Dvar Torah for Taanit Esther (The Fast of Esther)

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Hodaah 6:42-46

Why do we fast on Taanit Esther? When Haman, under the aegis of Achashverosh, issued his "final-solution" edict against the Jews, the anti-Semites of the time organized themselves into armed militias. Even after Haman's downfall and Mordekhai's rise to power, when a counter-edict was issued allowing the Jews to actively defend themselves, there was no shortage of those who wanted to carry out the first one. Thus, the Jews needed to seek mercy and compassion from God that He should allow them be successful in their battles. We know, historically, that Moshe Rabbeinu fasted when Joshua went to fight the Amalekites in the desert. Similarly, in the time of Mordekhai and Esther the Jews fasted when they battled the anti-Semites.

The Talmud calls the 13th of Adar "zman kehilah lakol hee" - a time for all to gather together. This gathering together was not dictated solely by military considerations, but by spiritual ones as well. When Haman began to prod Achashverosh towards implementing a "final solution," he referred to the Jews as "a people separate." Namely, they are separated and divided among themselves, fighting and bickering. Achashverosh agreed to Haman's plan and the Jews were in mortal danger. After the miraculous events of Haman's downfall the Jews understood what it was that got them into trouble in the first place and set out to rectify their mistake.

Thus, they gathered together, they put aside personal and religious differences to identify with one another as Jews. United, they routed their enemies and celebrated the first Purim, having achieved a taste of the ultimate redemption.

Reb Noson writes that machlokes (argument, strife), hatred, anger and depression are all of a kind. They come from the heikhalei hatemurot (Chamber of Exchanges) and introduce into our minds all sorts of untrue thoughts and ideas about our fellow Jews causing us to hate them. Machlokes, he writes, is the antithesis of simcha (joy, happiness), because the main components of happiness are love and peace. This is why when the Jews banded together to fight the anti-Semites they were successful.

For the source of joy is the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) because there the truth and faith of Judaism were mostly openly displayed. The Sanhedrin would resolve conundrums of Torah and the kohanim would reinforce faith in God by using each of the elements of Creation in the bringing of the sacrifices. Nowadays, when, much to our dismay and detriment, the Beit HaMikdash is not standing, a semblance of this joy can be felt when Jews unite to learn and/or practice the Torah.

Today, when both Jerusalem, site of the Beit HaMikdash, and Jews are again threatened by anti-Semitic enemies we need as much as ever to put aside our differences and unite. We need to seek mercy and compassion from God that He should grant us success in overcoming our enemies. And may we be finally worthy of the coming of the Mashiach and the ultimate redemption. Amen!