In commemoration of Purim Katan (the 14th and 15th of Adar Rishon), it is appropriate to reflect upon one important lesson that emerges from the Purim story.
The Talmud in Masechet Megila (12) records that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yohai's students asked their Rabbi why the Jews living in the time of Ahashverosh were deserving of destruction. The fact that Haman issued his decree of annihilation demonstrates that the Jews in fact deserved to die, but God repealed the decree in response to their repentance. Why, the students asked, did the people deserve destruction? Rabbi Shimon explained, "Because they took part in the feast of that wicked man." The Jews of Shushan participated in the royal feast that Ahashverosh hosted, as we read in the beginning of Megilat Ester, and for this they were deserving of annihilation. Ahashverosh obviously did not have a "kosher kitchen" in his palace, and the food served thus could not have been assumed kosher. The Jews nevertheless partook of these non-kosher foods, and for this God issued the decree of destruction.
The question arises, where do we find that partaking of forbidden foods is punishable by death? Though this clearly constitutes a grave transgression, nowhere in Halachic sources do we find a death penalty associated with this particular sin. Why, then, were the Jews deserving of execution on account of this violation?
The work Sha'ar Bat Rabim explains that in fact, the entire concept of death can be attributed to this specific sin. When God first created the world, He intended for Adam and Hava to live forever; the concept of death did not exist at the time of man's creation. It was only as a result of Adam and Hava's sin, of partaking from the forbidden tree, that God decreed death upon mankind. Quite clearly, then, eating forbidden foods is indeed the quintessential capital crime, as it is the very sin that introduced death to the world in the first place. Understandably, then, the Jews at the time of Ahashverosh, who collectively, as a nation, partook of forbidden foods, brought a decree of death upon themselves.
This understanding of Rabbi Shimon's response might also shed light on a different Talmudic passage. In Masechet Hulin (139), the Gemara raises the question of where we could find an allusion to Haman in the Humash. It answers by citing God's question to Adam after the sin of the forbidden tree: "Ha'min Ha'etz Asher Siviticha Le'vilti Achol Mimena Achalta" ("Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?" – Bereshit 3:11). The word "Ha'min," the Gemara notes, can also be read as "Haman," and thus this verse serves as a subtle allusion to Haman in the Humash.
The Gemara's discussion seems very puzzling. Why must we search for an allusion to Haman in the Humash? And what connection is there between this verse and the story of Haman?
In light of our earlier discussion, the answer becomes abundantly clear. The Gemara seeks a Biblical source for the concept underlying Haman's decree, namely, that the Jews deserved destruction on account of their having participated in Ahashverosh's feast. In effect, the Gemara asks the very question discussed earlier: where do we find that eating forbidden foods is punishable by death? The Gemara answers by pointing to God's harsh response to Adam and Hava after the incident of the forbidden fruit. The decree of death that He issued upon mankind in response to Adam's sin demonstrates that indeed the sin of forbidden foods is grave enough to warrant death, Heaven forbid.
This insight should serve as a reminder and warning to exercise extreme care with regard to the area of Kashrut (the Torah's dietary laws). People often tend to justify eating food that is not certified as kosher, especially during travel, when certified kosher food is less readily available, and people unfortunately lower their overall religious standards. One particular example relates to the consumption of milk. Here in the United States many people follow the lenient ruling of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) allowing the consumption of "Halav Setam" – cow's milk produced by gentiles. Since strict government regulations forbid adding foreign substances to milk, there is room to allow drinking "Halav Setam" without concern that non-kosher milk may have been added. (It should be noted that Rabbi Feinstein issued this ruling as a "Heter," meaning, as grounds for leniency, but advised acting stringently in this regard and drinking only "Halav Yisrael" – milk produced by a Jew.) Many people follow this lenient position, but are unaware that it cannot necessarily be applied outside the United States. In resort areas such as Puerto Rico and Aruba, for example, there are no regulations forbidding the addition of foreign substances to cow's milk. Private farmers produce the milk and deliver it to stores without any governmental supervision. Hence, a person traveling to areas such as these must ensure to drink only "Halav Yisrael."
This importance of meticulous observance of Kashrut is one of the many lessons that we should learn and apply as we enter the Purim season.
