Purim is a topsy-turvy Jewish holiday. On Purim, Jews wear costumes, eat a lot of food, are permitted to drink a larger-than-normal amount of alcohol, and can even cross-dress. For a time that encapsulates so much joy, it seems peculiar at first glance that there would be a fast right before Purim. The fast day before Purim is known as Ta'anit Esther (תענית אסתר).
In the Purim narrative, Esther approached King Ahasuerus in the hopes that he would intercede on behalf of the Jewish people. She fasted three days beforehand and asked that the Jewish people do the same (Esther 4:16). While we do not fast for three days, this "minor" fast (i.e., it is from dawn to dusk and does not have additional restrictions) on the 13th of Adar does beg the question of why.
It is interesting to think of Yom Kippur at this time of the year. While Yom Kippur can be translated as Day of Atonement, the phrase יום הכיפורים can also be translated as "a day like Purim." This makes sense since Yom Kippur is a fast day and Purim is proceeded by a fast day. Fasting exists in Judaism for different reasons. Most communal fasts exists as an act of commemoration, such as Tisha B'Av. The fasting on Yom Kippur is for repentance and making up for one's imperfections. As for Purim, the Book of Esther is not explicit on the motive, although Jewish liturgy for Ta'anit Esther provides some clues.
In the morning, we recite Selichot, or the penitential prayers. In the afternoon, there is the Aneinu blessing, which is done for supplication. But after the afternoon Torah reading, there is a special haftarah reading that is read on fast days: Isaiah 55:6-56:8. It is a combination of wronging one's imperfections, asking for help and [internal strength], and to get focus on what is important.
This is why it is important to contrast the fasting that the rest of the Jewish people were doing when they found out the news (Esther 4:3) and Esther's fast (Esther 4:16). After all, we are observing the Fast of Esther. What did Esther's fast show us? The fact that we are allowed to listen to music and prepare new clothing on Ta'anit Esther (Piskei Teshuvot, 686:2) indicates that the fast is not about wearing sackcloths, being hard on ourselves, or feeling helpless.
Esther's story reminds us that not only is there a time to leave our comfort zone and show solidarity, but there is also a time where we have to act instead of depend on G-d to intercede and fix everything. Similar to fasting on Yom Kippur, Esther takes the fast as an opportunity to summon the inspiration and courage to confront King Ahasuerus and ask him to call off the genocide.
Life is fragile and full of curveballs. I'm not here to say that life always has happy endings. There are numerous examples in Jewish history, never mind world history, to remind us of that sad truth. At the same time, we are not meant to sit around to wait for life to happen to us.
Sometimes, we do not have control over situations. Other times, we can still exert influence. It is in those times that were are to call upon our gifts and strengths. We have the potential to take a dire situation and transform it into something more redeeming. When life gives us genocidal threats, we create redemption.....or turn lemons into lemonades, something along those lines. Redemption comes through a growth process.
That process doesn't happen to people who lounge around in palaces where we can expect to be protected from every one of life's moments of nastiness, heartache, unfairness, and grief. You think a pandemic would have made this lesson hit home, but we cannot escape risk or suffering. I think Esther realized that in the Purim story.
The fast provides some guidance for how we should live. We are to take the courage to face what is in front of us. We use what is at our disposal to make the situation better. We plan and prepare to the best of our ability. Even after all that preparation, whether spiritual or otherwise, we accept whatever may come, exactly like Esther did (4:16) when she said "if I perish, I perish (וכאשר אבדתי, אבדתי). That is what the fast is supposed to represent. We don't get everything we want in life and we might not be able to fix everything. But if we don't take the courage to face our own challenges, our lives will not get better. Problems are inevitable in life. Through facing and surmounting our challenges can we relish in the joy that life has to offer.
May you have a meaningful and easy fast!
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