One of the most popular Jewish books on the market currently is Angels in Orange, written by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer. In just six weeks, over 15,000 copies have been sold. The book is primarily about two days—October 7 and the following day. There are countless stories of how United Hatzalah personnel responded to the terror attacks by entering the war zone and risking their lives to save so many. Miraculously, there were only a handful of casualties among the Hatzalah responders.

I personally took great inspiration from these stories, seeing the Hand of Hashem in those dark days. Hashem was still there guarding and protecting. We can’t presume to understand why it all happened. Still, it’s important to recognize that Hashem protected and performed incredible miracles for very many Hatzalah members, soldiers and civilians. As bad as it was, it could have been a lot worse, both in terms of casualties and hostages taken.

Similarly, we can find comparisons to the Purim narrative in which the Jewish nation was slated for complete annihilation. It seemed then that Hashem had entirely abandoned the Jewish nation to their enemies.

The Gemara says Esther is alluded to in the Torah in the pasuk “Va’anochi haster astir panai meheim,” (“I [Hashem] will hide My Face from them.”) The name Esther means hidden, concealed. During the time of the Purim story, Haman convinced Achasheverosh to sign and seal a decree allowing, and thereby sanctioning, all the nations to attack, kill and destroy the entire Jewish nation. It seemed like Hashem had turned His face from His people, permitting the nations of the world to commit genocide.

The Rambam cites the pasuk “Ki mi goi…” (“Who is like the nation that Hashem is close to whenever they cry out”) as the main reason for reading the Megillah. Rav Dovid Cohen quotes the Brisker Rav, who notes that the Rambam is revealing a new dimension in reading the Megillah. It’s not just to publicize the miracle, but also to publicize the concept that Hashem is so close to the Jewish nation and always listens to their prayers. Indeed, the Maharal teaches that the miracle of the salvation of Klal Yisrael at the time of Purim came from their tefillos.

There are many important characters in the Purim story: Mordechai, Esther, Achashverosh, Haman and Vashti. It’s interesting to note how only the name Esther is included in referring to Ta’anis Esther and Megillas Esther. Why is Esther the key name?

The Gemara says that when Esther walked into the palace without an invitation from her husband, King Achashverosh, it meant an almost certain penalty of death—unless the king extended his scepter as a sign of favor. As Esther entered the palace and passed by the chamber of idols, her sense of Hashem escaped her. She cried out, “Keili, Keili, lamah Azavtani?” (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)—a verse from Tehillim. Hashem had concealed Himself from Esther at that most perilous and life-threatening moment!

The cry of Esther identifies Ta’anis Esther as a day of gathering to pray to Hashem. In observing this fast day, which was followed by the salvation of Klal Yisrael, we recognize that Hashem listens to sincere prayer and is waiting for us to cry out to Him for help.

The Mishna says that certain villages were permitted to read the Megillah on different days than Purim itself. One of those days is the 13th of Adar, Ta’anis Esther. The Gemara explains that this was a day of the gathering of the Jewish people. The Rosh explains that the entire Jewish nation gathered to pray to Hashem for mercy and salvation, the day before the battle with those who wished to destroy them based on King Achashveros’s original decree secured by Haman.

I believe this explains why both the fast and the Megillah are named after Esther, as they both were initiated by Esther’s actions, and express and publicize that Hashem listens to our sincere prayers and does what is best for us. Even when it seems that Hashem’s presence is concealed, He is really so close to us and just waiting for us to turn to Him.

As next week includes Ta’anis Esther, let us utilize the power of this day to unite and assemble in prayer and beseech Hashem to save the Jewish nation once again from the many threats we face around the world.Let us daven Chapter 22 of Tehillim on Taanis Esther, which includes, “Keili Keili, Lamah Azavtani” and beseech Hashem to be fully revealed by saving our nation, so we can all read Megillas Esther and be reinforced by its revealed secrets.

Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim is the associate rosh yeshiva of Passaic Torah Institute (PTI)/Yeshiva Ner Boruch. Rabbi Bodenheim can be reached at [email protected]. For more info about PTI and its Torah classes, visit www.pti.shulcloud.com