Never before had R’ Shaul experienced with such euphoric joy the Purim holiday as he celebrated his own Purim miracle.
Shoshanim Bein Hachochim – Roses Among Thorns
The names Hadassah and Shoshana are ascribed to Esther HaMalkah. The hadas (myrtle) is an aromatic plant that is supple all year round and alludes to the fragrant aura of the tzaddik/tzaddekes that lingers on both in this world and the next. Shoshanas Yaakov the Rose of Jacob is a reference to Esther and denotes the Jewish soul.
Assur l’adam sheyemaleh sechok pif b’olam hazeh – Laughter is forbidden in this world (Talmud Brachos 31:a). For as long as our enemy breathes there can be no real joy. While Amalek lives on focused on destroying us we are forbidden to frolic in carefree laughter. Purim recalls our attainment of the highest spiritual summit in every sense. It was truly a time of orah v’simcha v’sasson – light and gladness and joy. We were privileged to bask in the triumph of eradicating our foe – in the merit of our re-immersing ourselves in the cleansing and healing waters of Torah and our achievement of complete teshuvah.
Beshuv Hashem es shivas tzion hayinu kecholmim oz yimaleh sechok pinu ulshoneinu renah – When Hashem will return Zion to us we will be like dreamers then will our mouth be filled with laughterand with song (Tehillim 126:1 2).
Hope indeed springs eternal as we look to the day when the fragrance of Shoshanas Yaakov will permeate all of earth and the heavens … when the bygone days of our oppression among the thorns will seem but a bad dream … when laughter will reach a triumphant apex as it did in the time of Mordechai HaTzaddik and Esther HaMalkah … when we will be empowered with the means to consummate the 604th commandment of the Torah – to vanquish Amalek the enemy of God’s chosen people and thereby of God Himself … when with the long-awaited arrival of Eliyahu and Moshiach (alef and mem for em) each and every Shoshanas Yaakov will emerge revived in full bloom.
