I've been thinking a lot lately about Purim -- a little about hamantashen recipes, a little about mishloach manot – but mostly about the Almighty hiding His face, about living in a time of concealment.
On a national level, on an international level, we face uncertainty and insecurity. No country is immune to the financial stress, there are warring tribes and nations across the globe, Iran sits poised to acquire nuclear capacity, Pakistan already has it, and anti-Israel sentiment seems to be on the rise.
More locally, in my small community recently there have been a slew of sorrows -- sudden deaths, illness among children, damaged or destroyed relationships.
It's impossible to make sense of it all. It's a world where the Almighty hides His face.
And not only is it impossible to control it all, but it's not our job. Sure, we have to make our effort, we have to do what's right, we have to be kind and caring. But the ultimate outcome -- for the world and our people and our local communities and individuals -- rests with a power much greater than ourselves.
And the truth is that's a relief. Because if the Almighty wasn't in charge, then we'd really have to worry.
Yes, we're confused, we're uncertain -- even a little unhinged at times, but we know it will be all right.
The most important lesson of the Purim story is that even when the situation appears bleak, even when the Almighty's face is hidden, He is still there behind the scenes, pulling the strings. The Cosmic Puppeteer.
We just have to keep reminding ourselves that the Almighty is here, whether we can see His face or not.
That knowledge doesn't ease all the pain. It just takes the edge off; a little spiritual Tylenol. It keeps our anxiety manageable and out of the DSM-IV. Because we really aren't in charge. We really don't have to plan the world's future. And it really will all be okay.
We just have to keep reminding ourselves that the Almighty is here, whether we can see His face or not.
We need to make a reasonable effort to stimulate the economy but whether this particular plan works is out of Barak Obama and Nancy Pelosi's hands. We need to fight for our land and try to make peace for Israel, but whether this is achieved doesn't really depend on if Bibi or Tzippi Livni are running the government. We need to see doctors and take our medicine but whether the cure will be effective or not is out of our hands. We need to pursue an education and send our resumes if we are looking for employment. But who will hire us, in what position, and at what salary is not up to us.
It would be less frustrating if the Almighty's face weren't hidden. Everything would be clear and our decisions easy. We'd certainly sleep better at night. But that's not our challenge, that's not our opportunity for growth.
At the time of Achashverosh, our people had difficulty remembering the Almighty's hidden presence. It was a little too "out of sight, out of mind." With Esther's help, they woke up just in time.
We need to rouse ourselves now, to move forward with faith and optimism, recognizing that even though He may be hidden, it's all in His hands. And on Purim, we can take a small drink (emphasis on small), just to help ease our anxieties and inhibitions and clear the path to this recognition.
We pray that this be the year where the whole Jewish people comes to recognize the Almighty's presence and where the mask of darkness is removed from our world.
(10) Roberta, March 4, 2009 7:34 PM
G-d Helps Those Who Help Themselves
Don't think for one minute that we can all sit back complacently while there are so many problems in this world. Do your very best, then the rest is in the Almighty's hands. Each of us doing our best may be the Almighty's solution.
(9) David, March 4, 2009 3:57 PM
God IS in control
This is in answer to Deny Rios. Throughout history, God has and is in control. Though there are sometimes horrible and unthinkable cruelties that take place, and we are unable to explain them. The Lord allows these things to happen as they are a way to add to His glory. The Lord commands the universe, but he allows satan to torment and manipulate us in such a way as it will bring glory to our Heavenly Father. Think about the story of Job. Job was a righteous man, and the Lord was proud of how he loved the Lord. This troubled satan, so he asked the Lord for permission to test Job. The Lord agreed, stating that he wasn't allowed to kill Job (but nothing was said about his family). Throughout the situation, Job stayed true to the Lord and brought Him great glory through his faith. I hope that is some small help to you. God bless you! David
(8) Sharon, March 4, 2009 3:22 AM
I agree, but the article leaves out one important message
This is a great article, but it doesn't stress the main way we can affect the outcome of any situation. If the Jews at the time of the Purim story had just accepted that "He [The Almighty] is still there behind the scenes, pulling the strings", and done nothing, we would have had a very different story. But they came together in prayer, did teshuva and fasted, and this is what changed the Purim story from a near-tragedy to a day of celebtration. We can't afford to be complacent and assume that everything will be alright. We need to recognise why we are still in exile having all the problems that we are going through - disunity among ourselves - and correct it.
(7) Berry, March 4, 2009 12:58 AM
What a magnificent article.
Thank you for writing this. You express deep and complex philosophies very clearly and in a friendly way. I especially like the idea of it being a relief to acknowledge that H-shem runs the world, so we don't have to (as if we could). Sometimes we exert so much mental and physical energy trying to make something happen. Acknowledging that it really is out of our hands is, should be, a tremendous relief. Hand it over to G-d, it's His job anyway, and always was whether we realized it or not.
(6) lilian russak, March 3, 2009 9:33 PM
so important to remember
I really enjoyed this article. In the midst of all the purim preparations we often forget the most important lesson of all. This article is a such a great reminder and so pertinent to the uncertainty that we all face.
(5) Rosane Maia, March 3, 2009 12:50 PM
student of Jewish History
Dear Ruth, could you for special kindness sen for me the web link about the Sixty Minutes segment to which you are refering about nazis archives uncoverd ? my email is rosane.camera@terra.com.br. Thanks a lot.
(4) Naomi, March 3, 2009 11:30 AM
HE is still present
I'm in a time such as this when I seek HIS face and HE seems so far from me. Thank you for reminding me HE is still near. I'd like to see that Sixty Minutes segment #2 refers to. Can you type the name of the website in your message without typing the whole url (i.e. omit the www at the beginning and the dot com or dot net at the end)
(3) DENYS RIOS, March 3, 2009 11:11 AM
IT'S REALLY GOOD TO READ THIS!
TODAY - 3rd MARCH 2009- WE (ME AND MY CHILDREN) READ MISHLEI CHAPTER SIX BEFORE LUNCH AND AT THE END WE READ THIS FONDERFUL ARTICLE WHICH COMES TO ME IN A VERY NEEDING MOMENT BECAUSE I'M DELING WITH A FRIEND IN SWEDEN WHO IS PASSING THROUGH A TERRIBLE SITUATION AFTER HIS DIVORCE, AND HE REALLY NEEDS TO READ SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SO I DECIDED TO READ IT WITH MY CHIDREN TOO IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE BECAUSE OF OUR OLD NATION'S PROBLEM WHICH IS THE ANTISEMITISM. I HAVE A QUESTION FROM MY CHLDRE TO SHARE WITH YOU, IF YOU PLEASE REALLY PLEASE, COULD HELP ME SENDING ME ANY RESPONS TO THEIR QUESTIN I WOULD APPRECIATE INDEED. HERE IS THE QUESTION: WHAT WAS GOD DOING WHEN THE CRIMINAL NAZIS PUNISHED OUR PEOPLE UNTIL DEATH? WAS HE IN CONTROL TOO? TO THOSE QUESTION REALLY STRONG, I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THEM BUT I THINK I HAD NO SUCCESS, SO PLEASE COULD YOU HELP ME WITH ANY ASNWER ABOUT?
(2) ruth housman, March 3, 2009 9:38 AM
the hidden face of God
I just made a comment but it was refused because I included a web link, and it was a link just sent to me, about the Sixty Minutes segment, which was about the archives uncovered, the terrible documents, so meticulously kept by the Nazis which are now being made public. I was in shock from watching this and thought others should watch this, and I needed your article very much, to remind me that God is pulling the strings. However hard it is to contemplate this, in this context, I do believe this story is about love, that this story is how life is a door, and how life is adore. There are times we fall to our knees in surrender to a far far greater power and I must say, in the angst and sadness of what I just witnessed, for which words are just so inadequate, that Yes, we must rouse ourselves with faith and optimism and act with love in all that we do, weighting the ethics of our actions, because this is surely, the mandate, the man date. I am experiencing massive ongoing visible synchronicity, so I know, deeply and profoundly that what you say is true, and it brings me to my knees, in contemplation and it is a burden both of sadness and joy, to know it's out of my hands, and that all we can do is act with love, and move towards an ethos of love. Maybe there's so much more to this "story" and maybe we all came back.
(1) Chaya Goldstein, March 3, 2009 8:28 AM
The Megillah
The way G-d appears in the megillah is similar to the way Alfred Hitchcock appears in some of his movies: Sitting on a park bench with his face concealed by the newspaper he is reading. Let's not forget who The Director is.