordechai’s refusal to bow in the Purim story, one small act of defiance can cause a storm.

The Ongoing Relevance of Purim

Today, Purim begs the questions that we must ask ourselves as Jews. When do we hide to preserve Jewish life? When do we speak up to defend Jewish life? Purim remains relevant because the story’s pattern remains prevalent in Jewish history. There are moments of hostility and fear, moments of uncertainty in the face of the world’s hatred, but there are also key moments that require bravery and courage. Every generation faces its own version of these moments but the responsibility, to remain a unified people, is the same.

Living with Courage This Purim

So, this year, as you exchange gifts with loved ones, give charity to those in need, and listen to the Megillah’s account of our survival, do so with intention. Remember the courage Esther found even when she felt alone and afraid because she did not act out of fearlessness but rather because the moment demanded it. Remember that Esther’s resolve is the reason we are still here today. And in times of uncertainty, choose to live openly and deliberately as part of Jewish history.

Happy Purim!