The same goes for all the blessings in Shemoneh Esrei. So that we never forget the source of our health, serenity, and peace, we plead to Hashem on a daily basis that He grant us these blessings. It helps us live with the reality that what we do have comes from His never-ending kindness.
The Sin and the Solution
Let us return to the story of Purim. The Gemara says (Megilla 12a) that the main reason for the decree of annihilation was because many years earlier Klal Yisroel had bowed down to the statue of Nevuchadnetzar. This was a great sin and they deserved immediate death. So why did Hashem wait specifically for this generation to institute the punishment?
The answer is that Hashem wanted to give Klal Yisrael the ability to repent and be saved. However, a very special form of repentance was needed – tefillah in its most extreme form. Thus, Hashem waited for a leader who would show Klal Yisrael how this could be done. Mordechai Hatzadik excelled in tefillah. The question is: Why was teshuvah through tefillah necessary?
If we examine the sin, it is clear that it resulted from a lack of bitachon. Klal Yisrael was in a difficult situation. They had just been sent into exile and were strangers in a foreign land. They didn’t want to be different and stand out, so they joined in bowing down to the idol. It’s not that they believed in the false god, they knew the idol had no power, but on the outside they looked like idol worshippers. Their problem was not in emunah; they believed in Hashem. Their problem was in bitachon; they needed to live according to that belief. Because tefillah is a way of strengthening our bitachon, it had to be the vehicle for their teshuvah.
And that is what happened. When Mordechai heard the terrible decree of Haman, he put on sackcloth and ashes and began to shout in the streets hoping to arouse the people to prayer. Klal Yisrael responded with fasting and nonstop davening. Similarly, we find that when Esther asked Mordechai to come to her and explain what was going on, he did not want to stop his intense davening long enough to put on the royal clothing she sent him. In addition, he assembled 22,000 young boys for an intensive tefillah gathering.
Prayer on Purim and All Year Long
Now we can see that there really is one reason we read the Megillah. The story of Purim shows us that a person who puts his full trust in Hashem will be saved, and one accomplishes that by turning to Him in prayer.
Thus, we can suggest that because the redemption took place through tefillah, that light shines again each year on Purim. We can open our hearts and turn to Hashem with an outpouring of tefillah, because that is when the gates are open wide.
This lesson should also strengthen us throughout the year. “Korov Hashem lichol korav, lichol asher yikrauhu b’emes – Hashem is close to all those who call out to Him, to all those who call out in truth.” Calling out in truth means understanding that we only have Hashem to turn to! Each time we daven let us try to feel as if we are truly throwing our load onto Hashem. By doing so we will merit only blessing and the true redemption!
