February 25, 2021

Shalom Chaverim,

Tonight we began celebrating Purim, which commemorates Adonai’s deliverance of our Jewish people from the hands of those who sought our annihilation. Most of us are familiar with the story. Our heroine is a young Jewish woman named Hadassah (Esther).

As the news of Haman’s plot to kill all the Jews is brought to Hadassah, she is not sure of what her role should he. Her cousin Mordecai challenges her with these six simple words, “For such a time as this.” When Hadassah hesitates to her cousin’s appeal that she needed to speak to the king to save the Jewish people, Mordecai responds, ” For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows whether you didn’t come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this.”

These words provoke thoughts of courage and bravery for that is certainly what Hadassah needed as she entered into the throne room of the king on that day. Too often we fail to understand that she really didn’t know if she would make it out alive or not. Yet, she knew she had been placed in the palace for that moment. She knew she could not be silent.

I believe Adonai would encourage each one of us with those same six words – for such a time as this. Our world is in a mess. Evil and wickedness press hard against the kingdom of light seeking to extinguish it. We have been called for such a time of this. It is not time for us to shrink back in fear. We cannot give in to intimidation. We cannot think we can sit in our homes doing nothing and think we and our families will be safe from it all.

Each one of us must rise up in this hour saying to G-d. Hineni – Here I am! Each one of us can make a difference in our world as we cooperate with Adonai by making ourselves available and standing up for truth and righteousness. Courage is needed in this hour.

Is there a risk? Yes! Absolutely! But the consequences of doing nothing far outweigh that risk. It is time we take our place in this generation and stand boldly in the face of evil and say enough is enough. Let us rise up in the face of darkness using the authority and power Adonai has given us and stand against the forces of evil that seek to rule and overpower the kingdom of light. We know that through G-d we will prevail. It is through Him that we will have the victory.

Friend, you have been called for such a time as this.

Blessings,

Rabbi Carol Calise