Purim 5766 - And Still Going Strong

[No Exit]

Purim 5766 - And Still Going Strong

by Levi Chazen

Mar 12, '06

Some weeks ago, the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, while denying that a Holocaust against the Jews took place during World War II, stated that there was indeed a "holocaust" that took place in Iran some 2,000 years ago, in which the Jews killed thousands of people. To this day, it is still celebrated year in and year out with singing and drinking. He was, of course, talking about the story of Purim.

Some might indeed mistakenly come to the conclusion that all killing is a bad thing. In fact, we find even among fellow liberal Jews that the holiday of Purim can make them blush and feel uncomfortable, for here we find the Jews celebrating the downfall of their enemies after killing some 75,000 of them. Now how un-Jewish is that?

There is, then, in this world good and evil, and they are not the same - and woe to one who mixes up the two. Take, for instance, an example from World War II, when Germany bombed England and England bombed Germany. Both bombed, but surely, every sane person knows that one was pure evil and one was fighting for good.

HaShem has created good as well as evil in this world, and it is our job to complete creation and eliminate evil. Amalek, and his physical and spiritual heirs, must ultimately be wiped off the face of the earth, as King David said: "I hate all those who hate You ." King David himself killed thousands, as the Book of Samuel tells us: "Saul with his hundreds and David with his thousands." Still, all whom King David killed were looked upon as a sacrifice before HaShem, for David had eliminated evil from this world, thereby making it a better place.
Today, we are witnessing, throughout the world and in Israel, the mercy of fools; those taking pity on the wicked. Such behavior is not good, but evil.

(snip)

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/article.php3?id=6084