Purim: A Recommitment to Sheba’al Peh

he Gemara in Shabbos 88a, records that until the holiday of Purim, the Jewish people Moshe Schochet Twere coerced into accepting the Head of School, Hadar High School for Girls Torah. On the holiday of Purim, Boca Raton, FL we accepted the Torah willingly for the first time. We learn it out from a seemingly disorganized pasuk Rav Chaim Freidlander, Sifsei Chaim, at the end of the Megilla (9:27), Moadim Vol. II (pp. 232-234), offers which states “kimu v’kiblu” — they an alternative explanation. He explains established and then accepted. How that the reason the Jewish people can one establish that which they were almost annihilated was because have not yet accepted? The Gemara they refused to heed the warnings explains that the Jewish people of Mordechai about not going to established willingly that which they One suggestion is offered by the Achashverosh’s party. Instead, they had earlier accepted unwillingly. Netziv, in an essay titled “Beiur Klali all went and participated. In the end, Al Nes Purim” in Ha’amek Davar at the it was Mordechai, in conjunction Tosafos ad loc. asks the obvious end of Sefer Shemos. Until the first Bais with Esther, who helped save the question: How can the Gemara Hamikdash was destroyed, the Jewish from complete and utter suggest that the Jews were forced into people were exposed to the wondrous destruction. Mordechai represented accepting the Torah when they said miracles of Hashem in an open and Torah Sheba’al Peh as a member of the “na’aseh v’nishmah” — we will do and revealed manner. Whether it be in Anshei Kneses Hagedolah. Therefore, we will understand — at Har Sinai? the desert, in the conquest of Eretz it became very clear to the Jewish The Jewish people at that time were Yisroel or in the Bais Hamkidash itself, people that not listening to Torah credited and praised with accepting Hashem’s conduct was recognizable. Sheba’al Peh (Mordechai) was what the Torah willingly without fully However, when the Bais Hamkidash led to their precarious situation, and knowing what the mitzvos were. How was destroyed, Hashem concealed it was listening to Torah Sheba’al Peh can the Gemara here suggest that they himself in a manner that required effort (Mordechai) that saved them. As a were forced into accepting the Torah to see His hand in the world. As we all result of the miracle of Purim, the when they explicitly accepted the know, the whole premise and theme Jewish people willingly reaffirmed their Torah enthusiastically? TheMidrash of Purim is that Hashem saved the commitment to Torah Sheba’al Peh. Tanchuma, Noach no. 3, explains that Jewish people while remaining hidden. we accepted the Written Torah — Therefore, when Klal Yisrael saw for As we celebrate the holiday of Purim, let Torah Shebichsav — readily but were the first time Hashem’s hand working us reflect on re-energizing our learning pressured into accepting the Oral behind the scenes, they came to the of Torah Sheba’al Peh and reaffirming Torah — Torah Sheba’al Peh. On the realization that the more concealed our observance of Torah Sheba’al Peh, as holiday of Purim, we accepted the Torah, the Torah Sheba’al Peh, needs it is truly the safeguard of our continued Oral Torah willingly. What changed? more focus. It is for this reason that at relationship with Hashem. Why did the Jewish people refuse to this moment in time, they accepted the accept the Torah Sheba’al Peh willingly Torah Sheba’al Peh willingly. until the miracle of Purim?

41 Rabbi Elchanan Theological Seminary • The and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Purim 5778