The Shabbat Before Purim: Praying for tikkun/spiritual alchemy

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Today is the lesser known Jewish holy day of Ta’anit Esther: the fast of Esther before the festival of Purim that celebrates the transformation of the threat of genocide into the moment of revelation as Queen Esther found the courage to speak out.

But today, it became one of the most observed holidays of the year. Today, Jews around the world observed this ritual. Some observed it praying for the hostages at the Kotel (Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed in the year 70 CE). Some observed it praying for a ceasefire in Gaza and joining together with Rabbis for Ceasefire or one of the many rabbis advocating for an end to this horrific war. Many of us prayed for both, refuting the false binary, and praying for unity: praying for peace across the planet and within ourselves.

Shma: Listen. Unity: Echad.

I feel like I have been screaming and praying for unity my whole life. Today, Jews everywhere joined together in praying the words of Deuteronomy Chapter 6: Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G!d, the Lord is One. These words which we are commanded to recite morning and night and as the last words to say before we die… these words were sung and recited and livestreamed. The shema prayer is the prayer of unity and faith in Jewish tradition. Today, at 12:30 PM Atlantic (11:30 AM Eastern/1 PM NFLD) regardless of what each of us may believe and what we were praying for, Jews around the planet joined together with this same prayer, many while fasting.

At the same time, many non-Jews also joined in prayer: some because of Ramadan, some because of Lent, some because of the Bahai New Year and others for all sorts of other reasons. The United Nations marked today as “International Day for the Elimination of Racism“. For a few moments, thoughts of war and violence paused in the hearts of at least a few people, and Love, Unity, Hope, Faith, Prayer suddenly began to radiate out into the universe… energetically transforming hearts and minds.

For a few moments, those of us who have been locked in battle with one another, paused and joined in prayer. Jews on all sides of the war were praying for something that they could call “peace”. Non-Jews also were praying for something that they could call “peace”. Simultaneously, despite apparent differences, we joined together in praying for peace. We may disagree on the methods, but I am praying that perhaps this moment of unity and prayer can nevertheless shift the energetic balance…

Purim: A Time of Redemptive Reversals

The rabbis teach that Purim is a time of reversal: “nahafoch hu” which means that things were turned upside down and backwards in order for the certain genocide to instead be transformed into a miracle… This is the story of Esther. In our current upside down world (=olam hafuch) this means that perhaps our prayers will also soon be answered! Just as Esther finally found the courage to come out to the King as Jewish, and in the process saving everyone: so can our own authenticity and courageous heart save us all… In Esther 4:14, she wonders if perhaps he was born specifically for this purpose: our rabbis teach that each of us have a unique purpose… the point of prayer is to help us become open to the potential blessings and healing opportunities (=tikkun) in every moment.

Join us tomorrow, Friday, March 22nd for a special transformational Shabbat as we learn about Purim miracles and welcome three new people to our Jewish family. At a time of such peril, we are truly blessed by their courage to follow their heart and come out as Jewish: after years of study and searching, they are finally being welcomed home from their long spiritual exile. If we are feeling hopeless, this Shabbat can help us remember how to have hope… this can help us find a sense of unity and redemption, as we work to transform curses into blessings and challenges into opportunities.

Friday night, March 22nd, 6:45 PM Atlantic (5:45PM Eastern/7:15PM NFLD). Virtual Shabbat Service in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim. Please register for the Zoom link: https://urj.tfaforms.net/1377

As we have done since October 7th, we will continue praying our way backwards, from death back to life (from kiddush to candlelighting) as the rabbis teach that we are still in the “olam hafuch”. We are in the upside down world: may this be the Shabbat that leads us to the healing of Purim- a day the rabbis teach is really Yom Kippurim (a day of atonement and at-One-ment). Nahafoch hu: may our spiritual alchemy bring tikkun: a healing redemption.

May this Ta’anit Esther (Fast of Esther) bring unity and compassion. May this Shabbat bring shalom/salaam. May this Purim bring a reversal of these dark days of destruction and war, and instead usher the joyful start of a new and redemptive chapter of tikkun/restorative justice and healing for every living being on this fragile planet we share. May this equinox bring Light and clarity to us all.

Published by Rabbi Dr. Nachshon Siritsky

This blog was first started when I was known as Rabbi Nadia and when I worked south of the colonial border, in what is known as the United States. I served as a rabbi of several large and small synagogues across Turtle Island (North America) before moving the beautiful unceded Mi'kma'ki (colonial name: Nova Scotia, Canada) where I work as a social worker. I also support a growing group of Jewish communities that are part of The Chavurah Collective: Decolonizing Judaism in Mi'kma'ki and Beyond and use this personal blog to post services that I lead, and which are open to anyone interested in joining. As a second-generation Holocaust survivor and someone who identifies as nonbinary and transgender, I feel called to create a world free from hatred and prejudice. I understand the closet to be a metaphor for the ways that colonization/society has wounded us through intergenerational trauma that manifests in intersectional ways. I believe in the universality of spiritual teachings across traditions and their alignment with contemporary psychological theory. As I transition from serving as a pulpit rabbi to becoming a community rabbi, I've maintained this blog as a platform to share my theology and connect with others, especially as part of my personal sense of Calling to advocate for "tikkun olam" (=the healing of the world). Canada's recent commitment to begin a restorative justice process of Truth and Reconciliation has inspired me to reflect upon the ways that decolonizing one's self can lead to restorative justice and a global healing: this blog reflects my effort to distill these insights. Just as the fringes of a prayer shawl hold its holiness, I believe my greatest contribution lies in guiding others home and towards wholeness. Having exited my gender closet, I have continued to emerge and am committed to doing what I can to help others become who they were created to be. Engaging in the sacred work of beginning to decolonize myself, I seek to share these insights with others and to advocate for the equal rights and healing potential that I believe is what G!d wants for us all. Through this blog, I hope to inspire healing, insight, and empowerment, inviting others to find their voice and path. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Published