An Upside Down World Esther and Antisemitism | Page 25

The Kedushat Levi teaches about Haman — the embodiment of anti-Jewish evil , Amalek incarnate , the one who must be wiped out . Somehow , as Haman leaves Esther ’ s feast , the text describes him as “ happy and with a good heart .” How can this be ? Haman — a deeply wicked man — happy and with a good heart ? Impossible !
Reb Levi Yitzchak explains that there are two kinds of deeply connected people in this world : Those who are directly connected to the light , to God , and to love – and those ( God forbid ) who are just as connected to darkness .
When these two energies encounter each other , their natures collide . Those connected to love can feel frustrated , saddened , and even unmoored by the darkness . Sometimes , they are filled with righteous indignation . But from that place — close to darkness — the connection of the light-bearers to the light is destabilized . Meanwhile , those intuitively connected to darkness are strengthened by this anger and frustration . The increased darkness within the hearts of the light-bringers becomes their victory . In other words , often darkness threatens to overwhelm light .
But Esther and Haman ’ s meeting was different — unprecedented , even .
Esther was so deeply connected to God , so rooted in her truth and identity , that her light overpowered even Haman ’ s deep darkness . In a single meal , her light unlocked , unsettled , and dislodged him from his comfort zone in the depths of evil . As the Berdichever put it , “ ה ש ו ד ק ל כ א מ ל כ א ” - he ate a meal of holiness . And so , for just a moment , Haman was happy and had a good heart .
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