It is hard to get in the mood of thinking about Purim at the moment, when it is easier to imagine oneself writing from inside a freezer. In the last couple of days, Harrow and Pinner have looked like a magical winter wonderland, covered in a pristine layer of snow. We associate snow more readily with the festival of Chanukah than with Purim, for Purim means that Pesach is round the corner and Pesach means springtime. Underground, though, nature knows that all the snow and ice are deceptive. Underground, bulbs and roots are stirring and are slowly pushing their leaves through the earth and the thick snow. Nature itself teaches us that all is not always what it appears on the surface and that is the most important message of Purim.

Although Purim is generally regarded as a light-hearted semi-festival, it does in fact carry a very serious message; serious enough for the ancient rabbis to comment in Midrash Mishlei (9:2) that, whilst none of the festivals will continue to be celebrated in messianic times, Purim will never be removed from the calendar; this opinion is based on a verse in the book of Esther (Esther 9:28), which says: "And these days should be remembered and observed in each and every generation […] and these days of Purim should not depart from amongst the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their descendants".

Megillat Esther seems to present us with a rather straightforward story about anti-Semitism and survival, but if we read it with a more critical mind, we realise that in fact, it explores more ingeniously where the real dangers lie and who the real saviours in our lives are. And if we start out on such a journey of discovery, we come to realise that the real powers in the story are not the ones we normally vilify and praise. Just think about it: would the villain, Haman, ever have been able to distinguish himself, had there been a stronger, fairer, wiser and more articulate king in power? And would Esther have ever contemplated saving her people, had Mordechai not prompted her every move?

Very few characters in the story act on their own volition; most of their actions are prompted by the actions of others or the circumstances in which they find themselves. How that resembles our experiences of life! Are not most of our actions and major life choices driven by circumstances and forces beyond their own control? Although the Megillat Esther is the only Biblical book that does not mention God’s name, for the rabbis, this force is undoubtedly the Eternal One Blessed be He, who allows us to exercise our free will within the sets of circumstances in which we have been placed. And that is the reason why we dress up on Purim. For Purim touches on a very serious and uncomfortable philosophical and theological question, namely how much our choices really are our own.

Just as a blanket of snow covers the earth in pristine whiteness at the moment, we know that reality is not what we see now. Who knows what lies underneath it? Is it the edge of the pavement, ice or something else we would not dare to step into, if we knew it was under the snow?
 
History too, is often determined by sets of circumstances, in which we have little or no role to play and even so, we know that even the most insignificant of choices we make for ourselves or others, might in some unforeseen way have immeasurable consequences.  Gut Purim!