G-d, wake up!

This Wednesday night and Thursday day we’ll celebrate Purim! Yay!

 

Hopefully you’ll be attending a service where you’ll be hearing the Megillah reading. When the reader gets to Chapter 6, the reader will raise his voice as he begins the chapter. The words he reads are “on that night”. That night referring to the night in which the miracle really began to occur, when the balance shifted towards to the Jews and ultimately led to the victory.

 

On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He asked for some bedtime stories (the book of royal chronicles) and thus he read about Mordechai’s act of valor to save the king. Thus unfolded the miracle of Purim. To hear all the exciting details come join us at one of our many Purim celebrations.

 

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The Megilah is a fascinating book in that G-d’s name is not mentioned even once. It is the only one of the Holy books of the Torah that, that is the case. Yet our sages say that every time the word “The King” is mentioned in the Megillah is mentioned, it is a reference to Hashem, the King of Kings.

 

Thus it begs the question, why is the King sleeping? Why is G-d sleeping? How is it possible for G-d to sleep?

 

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The Chasidic masters explain that of course G-d doesn’t sleep. But there is a dimension to G-d’s relationship with us that can be perceived as sleeping.

 

Not unlike a human relationship that has gotten stale or disconnected, the passion and love is sleeping. True it may be right below the surface, but on the surface it feels like it is fast asleep.

 

In the story of Purim, the Jewish People had fallen asleep. In that sleep the relationship becomes stale and dispassionate. G-d responds in kind and it appears that the King is sleeping.

 

And also not unlike a human relationship, when one party wakes up and begins to show that passion and love to their beloved, it wakes things up and the relationship is restored.

 

When the Jewish People woke up and demonstrated their commitment to G-d through the amazing self sacrifice that year of Hamans decree, G-d responded in kind and woke up and begin to turn the tables.

 

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This is why at this point in the Megillah the reader raises his voice to indicate that this is where it all takes place.

 

For us the lesson is clear. We can look around the world and say “where is G-d?”, why are things seemingly out of control. Be assured, they are in control, in His Control. It is our lack of ability to see it. If we wake up and reignite our relationship, G-d will wake up as well and we’ll be able to connect the dots.

 

This Purim let’s turn things upside down!

¡ɯᴉɹnԀ ʎddɐH