Purim and its masks and revelry seems like a “fun day” easy to celebrate. But actually when you dig deeper into it it can be quite difficult. It can quite effortlessly sink into a Jewish Mardi Gras complete with masquerades and non-sobriety — which in themselves per se are not problematic and might in fact add to the festive atmosphere. But it should not stop there. So at the risk of raining on the Purim parade here are some sober thoughts on Purim.
Commentators have noted that Purim and Yom HaKippurim have similar sounds. This is no accident. Literally Yom HaKippurim (Vayikra 23:27; 25:9) means “the like-Purim day.” (Someone once said — I presume in a Purim jest — that on Purim Jews masquerade as goyim and on Yom Kippur Jews masquerade as Jews …) That there is a connection between the two seems surprising but only on the surface. Each day represents a serious effort to connect with G-d but each arrives at that goal through a different gate. On Yom Kippur the goal is reached directly: we abstain from food and other material pleasures and enter a full day of spirituality. On Purim making that connection is a little more difficult because on Purim our challenge is to connect with G-d specifically through the material to elevate overt physicality into instruments for serving Him. That is to penetrate the masks of food and drink and reveal the Creator Who hides beyond them.
Masks are endemic to Purim. You see someone under a mask: a person unknown to you hidden. Who is he really? Later when he removes the mask comes the shock of recognition: I should have known all along. Had I looked more closely I would have noticed telltale signs and would have recognized who you really are.
So it is with our Creator. Often He hides behind His own Divine mask and even when we come face-to-face with Him we do not recognize Him. Later comes the shock of recognition: I should have known all along. If I had looked more closely I would have recognized You.
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