Those of us
privileged to live in Jerusalem celebrate Shushan Purim, on the fifteenth of
Adar, a day later than most places. In fact, any city that was walled at the
time of the conquest of Israel by Joshua and the Tribes of Israel celebrates
Shushan Purim.
Rabbi Kook commented that those who recognize
the criterion of the days of Joshua cannot remain servants of Ahasuerus.
Rabbi Uzi Kalcheim explained Rabbi Kook’s
comment: The Jerusalem Talmud teaches us that the criterion of the days of Joshua
(while the logical criterion should be any city walled at the time of Esther
and Mordechai) was chosen to honor the Land of Israel. Those, who at the peak
of their success in the Diaspora, remember the Holy Land and “raise it above
their chiefest joy” [Psalms 137:6] cannot remain servants of Ahasuerus, they
will not accept their temporary success in exile, but will continually pray
from the depths of their hearts for the return to Zion, for the “sons to return
to their borders.” [Jeremiah 31:16]
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