Esther's fast.
When we have Emunah in Hashem, and Emunah in the Tzaddik and Faith in ourselves we have no need to fast (Liktey Moharan II, 86; Rabbi Nachaman's wisdom #140).
Let's for the sake of conversation for a moment just let go of this life this earthly life. Let's mentally leave behind all the earthly goals and take leave of the material all our worldly aspirations to raise above all the transient temporal desires all of them riches power, pleasures, prestige, all of this 'the olam' the world we live in with all of it's t'aivah 'lusts' and enter a more permanent eternal, more meaningful existence. To a state of life where there is solitude, to a place where we can see the vanity of 'this normal life' to a vantage point from where we can see the total futility of the this world and this life, with it's social standards and it's peer pressures.
We rise to a perspective to where we can clearly see the futility of and insanity of a "Jewishness practiced only to attain empty vain goals of such a life. from this point, detracted from from and unmoved by these earthly goals, it's only from this eternal panorama that we can focus on the the "Ultimate goal of the life", 'THE EMET' And from here, undisturbed by the distraction of the transient, vanity of this world, we can concentrate enough to yearn for and long for and come in touch with the deepest longing of our real selves our souls and it's only desire that being to cleave to Hashem, to be one with our source. From here we can can see the and feel the harmony of creation with our souls we then can sing in the this celestial symphony. Our souls sing all in unison, they sing they parts their song to Hashem the master of all. And at this point we can experience Hashem only and we can only manifest Him... This is Joy... and now we can only stay here for a short while, in this ecstatic moment, feeling no experiencing a foretaste of the life eternal.
This is the goal that we each long for. and now as we begin to return from reality to this temporary experience that we call life this earthly realm, we want to take all this that we have gain the insights and all the feelings we have had, ingest them and let them enter deep into our souls so that when we return to our fleshly material selves we will remember what we saw and learned and now that we are back here in this reality that hides the truth to this mundane, we promise ourselves that we will stay above these earthly goals that we will stay awake and aware of the truth and that we will always focus on the the ultimate goal of this existence in every thing we do. But most of us aren't really yet to make this leap of faith. we are are distracted and overwhelmed by the colors tastes and sounds of this earthly life that we identify so strongly with this earthly life, that we are unable to unplug, that without it we see no point in living. We feel earthly goals are all there is and to give them up is to be left with nothing. this begs at us in it's self it asks, Who are we?... What is life?... and where is Hashem? What is my part if any in this?
We can never answer these objective questions as long as we are blinded by the subjective needs. by those desires for riches... and pleasures.. power and prestige... these were all that Haman and Achashverosh had and longed for. The earthly he ruled over the whole world. They had it all, but what? They wanted more they wanted, what the Jews had too. To answer these questions we need to set our sights on the 'ultimate goal' to be able to even catch a glimpse to be able to even set our sights we need to the Tzaddik who can help us raise above the earthly goals.
We must connect and link to the the Tzaddik who has no subjective goals, who can answer our questions and guide us to the ultimate goal. we must follow and relate to his teachings, and allow the to restructure our lives a refocusing as it where. But to do this we must have faith in the tzaddik and in ourselves, but it is only through the tzaddik that we can begin to have faith in ourselves this in turn builds our faith in the tzaddik that he knows the true answers and that we can raise to the goal. and we ourselves must take the first step of showing our desire, because by doing so Hashem sees that we seek the truth and He will guide us to the tzaddik. But until then, we are as blind to the tzaddik as we are of the ultimate goal (Likutey Halakhot, Hilchos shabbos 6:3).
And in the time of Haman, as is the case now, we had lost faith in the tzaddik, we ignored Mordechai's plea not to attend the orgy. We had lost faith in ourselves that being that we could withstand temptation and raise above, to the goal (Likutey Halakhot, Yibum 3:15).
So Esther decreed a fast she enjoined us to make a vow (Rokeach, Esther). She told us to raise above the need to eat she proclaimed a 3 day fast. and making the vow to fast, we showed our desire to transcend the earthly needs. We showed faith in ourselves, that we could and would keep the fast. Hashem them helped us to see that we really do not need all those "needs". And He brought us in touch with the Tzaddik with Mordechai who could then tell us the truth about ourselves. Who are we What is life and where is Hashem. And then we will have no need to fast. Rather, at the Purim Banquet we can serve Hashem with feasting and drinking even more than we serve Him with fasting (Likutey Morharan I, 58:2-6 also Lm II, 86). Because the The "ULTIMATE" GOAL IS EARTHLY SERVICE. BUT WE MUST FAST TO GET THERE. So every year on the eve of Purim, we keep Esther's fast.
Tzom cal, Happy Purim from Reb Nati and family from the Holy city of Beit Shemesh.
