Our Sages asked a strange question in the Talmud: “Where do we find a hint in the Torah to the Book of Esther?” The Talmud (Chullin 39b) answers with the words, v’anochi haster astir panai, “I will hide my face on that day.” God's most fearful warning had always been that there would come a time when there would be hester panim, the concealed face of God, when it would look as if, God forbid, He has stopped communicating with us.
That is how the Sages found a hint of Esther. We know that Esther is one of the only two books in Tanach which don’t contain the name of God, the other one being The Song of Songs. But where The Song of Songs is a book about God's love for us, Esther is a fearful book because it records the moment when it was resolved “to destroy, to slay, and to exterminate all Jews, young and old, children and women, in a single day,” when the first warrant for genocide against the Jewish people was issued.
Purim is the only festival in the Jewish year set entirely in Exile. Every other festival is either based on an event that happened in Israel or on the journey toward Israel. Purim alone is set in the place of hester panim, when we are out of Israel and where it is harder to feel the presence of God.
Yet there is one line in the Megillat Esther that cuts through me like a knife and represents the most powerful statement in Judaism I know that God has not abandoned us.
Wherever we are, God is asking us to realize why He put us here, with these gifts, at this time, with these dangers, in this place.
Towards the end of the fourth chapter, we find Esther telling her uncle Mordechai about all the problems there might be in interceding with King Achashverosh regarding the fate of the Jewish people. Mordechai listens and then responds to her with the famous words, “If you are silent and you do nothing at this time somebody else will save the Jewish people. But who knows, was it not for just this moment that you became a Queen, with access to King Achashverosh in the royal palace?”
This, for me, is the ultimate statement of hashgacha pratit, Divine providence, that wherever we are, God is asking us to realize why He put us here, with these gifts, at this time, with these dangers, in this place. Hashgacha pratit is our fundamental belief that God never abandons us, that He puts us here with something to do. Even in the worst hiding of God, if you listen hard enough, you can hear Him calling to us as individuals, saying “Was is not for this very challenge that you are here in this place at this time?”
That is the essence of the first word of the third book of Torah – Vayikra, "And God called". When you look in a Torah you will notice the word is written with a very small Aleph at the end. Commenting on this, Rashi draws a distinction between the phrases Vayikra el Moshe, “And He [God] called to Moses” and Vayikar el Bilam “And He [God] appeared to Bilam”. The Hebrew language, says Rashi, has two words that sound the same, but are in fact completely different, even opposite, mikra and mikreh. Mikreh is used to describe something that happens accidentally, that involves no Divine providence. Mikra, on the other hand, is used to describe a calling from God, specific to you with a particular task involved.
Why, then, is the Aleph – a letter which makes no sound – written small? To teach us that sometimes it can be very hard to hear God's call. It might even be a silent call. In Hebrew, this is a known as kol demama daka, a voice you can only hear if you are listening. Even in the worst times of darkness, God is always calling on us to do something.
One of my great heroes was a man called Victor Frankl. He was a psychotherapist actually working with university students in Vienna and was taken to Auschwitz during the Second World War. There never was in all history greater time of God being hidden than in the Holocaust. Yet Victor Frankl was a man of faith, and he knew God was calling on him to do something even there, even at the gates of Hell itself.
Frankl asked himself, what does God want of me, a psychotherapist, in the middle of Auschwitz?
He asked himself, what does God want of me, a psychotherapist, in the middle of Auschwitz? He came to the answer, God wants me to give my fellow prisoners, my fellow Jews, a will to live, because only if they have that will, will they have the strength to survive. So he went around to each prisoner that he thought was about to fall into despair, and gave them a role in life, one they had yet to fulfil. This sense of renewed purpose helped force these men, women and children to stay alive, survive Auschwitz, be liberated and then go and do their calling. That is what Victor Frankl heard, even in Auschwitz, a Vayikra, a call, with a tiny Aleph.
Eddie Jacobson and Harry S. Truman
There is another story of a man named Eddie Jacobson. Eddie was an ordinary Jewish guy from the Lower East Side of New York. When Eddie was a child, his parents moved to Kansas City and there he met a child his own age. Soon they became close school friends, did military service together during the First World War, and decided that when the war was over they would go into business together. They set up a clothing store in Kansas City, but the business was not a great success and soon they drifted apart. Eddie Jacobson went on being a travelling salesman selling clothes. His friend, Harry S. Truman, took a slightly different route and landed up as president of the United States.
The State Department advised the president not to support the creation of the state of Israel. But one man got through to him.
In 1947-48, the Jews of the world needed the support of the United States of America for the state of Israel to be proclaimed and recognized. The State Department was against it and advised the president not to support the creation of the state of Israel. Jews and Jewish organizations tried their utmost to see the president in the White House, and every single attempt was refused. Even the leader of the Zionist movement, Chaim Weizmann, the man who would become the first president of the State of Israel, was refused a meeting.
As time became desperate, somebody remembered that Harry S. Truman had a childhood friend called Eddie Jacobson. So they reached out to Eddie and asked if he could get the president of the United States to meet with Chaim Weizmann. Eddie phoned up President Truman and said he had to come and see him. Truman’s officials tried to block the meeting, but Truman said, “This is my old friend, Eddie, from school, Eddie, from the Army, Eddie, from our shop together! How can I not see this man?”
When Eddie arrived at the White House, Truman said, “Eddie, you can talk to me about anything, except Israel.”
“Okay”, said Eddie and he stood in the Oval Office, in front of the president of the United States, and began to cry.
“Eddie, why are you crying?” asked the president.
Eddie pointed to a marble statue in the room and said. “Who is that, Harry?”
“That’s my hero, Andrew Jackson,” Truman replied.
“You really admire this man?” asked Eddie.
“Yes.”
“And he had an influence over you?”
“Yes” said Truman.
Then, said Eddie, “I have a hero. His name is Chaim Weizmann. Harry, for my sake, see this man.”
Harry looked at Eddie and he knew that he couldn’t say no to his old friend. That is how Chaim Weizmann got to see president Harry S. Truman, and that is how America voted in favor of the creation of the State of Israel. If they had not voted, Israel would not have been brought into being. What’s more, Harry S. Truman made the United States the first country in the world to recognize this State when David Ben Gurion pronounced it.
I don’t know how God writes the script of history, but if it can happen to Eddie Jacobson it can happen to any one of us. "Who knows, was it not for just this moment that you became a Queen, with access to the royal palace?” God is calling on each of us, saying there is a reason why we are here, because He has something for us to do, something that only we can do.
We can hear God's voice even when He appears hidden, even when the call, Vayikra, is written with a very small Aleph that you can hardly see and hardly hear.
Did Esther know that one day, the entire future of the Jewish people will rest with her?
We never know when an act of ours will have consequences. Did Esther, growing up with Mordechai, know that one day, the entire future of the Jewish people will rest with her? You never know what significance one friendship or one little moment might have for you and for somebody else that might just change the world.
We must always ask ourselves, what does God want of me in this place, at this time? Because there is always something God wants of us, and we don’t have to be anyone special to have a sacred task. We can just be a Jewish woman called Esther, or a Jewish man called Eddie, and yet, somehow or another, our acts might have consequences that we cannot even begin to imagine. Even though you may feel sometimes that this is a world and an age in which there is hester panim, where you look for God and you can’t find him, He is still saying to us “Was it not for this moment that I placed you here on Earth?”
When God calls, may each of us have the courage to say to "Hineini, here I am, God, tell me what to do and I will do it." May we go out into the world, walking tall as Jews, walking unafraid as Jews, and may we be true to our faith and a blessing to others regardless of their faith. May we hear the call of God and answer it. May we all bring blessing to the world.
Chag Purim Sameach!
(28) Anonymous, February 28, 2021 7:55 PM
Quem sabe ,se quando o SENHOR mi visitou ,o que me falou ,foi pròprio endereçado a Israel?
(27) Babu THOMAS, February 26, 2021 5:01 PM
" HIS" Plan
HIS plan is always a better plan, than our Plan beyond our imagination . Amen & Amen . Thank you LORD Thank you ,
(26) art, February 26, 2021 1:36 AM
a short window
the window of opportunity to create the state of Israel was no more than 6 months.. after the creation of Israel . the state dept did everything in their power to backtrack the whole deal.. when deals are good they fall into place.. when they are no good.. they fall apart fast.. the deal of the century.. the Trump deal was an oil pipeline deal.. what happened after..? Trump lost the elections.. & now.. oil leaks & contamination ..
(25) Keren Elson, February 26, 2021 12:38 AM
What a challenge!
We often think the situation is too big and we are insignificant, which we are. It’s great to be reminded that God is able to use insignificant people to change big situations, whilst those people are available to answer His call. Good to be reminded!
(24) Eliot Sohmer, February 25, 2021 5:35 PM
Excellent Article
Not only did I learn a few nuances of the Hebrew language, but I was remined once again how important each individual is to G-d. He created us for a purpose and our job is to find and execute that purpose. The story of Esther has always inspired me in that a simple, beautiful human can defeat a Hitler-like monster like Haman. Thank you Rabbi for the insights in this article.
(23) Dov baer Ben Yaachov Halevi, February 25, 2021 4:52 PM
This is great. Compelling.
(22) Ken, February 21, 2021 4:54 PM
Truman Story and his friend Eddie
Reading about Harry Truman and his friend Eddie is an important piece of history that I was not aware of! Thanks for sharing!!!
(21) jay Schiffres, February 13, 2021 5:08 AM
I believe
in this. I hope that soon I will get that moment or that I have had that moment in the past and did not know it.
Shabbat Shalom
(20) Reuven, March 27, 2020 1:00 PM
No Period?
There is controversy about the period after the S in Harry S Truman.
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/trivia/use-of-period-after-s-truman-name
(19) U, March 11, 2020 6:22 AM
Eddie Jacobson was a hero but President Truman would have recognized Israel anyway.
I have read a lot about President Truman in my lifetime. I first read of him about 50 years ago. I’ve known of Eddie Jacobson for 40 years. I have a photo of the two men in their I’ll fated haberdashery from the year 1920. I’ve read much about Mr. Jacobson.
Although it is true that Eddie accelerated the meeting, President Truman would have recognized Israel anyway. Remember our vote at the UN on 11/29/47.
(18) Andrew Hans, March 11, 2020 12:16 AM
Minor correction
Harry S Truman's middle name was S...simply S. No period after it.
(17) Liora, March 10, 2020 9:12 PM
Love this story
I took my class to the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. My class read the book of Esther as literature and The Chosen. Our docent was Eddie Jacobson’s daughter! In my class we had talked a lot about Zionism and God’s sovereignty. I hope my students remember this lesson!
(16) david frankel, March 10, 2020 1:32 PM
Deleted comment
This comment has been deleted.
Raymond, March 12, 2020 1:39 AM
Trust but Verify
It was just a few years ago that I heard about what you mention here, about how President Truman basically participated in blocking necessary arms from reaching Jews fighting the British over in the land of Israel in the late 1940's. Some years earlier, Winston Churchill carved out most of the land promised by the British through the Balfour Declaration, handing that land over to our enemies, thus creating the State of Jordan. Many years later, Ronald Reagan voted against Israel in the United Nations many times during his tenure as President. Bill Clinton oversaw the Oslo Suicide Accords of 1993, which in part handed tens of thousands of weapons over to Israel's murderous enemies. I specifically mention these examples because in all four cases, the non-Jewish leaders in question were very much great lovers of our Jewish people. So how should we Jews react to all this? Should we continue to admire these people, seeing them for their better qualities while overlooking their imperfections, or should we realize once and for all that we Jews are foolish whenever we put our trust in the non-Jewish world? This is a question that I will leave up to each of you to reach your own conclusions on this matter.
(15) Meera Miller, March 10, 2020 7:41 AM
What a great article, thank you for writing this, I love true stories and didn't know about this!
(14) Barry Yaker, March 9, 2020 8:30 PM
When Chaim Weizman met with Harry Truman he said to the President that G-d put him in his mothers for this moment
then the President had the United States vote for partition and reconized Israel as soon it was declared
Norman Schwartz, March 11, 2020 6:24 AM
Addition to this man’s comment.
Weizman’s words which you State brought Truman to tears.
(13) Anonymous, March 9, 2020 5:15 PM
We all have a mission only we can do
Very inspiring story. Each of us are important! One ordinary man was able to Influence the United States to recognize Israel’s.
(12) CB Sinaga, March 9, 2020 4:52 AM
Thank you very much. Very good & nice article. God Bless You, Rabbi Jonathan.
(11) Jay Silverman, March 9, 2020 4:28 AM
Thanks for the article
I enjoyed reading this very much. I want to mention Rabbi Kalman Packouz OBM for his efforts via the Shabbat Shalom Weekly. It is now being handled by Rabbi Yitzchak Zweig and he is doing a great job with it. Please check out my website at www.TheMitzvahProject.org. Shalom and Chag Purim Sameach!
(10) ED barnes, March 9, 2020 12:08 AM
Also was Truman a Xian ?.....maybe he knew that Israel would return
I wonder if Truman was a Bible reader......I don't know...maybe he was a Xian and he knew Israel would return. Like the pro Israel Xians of today
(9) Anonymous, March 8, 2020 6:34 PM
Isn’t Esther also “Hastara?”
Oh wow! All those years in Yeshiva and not a single other Rabbi made the implied connection between Esther and Hastara? We were always taught that Hadassah’s Persian name only meant “star.” Chag Purim Sameach!
Anonymous, March 11, 2020 11:48 AM
Brilliant!
I was always familiar with the story of Eddie Jacobson and Harry Truman, and also admired Viktor Frankel, but had never heard anyone expound on the connection between Esther and hastara!
(8) Alan Bly, March 8, 2020 6:25 PM
All I can say is "Wow!"
I undertook reading this piece without having paid attention to who it is that wrote it. As I read on, I was more and more taken with the message. What a wonderful message! And, coming away from the article's finish having been so impressed and moved by it I took a look at who it is that wrote it. It's Rabbi Jonathan Sacks! I've read his work so many time and each and every single time, it was a wonderful experience. This was yet another...Wow!
(7) Anonymous, March 8, 2020 4:33 PM
Was Frankl a man of G-d?
I believe Victor Frankl was an interesting man,. He started a whole new wing of psychiatry. It was amazing that he could find meaning in such suffering, but I do not believe he was religious.
Laiv, March 10, 2020 1:42 PM
Not that it should matter
He certainly was a man of Torah and lived the ideals of the Torah through a living hell. But I have read that Mr. Frankle was very private about his observance but that he wrapped tefillin every day.
(6) Sandy Resnick, March 8, 2020 4:09 PM
As always brilliantly written. Thank you Rabbi. I always take away new insights from you
(5) Jacob Levenstein, March 8, 2020 4:00 PM
Mordekhai was Esther's cousin not uncle
Mordekhai was Esther's cousin not uncle.
Anonymous, March 9, 2020 6:39 AM
It's a machloket, and not relevant to the article.
MESA, March 9, 2020 4:44 PM
The verse is pretty clear. It says that Esther was "bat dodo." That means cousin. Actual facts are always relevant.
(4) Tony Gadsdon, March 8, 2020 1:19 PM
Harry Truman
That is an incredible story. That is the time when the beacon passed from the UK to the USA. The UK were used by God to prepare for the return of the Jews and the birth of Israel. But then they betrayed that calling and lost their empire within a few years. America have been blessed showing it pays to bless Israel according to scripture.
(3) Richard, March 8, 2020 12:30 PM
WOW!
I love Rabbi Sacks! The commentaries are SO inspirational. We are completely surrounded by miracles each and every day, each and every moment. Life however can be confusing, especially when it concerns human behavior, especially the negative kind. There is so much we don't know! At the end of the day, we should do good, hope for the best and whatever happens, happens.
(2) Alan S., March 6, 2020 3:53 PM
Another excellent article by Rabbi Sacks
According to Wikipedia, Truman was 21 when he met Jacobson, who was 14. Many adults, though certainly not all, would look back at age 14 as part of their 'childhood'. This small quibble does not detract from Rabbi Sacks' excellent message.
Anonymous, March 11, 2020 11:53 AM
Wikipedia is not the be-all-and-end-all of historical information
Anyone can edit Wikipedia, you know. AAMOF, *I* registed with them at one time to be an editor so that I could get rid of some antisemitic lies. So while it is interesting, I don't depend on it exclusively.
(1) Jim Armistead, Archives Specialist, Truman Library, March 3, 2020 9:37 PM
Harry S. Truman & Eddie Jacobson
While President Truman and Eddie Jacobson were great friends, Army buddies and business partners, they were never "childhood" friends. They didn't meet until they were both grown up.