We are in the Hebrew month of Adàr 5780, during which traditionally we are meant to enhance and express joy. Let me say how happy I am that in this period I am able to let you know about this website, my centre for wellbeing and communication. Even more so since today is Purim, the Jewish holiday where everything is turned upside down, the teachers are students, the parents are children and vice versa: in my work, as I hope you will see, I really care for the dialogue among family members. Also, on Purim the line between evil and good is blurred because of the intoxication from drinking wine - the only one time that this is encouraged - to celebrate the fact that a genocide of the Jewish people in exile in Babylon was averted.
How did it happen? Thanks to the collaboration between a man and a woman, it is not clear in what kind of relationship they were, both Jews, who lived at the court of King Ahasuerus. Haman, an advisor of the King, spread the virus of malevolence and suspicion about the Jews throughout the provinces, until he convinced the king to issue an edict for the extermination of the Jews. Mordechai found out about it and contacted Esther who was part of the King's harem, explained to her the situation and asked her to reveal to the King that she was Jewish and to ask him for the survival of her people.
The Queen’s name was Vashti. One day the King gave a party of all men, during which the level of morality dropped so much that the King called Vashti and told her to undress for the amusement of those present. Vashti refused with disdain (yay!) And the King disliked her.
In the meantime Esther was telling Mordechai about the danger of what she was asked to do, given her position at the court of the King. Mordechai replied: 'What if you reached this position precisely because one day you could save your people?” And he continued “if you won’t do it, someone else will, but .. “ She accepted. Perhaps because Esther was the favorite among the concubines, perhaps because the King was crossed with the Queen after the fiasco at the party in front of his friends, the fact is that he promptly granted Esther to be seen. lei di essere ricevuta.
When she revealed herself, King Ahassueros did not cancel the edict to make war on the Jews, but at least granted them the right to defend themselves. So it was that the Jewish people were not completely exterminated, which would have been very likely given that the majority of the Jews, after the invasion by the Babylonians and the destruction of the second temple, had been drawn and was living in Babylon.
This story of Purim (pardon my cheerful, still I believe true, version) is the narrative of the Megillah Esther, where, unlike in all the other Jewish festivals, the name of God does not once appear in the text. In this plot, salvation does not come from above, rather from the people, with heroes and heroines who achieve the desired result joining forces with their passions and motivations. I like very much to think that in this ‘popular’ story the absence of God does not necessarily mean the non-existence of God. Everyone can passionately read the Megillah according to their sensitivity, believing that God is either behind the scenes or that God is not there at all.
15th Adar, Purim Shushan Sameach!