Rabbi Roodyn

Shabbos Zachor 5780

 

On Wednesday morning, I had an idea

To deliver a drosho with pre-Purim cheer

 

I know it’s unusual, but that’s how it goes

A sermon as a poem, rather than prose

 

Let’s go back in time, to days of yore

To an event, unique that hadn’t happened before

 

Our Purim story starts with a desert attack

By a nation so cruel, who came from the back

 

They seek to prevent, a nation redeemed

From receiving the Torah, or so it seemed

 

A clash of cultures, of fundamental worldview

That spans generations, there is nothing new

 

Is the world random, mikreh, no design

Or run by a Master, who manages it just fine?

 

To cool down our passion, that was their intent

They say, “You’re nothing special, it’s just a random event”

 

 

Spreading hatred like poison, irrational and mean

Locked in his subconscious, he can never come clean.

 

Our national mission, they seek to disrupt

Replaced with an attitude so vile and corrupt

 

With hands held high, we win round one

But we know that the war has barely begun

 

“We’ll meet you again soon in Eretz Yisrael

And stop you building a house for your G-d to dwell”

 

Saul spares the king, with mercy misplaced

And loses his malchus, he is now disgraced

 

Shmuel finishes the job, one day too late

Amalek’s seed preserved, to spread lies and hate

 

The next time we meet, it will all be in Persian

Same same but different, it’s not a new version

 

The Temple’s in ruins, will we be reborn?

To rebuild once again, or are we forlorn?

 

Haman Ha’Agagi, our nemesis is promoted

Yet Mordechai stands proud, to Hashem so devoted

 

He will never bow down, to mortal man

Given the idol, round the neck of Haman

 

“You endanger our people, by being so bold!

It’s a new world now, abandon positions so old!”

 

Mordechai, our hero , knows the world is a stage

History in the making we must write our page

 

“Esther go now and plead with the king

We’ll be OK in the end, but you must do your thing”

 

She replies “Not a chance, what a crazy plan!

I can’t go uninvited, there’s no way I can!

 

This I will do, but you must play your part

Go gather the nation, together with one heart

 

Give me the courage, to risk my life

As I willingly go, to act as a wife”

 

Alone in the palace, abandoned by G-d and man

She has no clue what to do, she has no plan

 

Hashem isn’t with her, so she plays for time

Invites them for dinner, with fine meat and wine

 

That night she’s still clueless, nothing has emerged

So she invites them again and sees her fortunes reversed

 

 

Balayla hahu, on that very night

The king can’t sleep, try as he might

 

It all turns around, there is a grand plan, of course

Mordechai rides led by Haman, on the king’s horse

 

It’s downhill from here, it’s plain to see

Her j’accuse moment, at their small party

 

Strung up on a tree, fifty cubits high

The very same one, made for Mordechai

 

Haman may be gone, but his legacy does remain

As he pops up his head, again and again

 

His hatred knows no limits, it’s really not rational

It takes on all forms, and goes international

 

The Jews have a mission, charged at Sinai

To be a light to the nations, yes you and I

 

Pride, passion and purpose is the only way

To defeat all those who would like to say

 

“You Jews, and everything that you stand for

Belong in the past, relevant no more”

 

We must be true to our cause, there is no other way

If we forget who we are, we’ll be in exile to stay

 

As we look back on the story of many a generation

And reflect on the sacrifices, people have made for our nation

 

We are soldiers of the King, we know there’s a plan

We must stay loyal to Him, not rely on mere man

 

We have a choice, it’s in our hands, yes it’s true

To stand proud and affirm, how to live as a Jew

 

We hold tight to the legacy, of Esther and Mordechai

Each year, as we reaffirm that am yisrael chai!