THE CABALA OF PURIM

Purim, the Jewish holiday rooted in the Book of Esther recalls a failed Persian plot to exterminate the Jews; Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu gave President Obama a copy of the Book of Esther during a visit this week in which the two discussed the tension with Iran.

The Book of Esther, a story taking place 2500-years-ago in Iran, is the only book in the Torah leaving God’s Name unmentioned anywhere in the text; the Cabala explains, The word Esther comes from Hester/Hidden – thus the custom of dressing in costumes portraying good and bad.

Purim is beyond good and bad as symbolized by the 50 foot high gallows the Wicked Haman built to hang the righteous Mordechai – the number fifty is considered, forever – a number beyond logic. What life lacks in logic, life makes up for in story – the story of life.

At the last moment the Purim story turns and instead, the wicked, Haman and his ten sons, are hung. The secret of life is hidden in the story of life; what makes the story of life holy is God’s invisible presence from birth until death – the story engages God.

Although, God is unseen and unseeable, God partakes in the story of creation through astronomical events coming from the heavens, like the massive burst of light ejected a few days ago from the sun hitting the earth today, but causing no damage – just a burst of Purim light.

Happy Purim

Jewish communities the world over celebrate the holiday of Purim today centered around the traditional reading of the Scroll of Esther.

Esther in Hebrew is built around the word Hestor/Hidden because it is the only book of the 24 books of the Torah and five Milgilot/Scrolls that does not mention the Name of God anywhere in its words. The Talmud-Book of Law says after Moshiach arrives there will be so much illumination in the world that all the Jewish holidays will be forgotten with the exception of Purim.

Story of Purim takes place in Iran where the king 2500 years ago unwittingly takes a Jewish bride who informs him that his top adviser is about to kill the Jewish People, her people. The love of the king for Esther saves the Jewish People.

Haman the villian in the story is hung from a platform 50 arm lengths high which had been built to hang Ester’s uncle Mordicai who was head of the Jewish People. The Cabala explains how fifty is just beyond logic as is known that Moshe our Teacher who received the Torah from God was only able to reach to the 49th level of Bena/Understanding but was buried in Nabo/In Fifty.

It is the only holiday where one is commanded to drink until drunk, not able to recognize the difference between the blessed Mordicai and wicked Haman.