Kobi Bloom – Coordinator of Informal Jewish Life (HS), Chavayah Coordinator, Jewish Studies Teacher, Tutor & Acting Year 7 Coordinator

Purim is often the highlight of our Jewish year. Feasting, dancing and partying. It’s an all-around good time. There is a unique Rabbinic law in the approach to Purim. Mishe-nichnas Adar marbim be-simcha: “From the beginning of the month of Adar, we increase in joy.” Talmud (Taanit 29a-b)

So, essentially, we are supposed to be happy for an entire month. Let’s look back at the month of Adar Sheini (Adar 2) so far: War in Ukraine, catastrophic floods, COVID is beginning to rear its ugly and familiar head again with another variant and my childhood hero Shane Warne died suddenly at age 52. All of the above in addition to the fact that my two daughters have decided that, between them, one will wake up four times a night and the other will wake up at 5.00 am every morning. If I’m going to be honest, it has been a rough 12 days of Adar so far.

So, what is with the ‘have a great month’ commandment? Sometimes, especially lately, it is hard enough to have a good day. Well, let’s look at the reason why we celebrate on Purim. In a nutshell, it is because in our story we averted disaster – the actions of a few brave people saved the entire Jewish population of Persia.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zikhrono livrakha, may his memory be a blessing, suggests that ‘let’s party’ is not exactly a normal reaction to surviving trauma. He argues that although the Jews were pronounced safe when King Ahashverosh allowed them to defend themselves against their would-be attackers, they knew that their fate in the diaspora was fraught as long as they were subject to the murderous whims of their rulers. Sadly, this proved to be true for millennia as long Jews were living in the diaspora they were expelled from their lands, ghettoised, scapegoated and massacred. It is no secret that the Jewish people have had some tough times over the last three thousand years and yet every Adar, we increase in joy.

So why the frivolity and festivity when retelling the story of one of our escapes from annihilation? I have a theory on this: the mitzvah of increasing our own joy is not one that we can look at in isolation. There is a guidebook for how to do it on Purim.

The mitzvot of Purim are to:

1. Read the Megilah.
2. Have a Seudah (feast),
3. Give mishloach manot (gifts of food to friends and family) and
4. Give Matanot La’evyonim (material gifts to the needy).

All four of those mitzvot are to be done with community and done to increase joy in the world. Purim puts particular emphasis on spreading happiness. It is not enough to enjoy the celebration on your own. We give gifts to loved ones, friends and colleagues and importantly, we give to those in need.

Let’s look at the alternative, wallowing in the darkness, holding grudges, and focussing on the negative. That was Haman’s way of operating. He couldn’t let go of his grudge against Mordechai, and in the end, it was self-destructive as he ended up on the gallows that he had built himself. Those that spread negativity, violence and hatred in this world always end up suffering from the effects of it.

Through Purim, we understand that we can fight darkness by spreading joy. It seems totally counterintuitive in the face of increasing tragedy in this world, but what choice do we have?

The more light and the more happiness there is in this world, the more it grows. We can’t let ourselves be intimidated, it’s the Jewish way to be “Marbim be-simcha”, to increase our joy. Purim teaches us that one of the simple tools we have at our disposal to make the world a better place is joy.

So even if a day or a month isn’t going your way, this Adar Sheini, see if you can find a way to increase the joy of those around you and watch it come back to you multiplied every time.

Purim Sameach!