Our Jewish calendar expects a lot from us during the course of the year.
Every week, we must make time for rest, relaxation and refreshment as we approach Shabbat.
We are expected to evaluate our lives and our souls in the lead-up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
We are expected to be devastatingly sad and melancholy on dates like Tisha B’Av.
And, of course, we are expected to be euphorically happy as we approach Purim.
Holidays bring joy and winter is waning
Reaching that happy place may be very easy for some of us. The winter is ending, albeit slowly, and the longest nights are behind us already.
There is so much joy in the holiday of Purim, whether you are a fan of costumes, frivolity or the story itself.
This is a delightful moment, a chance to come together and recall the persistence of the Jewish people despite adversity, and to revel in evil getting its comeuppance.
We are expected to indulge, let loose, laugh and celebrate uproariously.
This is a delightful moment, a chance to come together and recall the persistence of the Jewish people despite adversity, and to revel in evil getting its comeuppance.
However, it may be more difficult for some of us to reach this euphoric, celebratory joy.
The mundane can distract us from the spiritual
We may not be able to reach the expected emotional goalposts. We may be too busy, with childcare, work or household chores, to really focus and rest ourselves on every Shabbat.
We may be focused on more mundane and tangible matters before the High Holy Days, rather than on matters of the soul and the Divine.
We may be more inclined to enjoy the sunshine and warmth of the summer days around Tisha B’Av than to adopt a mournful attitude.
We may be more inclined to enjoy the sunshine and warmth of the summer days around Tisha B’Av than to adopt a mournful attitude.
And on Purim, we may not be able to access the kind of joyous, raucous celebration we might wish for.
When this type of separation from intended emotional impact and actual disposition arises, we can try to find a middle ground.
Focus on the meaning of the story
Perhaps we aren’t feeling particularly joyous as we head into one of the happiest moments of the Jewish calendar. We can accept that for what it is, and instead focus on the values and meaning of the story behind the holiday.
Vashti, Esther, Achashverosh and Mordechai all exhibit a vital quality that has, in its own way, become a distinctly Jewish value.
When we look at it in this way, what does Purim bring for us? Vashti, Esther, Achashverosh and Mordechai all exhibit a vital quality that has, in its own way, become a distinctly Jewish value.
They all show ometz lev, a term commonly translated as “courage” but in fact means “strength of heart.”
Vashti shows it in her defiance, Esther in her bravery, Achashverosh in his consideration and Mordechai in his wisdom. All of these characters display this value, this strength of heart.
Rabbi Nachman points the way forward
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov wrote that “the entire world is a very narrow bridge, but the central thing is to not be afraid.”
We are often afraid and melancholy, and we may often feel off-balance. But when we show ometz lev, we continue along the narrow bridge regardless.
We are often afraid and melancholy, and we may often feel off-balance. But when we show ometz lev, we continue along the narrow bridge regardless.
When we are overcome by sadness around Purim, we rely on our ometz lev, the strength of our hearts, exhibited by those in our textual tradition, as we continue on.
Perhaps during the following year, we may find that joy comes to us more easily.
Student Rabbi Rocki Schy will serve UHC Terre Haute during the 2022-23 academic year.