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Walled and Unwalled Jews

In chapter 9 of the megillah, the violent encounters between those seeking to wipe out the Jews and the Jews seeking to defend themselves and take the battle to their would-be annihilators is described. It seems that while the Jews throughout the realm achieved victory in a single day, on the 13th of Adar - the day slated by Haman for their destruction - the Jews of Shushan needed an additional day. This is what Esther asked of King Achashverosh and this is what was granted. So, the relief and celebration that is natural and automatic upon such a sudden turn of events came for the Jews throughout the realm on the 14th, but for the Jews of Shushan, only on the 15th. Then follows this verse:

Esther 9:19
“Therefore, the unwalled Jews (see the kri/ketiv distinction there), dwelling in the unwalled cities, make the 14th day of the month of Adar [a day of] joy and drinking-feasts, holiday, and sending portions to one’s fellow”.

After this, Mordechai sends letters to the Jews throughout the realm enjoining them to [continue to] mark these days. In his letter, he indicates that the Jews are to celebrate on the 14th and the 15th (the days of relief from battle for the Jews of the realm and those of Shushan, respectively). There is no distinction based on location in the megillah, the details are learned out in the Gemara.

Why doesn’t the megillah mention the initial celebration of the Jewish of walled Shushan on the 15th, as it did regarding the celebration of the 14th, referenced above? One take is that, they didn’t celebrate that first year! Perhaps they were too shell-shocked, needing an extra day to dispense with their would-be destroyers? But wouldn’t that be even a greater motivation for them to release all the pend-up angst and fear? And why didn’t Mordechai make it clear in his letter who should celebrate when?

I believe the key can be found in the verse cited above. What are “unwalled Jews”? Why does the verse need to characterize them, since it goes on to indicate that they are “living in unwalled cities"? Because, there are unwalled (or better “wide-open”) Jews and there are walled Jews. Or deeper: we all have our wide-open aspects and our walled-off aspects. Perhaps our personalities, what we show to the outside world, or even only to ourselves, are only a part, perhaps only the tip of the “I-ceberg”. 

If we are really going to unified the revealed and hidden, which is the ultimate message of the megillah, we need to access the walled-off parts of ourselves. It’s (relatively) easy, natural, to rejoice, to celebrate, to be thankful on the outside, or even on the outside of the inside. But what about deep inside, where lie those realms so recondite, so estranged from our normal consciousness that we just don’t go there? What terrifying, powerful, untamable forces lie there?

We need to go there, at least once a year. Because Hashem “went there”, everywhere present in His awesome hiddenness, so as to bring forth the beauty, the justice, the love and the symmetry of the megillah into our lives. This is what is spoken of only in Mordechai’s letter, in the verse (9:22) which echoes the one above, but adds the critical words “and gifts to the desperately poor”. We need to give our inner, inner selves the gift of being there.

Today is Shushan Purim. Drunkenness – the shedding of outer boundaries, is for yesterday (well, for most of us). Today is for giving ourselves, and thereby, the world, the gift of no fear as we penetrate the walls of the Chamber of Secrets to discover that, there too, Hashem is waiting for us.


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