On Fasting Before Feasting: A "D'var Megillah" for Purim

by Abe Friedman
Boston University ‘03

The day before Purim, the 13th of Adar, is Ta'anit Esther, or the Fast of Esther. But what could this fast possibly have to do with any of our lives on campus? More than you might think.

The third perek (chapter) of Megillat Esther ends with the publication of Haman's decree to massacre the Jewish people. The next perek begins, "When Mordekhai learned all that had happened, Mordekhai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went through the city, crying out loudly and bitterly, until he came in front of the palace gate."

The Talmud, in Ta'anit 22b, helps elucidate Mordekhai's motive: "The rabbis taught: When a city is surrounded by gentiles an individual may, in all such cases, afflict himself by fasting."

Haman's decree threatened the Jewish community in Shushan, not to mention the other communities in Ahasuerus' empire. Indeed, we are told later in Megillat Esther that "In every province, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and everybody lay in sackcloth and ashes." Mordekhai's immediate reactions, fasting and mourning, publicly displayed his deep distress at the fate of his community.

When Esther hears about her cousin's public mourning, she sends her servant Hathach to find out why. Mordekhai tells the servant of Haman's decree and asks Esther to plead before Ahasuerus on behalf of the Jewish people. When Esther initially refuses, fearing she will be executed if she enters Ahasuerus' chamber without invitation, Mordekhai sends back a scathing reply: "Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king's palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father's house will perish."

The Talmud, in Ta'anit 11a, highlights this message, applying it to all times of trouble: "The rabbis taught: At a time when the people of Israel are in trouble and an individual separates himself from them, the two ministering angels who accompany a person come and place their hands on his head and say, ‘This person who separated himself from the community shall not witness the deliverance of the community.'" Although Esther might have thought to save her own life at the expense of the community, Mordekhai reminds her that she is inextricably linked to the rest of the Jewish community. She heeds his warning and declares, "I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish."

This story bears one last lesson:

Esther sent back this answer to Mordekhai: "Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast in my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law." Why do all of the Jews need to fast before Esther can approach the king? The Talmud teaches: "When the community is in trouble, a person should not say, ‘I will go to my home, and eat and drink, and enjoy myself.' If he does so, then to him will apply the verse, "And behold joy and gladness, eating meat and drinking wine, saying, 'Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die (Isaiah 22:13).’ And what does it say after this? ‘And the Lord of hosts revealed Himself to my ears: 'Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die' (Isaiah 22:14)."

But a person should identify with the sufferings of the community. Thus we find that Moses our master identified with the suffering of the community, as it is written: "And the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and placed it under him, and he sat on it" (Exodus 17:12). Did not Moses have one pillow or cushion to sit on? But this is what Moses said, as quoted in Ta'anit 11a: "Since the people of Israel are suffering I will share their suffering with them."

At this point, you may be wondering how any of this pertains to your own life. After all, God isn't flooding the world, and no one has issued a decree to slaughter your community. Or have they?

Terrorists and the governments who support them have set their sights on Israel, calling, in no uncertain terms, for its complete destruction. Perhaps you've felt that you don't really have a place to say something. Would your friends think of you as an extremist? Do you have a large enough Jewish community on campus to support your efforts? How much of an effect could you really have, anyway? After all, Israel is so far away, and life seems great here in liberal America.

Now Mordekhai speaks to us: "Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king's palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father's house will perish" (Esther 4:13-14). While sitting in sackcloth and ashes may not have much effect, we must act in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel. As the Talmud reminds us, "Whoever identifies himself with the suffering of the community will be deemed worthy to witness the deliverance of the community."

May it be God's will that all of us, through our actions in this time of suffering, will be deemed worthy.

[Posted 2/20/02]