It has been said that Purim is the happiest holiday of the Jewish year, having its history in the book of Esther. This book is unique in that it is the only canonized book of the Bible that does not mention G-d's name. Yet the unseen tracks of G-d's presence are seen through His people, who were living in exile.

The pagan King, Ahasuerus, had stopped work on the Temple in Jerusalem, and did not favor the Jewish people, but through unusual circumstances wound up with a young Jewish girl as his queen. And it was Esther, Hadassah (in Hebrew) who risked her life being encouraged by her cousin Mordechai to save her people. (See also Ezra 2:2)

G-d uses man to accomplish His tasks. He used: Joseph to save the family of Jacob from famine; Deborah to judge and lead the army; Moses to take the people out of slavery; Miriam (Hebrew for Mary) to birth His chosen son who was the sacrifice for sins; and also in the story of Esther, Mordechai was at the right place, at the right time to learn of an assassination attempt on the king's life. By disclosing the information to the king, saving his life, he was honored in front of all the people. Esther was to make the king aware of Haman's evil plot to exterminate the Jewish people allowing them to defend themselves. G-d the silent partner was at work all the time; He is the Guardian of Israel who never slumbers or sleeps. (Ref. Ps. 121:4)

Following the Aleinu, 'It is our duty,' at the end of the worship service is a song Al Tirra, 'Do Not Fear,' that says, "Do not fear sudden terror, or the holocaust of the wicked when it comes. (Ps. 3:25) Plan a conspiracy and it will be annulled; speak you piece and it will not stand, for G-d is with us. (Is. 8:10) Even till your seniority, I remain unchanged; and even till your ripe old age, I shall endure. I created you and I shall bear you; I shall endure and rescue. (Is. 46:6)" G-d has promised His people their continuation. And being His people, even when it seems like G-d has abandoned them, they continue to hold onto the traditions and cry out to him to remind Him of His promise.

At the request of Esther, the Jewish people in Persia sat in sackcloth and ashes and mourned loudly in their distress. Those in Shushan (Susa) fasted for Esther for three days, as did she and her maidens before her meeting with the king. And although it is not written, a Jewish person in distress who is fasting, prays to the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the living G-d who creates all things. This crying out (to G-d) and fasting in a time of severe suffering is what has earmarked the 'People of the Book.' The act of fasting is a way of humbling oneself as David declares, "Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting." (Ps. 35:13) For this reason we come before the L-rd on the highest holy days of the year, Yom Kippur, in a state of complete fasting. During this time we have to search ourselves of our uncleanness and our unworthiness before our righteous G-d Who can clean and restore us.

As the adults of Shushan humbled themselves in fasting, their children saw the examples of their fathers. This example impacted their lives and the future generations of Jewish people. Parent's examples, good or bad, have an everlasting influence on their children. The Ten Commandments tells us that our G-d is, ".a jealous G-d, Who visits the sins of fathers upon the children to the third and forth generations, for My enemies, but Who shows kindness for thousands of generations to those who love me and observe My commandments." (Ex 20:5-6) It is G-d who, ".mocks proud mockers by giving grace to the humble." (Pr. 3:34; I Pet. 5:5; James 4:6)

So let us remember that it is our G-d who keeps us alive and sustains us so we can celebrate what He has done - the unseen Right Arm at work.

There is an epilogue to the story of Esther as she and King Ahasuerus, (Xerxes) had a son, Darius the Persian, (See also Ezra 4:5-6) who allowed continuation of the work on the second Temple in Jerusalem, which his father had stopped. An unseen G-d puts His people in special positions, unknown to the world, to accomplish His work.