PURIM – The Endless Miracle!

15 Adar B 5779
Shushan (Persian) Purim sameah!

Doesn't this look like an endless miracle? Source

by Rav Ephraim Sprecher | first posted here

On Purim, as on Chanukah, we recite Al Hanisim. In this thanksgiving prayer, the stories of the miracles of both Festivals are related in a short and concise synopsis.

However, there is an obvious difference. In the Al Hanisim of Chanukah there is a finale, "Afterwards your sons came to Your House, they cleansed Your Sanctuary, purified Your Place of Holiness and lit lights in Your Holy Courts, and instituted these eight days of Chanukah for giving thanks and praise to Your Great Name."

In contrast, the Al Hanisim of Purim concludes abruptly. "You in Your Abundant Compassion voided Haman's plan and caused that which he sought to do to recoil on his own head, and they hanged him and his sons upon the gallows."

What kind of an ending is this? Where is the rest of the story? As Paul Harvey famously said, “Where is the rest of the story?” Why not tell us that the Festival of Purim was instituted with reading the Megillah, Mishloach Manot, gifts to the poor and the Purim Feast? Why was this part of the story omitted? Is it because the story of Purim is never ending?

Haman was only one episode in the ceaseless hatred and persecution of the Jews throughout our tragic and bitter history.

Though the history of our people is full of Hamans, our Rabbis would not indicate that in the Al Hanisim and spoil the joyous celebration of the Purim Festival. If so, why is there no uplifting conclusion to the Al Hanisim prayer of Purim?

The answer is because the central point of the story of Purim was "Kiymu V'Kiblu" that the Jews again accepted the Torah - unlike at Mount Sinai by coercion, but this time willingly and with love. The main outcome of the Purim story was the rededication to the Torah over and above the merrymaking.

In fact, the joy and celebration of Purim is in honor of our renewed commitment to the Torah, when we became re-JEW-venated as Jews.

Therefore, the Megillah Scroll is to be written on parchment and requires Sirtut, etched lines. Sirtut denotes permanency of the writing forever. The words of the Megillah are called, "Divrei Shalom V'Emet" – "Words of Peace and Truth."

Thus Tractate Megillah 16 states that etched lines are required in the Megillah so that they be words of truth as are the words of the Torah, "K'Amita shel Torah," "like the truth of the Torah."

The Talmud equates the eternal message of the Megillah with that of the Sefer Torah. Therefore, the Megillah concludes, "These days of Purim will never cease from among the Jews."

Each and every day that the State of Israel not only survives but thrives despite Hamas, Hezbullah and Iran is an endless Purim Miracle! As an example of this ongoing miracle, our recent heavy rains have been a blessing. The burned fields around Gaza, as a result of the Fire Balloons, have now become green and lush again BECAUSE the ash from all those fires from Gaza have made the soil extra fertile and extra rich. This is just one example of G-d’s ongoing natural miracles.

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V'nahafokh hu !  (You've never heard the Purim story like this!) ונהפוך הוא