Purim 2025

 The evil Mordechai...!

This year, the part of the Megillah that resonates most profoundly with me is the final pasuk:

כִּי מָרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי, מִשְׁנֶה לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, וְגָדוֹל לַיְּהוּדִים, וְרָצוּי לְרֹב אֶחָיו--דֹּרֵשׁ טוֹב לְעַמּוֹ, וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל-זַרְעוֹ

"For Mordechai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was esteemed among the Jews and favored by the majority of his brothers. He sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his descendants."

What truly captivates me is the phrase "favored by the majority of his brothers." Much like the biblical Pinchas, Mordechai’s decisive actions led to the deaths of over seventy thousand fellow citizens. There were no trials, no justice system to condemn them; it was simply the king’s decree that sealed their fate. One can almost hear the progressive voices bemoaning that if only Mordechai had bowed down, this entire saga might have been avoided. I can envision the teshuvot written in condemnation of Mordechai for his refusal to bow, risking the lives of his fellow Jews while turning a blind eye to the ensuing bloodshed.

Imagine the fervent discussions among the frum community and in the chareidi yeshivot about a local Rosh Yeshiva marrying off his niece to a non-Jew! 

Now, picture if social media had existed then—how the self-righteous would argue about the precedent set by the slaughter of fellow citizens and the implications for future violence at the king’s whim. 

The modern-day debates circulating in Jewish social media against Trump and his recent actions regarding the terrorist Mahmoud Khalil likely mirror those once directed at Mordechai in his time. This is precisely why the Megillah emphasizes "the majority of his brothers." It serves as a powerful reminder that this is a recurring theme in Jewish history. We will always question and critique, even in the wake of a hard-won victory over our adversaries. Just as Pinchas, after slaying Zimri, received a blessing of peace to counter the dissenters of his actions, so too does the Megillah conclude with Mordechai and the enduring theme of peace:

דֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל-זַרְעוֹ

Happy and peaceful purim to all my Jewish brothers and sisters! :)