Did you know that Purim is the one holiday that is Eternal?

Among various reasons cited, the one that resonates is the eternal love between Hashem and the Jewish people which the story of Purim symbolizes. Our nation’s survival from the potential threat of annihilation which is displayed in the Purim story without the overt mention of the role of Hashem is riveting.  But the fact that such a dramatic rescue came from the courageous initiative of Queen Esther demonstrates  the love between Jew and Jew which is also a theme of this eternal “love story.”

One lesson which can be a takeaway from this Purim is that we can exhibit a continued expression of love between the Jewish people and Hashem with our observance of Purim. And more importantly, we can exhibit love between Jew and Jew by focusing on what unites us instead of divides us.

And one constant that has emerged has been the importance of the “home” as the base for our ultimate observance. That means that our homes have the opportunity to become even more central as sanctuaries in time and place for expressions of harmony and love during Purim observances. And this places the spotlight on the relationship between spouse and spouse.

MY Parents Unrequited Love

Today, February 27 is the 81st (English calendar) wedding anniversary of my beloved (deceased) parents Esir ben Avraham Benjamin and Feigel bat Tuvia Nisan. The Hebrew date corresponds to  Shushan Purim, the 15th day of this Hebrew month of Adar, 1945, and their love was a textbook story of dedication and commitment.

My parents were the catalyst and in whose memory the nonprofit Together in Happiness/B’Yachad B’Osher was created. I mentioned my parents’ role in the opening speech of the First International Conference for Marriage Education in Israel back in 2011.  The conference was the kickoff event for the nonprofit to spur advocates for reducing the divorce rate in Israel and create an environment for happy marriages.

The Model for Marriage

In my opening speech, I credited the role which my parents played in the conference and the nonprofit as follows:

“The model for initiating the promotion of marriage education in Israel was the 52 years of marriage of my parents who showed me by example what the special recipe for a happy marriage is.

The special recipe is a couple who based their marriage on a foundation of mutual respect, trust and open communication, shared goals, love and commitment to each other and family values and appreciation for the gift each one found in the other.”

The actual words are cited in the speech with the following link:

https://youtu.be/kdjXK8NVgy0

My father amplified that message by citing in a personal letter written to me back in 1972 that “Love, attention, and understanding should prevail over everything. And that one spouse cannot be centered on his/her own problems and must show the love and affection that belong to someone else if he/she is really interested.”

This Year Make Love Count in the Purim Spirit

This year represents a unique opportunity to demonstrate our joy and love in our homes and extending to our nation and outward. As world events become more threatening – our Purim holiday speaks of victory and miracles. Our survival depends on our unity and our inherent love can serve as another chain in the perpetuation of the holiday as the Eternal Love holiday.

Happy 81st anniversary to my parents whose love certainly reverberated in their lifetime and beyond in the hearts of those who knew them and continues to serve as a model for emulating.

May we all celebrate a Happy Purim

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)