Dear Family in the Messiah Yeshua! Greetings and blessings to you from your brothers and sisters at “Holy Land Ministries”, Israel!
We are in the Jewish month of Adar, approaching the Festival of Purim, celebrated on the 14th of Adar.
This year the celebration of Purim starts at sundown of the 6th of March on Monday and ends at nightfall of the 7 of March on Tuesday by the Gregorian calendar.
As most of you know, the name of this Feast “Purim”(Hebrew: פּוּרִים, Pûrîm “lots” is derived from the word פור pur, and also called the Festival of Lots)
This Jewish holiday commemorates the miraculous saving of the Jewish people from the evil plot of Haman in the ancient Persian Empire. The story of this amazing deliverance’s been publicly told and annually proclaimed in the synagogues for thousands of years, and is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (Megillat Esther).
Purim is considered the happiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Just as when Adar arrives we hear everywhere in Israel a cheerful traditional phrase:
” Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha”, calling us to increase our joy in the month of Adar!
This often used phrase “Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’Simcha”, literally means “When the month of Adar arrives we should increase our joy!”
As it is explained by Rashi, “The reason given for increasing joy in Adar is because they were days of miracles for Klal Yisroel (All Israel), specifically Purim and Pesach”.
Meditating and reflecting on the miracles and on the profound lessons of those ancient events, gives us an understanding of our reality and the supernatural security we have even in the middle of the troubled times we all are living in today…
As usual we would like to share with you a few thoughts and insights on Purim from our local rabbi and dear brother in the Messiah Yeshua:
בס״ד
Purim 5783
Vashti, A Forgotten Woman
When it comes to the celebration of Purim, the heroic woman that we all remember is Esther, and rightly so. However, the young Jewish woman called Hadassah only became Queen Esther because of a single decision of the previous queen named Vashti. Although Judaism does not see anything praiseworthy in this woman, when one carefully studies the events surrounding the Biblical account, there does indeed seem to be something commendable about her.
When the book of Esther begins, the reader is told it is in the third year of King Achashverosh. When the number three appears in the Scriptures, it frequently carries with it the idea of something which is to be revealed. The first two chapters take place in the third year of the king; but in chapter three it is stated that it is the 12th year of King Achashverosh. Therefore, what is being revealed? The answer is the transition from queen Vashti to queen Esther. This fact should cause the reader to pay close attention to all the circumstances related to this transition.
King Achashverosh gives two banquets in the first chapter. The first is for all his important officials, servants and military leaders throughout his 127 provinces. This banquet was for 180 days. The second one was for all those in the capital city of his empire and this celebration lasted seven days. The reason for these banquets is clearly stated,
בְּהַרְאֹתוֹ, אֶת-עֹשֶׁר כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, וְאֶת-יְקָר, תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדוּלָּתוֹ…
“When he showed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the splendid honor of his greatness…” Esther 1:4
Achashverosh was only interested in manifesting the greatness of his empire and exalting himself. This is in contrast with the Biblical commandment to demonstrate the righteousness of the Kingdom of G-d and to exalt Him. In regard to the drinking of wine at the banquet, the text states,
…לַעֲשׂוֹת כִּרְצוֹן אִישׁ וָאִישׁ:
“…to do as the desire of each one.” Esther 1:8b
This saying is most informative, as this truly summarizes the thoughts of those who have not been redeemed and who belong to the world. It will be a similar philosophy that the antichrist will utilize in order to attract people to pledge allegiance to his empire. Whereas the Kingdom of G-d will be righteous and manifest the glory of G-d, the antichrist empire will be blasphemous (See Revelation 13:5-6). It is important to know that the empire which Achashverosh and Haman ruled over was antitype of the antichrist empire. Not only did Achashverosh hold a banquet for those in Shushan, but so did his queen do as well for the women.
When examining closely this first chapter of the book of Esther, the number seven appears several times. The purpose of this repetition is to inform the reader that the meaning of this number has significance when interpreting this passage. The number seven relates to holiness, which is found in the purposes of G-d. In other words, G-d is going to use the events of this chapter in order to fulfill His purpose. G-d is not causing these events, but He certainly can use all things to accomplish His purposes, i.e. His will. It is on the seventh day (Shabbat) while the king’s heart was greatly influenced with wine that he commanded his seven eunuchs to bring his wife, Queen Vashti, before him.
לְהָבִיא אֶת וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּכֶתֶר מַלְכוּת; לְהַרְאוֹת הָעַמִּים וְהַשָּׂרִים אֶת יָפְיָהּ, כִּי טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה הִיא:
“To bring Vashti the Queen before the King with the crown of the kingdom; to show the peoples and the cabinet officials her beauty, for she is of a good appearance.” Esther 1:11
Although the king had commanded her to do this, she refused to obey his command. There are two important reasons provided by major commentaries for her refusal. The first is that there was even in this pagan society a cultural separation between men and women. This separation is related to both modesty and the distinction between men and women. Such a distinction is seen in creation as G-d created man both male and female. The insertion of Queen Vashti into the banquet which was just for men, would blur the distinctiveness between male and female that G-d established at creation. In essence, it was an act of rebelliousness against G-d and His divine order which He had instituted. It is not that Vashti was refusing her husband’s order because she consciously wanted to submit to the G-d of Israel, but even within a pagan society, this divine order was acknowledged.
The second reason is midrashic and is based on the traditional interpretation that being drunk, Achashverosh only wanted Vashti to wear only the royal crown and nothing else. Hence, she refused, as she did not want to expose herself. Here again, it is not that this culture embraced the Torah standards of modesty, but even in this society, such type of behavior was not done.
It was due to Queen Vashti’s refusal to obey the king that there was a crisis throughout the empire, as no one could be allowed to disobey the king’s command. The question which now presented itself was what to do with the queen. It was said that not only against the king alone that she twisted עוותה, but against all the cabinet officials and all of the peoples who were in all of the provinces of the empire. This “twisting” represents a corruption of the will of G-d into the desires of man. Such pagan rulers demanded absolute obedience and so will the antichrist in the last days.
It was due to Queen Vashti’s refusal to obey the king, as she chose to maintain the order that G-d has established, that she was removed from being queen and perhaps even was put to death. Regardless of whether one thinks she was executed or not, one thing is clear and that is that a replacement was sought for her. This of course provided the opportunity for Esther to become queen and be used to deliver the Jewish people from the plot of wicked Haman to exterminate the Jewish people from the world.
I strongly believe that the emphasis today throughout the world in regard to gender confusion is a refusal to acknowledge the divine order of G-d—that it is He Who created man (humanity) male and female. G-d assigns gender and an individual cannot choose for oneself the gender that a person desires. All of this transgenderism is nothing more than pure rebellion against the authority of G-d. Purim is an excellent time for each of us to consider the changes that are taking place in the world and realize that there will be much more drastic ones coming. In light of this, how will you stand?
Will you choose correctly and obey the truth which the Living G-d has established or will you turn aside from the Biblical truth and follow the deceit of the antichrist, whose spirit is already at work in this world?
May you have a blessed Purim!
Due to their communist / atheist background, many of our dear wards arriving from the former Soviet Union today have never heard the Purim story before.
One of the beautiful Purim practices recorded in the Biblical text is to send the Festive meals to one another and remember the poor.
Megilat Esther 9:20-23
“And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, 21 to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, 22 as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor“.
Since this particular Mitzvah (Command) is already a part of our regular ministry, we are trying to connect it with the Purim story at this time.
Dear Friends, please pray with us that the Lord will use our efforts for His glory by touching the hearts of all these dear people whom we are trying to reach at this special season.
Dear Family, please remember in your prayers another sweet Jewish elderly couple, –
David and Galina.
Baruch haShem, they moved to Israel many years ago from the former Soviet Union, just as it collapsed, at the beginning of the nineties, and all their children and grandchildren are living in Israel now.
Unfortunately, David and Galina are very sick and lonely, which is quite common in their life season, – both of them are well over eighty. They cannot wait to see our volunteers when they visit them before Shabbat with tasty nutritious meals.
David is so happy to share all their weekly news and Galina listens and looks with her grateful loving eyes, she can hardly talk after her experiencing numerous strokes.
Please remember this precious couple in your prayers!
Both of them need a healing touch from the Lord for their physical condition: David has strong pains in the back and Galina needs a complete recovery from the stroke. But most of all they need the spiritual healing and new birth from our Lord, that He alone can do, especially in their present helpless condition.
“But Yeshua looked at them and said to them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
Please continue to pray for Vecheslav!
The fact that he has recovered at his age (he is almost 90) from so many complicated surgeries is already a miracle of God!
In spite of doctor’s prognosis he has recovered well and even gained his appetite for food which is also another special gift in Vecheslav’s physical condition.
He is very grateful for our visits and for the delicious, special meals that he receives before Shabbat. He divides it in a few portions and eats them over the next few days…
It is obvious that he does not only treasure those Shabbat meals, but rather the warmth and kindness that he receives during these visits…
Please continue to pray that the Lord will open Vecheslav’s heart and mind to receive His most important gifts: the gift of true repentance, unconditional love and eternal life….of course, we realize, that only the Lord Himself can do this miracle in Vecheslav’s heart and in the hearts of all our dear wards, but we can pray…
Please continue to pray for the Lord’s blessing at our fellowship during “Kabbalat Shabbat”, besides the Mitzvah of celebrating Shabbat, we have a unique opportunity to share the Word of our Blessed Messiah with many precious people who are new in the Land and have never heard it before.
One of those new Jewish emigrants is the young family of Alexander and Julia with their little daughter Zlata (nine years old) for whom we are asking your special prayers at this time.
Alexander, Julia and Zlata came to Israel from Ukraine.
They arrived nine months ago, when the Russian / Ukrainian war had already broken out. Like many others in the same circumstances, they didn’t have any time for preparation and came, “as they were” in a hurry…
“Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the Lord, “and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jeremiah 16:14 NKJV
In spite of these tragic circumstances, we can clearly see the grace of G-d and His careful supervision in the life of this particular family. Being “suddenly” (for them) uprooted from their home, their established life and from the pleasant and familiar culture they were used to, they have been brought into the totally new reality of Israel which they have received and embraced.
In the middle of the various challenges that they are
going through now, Alexander and Julia are full of
hope and good expectation for their future here. They are always ready to help and reach out to others in need, even though themselves being in a difficult situation.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
We are truly blessed to be part of their new local reality and asking your prayers for the further protection, guidance and full revelation of our Messiah in the life of this precious family as they are beginning their new life in Israel!
Happy Purim to you, dear Family!
Holy Land Ministries 