Did you know that the Megillah, which is read every year on the holiday of Purim, is the only book in the entire Written Torah in which G-d’s name does not appear even once?
Wondering why?
Reading through the story of Purim, we discover another most interesting fact. Throughout the entire story we find that very little of it was miraculous. In fact, most of it seems to be extremely coincidental. It seems like the work of a great novelist, with all loose ends eventually coming together.
Beginning with the death of Queen Vashti, and King Ahasuerus choosing Esther as his new wife. Followed by Mordechai overhearing and foiling a plot to murder the king, and Haman’s rise to power. Through Haman’s scheme to annihilate the Jews, and the king’s discovery that Esther was Jewish and that Haman’s plan would have included her.
All the events leading up to Purim seem to fit right into an almost natural course, and not once do we read about a great miracle, such as the sea splitting or manna falling from heaven. All we have is one coincidental occurrence after another.
True, the fact that Haman’s scheme backfired onto himself was very fortuitous, but there were no supernatural miracles. No oil lasted for eight days, nor were any firstborns smitten.
And that is precisely what makes the story of Purim so special.
Take a look at the world around you. Everything seems so ‘normal’. The sun rises every morning in the east, and sets in the west at dusk. Trees and plants grow when they are properly tended to, and will wither and die when neglected. Fire rages and grows when in contact with anything flammable, but will be extinguished when in contact with water.
All this, and much more, is what we’ve come to know as nature. And like everything else in the world, nature, too, was created by G-d. Nature is G-d’s most incredible miracle. We are living a constant miracle. By waking up every morning, we experience this most miraculous event – life.
Even though we don’t feel the G-dliness or the miracle in it all, it is there.
The very name of the Megillah, ‘Megillat Esther,’ makes this point. The name ‘Esther’ translates as ‘hidden’. The true miracle of Purim, as well as that of our daily lives, remains hidden. But we know that G-d, although His name is not mentioned in Megillah, was in fact behind all that had transpired, just as He is behind all that happens in the world.
And just as the Jews of that time believed and trusted in G-d that He will save them from Haman’s wicked decree, so must we, truly have faith in G-d that He is the one who ultimately controls our destiny.
So this year, when you hear the Megillah being read on Thursday evening, March 24, and Friday, March 25, take the time to think about the miracle of Purim, and how much it really relates to us.