Ki Tisa 5786 The Fast Before the Feast: Purim Thoughts About Iran Today

By Rabbi Alex Freedman.

For those of us who love Israel, watching the news updates about Iran raises lots of conflicting emotions: relief that Israel is certainly safer with the elimination of Iran’s nuclear-ambitious leadership; worry that Iran’s response will kill even more Israelis (who are taking cover in bomb shelters as we speak), American soldiers stationed in the region, and innocent civilians everywhere, including ordinary Iranians; hope that Israel can be safer in the very long term by not having to worry about Iran as a nuclear power with genocidal ambitions; and concern that this military operation – for all its stunning success – ultimately gives way to a new leadership with the same goals and nuclear capabilities.

It’s a lot for one person to deal with, let alone a community. 

I am reminded of the dangerous moments in the Purim story, which we just read on Monday night and Tuesday morning, about a different enemy of the Jews in the very same land. When we settle into our seats to hear Megillat Esther chanted, we do so knowing that the story ends up working out well for the Jews – that our people are ultimately saved and delivered. But if you were Jewish living in the time of Mordecai and Esther, it was a very different experience. Until the very end, the community expected the enemy to try to destroy it on the 13th of Adar. Until Esther approached the king – in defiance of the law as she had not been summoned – she did not know if he would change his mind and stop Haman’s genocide. This is why the Fast of Esther, which is held the day before Purim, remains compelling to me. It reminds me that the moment was indeed fraught with danger, the outcome far from clear. Without it, it’s easy today to slide into thinking that the entire Purim story was one big party. 

My hope is that just as the Jews of Shushan altered their fate permanently – by ensuring their safety and survival – we are living in a similar moment when Israel and the Jews will be safer for the long term. 

As we watch this critical moment from afar, let’s remember to reach out to the Israelis we know. From their bomb shelters, these friends and families of ours will doubtlessly appreciate us thinking about them during this difficult time. We have the capacity to share strength with them now, so we should.