How Can We Rejoice on Purim During Times of Division?

Purim, a festival filled with joy and fellowship, is celebrated even amidst difficult times, and when there is division and lack of unity. Sometimes it may seem as if Haman’s accusation was true: “There is a certain people scattered and divided.” In such a reality, how can we fulfill Queen Esther’s eternal request to Mordechai: “Go and gather all the Jews”?

These questions are not theoretical. Sadly, they are painfully relevant today. Yet as a people with a long history of suffering alongside moments of remarkable triumph, we should find comfort in knowing that we are not the first to face such dilemmas. We are not the only generation asked to find joy despite hardship.

Below are the responses of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook regarding joy amid internal division, and the Piaseczno Rebbe regarding joy during times of war and loss.

Rav Kook: One People Beneath the Division

In 1934, Rav Kook wrote: “During these days of Purim, in these difficult hours when suffering surrounds and fills the entire Jewish people — troubles from without, and even greater sorrow from within, for peace among us has been disrupted… Is it possible now to say ‘Go and gather all the Jews’? How can you unite everyone, all their factions and parties… when brothers rise against brothers like wolves and serpents… dispersion and division are consuming us.”

To answer this, Rav Kook returns to Haman’s words: “There is one people, scattered and divided.” Indeed, disagreements and debates are part of Jewish life, sometimes strongly so on the surface. Yet at the core, at the foundation, we remain one nation.

Division Is Only a Shell

Our disagreements, which Rav Kook describes as a kind of external shell, are painful and severe. Even our enemies recognize them as a point of weakness. But these conflicts are not the essential nature of the Jewish people, nor are they Judaism’s true path.

As Rav Kook writes, we err when we define ourselves only by the external image we see publicly. The fear we feel when looking at our own divided reflection comes from mistaking the surface for the essence.

Rediscovering the Inner Soul of the Nation

Beyond the spiritual depths of Rav Kook’s teachings lies a message for our time: the divisions amplified by media and public discourse are real, yet they remain external. According to Rav Kook, our task is to rediscover the authentic inner soul of the Jewish people. This is difficult work, but times of crisis may make it more possible.

He writes that through upheaval we may rediscover a “great national soul” filled with strength, and capable of renewing our lives and standing firm against all who seek to harm us. When we look at the acts of kindness, bravery, and solidarity witnessed recently, we can find joy in knowing they reveal the nation’s deepest inner truth.

The Piaseczno Rebbe: Joy as a Commandment

The Piaseczno Rebbe, who lost much of his family during the Holocaust and ultimately perished himself, addressed a similar question during World War II: How can one rejoice in times of suffering?

Drawing on the mystical teaching that “Purim is like Yom Kippur,” he explained that just as fasting on Yom Kippur is obligatory regardless of one’s emotional state, so too is joy on Purim a mitzvah. Joy is not a luxury or an emotional privilege. It does not depend on favorable circumstances or one’s mood. Even when a person feels brokenhearted or crushed by hardship, there remains an obligation to bring at least a spark of joy into the heart.

Joy as an Inner Choice

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that maintaining a joyful spirit while burdened by heavy responsibility is no small feat — and perhaps nothing is more necessary. It is not easy to feel joy when we see suffering around us and hear the cries of our brothers and sisters.

The teachings of Rav Kook and the Piaseczno Rebbe sharpen our understanding: inner joy is not merely a result; it is a cause. It is not something we wait for but something we actively choose. Joy is not denial of reality nor an attempt to forget pain, but rather, it is a conscious decision to live with hope, to sweeten harsh judgments, and to assert our freedom to choose how we respond to life’s circumstances.

Joy as Faith and Hope

Joy is a choice rooted in faith that goodness will ultimately prevail. It expresses hope, optimism, and trust. In this light, Rav Kook’s prayer becomes clearer:

“The unique quality of our one nation will overcome all that is scattered and divided within us… And as in the days of myrrh and myrtle, it will be said again today: There is one united people, standing strong, rebuilding its ruins from its hidden inner treasure… the blessing of ‘Go and gather all the Jews.’ May it be so.”

Dr. Roi Cohen is a PhD in philosophy from the Hebrew University, an attorney and mediator, and a producer, director, and content creator.