The sefarim (Alshich, Binah Le’Ittim) explain that Haman was only able to bring us to the brink of disaster because we were fragmented and without unity. This is alluded to in his words to the king: “Yeshno am echad mefuzar u’meforad – There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed” (Esther 3:8). He was invoking the truism: “United we stand, divided we fall,” and he knew the time was right to strike. In this case, the cure had to be an all-out campaign to promote unity. Esther told Mordechai, “Leich kenos es kol haYehudim – Go gather all the Jews” (ibid. 4:16). If the problem came about due to a lack of unity, the solution could only be realized when we were all gathered together and able to function and act as one.
This explains the statement in the Gemara (Megillah 13b), “Hikdim shikleihem lishkalav.” Hashem had the Jews’ half-shekel, during the 40 years in the desert, precede and counteract the shekalim of Haman, which were offered to buy the right to destroy the Jews. What impact did the giving of the coins centuries before have against Haman’s coins in the here and now?
The point behind the half-shekel is to convey that I am not self-sufficient and I can’t do it alone. The most I can contribute is a half, and I need the other person to complete the whole. By commanding the Yidden to give the machatzis hashekel on a yearly basis, starting with the command to Moshe, Hashem inculcated and instilled within the Yidden this facility – the ability to join as one. Whatever my station in life, I am still only a piece of the puzzle, one strand in the beautiful tapestry that is Klal Yisrael.
That is why when Esther issued her call to have all the people gather, we were able to rise to the challenge. From being scattered and open to attack, we were able to create an impenetrable phalanx, impervious to whatever Haman brought to bear.
Therefore, the mitzvos on Purim relate primarily to the promotion of friendship and unity among our people: mishloach manos – sending gifts to our friends; matanos la’evyonim – gifts to the poor; and mishteh ve’simchah – drinking and celebrating during a meal.
Haman claimed we were spread out and scattered, with our defenses down; at the behest of Esther, we united and it was our enemies who fell!
Let’s see how the same idea works for Yom HaKippurim.
There is an old dilemma discussed in our sefarim hakedoshim. Some mitzvos are specific to a Kohen and not a Levi, others to a Levi and not a Yisrael, and still others apply to a king and no one else. So how can one individual keep all the mitzvos?
First, learning about a mitzvah can count as fulfilling it. This is as it says in Hoshea (14:3), “U’neshalmah farim sefaseinu – Let our lips substitute for bulls.” Learning about the mitzvah of korbanos can be equivalent to keeping that mitzvah. Rashi (Yoma 36b) tells us that on Yom Kippur, when the chazzan recites the avodah, it is considered as if we have offered the sacrifices mentioned there. We can bring the same point regarding Torah study. It says in the Mishnah (Pe’ah), “ve’salmud Torah keneged kulam – and Torah study is equivalent to them all.” Perhaps this can be understood to mean that Torah study is the one mitzvah through which all others can be fulfilled.
There is, however, another explanation. If we truly personify the full extent of “Ve’ahavta le’rei’acha kamocha – Love your fellow as yourself” (Vayikra 19:18), where my success is your success and my suffering is your suffering, then Hashem will consider us as one united people and treat us accordingly. True, no individual can keep all the mitzvos, but as a unified group, we can share the merit for the mitzvos done by others in the group. (See also Ohr HaChaim on Parashas Pekudei 39:32.)
This was attested to by a miracle that was, according to some, unique to Yom Kippur. The neis of “omdim tzefufim u’mishtachavim revachim – the people stood crowded together, yet bowed down with ample space” (Avos 5:7), which was one of the ten miracles that happened in the Beis HaMikdash. What was the mechanism of this miracle?
Their level of humility, which came along with achdus, was the critical factor. “Omdim” – When they stood upright, “be’komah zekufah” – with their nose in the air, “tzefufim” – they felt crowded with no tolerance for another; “u’mishtachavim” – when they bowed, lowering their stature and loving their fellow, “revachim” – there was plenty of room for all.
Perhaps this concept can be used to answer our question regarding forgiveness on Yom Kippur. Hashem performs this miracle in the Beis HaMikdash to show us the nature of the greatest miracle, our forgiveness on Yom Kippur. Just as the phenomenon of the Temple expanding to hold us all was a result of our togetherness and humility, so, too, the kapparah on Yom Kippur is the result of the same achdus and unity. When we get off our high horse and realize that we are all one, miracles occur, including the miracle of physical expansion and the miracle of Divine forgiveness.
We can now explain a highlight of the avodah on Yom Kippur, which is when the Kohen Gadol enters the Holy of Holies with the incense. Incense is made by grinding down spices. It is the pulverizing and grinding that releases the aroma; the finer the grind, the more potent the scent. All year long, the daily incense is finely ground. On Yom Kippur, however, it is processed even further, making it a powdery product with no identifiable parts (Rashi, Vayikra 16:12).
Perhaps the Kohen Gadol who enters the Kodesh HaKodashim with the fine powder of the ketores is symbolic of the united Klal Yisrael, in which there are no distinguishable parts. He is representing a people who has bowed down in tolerance, just like the finely ground powder of the incense, in an indivisible group. If we stand united, viewing ourselves as one, Hashem, in His compassion, will treat us as such.
Now we can explain the Zohar, which compares the Kohen Gadol entering the Kodesh HaKodashim to Esther, who entered the inner chamber of Achashveirosh. Just as the Kohen Gadol enters with the strength of a united Klal Yisrael behind him – as symbolized by the ketores – so did Esther enter with the strength of a united Klal Yisrael behind her. That is why Purim is named after Yom Kippurim; they both represent a victory predicated on the unity and indivisibility of Klal Yisrael.
I heard from Rav Nachum Lansky that according to this logic, it is not surprising that the heroes of the Purim story are named Mordechai and Hadassah. Hadassah, Esther’s other name, means myrtle, suitable as a spice. The name Mordechai, writes the Gemara, is hidden in the words mar dror, pure myrrh, which is also a spice and is rendered by Targum as meira dachya, which sounds like Mordechai (Shemos 30: 23).
Mordechai and Esther brought Klal Yisrael to a state of unity, much like the grinding of spices for the ketores.
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