Shushan Purim and Eretz Yisrael

 

Purim is unique among the holidays and festivals which Jews celebrate in the fact that it alone is celebrated on two different days, depending upon geography. Most of the world celebrates Purim on the 14^th of Adar, while Jews in walled cities celebrate Shushan Purim on the 15^th of the month. It would seem that dividing the Purim celebration into two separate days hinders the unity of Israel. This is particularly surprising in light of the fact that Israel's unity lies at the center of the Purim story. Haman's decree of his "final solution" was based upon the disunity of nation which is scattered and disunited (Alshikh's understanding of the word "m'forad")…" [Esther 3:8] The turning point comes with Esther's request/instruction "Gather all the Jews …" [ibid, v.16] Thus, it is Israel's internal disunity which leads to its suffering and the nation's unity brings God's salvation.

The logical criterion for determining the obligation to celebrate Shushan Purim is a city which was enclosed by walls at the time of Mordechai and Esther, yet the Halacha chose the criterion of walled cities at the time of Joshua, a criterion which apparently has no logic to it. The Jerusalem Talmud [Megilla 1:1] explains that this Halachic determination expresses respect for the Holy Land. During the time of the events of Purim, the Land of Israel was desolate, without a single walled city. Thus, had the logical criterion been followed, it would embarrass the Land. Thus, the Halacha adopted the criterion of cities enclosed by walls from the time of Joshua.

We may suggest that accepting the criterion of a walled city from the times of Joshua not only expresses respect for the Land, but also implies the distinction between the Land of Israel and all other lands. Zohar [Parashat Emor 83b] elucidates the verse "Who is like your nation Israel, a single nation within the Land" [II Samuel 7:23] to mean that Israel can be considered a truly untied nation only within the Land. Perhaps the division of the Purim celebration into two separate days hints that Purim, which commemorates a miracle which took place outside the Land cannot achieve complete unification of the Nation of Israel, since that level requires Israel to be present within its Land.