Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Englisha and Hebrew: Parshas Ki Tisa (Purim) – 15 Adar 5785
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Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Ki Tisa (Purim) – 15 Adar 5785
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
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Yom Kippurim יום כפורים translates to Day of Atonement, however, by changing the pronunciation ever so slightly, it could be translated as 'a day like Purim', which has prompted much Divrei Torah on the topic. The original source connecting Purim and Yom Kippur seems to come from the Tikunei Zohar (Tikkun 21), which says that, the festival is called Purim based on the festival of Yom HaKippurim, because in the future their will be enjoyment, as the afflictions on Yom Kippur will change to enjoyment.
The Megillah itself states, That is why they called these days פורים 'Purim', from the word פור 'lottery' (Esther 9:26). It seems 'pur' פור is the Persian word for 'lottery', as it says, "Haman, the son of Hamedata the Aggagi, enemy of all the Jews, had plotted to destroy the Jews and had cast lots to terrify and destroy them" (Esther 9:24). However, it is noteworthy that the only other festival which features a lottery in the Torah is Yom Kippur (see Vayikra 16:8-10). Lotteries in both festivals emphasize that one can choose to view This World as a random sequence of events, or they can choose to believe that Hashem is the active director in charge.
The Apter Rov, Rebbe Avraham Yehoshua Heshel, quotes a Midrash in Mishlei (9:2), "All of the festivals will be annulled in the future, but the days of Purim will never be annulled, as it says, 'these Days of Purim will never cease among the Jews' (Esther 9:28)', R' Elazar adds, Yom Kippur will never be annulled, as it says, 'And this shall be for you an eternal ordinance to bring atonement upon Bnei Yisroel for all their sins once a year' (Vayikra 16:34). He explains that both Purim and Yom Kippur allude to the concept of Techiyas HaMasim. On Yom Kippur, the power of Teshuva has the ability to 'bring back to life' one who was written down in the 'Book of Death'. Similarly, after legally being declared dead by Haman's decree, the Jewish People were brought back to life through the fasting and Teshuva of the people and the miraculous events recorded in Megillas Esther.
The status of a walled city, in regard to observing Shushan Purim on the 15th of Adar, is determined by the walled cities in the times of Yehoshua, which seemingly has no relevance to the story of Purim. The Talmud Yerushalmi (Megillah 1:1) explains that this was to give honor to Eretz Yisroel, so its cities should read on the 15th, which otherwise would not if the era of Achashveirosh was chosen, since her cities were in ruins at that time. The Sfas Emes points out that the walled cities of Eretz Yisroel received their special status when they were conquered by Yehoshua from the impurity of the Canaanim, and this is why this period of time was chosen for the basis of Shushan Purim, to demonstrate the higher level of sanctity of the walled cities of Eretz Yisroel.
The Mishnah (Kaylim 1:6) discusses ten levels of sanctity in Eretz Yisroel with walled cities of Eretz Yisroel having a higher level of sanctity then the rest of the land, as indicated by the laws of Metzora (Kaylim 1:7), and city of Yerushalayim being next, up until the tenth and highest level being the Kodesh Kodashim (Kaylim 1:8-9). Purim is the only festival that highlights the distinction between the walled cities and unwalled cities of Eretz Yisroel, while Yom Kippur is the only festival that highlights the distinction between the regular sanctity of the Beis HaMikdash and the ultimate Kedusha of the Kodesh Kodashim.
The Me'or V'Shemesh, R' Kalonymus Kalman Epstein also compares Yom Kippur to Purim. He suggests that on Yom Kippur, we take two identical goats (Yoma 62a) and designate one for Hashem and one for Azazel. It was this goat for Azazel, thrown off a cliff on the outskirts of Yerushalayim, that achieved atonement for all of our sins in the time of the Beis HaMikdash (Hilchos Teshuva 1:2). He writes that on Yom Kippur the prosecuting Satan becomes our defender. Similarly on Purim, Esther equated Haman to Achashveirosh, by exclusively inviting them to her banquets (Esther 5:8), in order to bring about Haman's downfall. This time it was Achashveirosh, who was complicit in Haman's scheme (see Esther 3:10-11 and Megillah 13b) who the Midrash claims hated the Jewish People more than Haman (Esther Rabah 7:20), who became the defender of the Jewish People.
The Gemara (Megillah 16a) says that Esther's intent was to point a finger at Achashveirosh as the 'enemy and adversary' of 'her people' that were slated to be exterminated, but an angel directed her hand to Haman instead. Although in the past, Achashveirosh found himself enamored with Haman, with his anxieties and inhibitions removed under the influence of wine, Achashveirosh was able to choose the path of Esther over the path of Haman.
Often, struggles to make a living, social pressures and temptation, blind us from being able to differentiate between choices that coincide with the will of Hashem and those that do not. The aura and awe of Yom Kippur, where we emulate the angels through fasting, prayer, etc., allows us to see clearly the difference between the way of Hashem and the enticements of Azazel, and we choose to cast away our sins and sinful lifestyle.
Similarly, we are required to drink wine at the Purim Seudah until we cannot differentiate between the curse of Haman and blessing of Mordechai (Megillah 7b, O.C. 695:2). Once again, with our struggles, pressures and temptations taken away, we are able to truly see the truth and choose the path of Mordechai over the path of Haman.
May it be His will that just as we are able to once again fulfill the Mitzvos of Shushan Purim in Yerushalayim, we should merit rebuilding the Beis HaMikdash, speedily in our days, and fulfill all the Mitzvos of Yom Kippur as well, in the era of the Geulah Shlayma.