Seeing through the Mask
To an outsider, Purim in Jerusalem may seem like Fiddler on the Roof meets the Twilight Zone. Revered Rabbis who teach and inspire their students throughout the year can be found dressed up as Disney characters drinking Manishevitz on this curious holiday. Considered by the sages to be among the most elevated of all holidays, Purim is a celebration and recognition of G-d’s active and perpetual participation in our world.
In the Megilla of Esther which is read on Purim, G-d’s name is not mentioned once. The entire book seems to be a coincidental sequence of events leading from Haman’s announcement that the Jews would be annihilated on the 14th of the Jewish month of Adar to the redemption of the Jewish people culminating with the hanging of Haman on the very tree that he prepared as gallows for our hero, Mordechai the Jew.
Jewish holidays are often marking supernatural miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea or even G-d himself directly addressing the entire nation of Israel. Purim, however, is a holiday deeply entrenched in the natural. The word “Megilla” in Hebrew means “reveal”. When reading through the story of Esther, it is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that all of these occurrences were of perfect divine orchestration although nowhere is it explicitly stated. The word “Olam” in Hebrew does not only mean world, but it means “hidden”. The laws of nature and the series of “coincidences” that comprise our lives are an illusion of the highest order and it is task of the Jewish People to remove that mask for the world revealing the G-d of Israel who has been behind the scenes since the beginning of time directing the show.
Perhaps more than any other religion or philosophy, Judaism permeates every facet of the lives of its adherents. From the prayer thanking G-d for returning our souls to us in the morning, to the prayer of gratitude that our bodies are functional and healthy after using the restroom, to the prayer of faith proclaiming G-d’s singular unity at night, every element of our lives is dedicated to developing the consciousness that G-d is constantly surrounding us in our lives.
It is with this recognition that we are able to take the mundane and elevate it to the highest levels. When one develops the strength and courage to remove the mask, life becomes a dialogue with G-d of the most beautiful and intimate nature. People are no longer judged by their societal status or physical appearances, but rather by the touch of G-d that radiates within them, guiding them to their current encounter with you, both for your benefit and for theirs. With this clarity, what was previously a disconnected circumstance and meaningless occurrence is elevated to a challenge and opportunity of the highest order.
Firmly grasping to understanding with unyielding tenacity despite the doubts and challenges which we inevitably encounter is the key to spiritual vitality, personal growth, and service of G-d. G-d is no longer relegated to Biblical stories and cataclysmic events, but to the minutia and details of our daily lives, invigorating us with the understanding that every moment has the potential for meaning and sanctification, if we so choose.
Everyone has shortcomings which they try, with varied levels of effort, to overcome. Without the knowledge of G-d however, any attempt at perfection would be symptomatic and likely to fail. For the owner of a short temper, breathing techniques and counting exercises may work in the short term, but with all of the other challenges of life surmounting, it is nearly impossible to keep these techniques in immediate consciousness. However, when fully conscious of G-d’s coordination of the most minute details of our lives, anger is not possible. Anger is the frustration and discontent resulting from events occurring that one is thoroughly convinced should not occur. When one understands that every event is orchestrated by G-d and therefore is the best possible thing to have happen to you at that time, then there is no room for anger and the very root of this personality affliction which plagues so many can be extricated at its core.
The compulsive worrier may take Prozak, but the knowledge that no event could occur that is not under the direct auspices of a loving G-d could alleviate worry and fear altogether.
Many consider “Yom Kippur”, The Day of Atonement, the most sacred on the Jewish calendar. Our rabbi’s tell us, however, the “Kipur” means like “Like Pur” or “like Purim”. On the day of Atonement, we fast and deny our physical bodies, emulating the angels. On Purim, however, we are very much in this world, revealing G-d’s role and eternal guidance in our lives. This is the role of the Jewish people, and all the nations of the world can perceive this reality no less, invite G-d into their lives, and begin a relationship with the divine beyond their wildest imagination.
