עברית
Purim
The Fast of Esther and the Hidden Light of Purim: Repentance, Joy, and Spiritual Renewal
The deep connection between the Fast of Esther, Purim, and Yom Kippur, and how repentance, joy, and mitzvot awaken Purim’s unique spiritual light for personal renewal and redemption
- Chava Shmilovitz
- |Updated
The Fast of Esther comes before Purim. We enter the festival through fasting, because Purim has the potential to become a day of excess and recklessness. The Fast of Esther therefore ensures that the joy of Purim emerges from teshuvah (repentance), as true joy is born from repentance.
Purim is described as “k’Purim” — like Yom Kippur. On this day, we are reborn anew. Just as after Yom Kippur one can say, “I am a new person; what was is gone,” the same applies to Purim. The Fast of Esther draws down the light of repentance into Purim itself.
Parallel Months of Teshuvah
The month of Adar parallels Elul, the month of repentance. It is written that all fast days exist for the purpose of repentance. The essence of fasting is not the abstention from food, but rather a day of introspection and return.
Just as before Yom Kippur, it is a time to reflect on whether we took something that was not ours, whether we hurt someone, and whether we need to ask forgiveness.
The Purpose of the Fast of Esther
The reason for the Fast of Esther is not atonement for sins. According to the Mishnah Berurah, it is: “To remember that Hashem sees and hears every person in their time of distress, when they fast and return to God with all their heart, as was done in those days.”
Through this, we are able to begin again, renewed in the service of Hashem.
The Greatest Day of the Year
What is written here is only a drop in the ocean regarding the greatness of Purim.
As is well known, no festival is celebrated merely as a remembrance of a past miracle. Rather, the essence of a festival is the joy that the same spiritual illumination revealed during the original crisis is fixed to return every year on that exact date (Bnei Yissaschar).
As it is written: “These days are remembered and performed in every generation, every family, every city…”
In every generation, a unique Purim illumination descends according to the needs of that generation, and likewise for every family (Netivot Shalom).
The illumination of Purim is beyond all comprehension. The Pri Etz Chaim (Shaar HaPurim) writes: “This illumination was not revealed on Shabbat nor on Yom Tov, but only on Purim… All the festivals will one day be nullified, but the days of Purim will never be nullified… These days will never pass from among the Jews forever.”
Purim and Yom Kippur
The Tikkunei Zohar teaches that Purim is named in relation to Yom Kippur, explaining that its level parallels Yom Kippur in the future. The holy Rebbe of Ruzhin said: “Yom Kippur is like Purim” which means that Purim is even greater than Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur is a Torah commandment, a day of awe, forgiveness, purification, and final sealing of judgment. How can Purim which is of rabbinic in origin, be greater?
The answer is that Purim represents closeness to Hashem through joyful mitzvah, through service performed through joy.
The Preparation Begins with Adar
Our Sages commanded us from the very beginning of the month: “When Adar enters, we increase joy.”
The illumination of Purim begins already on the 11th of Adar, when the Purim light begins to flow and the Megillah is read in the upper worlds. There are ten days of joy from Rosh Chodesh Adar until the 11th, which are parallel to the Ten Days of Repentance that prepare us for Yom Kippur.
Purim and the Acceptance of the Torah
The book Tiferet Shlomo teaches that Purim reached a level even greater than the Giving of the Torah. As it is written: “The Jews fulfilled and accepted upon themselves and their descendants…”
The Sages explain that they accepted it willingly. At Sinai, the Torah was accepted under coercion (“the mountain was held over them like a barrel”), but on Purim it was accepted out of love and joy.
How Do We Receive the Light of Purim?
The first step in receiving the light of any festival is the simple fulfillment of its mitzvot.
Beyond that, when a person learns their inner meaning and intention, the light affects the soul many times over. Just as prayer without intention lacks its soul, mitzvot performed with awareness allow deeper spiritual reception.
Preparation for Purim
Giving the half-shekel remembrance
Parashat Zachor
The Fast of Esther
Increasing joy from the beginning of Adar
The Four Core Mitzvot of Purim
Reading the Megillah – without missing a single word
Mishloach Manot – at least two food items
Matanot La’Evyonim – “whoever stretches out a hand, we give”
Feasting and Joy – the Purim meal
“A person is obligated to rejoice on Purim”
Drinking until one reaches ad d’lo yada
In prayer and Birkat Hamazon, we add “Al HaNissim.”
Customs
Wearing costumes
Eating seeds (as Esther did in the palace of Achashverosh)
The Unique Avodah of Purim
Each holiday has its specific spiritual work:
Shavuot – Torah study
Pesach – Matzah and avoiding chametz
Sukkot – The sukkah
Yom Kippur – Confession and fasting
Purim is the only day of the year whose entire avodah is unconditional joy.
Faith Thoughts to Practice from Rosh Chodesh Adar
This Purim will be especially joyful because I will create it that way.
I will rejoice regardless of external success or failure.
I have the power to rejoice and accept Torah and mitzvot with love.
I renew my service of Hashem with joy.
I possess the strength to rejoice on Purim.
One day a year I will focus only on the good, in gratitude, song, dance, and joy.
I believe in the mitzvot and trust that Hashem rejoices in my giving and reading of the Megillah.
I accept all the mitzvot anew with great joy.
I recommit to desiring closeness to Hashem and never giving up.
I believe in the power of Purim to purify me like Yom Kippur, and I am ready to begin again — leaving the past behind and drawing closer to Hashem through every experience and challenge.
