On Purim, I think of young Jews achieving extraordinary, miraculous feats.

In this current hour, especially, I think of the IDF.

While Esther’s age isn’t specifically cited, Rabbinic opinion (Megillah 13b) maintains that she was in her late teens to early twenties, the age of a young maiden who would typically be brought to a king as part of a royal selection.

This is also the exact age range of IDF chayalim when drafted and discharged.

In every generation, young Jews have achieved the unthinkable while defending our people, rewriting our history, and cementing our future.

Faith takes courage, and courage is a requisite for faith.

How this dynamic manifests itself generation after generation is the story of our survival.

Hashem’s divine will is only as actionable as someone’s willingness to set it into motion.

With this in mind, I sometimes struggle to reconcile the miracle of Shushan with the tragedies of other generations with different outcomes.

Jews in Europe needed a Mordechai and Esther.

Their Haman was defeated, but not before his decree was carried out.

Is the triumph of one generation worth more than the suffering of another?

To address this question, we draw attention to the obvious commonality: remembrance.

Isn’t the commandment to be joyful on Purim merely a different iteration of the creed, “never forget”?

In the end, and in our lives today, the result is the same.

We endure; our enemies do not.

New foes seek (and are seeking) our annihilation, but they too will be vanquished.

Gd stands unequivocally with the Jewish people in every generation.

Our joy in remembering and retelling teaches our children this certainty while reaffirming it ourselves, and that is something worth celebrating.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)