Rabbi Yehoshua S. Hecht leads Beth Israel Chabad of Westport/Norwalk CT and is a Member of the Presidium of the Rabbinical Alliance of America
We are in the age of the advent of the redemption for the Jewish people and the world at large. This will be through the righteous redeemer called MOSHIACH to arrive any day now.
At present, many are preparing for the festival of Purim that begins the Eve of March 2, 2026 and observed through Tuesday, March 3rd.
In Israel, PURIM begins seven hours prior to those residing on the East Coast of the USA.
President Herzog of Israel, recently made an official state visit to Ethiopia, identified in the Megillah, the Scrolls of Esther, as being Kush.
Prime Minister Modi of India just concluded his official state visit in Israel, that included an address to the entire Israeli Knesset, and a visit to the Yad Vashem memorial.
President Donald J Trump, concluded the State of the Union -address, mentioning IRAN (PERSIA) where the story of Puriim occurs. Stay with me.
The Scroll of Esther (Megillah) opens with the verse: “It was in the days of Ahasueros (Ruler of Persia) who reigned from ETHIOPIA to INDIA".
Note the connection: Prime Minister Modi of India was just in Israel and Israeli President Herzog, was just in Ethiopia.
Happenstance? Hardly.
The Jewish holidays are not only historical events but are to be relived and celebrated as if happening right now.
That is why our Sages declare in the Talmud: Whomever reads the Megillah backwards, (out of sequence) does not fulfill the Mitzvah established by the Prophets & Rabbinic Sages - to hear the reading of the entire Megillah in the sequence it is written.
The Saintly Arizal of Tzfat - interprets the word “reading backwards" to convey another essential message. That the story of Purim not be read as something as being backwards - back-in-time.
To read the Megillah merely as an historical event, that happened long-ago, as not being relevant to our modern day and age, is to miss the point of reading the Megillah. .
Where am I going with all this?
The Megillah relates how Queen Esther implored Mordechai the Yehudi to gather all the Jewish people in prayer and supplication to the Al-mighty, so that the Jewish people be spared from the decree of HAMAN (KHOMEINI) the wicked.
My friends and brethren, the call of Queen Esther is relevant and applicable to this very moment. Let’s unite and be active in three areas to help this war succeed.
Tefillah - prayer to G-D, Tzedakah- charity and acts of loving kindness, and Torah study.
These three activities bring protection and security for the Jewish people and the entire world.
We may be living in 2026 - 5786, however, the parallels between Iran (ancient Persia) and modern day Israel, are remarkably similar and even more clear today than ever before.
Let us collectively become awake, (not woke) and take our responsibilities as a Jewish People -to be united in faith and belief in the destiny of Am Yisrael Chai both physically and spiritually, so that we merit to experience the miracle of Purim once again, Amen.