On Purim, Let there be Light!

Today–the 13th of Adar II–is a day of incredible opportunity! As Rav Berg wrote, “Purim is a special cosmic occurrence that allows for the revelation of Light.” On this day, we are offered a key into what Kabbalah calls “Unity Consciousness”: a way of thinking that perceives everyone and everything as part of a unified whole. It looks beyond the illusion of separateness and division and helps us to realize our interconnectedness, interdependence, and essential shared spirit. Through this understanding, we begin to realize that our own wholeness and fulfillment rely on the wholeness and fulfillment of those around us–be they here or across the world.

On Purim, the illusion of our disconnectedness is lifted like a great veil; all we have to do is embrace this truth. As with most great revelations, the first step begins with the maxim “know thyself”–and beyond this, dare to BE thyself. In the Purim story, the character Esther risked her own life by revealing her true identity; she stood up to those who would have destroyed her people. Few of us realize our own power or the fact that real change can begin when we choose to act and draw from our true essence, which is connected to the Light… that the only way to banish Purim’s Haman (a character representing the darkest inclinations of humanity) is to tap into this Light.

And how do we know when we’re on the right path? We know because our decisions align more and more with what is best, not just for me, but for others as well. There are many ways to find this connection: through kind thoughts and actions, through charity, and through gratitude, joy, and understanding. We cannot remove the negativity in the world with more negativity. Rather, we remove it in the same way that lighting a candle removes darkness from a room.

In the Purim story, the minority survived the threat of the majority because of this force of Light, this Unity Consciousness. In Kabbalah, we call it the Light of the Creator, which is able to metaphorically permeate every corner of the Universe. The Zohar states that humans and the cosmos are mutually supportive and inseparable aspects of the one, all-embracing unified whole of reality. The notion of a loving, unifying element pervades most every religion and philosophy. Even modern science increasingly points to the idea that everything we see (and don’t see) is connected in ways both remarkable and mysterious.

Particle physicist and Associate Professor Sera Cremonini has been studying string theory, which posits that the universe is composed of miniscule vibrating strings of energy. These strings, when compared to a quark, are about the size of an atom when compared to the Earth. “Look deep inside any particle, and you’ll see this tiny vibrating string,” Cremonini says. “This is the fundamental unit we’ve been searching for, the fundamental entity that makes up everything.” This finding aligns with aspects of Einstein’s work, as well as with that of 20th-century physicist Neils Bohr. Bohr, the founder of quantum theory, determined “a vibratory field that connects everything and everyone.” These discoveries beg the question, Why can’t we walk through walls or other solids, especially since we now know that matter makes up just 4% of the Universe? But nature plays tricks on us in the workings of our atoms, leaving us to perceive matter as solid and making such actions sadly improbable (unless you’re a Harry Potter character heading to Platform 9 3/4!).

When we look past the veil and realize that life isn’t happening around us, it is happening through us and of us, we become empowered to take a stand and tap into the best parts of ourselves. What I do affects everyone and everything else, either directly or indirectly. Purim opens an incredible opportunity for us to embrace this fully and to thereby bring blessings to ourselves and the world.

So on this joyful, Light-revealing Purim day, instead of seeking division, find new ways to seek connection. Instead of doing more for myself today, do something unexpected (and even anonymous, which is tradition for this day) for someone else. Make it this day’s goal to find, express, and share your Light for the betterment of all!

As Leonardo da Vinci wrote, “Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” It is through our deep understanding of this all-encompassing, universal connection that the joy of Adar can be maximized. We will feel it deeply because we will realize that, when we stand together and invite that great Light into the world, there will be nowhere left for darkness to hide.

Wishing you joy and LIGHT on Purim!