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Purim

Concealed Providence

The miracle of Purim was not outside of the bounds of nature, but reflection on the progression and combination of events reveals God’s providence and His direction of it all. From this, we can learn that God is watching over every individual and directing everything that happens to him.

The events of the megilla are concealed providence:

When we read the book of Esther we do not find anything that is outside the normal bounds of nature, because all the events that occur in it are ostensibly common and natural. Esther was taken to the king’s palace because of her beauty, she was pleasing to him, and he placed the royal crown on her head. Likewise, in the incident with Bigtan and Teresh, Mordekhai heard that they were planning to attack King Ahashverosh. He told Esther, and she told the king; this is also a plausible event. Every event developed as a result of natural and reasonable circumstances, yet one [must] reflect on this matter and consider the way in which all the circumstances combined: Vashti defied the king; the king regretted his act; Esther, who was raised in the house of Mordekhai, was pleasing to the king, and he crowned her in place of Vashti; and then Mordekhai overheard Bigtan and Teresh. The king’s sleep was disturbed on the very same night that Haman had been advised by his family and friends to build the gallows for Mordekhai. As a result of these developments and the combination of all these circumstances, we find that Haman prepared his own hanging, and the Jewish people were saved. Anyone who reflects on this will see plainly that God’s hand made all of it happen and was the [real] cause of all these [seemingly natural] circumstances.

Everyone is attended by divine providence:

In this manner each individual will see for himself the divine providence in his life, at every step he takes. In particular, the pious Jew, when he reflects on everything that happens in his life, sees the hand of God bringing it all about, despite the fact that everything develops from natural circumstances. (Rabbi Yosef Yehuda Leib Bloch, Shiurei Da’at, vol. 1, p. 83)

Further reading: For more on divine providence, which accompanies every individual on every step of the way, see p. 91.