By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

There is a famous Yalkut Shimoni (#944) referring to the time of Moshiach that states, “All the holidays are destined to be negated but the days of Purim will never be negated forever.  Rav Elazar says that Yom Kippur will also not be negated.”  The idea is also found in Midrash Mishlei.

Regarding this Midrash, Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal is quoted (page 160) in the second volume of Mesoras Moshe (printed Taives 5776) that his grandson, ylc”t Reb Mordechai Tendler explained to his Rav Moshe that his wife’s shul had purchased a silver Chanukah menorah as a wedding gift, but he hoped never to use it.

Rav Moshe zatzal expressed confusion.

His grandson explained that he hopes that Moshiach will come beforehand and the above Midrash will apply.

Rav Moshe explained that when the Midrash refers to Purim, it also includes Chanukah – because they are both of the same type of Yom Tov.  In other words, Chanukah will always be around as well – just like Purim.

I wanted to add two thoughts to this idea:

The first is that there is another source to this idea.  Rav Yoseph Karo, author of the Shulchan Aruch had kept a diary in which he included the learning sessions he had had with a Malach.  The Sefer is called “Maggid Mesharim.”  Rav Karo also mentions the idea that both Purim and Chanukah will not be abolished (See Maggid Mesharim Parshas Vayakhel).  So we see that Rav Moshe was mechaven to what the Bais Yoseph wrote in his diary.

The second thought is that the Bnei Yissaschar writes (Maamar Chodesh Adar 4:8) that this Midrash does not actually mean that the other holidays will be abolished – because nothing of the Torah will be erased.  Rather, the intent is that the new Geulah will be so remarkable that it will cause all of the other Moadim to pale in comparison.  Nonetheless, we will still be observing them.  The Satmar Rebbe zt”l in Divrei Yoel Motzei Yom Kippur (page 418) writes the same thing.

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