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God's Appointed Times with Rabbi Jason Sobel

Jason Sobel & Chonda Pierce: Purim (Part 2) | God's Appointed Times

January 30, 2026 | S3 E4 | 25:29

Jason Sobel & Chonda Pierce: Purim (Part 2) | God's Appointed Times
In this exploration of the holiday of Purim, Rabbi Jason Sobel delves into the story of Esther, highlighting the historical and spiritual implications tied to her journey. Drawing parallels between the challenges faced by Esther and the Jewish people of her time to more recent instances of anti-Semitism and oppression, the Rabbi emphasizes the presence of God's hand in delivering victories amidst adversity. Through uncovering hidden connections and lessons on faith and trust, the episode showcases how Purim serves as a reminder of God's providence, turning sorrow into joy and instilling hope in the darkest of times.
#JewishHistory #JewishTradition #Judaism #BiblicalFestivals #Bible #Christianity #Messiah #Salvation #Redemption #Miracles #Supernatural #Author #RabbiJasonSobel #ChondaPierce

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God's Appointed Times with Rabbi Jason Sobel | Jason Sobel & Chonda Pierce: Purim (Part 2) | God's Appointed Times | January 30, 2026
  • - last episode, we began our exploration of the
  • 00:00:00.363 --> 00:00:03.366
  • Holiday of purim.
  • 00:00:03.366 --> 00:00:04.934
  • We're continuing with that right now, but with even more
  • 00:00:04.934 --> 00:00:08.605
  • Focus on the historical and spiritual implications
  • 00:00:08.605 --> 00:00:12.208
  • Of this holiday.
  • 00:00:12.208 --> 00:00:13.743
  • We're seeing how the events of esther should inform our
  • 00:00:13.743 --> 00:00:17.647
  • Perspective today.
  • 00:00:17.647 --> 00:00:19.115
  • Let's uncover where the past and the present collide.
  • 00:00:19.115 --> 00:00:23.119
  • I'm rabbi jason sobel, and this is god's appointed times.
  • 00:00:23.119 --> 00:00:27.257
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:00:27.257 --> 00:00:57.854
  • The appointed times celebrate moments throughout history
  • 00:00:57.854 --> 00:01:00.390
  • Where god's hand was present in certain events.
  • 00:01:00.390 --> 00:01:04.327
  • As we know, the holiday of purim centers around the story
  • 00:01:04.327 --> 00:01:08.364
  • Of esther, mordecai, king xerxes, and haman.
  • 00:01:08.364 --> 00:01:13.703
  • Boo, haman.
  • 00:01:13.703 --> 00:01:15.138
  • Haman was a descendant of amalek.
  • 00:01:15.138 --> 00:01:19.175
  • The amalekites were one of israel's fiercest oppressors.
  • 00:01:19.175 --> 00:01:22.579
  • In many ways, they were an army that represented
  • 00:01:22.579 --> 00:01:26.416
  • Pure evil.
  • 00:01:26.416 --> 00:01:28.151
  • They were determined to wipe the jewish people off the face
  • 00:01:28.151 --> 00:01:30.854
  • Of the earth.
  • 00:01:30.854 --> 00:01:31.955
  • Sound familiar?
  • 00:01:31.955 --> 00:01:33.723
  • That same spirit that existed in the days of saul with
  • 00:01:33.723 --> 00:01:38.261
  • Amalek, and esther and haman, existed in germany in the
  • 00:01:38.261 --> 00:01:41.965
  • 1930s and 40s.
  • 00:01:41.965 --> 00:01:44.334
  • The nazis embodied the same spirit of amalek.
  • 00:01:44.334 --> 00:01:48.338
  • If the children of israel are god's chosen people, then it's
  • 00:01:48.338 --> 00:01:53.009
  • Unavoidable that in a fall world like ours, there will
  • 00:01:53.009 --> 00:01:57.947
  • Always be a people bent on seeing god's
  • 00:01:57.947 --> 00:02:01.184
  • Children destroyed.
  • 00:02:01.184 --> 00:02:03.119
  • This is one more reason that celebrating the victory found
  • 00:02:03.119 --> 00:02:06.656
  • In purim is so vital.
  • 00:02:06.656 --> 00:02:09.626
  • Every year, we read the story of esther and spin the grogger
  • 00:02:09.626 --> 00:02:12.962
  • To blot out the name of haman from being heard.
  • 00:02:12.962 --> 00:02:19.869
  • In this celebration, we're reminded that real evil exists
  • 00:02:19.869 --> 00:02:24.874
  • And the spirit of amalek still lives in our world today.
  • 00:02:24.874 --> 00:02:29.946
  • To this very day, there are entire groups that wish to see
  • 00:02:29.946 --> 00:02:33.917
  • The jewish people destroyed.
  • 00:02:33.917 --> 00:02:36.953
  • We've seen an incredible rise of hatred towards the jewish
  • 00:02:36.953 --> 00:02:39.656
  • People in recent years.
  • 00:02:39.656 --> 00:02:41.324
  • This is the same spirit, the spirit of amalek.
  • 00:02:41.324 --> 00:02:45.128
  • If we don't remind ourselves of the victories of the past,
  • 00:02:45.128 --> 00:02:48.464
  • It can be hard to remember our hope for the future.
  • 00:02:48.464 --> 00:02:53.069
  • God's hand has been there throughout history to usher in
  • 00:02:53.069 --> 00:02:57.106
  • Victory for his children in numerous, miraculous ways.
  • 00:02:57.106 --> 00:03:02.545
  • Purim reminds us that the hand of god was
  • 00:03:02.545 --> 00:03:06.349
  • There, even in persia.
  • 00:03:06.349 --> 00:03:08.618
  • Esther was the vessel that god used to save the
  • 00:03:08.618 --> 00:03:11.888
  • Children of israel.
  • 00:03:11.888 --> 00:03:13.356
  • We can see so many parallels throughout history where god
  • 00:03:13.356 --> 00:03:17.093
  • Has delivered his people from the spirit of amalek.
  • 00:03:17.093 --> 00:03:21.231
  • And if you pay attention, you can spot his hand at work
  • 00:03:21.231 --> 00:03:24.867
  • Today in our lives.
  • 00:03:24.867 --> 00:03:27.937
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:03:27.937 --> 00:03:29.001
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:03:29.001 --> 00:03:33.944
  • - i'm so excited that we're continuing our conversation.
  • 00:03:33.944 --> 00:03:35.813
  • I want to show you something absolutely
  • 00:03:35.813 --> 00:03:39.917
  • Amazing. - okay.
  • 00:03:39.917 --> 00:03:42.086
  • - you know, there's this idea in jewish thought.
  • 00:03:42.086 --> 00:03:45.055
  • It says turn it, turn it, turn it, because
  • 00:03:45.055 --> 00:03:47.124
  • Everything is in it.
  • 00:03:47.124 --> 00:03:48.626
  • The idea that in god's word, you can find everything that
  • 00:03:48.626 --> 00:03:52.863
  • God knows the beginning from the end.
  • 00:03:52.863 --> 00:03:56.200
  • And a big part of the story of the book of esther is that
  • 00:03:56.200 --> 00:03:59.536
  • Nothing happens by chance.
  • 00:03:59.536 --> 00:04:02.740
  • And there was an incredible, this was mind-blowing to me,
  • 00:04:02.740 --> 00:04:08.312
  • An aha moment of discovery.
  • 00:04:08.312 --> 00:04:11.215
  • Do you know that in the book of esther, there's actually an
  • 00:04:11.215 --> 00:04:16.720
  • Allusion to the defeat of the nazis?
  • 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:20.090
  • - no. - yes.
  • 00:04:20.090 --> 00:04:24.528
  • - hush your face.
  • 00:04:22.393 --> 00:04:25.362
  • - it's crazy.
  • 00:04:25.362 --> 00:04:27.364
  • So there is a story.
  • 00:04:27.364 --> 00:04:30.200
  • It says this, right?
  • 00:04:30.200 --> 00:04:32.303
  • It was an article...
  • 00:04:32.303 --> 00:04:33.170
  • I believe it was in time magazine.
  • 00:04:33.170 --> 00:04:35.072
  • After the nazis lost there were the
  • 00:04:35.072 --> 00:04:38.075
  • Nuremberg trials. - right.
  • 00:04:38.075 --> 00:04:39.576
  • - eleven nazis were put on trial, one committed
  • 00:04:39.576 --> 00:04:44.581
  • Suicide, ten were put on trials.
  • 00:04:44.581 --> 00:04:47.084
  • One on of the nazis julius streicher gets up there and
  • 00:04:47.084 --> 00:04:50.621
  • You know what his last words were?
  • 00:04:50.621 --> 00:04:52.089
  • He said, "purim fest 1946." so the last words of the nazi was
  • 00:04:52.089 --> 00:04:59.229
  • About the biblical holiday, the book of esther, and people
  • 00:04:59.229 --> 00:05:03.133
  • Were like, what the heck is this guy talking about?
  • 00:05:03.133 --> 00:05:06.570
  • What did he mean?
  • 00:05:06.570 --> 00:05:07.938
  • And then they discovered something that had eluded the
  • 00:05:07.938 --> 00:05:12.443
  • Rabbis for thousands of years in the hebrew text of the book
  • 00:05:12.443 --> 00:05:18.849
  • Of esther, and i'm going to show it to you.
  • 00:05:18.849 --> 00:05:22.152
  • - boy, that looks dangerous.
  • 00:05:22.152 --> 00:05:23.620
  • - this is dangerous this is known as a yad.
  • 00:05:23.620 --> 00:05:25.155
  • - yad. - yad.
  • 00:05:25.155 --> 00:05:27.157
  • So this is, you don't touch the
  • 00:05:27.157 --> 00:05:28.625
  • Scroll usually. - yeah.
  • 00:05:28.625 --> 00:05:30.194
  • - you can touch this scroll but if you touch it, you use
  • 00:05:30.194 --> 00:05:32.930
  • This to point out of respect and not to damage the scroll.
  • 00:05:32.930 --> 00:05:35.265
  • So here's the thing.
  • 00:05:35.265 --> 00:05:36.967
  • In the book of esther, there are ten sons of haman that
  • 00:05:36.967 --> 00:05:44.208
  • Are hung on the gallows.
  • 00:05:44.208 --> 00:05:45.809
  • This connects back to the 10 nazis that were hung on the
  • 00:05:45.809 --> 00:05:50.214
  • Gallows at nuremberg.
  • 00:05:50.214 --> 00:05:53.550
  • - are you kidding?
  • 00:05:53.550 --> 00:05:54.852
  • And this was written hundreds and hundreds of years?
  • 00:05:54.852 --> 00:05:58.622
  • - thousands of years earlier.
  • 00:05:58.622 --> 00:05:59.656
  • But that's not the crazy thing.
  • 00:05:59.656 --> 00:06:02.059
  • So this is a handwritten scroll.
  • 00:06:02.059 --> 00:06:05.095
  • This was written by a scribe from jerusalem.
  • 00:06:05.095 --> 00:06:07.898
  • And there is a whole scrible tradition that in some
  • 00:06:07.898 --> 00:06:12.536
  • Scrolls, certain letters are written larger, and certain
  • 00:06:12.536 --> 00:06:15.339
  • Letters are written smaller, they're very rare.
  • 00:06:15.339 --> 00:06:17.841
  • But there's always a deeper meaning as to why that is.
  • 00:06:17.841 --> 00:06:22.646
  • There are four letters in here, one letter, this
  • 00:06:22.646 --> 00:06:27.985
  • Letter right here, the letter vov. - right.
  • 00:06:27.985 --> 00:06:30.120
  • - is written larger than a traditional vov, you can see
  • 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:34.825
  • That's a traditional vov.
  • 00:06:34.825 --> 00:06:35.926
  • You can see how that is written larger.
  • 00:06:35.926 --> 00:06:38.061
  • Then there are four letters that are written smaller.
  • 00:06:38.061 --> 00:06:41.698
  • That's a tov. - wow.
  • 00:06:41.698 --> 00:06:44.601
  • - that's a shin.
  • 00:06:44.601 --> 00:06:46.336
  • And that is a zion. - goodness.
  • 00:06:46.336 --> 00:06:48.772
  • - so what does this mean?
  • 00:06:48.772 --> 00:06:51.175
  • When he yelled purim fest 1946 and there was the ten nazis
  • 00:06:51.175 --> 00:06:55.879
  • That were hung, they went back to this passage, re-looked at
  • 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:59.516
  • These letters.
  • 00:06:59.516 --> 00:07:01.418
  • This letter, vov, stands, these four letters tell us the
  • 00:07:01.418 --> 00:07:04.888
  • Hebrew year in which the nazis were hung.
  • 00:07:04.888 --> 00:07:09.126
  • As we said, letters have numerical value.
  • 00:07:09.126 --> 00:07:13.130
  • - right, right.
  • 00:07:13.130 --> 00:07:14.198
  • - the vov has a numerical of six, right?
  • 00:07:14.198 --> 00:07:16.467
  • - right. - this tells us that
  • 00:07:16.467 --> 00:07:18.302
  • We're in the sixth century on the
  • 00:07:18.302 --> 00:07:20.904
  • Hebrew calendar.
  • 00:07:20.904 --> 00:07:22.105
  • This letter, the tov, 400.
  • 00:07:22.105 --> 00:07:25.709
  • This letter, the shin equals 300.
  • 00:07:25.709 --> 00:07:27.945
  • And this equals seven zion.
  • 00:07:27.945 --> 00:07:31.615
  • When you add up all these letters it adds up to 5,707,
  • 00:07:31.615 --> 00:07:37.988
  • The exact year the nazis were hung on the gallows at
  • 00:07:37.988 --> 00:07:44.628
  • Nuremberg connecting back to this passage which prophesied
  • 00:07:44.628 --> 00:07:48.131
  • It thousands of years earlier had been hidden in plain sight.
  • 00:07:48.131 --> 00:07:52.169
  • - oh my stars.
  • 00:07:52.169 --> 00:07:53.737
  • - in this text, and what's crazy the actual day, on which
  • 00:07:53.737 --> 00:07:58.008
  • They were hung was actually a jewish holiday.
  • 00:07:58.008 --> 00:08:00.277
  • It was the- it was towards the end of the biblical holiday of
  • 00:08:00.277 --> 00:08:04.882
  • Sukkot the feast of tabernacles called
  • 00:08:04.882 --> 00:08:06.884
  • Hoshana rabbah.
  • 00:08:06.884 --> 00:08:08.318
  • That's actually the day jesus got up and said, if anyone is
  • 00:08:08.318 --> 00:08:11.855
  • Thirsty, let them come to me and living waters will flow
  • 00:08:11.855 --> 00:08:14.424
  • Out of his innermost being on that day.
  • 00:08:14.424 --> 00:08:17.461
  • And in jewish thought, that is the day when god makes final
  • 00:08:17.461 --> 00:08:21.031
  • Judgment over every person's life, what's going to happen
  • 00:08:21.031 --> 00:08:25.168
  • To them in the next year.
  • 00:08:25.168 --> 00:08:26.837
  • And that's the year on which these ten men were hung.
  • 00:08:26.837 --> 00:08:29.540
  • And it's right here in the torah scroll.
  • 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:31.775
  • - goodness sakes.
  • 00:08:31.775 --> 00:08:35.579
  • - i think it's pretty incredible.
  • 00:08:35.579 --> 00:08:37.714
  • It tells us god's hand is guiding history.
  • 00:08:37.714 --> 00:08:38.916
  • - absolutely.
  • 00:08:38.916 --> 00:08:40.784
  • And i don't want to belittle anything, but you just look
  • 00:08:40.784 --> 00:08:42.252
  • One more time and see the numbers, i should play
  • 00:08:42.252 --> 00:08:44.154
  • For the lottery.
  • 00:08:44.154 --> 00:08:47.491
  • No, but you know, what's so amazing is that one, you know,
  • 00:08:47.491 --> 00:08:50.260
  • Note, as we kind of say in music or whatever, but it has
  • 00:08:50.260 --> 00:08:55.832
  • So much meaning in that thing.
  • 00:08:55.832 --> 00:08:57.701
  • So these letters, you call them letters, right?
  • 00:08:57.701 --> 00:09:01.738
  • And each one of these little symbols and pieces is one
  • 00:09:01.738 --> 00:09:04.408
  • Letter or like a word?
  • 00:09:04.408 --> 00:09:07.210
  • - one letter.
  • 00:09:07.210 --> 00:09:08.879
  • Okay, that's what i wondered.
  • 00:09:08.145 --> 00:09:10.247
  • - one letter that makes up the word.
  • 00:09:10.247 --> 00:09:11.949
  • And i think that's, i think what's really important here
  • 00:09:11.949 --> 00:09:14.851
  • To take away from this is that the book of esther is meant to
  • 00:09:14.851 --> 00:09:17.421
  • Give us hope. - wow.
  • 00:09:17.421 --> 00:09:20.290
  • - but part of hope is knowing that god
  • 00:09:20.290 --> 00:09:23.126
  • Is in control. - yes.
  • 00:09:23.126 --> 00:09:24.861
  • - because sometimes we're just like, where are you god?
  • 00:09:24.861 --> 00:09:26.997
  • - look how long you had to wait to see where was god
  • 00:09:26.997 --> 00:09:29.967
  • During the holocaust.
  • 00:09:29.967 --> 00:09:31.501
  • It does make you wonder.
  • 00:09:31.501 --> 00:09:33.270
  • I hear this often, how do you if god is so loving, why do
  • 00:09:33.270 --> 00:09:37.674
  • Children die?
  • 00:09:37.674 --> 00:09:38.609
  • If god is so loving, why the holocaust?
  • 00:09:38.609 --> 00:09:40.177
  • But he knew a long long time ago, these things were in
  • 00:09:40.177 --> 00:09:44.681
  • Place because he knows already.
  • 00:09:44.681 --> 00:09:47.651
  • He already knows how many days, he can look in there and
  • 00:09:47.651 --> 00:09:50.454
  • See what day i'm going.
  • 00:09:50.454 --> 00:09:52.222
  • Because i'm ready.
  • 00:09:52.222 --> 00:09:53.957
  • - let me look it up.
  • 00:09:53.957 --> 00:09:55.092
  • - yeah, yeah.
  • 00:09:55.092 --> 00:09:56.093
  • - but i think that again is part of hope.
  • 00:09:56.093 --> 00:09:58.028
  • God knows the beginning from the end.
  • 00:09:58.028 --> 00:09:59.997
  • He knows everything that we're going to go through, and it's
  • 00:09:59.997 --> 00:10:03.400
  • Part of a greater plan and purpose.
  • 00:10:03.400 --> 00:10:05.435
  • So our pain is not pointless. - right.
  • 00:10:05.435 --> 00:10:07.004
  • - and our pain has a promise attached to it.
  • 00:10:07.004 --> 00:10:09.806
  • The jewish people were not wiped out in the
  • 00:10:09.806 --> 00:10:13.210
  • Days of haman.
  • 00:10:13.210 --> 00:10:16.013
  • They weren't wiped out in the days of the holocaust, it's
  • 00:10:16.013 --> 00:10:19.349
  • Easy to focus upon that and say look at
  • 00:10:19.349 --> 00:10:21.885
  • The tragedy, instead of looking at
  • 00:10:21.885 --> 00:10:23.754
  • The triumph as well.
  • 00:10:23.754 --> 00:10:25.489
  • - you know, rabbi, now i'm going to get choked up
  • 00:10:25.489 --> 00:10:30.060
  • Because it's just the holy spirit moment.
  • 00:10:30.060 --> 00:10:31.428
  • But i will say, when my husband passed, i sit at the
  • 00:10:31.428 --> 00:10:36.266
  • Cemetery sometimes, and you see his name and the date that
  • 00:10:36.266 --> 00:10:39.202
  • He was born and the date that he died.
  • 00:10:39.202 --> 00:10:41.038
  • I had all my family moved to the cemetery, so i have a
  • 00:10:41.038 --> 00:10:44.975
  • Little cemetery by my house, and everyone's deceased, and i
  • 00:10:44.975 --> 00:10:47.411
  • Go and sit on a bench, and i watch it.
  • 00:10:47.411 --> 00:10:49.312
  • My name is on one of those stones, and it's got the day i
  • 00:10:49.312 --> 00:10:52.716
  • Was born and a blank for when i, you know will die.
  • 00:10:52.716 --> 00:10:56.687
  • Now my son teases all the time he's going to take a chisel
  • 00:10:56.687 --> 00:11:00.424
  • And a hammer and start on that date.
  • 00:11:00.424 --> 00:11:02.225
  • It's what happens in the dash between the day you were born
  • 00:11:02.225 --> 00:11:06.930
  • And the day that you die.
  • 00:11:06.930 --> 00:11:08.198
  • And i have said often i don't want to waste any pain, i
  • 00:11:08.198 --> 00:11:13.437
  • Don't want to waste any failure.
  • 00:11:13.437 --> 00:11:17.107
  • I don't want to waste my shame.
  • 00:11:17.107 --> 00:11:19.576
  • I want the lord to be in control of all of that because
  • 00:11:19.576 --> 00:11:23.346
  • He was there when my husband died.
  • 00:11:23.346 --> 00:11:26.950
  • He was there when my sisters died, he was there when my
  • 00:11:26.950 --> 00:11:29.720
  • Parents died.
  • 00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:31.621
  • He was there on the good days of my life.
  • 00:11:31.621 --> 00:11:33.156
  • He's been there on the bad days of my life.
  • 00:11:33.156 --> 00:11:35.625
  • So that little dash, that little symbol like these
  • 00:11:35.625 --> 00:11:41.398
  • Symbols means so much more than what we realize
  • 00:11:41.398 --> 00:11:44.801
  • On our tombstone.
  • 00:11:44.801 --> 00:11:45.969
  • It's what are we doing with the dash?
  • 00:11:45.969 --> 00:11:47.804
  • And what are we doing with our pain?
  • 00:11:47.804 --> 00:11:50.006
  • Are we sulking?
  • 00:11:50.006 --> 00:11:52.142
  • Are we just sitting in our doubt, are we you know,
  • 00:11:52.142 --> 00:11:55.912
  • Belittling it?
  • 00:11:55.912 --> 00:11:59.716
  • Are we deflecting with a joke at the wrong time?
  • 00:11:59.716 --> 00:12:02.385
  • It's what are we doing with that that it can't be wasted?
  • 00:12:02.385 --> 00:12:05.789
  • And the entire book of esther as you say, gives such hope to
  • 00:12:05.789 --> 00:12:09.893
  • All those people that don't know what to do with the pain
  • 00:12:09.893 --> 00:12:13.363
  • And the dash.
  • 00:12:13.363 --> 00:12:14.731
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:12:14.731 --> 00:12:20.470
  • - so let me ask you a question.
  • 00:12:20.470 --> 00:12:22.572
  • Has there ever been someone in your life that you disliked so
  • 00:12:22.572 --> 00:12:24.641
  • Much that you never wanted to hear their name ever again?
  • 00:12:24.641 --> 00:12:31.148
  • You would be happy if you never heard their name
  • 00:12:31.148 --> 00:12:34.284
  • Mentioned ever again.
  • 00:12:34.284 --> 00:12:35.318
  • - do you want the list?
  • 00:12:35.318 --> 00:12:36.920
  • No but it is, yeah and i have to work on that because you
  • 00:12:36.920 --> 00:12:42.826
  • Can really sit into some bitterness.
  • 00:12:42.826 --> 00:12:45.395
  • I live in a state where handguns are fine.
  • 00:12:45.395 --> 00:12:48.598
  • - that's right.
  • 00:12:48.598 --> 00:12:51.401
  • Better be careful.
  • 00:12:51.401 --> 00:12:53.003
  • Well, that's really one of the aspects of purim, because
  • 00:12:53.003 --> 00:12:55.539
  • You'll see here, this is called a grogger.
  • 00:12:55.539 --> 00:12:58.909
  • - oh, there you go.
  • 00:12:58.909 --> 00:13:00.310
  • - and you spin the grogger.
  • 00:13:00.310 --> 00:13:01.778
  • - want to give it a try?
  • 00:13:01.778 --> 00:13:03.847
  • - yeah. oh, boy.
  • 00:13:03.847 --> 00:13:05.849
  • We could call frogs with this.
  • 00:13:05.849 --> 00:13:08.318
  • That is loud.
  • 00:13:08.318 --> 00:13:10.787
  • - yes, and that's intentional.
  • 00:13:10.787 --> 00:13:13.056
  • So one of the things we do, it's really fun at purim, is
  • 00:13:13.056 --> 00:13:18.094
  • We read the story of the book of esther publicly
  • 00:13:18.094 --> 00:13:23.466
  • With the community.
  • 00:13:23.466 --> 00:13:25.168
  • And one of the things you do is when you hear the name,
  • 00:13:25.168 --> 00:13:28.071
  • Haman, who's a bad guy, haman.
  • 00:13:28.071 --> 00:13:30.974
  • Boo! yeah!
  • 00:13:30.974 --> 00:13:33.310
  • We boo haman and we cheer esther and mordecai.
  • 00:13:33.310 --> 00:13:36.880
  • But one of the reasons why we make that noise at the sound
  • 00:13:36.880 --> 00:13:40.684
  • Of haman's name is that god actually tells us in the
  • 00:13:40.684 --> 00:13:45.755
  • Torah, the five books of moses, that we are to blot out
  • 00:13:45.755 --> 00:13:48.792
  • Haman's name.
  • 00:13:48.792 --> 00:13:50.961
  • So we literally take that commandment seriously by
  • 00:13:50.961 --> 00:13:56.867
  • Blotting out the name of the most notorious descendant of
  • 00:13:56.867 --> 00:14:00.136
  • Amalek, the first person to attack the jewish people by
  • 00:14:00.136 --> 00:14:04.941
  • Making the noise so that the haman's name can't be heard.
  • 00:14:04.941 --> 00:14:08.578
  • - oh, my stars.
  • 00:14:08.578 --> 00:14:10.247
  • This was the wrong thing to share with me, rabbi.
  • 00:14:10.247 --> 00:14:15.785
  • Because i will carry this with me everywhere.
  • 00:14:15.785 --> 00:14:18.922
  • - now, here's the interesting thing about that.
  • 00:14:18.922 --> 00:14:22.559
  • Of course, there's more.
  • 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.861
  • - right. - there is something deeper.
  • 00:14:24.861 --> 00:14:26.329
  • So at purim, we spin the grogger.
  • 00:14:26.329 --> 00:14:32.435
  • - but there's another holiday, that i'm sure you're familiar
  • 00:14:32.435 --> 00:14:35.272
  • With, everyone's familiar with called hanukkah.
  • 00:14:35.272 --> 00:14:37.374
  • - of course.
  • 00:14:37.374 --> 00:14:38.541
  • - and at hanukkah what do we do?
  • 00:14:38.541 --> 00:14:40.911
  • We spin the dreidel.
  • 00:14:40.911 --> 00:14:42.646
  • Do you want to spin that for us?
  • 00:14:42.646 --> 00:14:43.680
  • - spin the dreidel.
  • 00:14:43.680 --> 00:14:44.514
  • Now i called it spin the bottle.
  • 00:14:44.514 --> 00:14:47.417
  • - alright well.
  • 00:14:47.417 --> 00:14:48.652
  • - you are single.
  • 00:14:48.652 --> 00:14:51.888
  • - yes that's exactly right.
  • 00:14:51.888 --> 00:14:53.089
  • - all right.
  • 00:14:53.089 --> 00:14:55.492
  • So here's the question.
  • 00:14:55.492 --> 00:14:56.426
  • Why do we spin on these two holidays?
  • 00:14:56.426 --> 00:15:01.498
  • - that's a really good question.
  • 00:15:01.498 --> 00:15:03.533
  • - the interesting thing is that on purim, we
  • 00:15:03.533 --> 00:15:06.236
  • Spin bottom up.
  • 00:15:06.236 --> 00:15:08.204
  • On hanukkah, we spin top down.
  • 00:15:08.204 --> 00:15:11.574
  • And this reminds us of the two ways god works in the world,
  • 00:15:11.574 --> 00:15:15.779
  • In the two ways god performs miracles.
  • 00:15:15.779 --> 00:15:19.316
  • At hanukkah, it was clearly a supernatural miracle that
  • 00:15:19.316 --> 00:15:24.454
  • Everybody saw.
  • 00:15:24.454 --> 00:15:26.222
  • That god delivered, a mighty army to the hands of the few.
  • 00:15:26.222 --> 00:15:28.725
  • It was the hand of god, they only had enough oil to last
  • 00:15:28.725 --> 00:15:32.028
  • One day but they lit the menorah, the candelabra,
  • 00:15:32.028 --> 00:15:35.799
  • Anyway and it burned for an additional seven days, a total
  • 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:39.235
  • For eight.
  • 00:15:39.235 --> 00:15:40.503
  • Everyone saw the miracle.
  • 00:15:40.503 --> 00:15:42.405
  • So that miracle is a revealed miracle that comes from the
  • 00:15:42.405 --> 00:15:46.209
  • Top down.
  • 00:15:46.209 --> 00:15:48.178
  • But purim on the other hand, is a hidden miracle.
  • 00:15:48.178 --> 00:15:52.849
  • And the miracle came not from the top down, but it came from
  • 00:15:52.849 --> 00:15:57.921
  • The bottom up that god used esther and mordecai to
  • 00:15:57.921 --> 00:16:02.525
  • Bring about the miracle.
  • 00:16:02.525 --> 00:16:04.794
  • It actually didn't seem as if god was working at all, in
  • 00:16:04.794 --> 00:16:07.697
  • Fact the book of esther almost didn't make it in the bible
  • 00:16:07.697 --> 00:16:12.402
  • Because god's name isn't even mentioned in it.
  • 00:16:12.402 --> 00:16:15.038
  • - but that's intentional, it's one of the reasons why we
  • 00:16:15.038 --> 00:16:19.676
  • Wear masks on purim because god was hidden in the story.
  • 00:16:19.676 --> 00:16:23.847
  • God had hidden his face because the people were in
  • 00:16:23.847 --> 00:16:27.250
  • Exile because they had disobeyed god.
  • 00:16:27.250 --> 00:16:30.053
  • So one of the main lessons in purim is this.
  • 00:16:30.053 --> 00:16:34.257
  • When you can't see the hand of god, you have to trust the
  • 00:16:34.257 --> 00:16:39.062
  • Heart of god.
  • 00:16:39.062 --> 00:16:40.830
  • Even if it doesn't seem like he's with you.
  • 00:16:40.830 --> 00:16:42.966
  • Sometimes his hand is very evident, and sometimes his
  • 00:16:42.966 --> 00:16:45.802
  • Hand is hidden behind the scenes.
  • 00:16:45.802 --> 00:16:49.272
  • Have you ever been in a season where god's hand was hidden
  • 00:16:49.272 --> 00:16:52.776
  • And you just had to trust his heart?
  • 00:16:52.776 --> 00:16:55.045
  • Even though it didn't seem like you could see his hand?
  • 00:16:55.045 --> 00:16:56.746
  • - right, absolutely.
  • 00:16:56.746 --> 00:16:58.181
  • Yeah, you know, almost every other day of my life.
  • 00:16:58.181 --> 00:17:01.317
  • I think those are the days that have
  • 00:17:01.317 --> 00:17:05.555
  • Strengthened my faith.
  • 00:17:05.555 --> 00:17:07.157
  • At first, it was a knock of the, you know, it would just
  • 00:17:07.157 --> 00:17:10.093
  • Knock you down a notch every day, every day.
  • 00:17:10.093 --> 00:17:12.128
  • And then when you start deciding to give the pain and
  • 00:17:12.128 --> 00:17:14.531
  • All of it to the lord, and that's the thing.
  • 00:17:14.531 --> 00:17:16.666
  • That's about what scripture does.
  • 00:17:16.666 --> 00:17:18.134
  • It strengthens you to remember the stories of the past and
  • 00:17:18.134 --> 00:17:21.304
  • Remember what god did when you thought nobody, you know, when
  • 00:17:21.304 --> 00:17:26.543
  • He had forgotten you. - right.
  • 00:17:26.543 --> 00:17:28.144
  • - but no, you're exactly right.
  • 00:17:28.144 --> 00:17:30.280
  • No death is a good death.
  • 00:17:30.280 --> 00:17:32.282
  • But i look back and say, well, some of my loved ones that are
  • 00:17:32.282 --> 00:17:37.020
  • Deceased now, i'm so glad they didn't have to live through
  • 00:17:37.020 --> 00:17:39.789
  • This or this or this or this, you know.
  • 00:17:39.789 --> 00:17:41.324
  • So you look at the hand of god and go, why didn't he keep
  • 00:17:41.324 --> 00:17:45.895
  • That from happening?
  • 00:17:45.895 --> 00:17:47.464
  • But i look back and go, but our goal in life is to
  • 00:17:47.464 --> 00:17:50.767
  • Be with jesus.
  • 00:17:50.767 --> 00:17:51.901
  • So those lucky dogs, they went.
  • 00:17:51.901 --> 00:17:54.137
  • You know, now i'm just waiting my turn.
  • 00:17:54.137 --> 00:17:56.773
  • So i just, but yeah, many times you feel like
  • 00:17:56.773 --> 00:18:00.543
  • God is not listening.
  • 00:18:00.543 --> 00:18:02.045
  • But i do feel like, you know, his heart is in tune.
  • 00:18:02.045 --> 00:18:06.282
  • I think he's listening to me, you know.
  • 00:18:06.282 --> 00:18:10.086
  • It is hard to just wait on him.
  • 00:18:10.086 --> 00:18:12.155
  • Man, it's so hard.
  • 00:18:12.155 --> 00:18:13.490
  • - yeah, i think it ties it all together, because as we said,
  • 00:18:13.490 --> 00:18:17.727
  • The book is esther, the holiday is called purim which
  • 00:18:17.727 --> 00:18:22.165
  • Is lots, this game of chance that haman played to decide
  • 00:18:22.165 --> 00:18:26.903
  • Which day he was going to destroy and wipe out the
  • 00:18:26.903 --> 00:18:29.706
  • Jewish people, and i think that is the reason why god's
  • 00:18:29.706 --> 00:18:35.545
  • Name is not in the book of esther.
  • 00:18:35.545 --> 00:18:38.848
  • It's to teach us such an important lesson.
  • 00:18:38.848 --> 00:18:41.284
  • - why would they add it?
  • 00:18:41.284 --> 00:18:43.086
  • Why would they include esther?
  • 00:18:43.086 --> 00:18:45.421
  • - that's a great question and that's at the heart of what
  • 00:18:45.421 --> 00:18:49.626
  • Purim and the book of esther is about.
  • 00:18:49.626 --> 00:18:51.995
  • I think it comes to this.
  • 00:18:51.995 --> 00:18:53.496
  • So many times it seems like god is not showing up, like
  • 00:18:53.496 --> 00:18:58.067
  • Where are you god?
  • 00:18:58.067 --> 00:18:59.936
  • We don't see you in the midst of it.
  • 00:18:59.936 --> 00:19:02.205
  • And as we said, haman is the first atheist in the bible.
  • 00:19:02.205 --> 00:19:06.142
  • He thinks everything is by chance, that everything is
  • 00:19:06.142 --> 00:19:09.212
  • Kind of happenstance, that there is no rhyme or reason or
  • 00:19:09.212 --> 00:19:12.782
  • No god who's providentially determined what's happened.
  • 00:19:12.782 --> 00:19:17.353
  • But that is the whole irony of the book of esther.
  • 00:19:17.353 --> 00:19:20.557
  • It just so happens that vashti wouldn't dance before the
  • 00:19:20.557 --> 00:19:24.761
  • King, and the king decides to get rid of her.
  • 00:19:24.761 --> 00:19:27.230
  • It just so happens that he picks another queen, and she
  • 00:19:27.230 --> 00:19:31.634
  • Happens to be jewish.
  • 00:19:31.634 --> 00:19:32.902
  • And just so happens that she hides her identity.
  • 00:19:32.902 --> 00:19:36.306
  • It just so happens that mordecai is sitting at the
  • 00:19:36.306 --> 00:19:41.110
  • Gate and overhears about a plot to kill the king and
  • 00:19:41.110 --> 00:19:43.980
  • Saves the king's life.
  • 00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:47.083
  • It just so happens that the king does not honor mordecai
  • 00:19:47.083 --> 00:19:50.453
  • And forgets all about it.
  • 00:19:50.453 --> 00:19:52.088
  • It just so happens that after haman had got the king to
  • 00:19:52.088 --> 00:19:56.226
  • Agree to wipe out the jewish people to his evil plot, that
  • 00:19:56.226 --> 00:20:00.129
  • He can't sleep one night and he has the annals of the king
  • 00:20:00.129 --> 00:20:04.867
  • Right, and it just happens to be on the page that's talking
  • 00:20:04.867 --> 00:20:07.870
  • About mordecai saving the king's life, and the king is
  • 00:20:07.870 --> 00:20:10.840
  • Like, i didn't do anything to honor him.
  • 00:20:10.840 --> 00:20:12.875
  • It just so happens that haman walks in at the exact moment
  • 00:20:12.875 --> 00:20:16.913
  • The king is deciding what he's going to do, and haman has to
  • 00:20:16.913 --> 00:20:21.251
  • Parade mordecai through the streets.
  • 00:20:21.251 --> 00:20:24.320
  • That's the point. - yeah.
  • 00:20:24.320 --> 00:20:26.422
  • - it all seemed like chance.
  • 00:20:26.422 --> 00:20:27.824
  • It all seemed random, but god was actually in control of it
  • 00:20:27.824 --> 00:20:31.794
  • The whole time. - yes.
  • 00:20:31.794 --> 00:20:34.430
  • - it's looking for god's fingerprints on our lives,
  • 00:20:34.430 --> 00:20:39.269
  • In the story.
  • 00:20:39.269 --> 00:20:42.038
  • Sometimes they don't seem like they're there, but they're
  • 00:20:42.038 --> 00:20:44.073
  • Always there.
  • 00:20:44.073 --> 00:20:46.042
  • - yeah, they always are.
  • 00:20:46.042 --> 00:20:48.044
  • That's powerful, that's really powerful.
  • 00:20:48.044 --> 00:20:50.480
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:56.152
  • - we have a tendency not to want to discuss because we
  • 00:20:56.152 --> 00:20:57.754
  • Want to be right.
  • 00:20:57.754 --> 00:20:59.355
  • If you will relinquish the plan of being correct and just
  • 00:20:59.355 --> 00:21:03.760
  • Be a student, just soak in what they're saying and learn
  • 00:21:03.760 --> 00:21:09.198
  • From one another.
  • 00:21:09.198 --> 00:21:10.833
  • That's the key is not being frightened by a new
  • 00:21:10.833 --> 00:21:13.636
  • Discussion, or new concept, or new idea, but to soak it in
  • 00:21:13.636 --> 00:21:19.008
  • As a student.
  • 00:21:19.008 --> 00:21:20.610
  • I prayed all day coming here to see the rabbi, that the
  • 00:21:20.610 --> 00:21:25.915
  • Lord would allow me to be sensitive to what i am
  • 00:21:25.915 --> 00:21:28.518
  • Learning and hearing.
  • 00:21:28.518 --> 00:21:30.853
  • Not that i would be the funniest, or that what i
  • 00:21:30.853 --> 00:21:33.556
  • Would contribute would be so profound.
  • 00:21:33.556 --> 00:21:35.325
  • No i just want to soak in what i'm learning.
  • 00:21:35.325 --> 00:21:38.895
  • That's i think is a great approach for everybody we
  • 00:21:38.895 --> 00:21:42.532
  • Sit down with.
  • 00:21:42.532 --> 00:21:44.000
  • Man we'd learn so much from each other.
  • 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:46.135
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:21:46.135 --> 00:21:47.004
  • ♪ (music playing) ♪
  • 00:21:47.004 --> 00:21:51.508
  • - have you ever noticed that the name of god is not
  • 00:21:51.508 --> 00:21:53.110
  • Mentioned in the book of esther?
  • 00:21:53.110 --> 00:21:55.045
  • Why is this?
  • 00:21:55.045 --> 00:21:56.380
  • I believe just like everything else in the bible, this detail
  • 00:21:56.380 --> 00:22:00.184
  • Is intentional.
  • 00:22:00.184 --> 00:22:02.219
  • As we read the story of esther, we see so many
  • 00:22:02.219 --> 00:22:05.589
  • Miraculous actions take place, moments that had to be more
  • 00:22:05.589 --> 00:22:10.794
  • Than mere coincidence.
  • 00:22:10.794 --> 00:22:12.329
  • A good jewish girl esther becomes queen of the gentile
  • 00:22:12.329 --> 00:22:16.467
  • Superpower of the day.
  • 00:22:16.467 --> 00:22:18.469
  • Her cousin mordecai overhears a plot to kill
  • 00:22:18.469 --> 00:22:22.306
  • The king and saves his life, which gets recorded in the
  • 00:22:22.306 --> 00:22:25.542
  • Chronicles of the king.
  • 00:22:25.542 --> 00:22:27.411
  • An enemy of the jews haman, boo haman!
  • 00:22:27.411 --> 00:22:31.014
  • Who is the righthand man to the king plots to kill
  • 00:22:31.014 --> 00:22:35.419
  • Mordecai and all the jews in the empire.
  • 00:22:35.419 --> 00:22:38.655
  • One night, king xerxes can't sleep.
  • 00:22:38.655 --> 00:22:41.525
  • So an assistant reads a story to help him fall asleep, and
  • 00:22:41.525 --> 00:22:44.995
  • Happens to choose the story of mordecai stopping the plot
  • 00:22:44.995 --> 00:22:50.300
  • To kill him.
  • 00:22:50.300 --> 00:22:51.402
  • Xerxes asks haman to honor mordecai.
  • 00:22:51.402 --> 00:22:54.304
  • Mordecai urges esther to take a stand against haman,
  • 00:22:54.304 --> 00:22:58.142
  • And let his heinous plan against the jews, her people,
  • 00:22:58.142 --> 00:23:01.545
  • Be known to the king.
  • 00:23:01.545 --> 00:23:03.881
  • Esther finds faith to risk death, to save her people and
  • 00:23:03.881 --> 00:23:08.285
  • Informs the king of haman's evil plan.
  • 00:23:08.285 --> 00:23:11.488
  • Haman dies by the method he designed for mordecai all the
  • 00:23:11.488 --> 00:23:16.160
  • Enemies of the jews, who attacked them, while carrying
  • 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:20.564
  • Out haman's plans are killed themselves totalling in the
  • 00:23:20.564 --> 00:23:24.768
  • Tens of thousands.
  • 00:23:24.768 --> 00:23:26.336
  • Xerxes bestows haman's royal title upon mordecai and
  • 00:23:26.336 --> 00:23:30.941
  • Haman's fortune is divided between mordecai and esther.
  • 00:23:30.941 --> 00:23:35.546
  • Throughout all of this, in every single one of these
  • 00:23:35.546 --> 00:23:39.683
  • Miraculous plot points, god's name isn't
  • 00:23:39.683 --> 00:23:42.953
  • Even mentioned once.
  • 00:23:42.953 --> 00:23:47.024
  • What does this show us?
  • 00:23:47.024 --> 00:23:48.559
  • God's hand is present through all of these events,
  • 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:51.962
  • Regardless of what seems obvious in front of our eyes.
  • 00:23:51.962 --> 00:23:55.899
  • Esther operated out of faith and trust.
  • 00:23:55.899 --> 00:24:00.137
  • She knew there was a plan, and that god was in control.
  • 00:24:00.137 --> 00:24:04.475
  • But she also knew when to step in and step up.
  • 00:24:04.475 --> 00:24:08.479
  • It's easy to look back at the events of esther and see how
  • 00:24:08.479 --> 00:24:13.016
  • Miraculous all of these moments were, but that
  • 00:24:13.016 --> 00:24:16.153
  • Probably wasn't esther's perspective in the moment.
  • 00:24:16.153 --> 00:24:19.523
  • When we're living in the present without perfect
  • 00:24:19.523 --> 00:24:22.292
  • Hindsight, it can be a challenge to see the
  • 00:24:22.292 --> 00:24:25.829
  • Hand of god.
  • 00:24:25.829 --> 00:24:27.097
  • But when we operate out of faith and trust, like esther,
  • 00:24:27.097 --> 00:24:29.833
  • We can release our stress and embrace the joy.
  • 00:24:29.833 --> 00:24:32.970
  • Purim is ultimately about god turning a turning a season of
  • 00:24:32.970 --> 00:24:38.108
  • Sorrow into a season of joy.
  • 00:24:38.108 --> 00:24:40.844
  • This is one of the reasons that jewish families collect
  • 00:24:40.844 --> 00:24:43.981
  • Money for those in need and give gifts to each
  • 00:24:43.981 --> 00:24:47.351
  • Other on purim.
  • 00:24:47.351 --> 00:24:48.886
  • It's about coming in the opposite spirit, spreading the
  • 00:24:48.886 --> 00:24:52.389
  • Joy of god in a very practical way.
  • 00:24:52.389 --> 00:24:55.259
  • He takes our sorrow, he takes our oppression, he takes our
  • 00:24:55.259 --> 00:25:00.597
  • Pain, and he turns it into joy.
  • 00:25:00.597 --> 00:25:03.100
  • Actually, he takes us from oy to joy.
  • 00:25:03.100 --> 00:25:07.771
  • All we have to do is trust in him.
  • 00:25:07.771 --> 00:25:10.774
  • It's been a pleasure exploring the holiday of purim with you,
  • 00:25:10.774 --> 00:25:14.111
  • And i know the spiritual truths of this appointed time
  • 00:25:14.111 --> 00:25:18.348
  • Have revealed more to you about the character and the
  • 00:25:18.348 --> 00:25:22.119
  • Goodness of god.
  • 00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:23.453
  • I'm rabbi jason sobel, and this is god's appointed times.
  • 00:25:23.453 --> 00:25:23.453