Shushan and Sinai

Rava  says: though Israel initially accepted the Torah because  God held Mount Sinai above them (Exodus 19:17; according to the Talmudic explanation, forcing the  Jews to accept the Torah), even so, later  they accepted  Torah (willingly) during the days of Ahasuerus, as is written [Esther 9:27] “the Jews fulfilled and took upon themselves (kiyemu v’kiblu) …”                                    Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 88a

Rava understands that whereas, at Mount Sinai, the Israelites were forced to accept Torah, following the miracle of Purim, the Jews voluntarily accepted.

Torah Temima suggests that the basis of Rava’s comment is the apparently incorrect order of the verbs in the verse: “fulfilled” and then “took upon themselves”. Logically, one first accepts a responsibility and then is able to fulfill it. Thus, Rava completes his comment by stating “they fulfilled what they had previously accepted (at Mount Sinai)”.

Sfat Emet  takes  a different approach and notes that the order “kiyemu v’kiblu “ is the parallel of na’aseh v’nishma “we will do and listen”, uttered by the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai. In each instance, both times the Jews accepted Torah, they first accepted the practical commitment.

Sfat Emet adds another parallel between Mount Sinai and Shushan. Acceptance of the Torah at Mount Sinai followed shortly after the attack by and defeat of Amalek. The second, voluntary, acceptance of Torah followed the defeat of Haman, the descendant of Amalek. The basic reason for Amalek’s hatred of Israel is his opposition to Torah. Therefore, defeating Amalek is followed by accepting Torah.

There is yet another similarity between Israel’s two acceptances of Torah. The evil decree of Haman began with the disunity of the Jews. Haman presented his plan to King Ahasuerus, telling him “there is a certain people scattered and (internally) divided (m’forad)”. It is this disunity which allowed Haman to proceed with his plan. The salvation of the Jews began with their unity. Esther instructed Mordechai “Go, gather all the Jews who are in Shushan and fast for me....” [Esther 4:16] With the renewed unity of the Jews, God provided the salvation.

The description in Exodus of the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai begins: “And they (the People of Israel) journeyed from Rephidim and reached the Desert of Sinai and encamped in the desert, and Israel camped there opposite the mountain”. [Exodus 19:2]

Our Sages interpreted Rephidim not only as a place name, but as meaning “disunited”. Note, it is the same root word used in our verse from Esther. Prior to Sinai, the People were internally divided. But the People arrived at Sinai united. Rashi, quoting the Midrash, notes the change from plural in the first part of the verse to singular at the end (“and Israel camped”) and comments:  Israel encamped at Sinai “as one person, with one heart”. It is quite likely that this unity is what prepared Israel and allowed us to experience the greatest divine revelation in history.

(It is worth noting that our verse from the Book of Esther has the word kiblu [they accepted] written in the singular, paralleling the verse in Exodus.)

It is the unity of Israel which allows us to accept the Torah. (Perhaps there is a reciprocal relationship, in that, ideally, it is Torah which provides the basis of the unity of the People of Israel.)

The lessons of Purim, the disasters which can befall Israel when we are disunited and the salvation which results from our unity must not be lost on us.