Parashat Zachor and Purim

I wanted to share a short thought with you to consider as we enter into the Purim season with the reading of Parashat Zachor this Shabbat and the reading of the Megillah in the coming week. In the additional Torah reading this Shabbat of Parashat Zachor, we will read about the origins of Haman, his ancestors the nation of Amalek. During the Israelites' wandering in the desert, they were ambushed by the warring nation of Amalek. The Amalekites preyed on the tail end of Bnei Yisrael's camp, attacking the weakest portion of the formation. At first glance, this seems like brilliant military strategy; however, the Torah hints that Amalek had not premeditated the attack. Instead, Amalek "happened upon" Bnei Yisrael in the desert.  It was a chance meeting that led to an eternal enmity between the nations. I find it intriguing that it is precisely this notion of chance that Haman inherits from his ancestors.  In his desire to annihilate the Jewish People, Haman relies on chance to set the date for his evil machinations. The story of the Jewish People belies the idea of chance. Everything that happens in the world, according to Judaism, happens for a reason. After a cursory reading of the Megillah, the story seems to be rife with coincidence; one episode just happens to have an impact on the next. However, if you note the timeline that is recorded in the Megillah, you discover a different force at work. One event does not dramatically or coincidentally lead into the next; apparent coincidences do not take place immediately. Rather, the episodes in the Megillah span more than a decade. The complex intertwining of the events in the Megillah remind us that although hidden, G-d directs the action in the story. Shabbat Shalom and early wishes for a Purim Sameach.

Shabbat Shalom!