Purim and the cynic

I feel bad for a person who will never be able to learn. I am not talking about someone that is unintelligent, since there is a good chance that by putting in time and effort, he will gain knowledge. Rather, I am addressing the one that due to his attitude will definitely never learn: the cynic. After listening to an inspiring speech or story that assists us in remembering our mission in life, be sure to avoid the cynic, because without a doubt we will hear from him one of his sayings that will instantly eradicate the beneficial effect of the insight.

When the nation of Israel left Egypt, humanity recognized that what transpired to this nation of slaves in Egypt was no coincidence, but rather the hand of Hashem. This recognition was good for the world, since acknowledgement of Hashem and the recognition of the unique function of the Jews, are key elements of the Messianic age and the perfection of the world. Unfortunately the cynic ruined it all. The name of that cynic was Amalek. Amalek attacked, and although it lost the battle, great damage was done. The Rabbis compare the attack to a steaming bathtub, too hot for anyone to climb into. Then, someone came along and plunged into the boiling water. He got scorched, but in the process of doing so, he cooled the water a bit, enabling others to enter. The feelings and mindset humanity gained, was destroyed by the cynic.

The Torah commands us to “obliterate the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.” We may not be able to technically fulfill the commandment; however the message is still quite relevant; we must wipe out the cynic that is within us.

On the surface the cynic is a very happy fellow. He always has what to laugh at, and if he is good at it, he may even have his own late night show. However, deep inside there is great emptiness, because if everything is a joke, there is no meaning to life, and nothing can be as sad as a life without meaning.

The Shabbos before Purim we read the portion of Torah that reminds us to obliterate the memory of Amalek. This can be done by eradicating the cynic that is within us, and becoming aware that there is something very serious and special within every person. With that recognition, we feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment so that on Purim we can be joyful, and have a true Simchat Purim.

Happy Purim

Yirmiya Milevsky