Today is Taanit Esther, so we will talk a little about it.
As we’ve mentioned previously, when we fast on Taanit Esther, it’s not the same as the Taanit Esther fast that took place in the times of the Megillah. That was the three day fast that they implemented when they first heard about the decree in the month of Nissan.
They fasted on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Nissan, straight through Pesach.
We fast on the 13th of Adar, almost a year later than the initial decree. These two facts are seemingly not connected.
So why do we fast on Taanit Esther?
Rabbenu Tam says that it’s because when the Jewish people went to war, they fasted. The 13th of Adar was the day that they went to war and won, and the 14th was a day of celebration. Tomorrow’s celebration is to celebrate the success of the war on the 13th.
And today, we commemorate that fast. What is the lesson and origin of that fast?
Rabbenu Tam explains that their source for fasting before they went to fight (which seems counterintuitive- why fast before going out to war? One would think you should eat well and be healthy before a war) was the war against Amalek, which we will read about tomorrow morning in the reading of Shaharit , in the portion at the end of Beshalach, where Moshe told Yehushua to choose people to fight, and צא הלחם בעמלק מחר
Let’s go fight against Amalek tomorrow.
Why did they wait? If Amalek attacked that day, why not fight them the same day? Why the delay? The answer given is because they had to fast, and when a fast is a personal one, (unlike a pre-set fast) it has to be accepted from the Mincha of the day before.
And why did they fast before this war? Because the only way to beat Amalek is through Emunah. Amalek’s whole essence is that everything is a coincidence.. Fasting beforehand would show that we know everything is in G-d’s hands. Fasting might not be the smartest thing to do, as you wouldn’t have your full strength, but the only way to beat Amalek is through emunah.
That’s why in the story of Amalek, it says clearly, that whenever Moshe lifted his hands they’d win, and when he lowered his hands, they’d lose. The pasuk says,
ויהי ידיו אמונה his hands strengthened their Emunah the entire day, and they won.
So to fight Amalek, we have to work on our emunah. Our sources for Megillat Esther come from Amalek. There are many parallels between Megillat Esther and the story of Amalek. For example, the Gemarah says in Masechet Megillah that source for the requirement that the Megillah be read from a scroll (as opposed to reciting it by heart, for example) is from the story of Amalek, where Hashem told Moshe כתוב זאת זכרון בספר
Remember it from a scroll.
That’s why we read Parashat Zachor from a scroll. We have to remember Amalek from a scroll. So too, we have to read the Megillah from a scroll, because the Megillah is about the same theme. They’re both a fight against Amalek. Haman was an Agagi. Agag was the king of Amalek.
The whole theme of Purim is the same as well. The term associated with Haman is אשר קרהו that “ just happened.”
The Gemarah says this same term was used by Amalek when the Torah says אשר קרך
They thought that everything was just happenstance, that there was no G-d controlling the world.
So the way to fight Amalek is with Emunah.
It’s interesting to note the words that Moshe used when he wanted to celebrate their victory over Amalek. The pasuk says,
וַיִּ֥בֶן מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ ה׳ נִסִּֽי:
Moshe built a Mizbe’ach and named it
“G-d is my miracle,” even though the war was not a miraculous one. It was hand to hand combat and they won. But Moshe Rabbenu understood that it was a miracle, and he knew that the way to fight Amalek is through the clarity of emunah. That’s why we are fasting today. We fast to tell ourselves that Hashem is in charge, our emunah will be clear, and that He will make miracles and take us out of all our problems beH.
Have a wonderful day, an easy fast, and a meaningful Purim.