“Verabim mei’amei ha’aretz misyahadim ki nofal pachad haYehudim aleihem—And many from the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them” (Esther 8:17). Who were these “people of the land”? Rashi, based on the Medrash, explains that these were gentiles who were megayer and joined our nation because of their fear of the Jews.

The meforshim ask: How is this possible, when we know that a geirus done out of fear is not valid?

The Tiferes Shlomo answers that the “fear of the Jews” refers to the yiras Shomayim that the Yidden acquired on Purim. It was so powerful that it overflowed to their gentile neighbors. In the Torah we find, “Then all the peoples of the earth will see that the name of Hashem is proclaimed over you and they will have fear from you” (Devorim 28:10). The Vilna Gaon explains this to mean that the nations of the world will learn yiras Shomayim from you.

Here, as well, the miracle of Purim infused the Yidden with such intense fear of Hashem that the gentiles were inundated with it. This inspired them to become geirim willingly, of their own accord, and thus the geirus was valid.

Rav Moshe Wolfson, mashgiach of Yeshivas Torah Vodaas, related that when Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer moved to Eretz Yisroel, he observed that Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld was extremely meticulous about going to the mikvah, often several times a day. Rav Isser Zalman asked him about this practice, and he replied, “If the mikvah has the power to transform a goy into a Yid, then surely it has the ability to turn a Yid into a better Yid.” Rav Isser Zalman commented that this gave him a new appreciation of the potency of a mikvah.

The mashgiach applied this idea to Purim. If this holy day has the ability to transform gentiles into Yidden, then certainly it has the power to turn Yidden into better and better Yidden (heard from Rav Zelig Berkowitz, rov of Bais Medrash Mikdash Dovid). If only we would utilize this special day and absorb its vast kedusha.

There are those who disagree with Rashi and do not interpret the posuk to mean that they were megayer because of the difficulty that a geirus out of fear is invalid. Others ask how we could accept geirim during a time when Klal Yisroel was experiencing great success, such as in the days of Shlomo Hamelech. The Rokeiach explains that the “people of the land” only pretended to be Jews out of fear, but were not actually megayer. I would like to suggest another explanation, which I later found cited in the name of the Shemen Hamor. First, however, let us preface this with what we know about the Jews of that period.

Rav Elazar introduced the Megillah with the following posuk: “Through laziness the ceiling sags, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks” (Koheles 10:18). Because of the laziness of Yisroel, who were not engrossed in Torah, they weakened their siyata diShmaya from Hashem (Megillah 11a). The implication is that their bittul Torah lowered the spiritual level of Klal Yisroel and created the opportunity for a terrible decree to be issued against them.

The name Esther implies hester ponim (Chullin 139b), when Hashem conceals His Hashgocha from us. Hashem warned of this in the Tochacha: “If despite these you will not be chastised toward Me, and you behave casually with Me, then I, too, will behave toward you with casualness” (Vayikra 26:23).

At the end of Sefer Nechemya, we find that there was desecration of Shabbos. People were treading on winepresses, loading donkeys with merchandise, and bringing goods to Yerushalayim to sell on Shabbos. Jews also married women from foreign nations, from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moav. The Meshech Chochmah (Shemos 12:22) writes that this occurred because, during the times of Golus Bovel, the people did not emulate the Yidden in Mitzrayim. The Jews in Mitzrayim preserved their uniqueness by not changing their names, language, or clothing. In Golus Bovel, although they initially kept the mitzvos, they neglected the seyagim, the protective fences that separated them from the goyim. This ultimately led to neglect of even the most basic mitzvos.

In addition, they participated in the feast of Achashveirosh, which Chazal say was the cause of the death decree against them. Rav Shlomo Brevda explains that it was not merely their attendance that was problematic. Chazal say that they enjoyed themselves at the feast. Being compelled to attend out of fear of the king was one thing, but how could they enjoy themselves when their anticipated redemption from the golus had not materialized and they were surrounded by gentiles absorbed in gluttony? Their enjoyment signaled that they had despaired of the geulah. They felt, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” They were willing to assimilate among the nations.

Haman himself captured this reality when he presented his evil plan to Achashveirosh: “Yeshno am echad mefuzar umeforad bein ha’amim—There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples” (Esther 3:8). Chazal interpret “yeshno” as yesheinim heim min hamitzvos—they are asleep in their fulfillment of the commandments. They had sunk to a level where they resembled the other nations. In truth, the Medrash (Shir Hashirim 6:30) tells us that most of that generation were tzaddikim. However, a significant minority had assimilated among the people of the land.

In sharp contrast stood Mordechai HaYehudi. Although other members of the Sanhedrin were alive at the time, he emerged as the leader. Chazal compare him to Moshe Rabbeinu. He is called ish Yehudi, and Moshe is referred to as ha’ish Moshe. Mordechai was from shevet Binyomin, yet he is associated with Yehudah. The Gemara (Megillah 12b) explains that one who denies avodah zarah is called a Yehudi. Avodah zarah is not limited to idol worship. It includes anything that comes between us and our service of Hashem. Mordechai was unwavering in his loyalty to Hashem and was not swayed by the spirit of the times.

“There was a Jewish man in Shushan the capital…” (Esther 2:5). Was Mordechai the only Jew in Shushan? What is the posuk teaching us? It is telling us that Mordechai stood out as a Jew in Shushan. He dressed like a Yid and did not attempt to conceal his Yiddishkeit as many others did. He was not influenced by the foreign winds of the golus. He possessed clarity of vision and illuminated the eyes of Klal Yisroel. Though many Yidden were asleep, his determination awakened them, stirring them to repentance and renewed connection with Hashem.

Chazal teach that the removal of King Achashveirosh’s signet ring, which authorized Haman’s decree, accomplished more than 48 nevi’im. The 48 prophets were unable to bring Klal Yisroel to complete repentance, but this decree succeeded in bringing them to a teshuvah sheleimah (Megillah 14a). And who led them to this? None other than Mordechai HaYehudi.

This, then, is the meaning of the posuk, “Verabim mei’amei ha’aretz misyahadim.” The amei ha’aretz mentioned here are not gentiles, but rather Jews who had forgotten their precious heritage, those who had fallen asleep and assimilated among the peoples of the land. Now, inspired by Mordechai, they became Yehudim like him, abandoning their foreign pursuits and becoming fiercely loyal to Hashem. It is therefore no surprise that the miracle of Purim culminated in a new Kabbolas HaTorah, as the Yidden reaffirmed what they had accepted at Har Sinai.

This holy day of Purim carries the same potency it possessed more than two millennia ago, both for miracles and for awakening us from spiritual slumber. As we noted earlier, if this special day has the power to bring back completely alienated Jews and transform them into true Yehudim, then surely it can strengthen committed Yidden and elevate them even further. If only we avoid becoming distracted by the externals of the day and celebrate it l’sheim Shomayim.

As we say in Shoshanas Yaakov, “You have been their eternal salvation, and their hope for generations.”

A freilichen Purim to all.