GREAT READS → SHUL WITH A VIEW Issue 1005 · March 27, 2024

The Call of Shushan Purim

From the sound of her voice, I could tell she was no longer in the simchah spirit of Purim

The Call of Shushan Purim

 

AS I sit in my office on Shushan Purim, reviewing the events of the last 24 hours, I appreciate the downtime. It’s a day to take stock and wind down from the frenetic pace of Purim. Once I became a rav, I understood all too well why the name of the Yom Tov of Yom HaKippurim can also be understood as “a day like (=k) Purim.”

The responsibilities of a rav to his kehillah on Yom Kippur are quite daunting. Nevertheless, in certain respects, they don’t come close to the level of intensity and the interpersonal challenges the day of Purim imposes on the rav of a shul.

The beautiful constant flow of people and the necessity to retain a smiling countenance can be a formidable and sometimes strenuous challenge.

The necessity to be directly involved in the collection and distribution of matanos l’evyonim is coupled with the need to constantly remain focused on the dignity and honor of both givers and receivers.

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