Hidden in Plain Sight

With Purim just around the corner, the usual preparations are underway. We recall the heroes and villains of the Purim story and may think we know the entire story from reading the Megilla every year. There is a most interesting postscript to Megilla that is not widely known. Queen Esther and King Achashveirosh had a son, Darius, who succeeded his father as King of Persia upon his father's death. King Darius was consequential in that he allowed the Second Temple (Beis Hamikdash) to be rebuilt. The rebuilding of the Temple was first permitted by Cyrus the Great around 538 BCE after he conquered Babylon. Construction began but was halted due to local opposition. During the reign of Darius (522–486 BCE), Persian officials questioned whether the Jews had proper authorization. Darius ordered a search of the royal archives and found Cyrus’s original decree. He reaffirmed the decree, ordered the work to continue, funded it from imperial revenues, and protected the project from interference. (All this is documented in the Book of Ezra.) ​ What’s striking about this historical side note is that Darius was born to the King and Queen in the Persian palace while the King and his closest adviser, Haman, were plotting the genocide of the Jewish People. As their ill-fated scheme was being cooked behind closed doors at the Palace, he was fathering a child who was not only Jewish (as he was also the son of Esther), but he would go on to allow for the Jewish Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. To suggest that this outcome is ironic would be a great understatement. ​ The Talmud teaches that the name Esther is associated with the Hebrew word “Hester,” which means “hidden.” Indeed, the Book of Esther is the only Book in the entire Tanach that does not mention the name of G-d. A casual reading of the Megilla suggests that G-d plays no role in the outcome. A closer analysis indicates that while there is no overt mention of G-d, He is very much present, albeit in a more hidden manner. The birth of Darius and his subsequent reversal of policy, becoming more benevolent toward the Jews and allowing them to rebuild the Temple, is just one of several examples that are most compelling. ​ As we struggle in so many areas of our personal lives, we may feel discouraged when our prayers don't seem to be effective. At this time of year, we should once again draw strength from the Purim that just when it appears that all is lost, we just might be standing on the soil with the seeds of salvation that are getting to sprout. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch