We are in Taanit Esther, and getting ready for Purim. Every year I share the Rambam, from his Hakdama to Mishneh Torah, which says that the purpose of reading Megillat Esther is to mention the praise of Hashem for the salvation He did to us, and that He was close to our cries. In that way, we will bless Him and praise Him.
It’s also to let future generations know that what the Torah guaranteed us is true.
What's that guarantee? That-Mi Goy Gadol/Who is a great nation,
Asher Lo Elokim Kerovim Elav/ that God is close to.
So there are two important takeaways from Megillat Esther. After hearing both the night and day readings, you should walk away with knowing
1-That I have something to praise God for.
2-The power of prayer.
That's why, in Megillat Esther, it talks not only about the miracle, but it also talks a lot about how they got there- through fasting, through praying, through Teshuva: ‘the words of the fast and their cries’
The Gemara, in Masechet Megillah 4A, cites two sources for the fact that we must read the Megillah both at night and by day. It's interesting to see where the sources are cloaked: The first is in chapter 22 of Tehilim,
Lamnaseach Al Ayelet HaShachar,
It's the song for the darkest point of the night, called Ayelet HaShachar, as the story of Esther occurred at the darkest point of history. It’s brought down in the Sefarim to read chapter 22 on Taanit Esther and Purim (and it’s in many siddurim), because it’s the mizmor that Esther said. In it, we find the following words:
אֱֽלֹהַ֗י אֶקְרָ֣א י֭וֹמָם וְלֹ֣א תַעֲנֶ֑ה וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה וְֽלֹא־דֻֽמִיָּ֥ה לִיֽ
My God, I called out by day and You didn't answer, And at night, there was no silence to me. So the pasuk talks about crying out to God at night and crying out to God by day. That, says Rav Yeshua Ben Levi, is the source that we read Megillat Esther both night and day.
So we read the Megillat Esther both night and day, because they prayed at night and day, thus showing quite clearly that the goal of reading Megillat Esther is to remember the prayers of night and day. That's aspect number one.
Aspect number two comes from another source, where the Gemara asks how we know we have to read the Megillat both at nigh and during the day, and says it’s because the pasuk says,
לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם ה׳ אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ
My neshama will sing to you and will not stop, Hashem, my God, I will give praise forever. The double language of song and praise refers to reading the Megillah at night and by day. Furthermore, Rashi brings down from the Midrash that this entire mizmor is also used to explain the story of Mordechai and Esther.
For example, it says, “You took off my sack cloth,” which was Mordechai talking. And Haman is the one that says, “I thought I would never drop.” According to the midrash, the whole mizmor is discussing the story of Purim.
But again, what is the pasuk that is used to give us the message of reading Megilat Esther by night and by day?
לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם יי אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ
That I should sing zemirot to You and I'll forever praise You.
So, both of the takeaways of the Megillah, namely the power of prayer and the need to praise, are sources for reading the Megillah at night, and by day.
That means we read the Megillah at night and day to praise God at night and day, because the miracle happened both at night and by day. Achashverosh was not able to sleep at night, and the parties happened at the day. So we cry out to God at night and day; He answers our prayers at night and day, and therefore we read the Megillah at night and day. And when we read the Megillah at night and day, we’re reminded of the power of prayer at night and day, and we're reminded to praise God for the miracles that happened by night and by day.
That's the takeaway of the Megillah. Sometimes you go to a class, you say it was nice, but when people ask what you learned, you don’t know. With Megillat Esther, you have to know the takeaway- something clear that you learned from this class-
When you walk out of a restaurant, what's in your leftovers? What do you have from it? We have two important lessons we need to walk away from the Megillah with, both night and day.
So remember these two important takeaways:
1-The power of prayer. That’s why we use both Purim and Taanit Esther as times to pray. Taanit Esther is not a fast of sadness. It's not a fast that we are avoid. It's a happy fast. It's brought down that on some fast- days, you shouldn't take a shower. Even though it's not Tisha B’Av, some say on Shiva Asar B’Tamuz, or Asara B’Tevet, avoid extra pleasures. But it doesn’t say that about Taanit Esther. Taanit Esther is a happy fast, because we walk away with these happy lessons: the power of prayer to turn over a decree, and the need to praise God when we are saved.
B’Ezrat Hashem, we should pray to God, have our prayers answered, and praise Him for all the wonderful things He’s going to bring upon us.
Have a Purim Sameach.