If I told you the Jewish people received the Torah on Purim, you would tell me that I confused my Jewish holy days. 

Let’s reflect on the initial giving of Torah at Mount Sinai. The Midrash tells us God lifted the mountain over the head of the people and said, “If you accept the Torah, then great!! If not, then this will be your burial.”

It appears that we accept the Torah under duress. Yet, Rava continues that the Jews reaccepted the Torah at the time of Achashverosh. Throughout the Purim narrative, the Jews could have assimilated amongst the people and saved themselves from annihilation. Yet, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed teaches the people did not try to escape their Jewish identity. On the contrary, Hamn’s decree inspired them to strengthen their faith and commitment to Torah.

The book of Esther teaches, “The Jews upheld and accepted upon themselves.” What did they accept? The same Torah they had accepted years before. Rabbi Melamed asks, “It was easy to accept the Torah when miracles were performed in front of the people’ eyes. But when we are detached from miracles and wonder, what will we do?”

These last few years have been difficult and often dark. Yet, we see even in those moments, our brothers and sisters who had every reason to give up like our ancestors of old did the same thing. We have once again reaccepted our beautiful tradition of Torah. This week, we will read the miraculous Purim story. We will dress up in costume. We will eat hamantashen. But this year, make sure you reaccept the Torah again.