PURIM READING Rabbi Ronen Neuwirth shushan purim Capital Lessons from Megillat Esther ne of the puzzling halachot of everything possible to stop the builders Rabbah 1:15). He wanted the Jews to Purim is Shushan Purim. Jews (Ezra 4:5). The turning point was when join his feast and made sure to serve living in Yerushalayim and Achashverosh became king: “And in the kosher food and wine: “Every people Otowns that have been surrounded by a reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning who ate its food in purity had its food wall since the days of Yehoshua Bin Nun of his reign, they wrote an accusation provided in purity, as it is said, ‘That celebrate on the 15th of Adar instead of against the dwellers of Yehuda and they should do according to every man’s the 14th. In fact, Purim is the only festi- Yerushalayim... Then the work of the pleasure’ (Esther 1:8)” (Pirkei deRabbi val in the Jewish calendar on which Jews House of G-d, which was in Yerusha- Eliezer 49). Achashverosh tried to do not all celebrate on the same day. It is layim, was stopped” (Ezra 4:6/24). recreate an environment of the Beit even more surprising, since one of the HaMikdash by wearing the garments Mordechai was sent to Shushan, to try major lessons of Purim is unity. of the Kohen Gadol and by using its to cancel the decree. The original name stolen vessels: “‘When he showed the The Talmud Yerushalmi provides the of Mordechai was Mordechai Bilshan. riches of his glorious kingdom’ …[this] following explanation of this unique The root of the word Bilshan is lashon = teaches that he wore the garments of halacha: “They wanted to honor the language, and this was his major a high priest’” (Megillah 12a); “Vessels Land of Israel, which was in ruins at strength: “Rabbi Shimon said: Come that differed from one another’ (Esther that time, and therefore they made it and see the wisdom of Mordechai, for 1:7) … He brought his own vessels and dependent on the time of Yehoshua” he knew seventy languages” (Pirkei the Temple vessels, and he found them (Yerushalmi, Megillah 1:1). How does deRabbi Eliezer 50). This explains how more pleasing and beautiful than his the fact that some Jews celebrate Purim Mordechai was able to stop the plot own” (Megillah 11b). on a different day bring honor to the of Bigthan and Teresh: “Bigthan and Land of Israel? Teresh were two Tarsians, and they Mordechai tried to warn the Jews not I believe that in order to understand the would talk with one another in the to participate in the feast, but no one intention of our Sages, we must learn Tarsian language. They said: From the listened to him: “As soon as Mordechai what happened “behind the scenes” of day that she (Esther) arrived we have saw this, he arose and proclaimed over the story we know from the Megillah. not slept. Come, let us cast poison in them and said to them, ‘Do not go to The first question we must ask is, what the goblet from which he drinks so that eat at the feast of Achashverosh, for he was Mordechai doing in Shushan? he will die. But they did not know that invited you only to create a prosecution Mordechai was part of the first wave Mordechai…knew seventy languages” against you…But they did not heed the of aliyah in the days of Ezra, and was (Megillah 13b). words of Mordechai, and they all went to the banquet hall” (Esther Rabbah a member of the Knesset HaGedola: Achashverosh did not hate the Jews. 7:13). “And these are the people…who went On the contrary, he wanted the Jews to up from the captivity of the exile… stay in his kingdom, and he even tried We see that the regulations of the court Mordechai Bilshan…” (Ezra 2:1-2). So to build them an alternative Beit Mik- of Achashverosh were similar to those of why did Mordechai return to the exiled dash. That is why he arranged the feast the Beit HaMikdash. Just as the Kodesh community in Shushan? in the third year of his reign: “Rabbi HaKodashim was a restricted zone, and The 42,000 people who returned with Nechemia says: ‘Since it was three years anyone who entered without permis- Zerubavel to Yerushalayim had one since cancelling the rebuilding of the sion was liable to die, Achashverosh had major goal – to rebuild the Beit HaMik- Beit HaMikdash, he made a feast for similar rules: “All the king’s servants… dash. However, the local residents did all of his officers and servants” (Esther know that any man or woman who 52 | PURIM READING comes to the king, into the inner court, this decree, and that is why he was furi- expression ‘Shushan HaBira’ in the who is not summoned, there is but one ous when he found out at Esther’s party Megillah, it refers to the castle of the law for him, to be put to death, except that Haman had exceeded the authority king… since bira is a castle” (Kad HaKe- the one to whom the king extends the given to him. mach, Purim 130). Bira, the castle of the golden scepter” (Esther 4:11). When Eventually, Mordechai’s plan succeeded. king, is the source of the power of the Achashverosh graciously offers Esther “Then the work of the House of G-d… kingdom. For that reason, in modern half of his kingdom, he is unwilling to was stopped, and it was suspended until Hebrew bira means the capital city. give her the second half, which was the the second year of the reign of Darius, The words of Nechemia are a strong Beit HaMikdash: “‘Half of the kingdom’ the king of Persia” (Ezra 4:24). Who was reminder that we have only one bira: but not the whole kingdom, and not a Darius? Rashi explains: “After Cyrus, Yerushalayim. This is what the Jews thing that would divide the kingdom. Achashverosh, who married Esther, in Persia forgot. Their comfortable And what is that? The building of the reigned, and after Achashverosh, life caused them to become confused Holy Temple” (Megillah 15b). Darius the son of Achashverosh, who regarding their capital city. For this One more significant detail is required was the son of Esther, reigned” (Rashi reason, our Sages designated a spe- to complete the picture. Achashverosh ibid). Darius, the son of Esther, was the cial celebration date for Yerushalayim, tried to be friendly to the Jews. He did person who renewed the permission to Shushan Purim, “to honor the Land of not oppose the rebuilding of the Beit build the Beit HaMikdash. Israel, which was in ruins at that time.” HaMikdash overtly but rather used Despite this permission, all the Jews, Shushan Purim is a reminder that messengers, the descendants of Amalek, including Mordechai, remained in Shushan is not our bira, nor Washing- Haman and his 10 sons: “Achashverosh Shushan HaBira, enjoying full civil ton DC. We have only one capital city: wondered saying: Mordechai seeks to rights and royal protection. This is one Yerushalayim HaBira. of the reasons that we do not recite build the Temple; it is impossible to According to Rava, we forgo saying Hallel on Purim: “Why don’t we say build… Rather I will incite Haman Hallel on Purim because we forgot the Hallel (on Purim)? …Rava said: ‘Since against him; one will build and the other importance of dwelling in the Land of we are still the servants of Achash- will destroy” (Yalkut Shimoni 1053). We Israel. Instead, that lost Hallel has found verosh’” (Megillah 14a). The Jews got see that the sons of Haman were the its place on Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom confused and regarded Persia as their ones who wrote the accusation against Yerushalayim, the days on which we homeland, with Shushan as their capital the Jews of Yerushalayim in the first year were blessed to restore the honor of city. of the reign of Achashverosh, as Rashi the Land of Israel and Yerushalayim as explains: “I saw in Seder Olam (chapter There is only one other place in Tanach its capital city. 29): ‘These are the 10 who wrote a false where the word bira appears. When accusation against Yehuda and Yerusha- Nechemia appealed to Darius: “And I layim…Now what was the accusation? said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, To stop those who ascended from the may letters be given to me…that he exile …who had commenced building gives me wood to make beams for the Rav Ronen Neuwirth, formerly Rav of the the Temple’” (Rashi, Esther 9:10). How- gates of the bira that belongs to the Ohel Ari Congregation in Ra’anana, is author ever, Haman took his mandate much Temple’” (Nechemia 2:7–8). Rabbenu of “The Narrow Halakhic Bridge: A Vision of further and decided to annihilate all the Bechaye explains the meaning of the Jewish Law in the Post-Modern Age”, pub- Jews. Achashverosh didn’t know about word bira: “Anywhere you find the lished in 2020 by Urim Publications. | 53.