The irony is almost too obvious to ignore. Once again the Jewish people find themselves watching a debate over a deal with Persia. Once again enormous sums of money are involved. Once again influential advisers are assuring a ruler that the arrangement is beneficial. And once again Jews around the world are left wondering whether anyone has learned the lessons of Megillat Esther.
One of the most chilling verses in all of Tanach appears long before Haman’s decree is carried out. Seeking to convince King Achashverosh to support his plan, Haman makes an offer: “אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יִכָּתֵב לְאַבְּדָם וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים כִּכַּר־כֶסֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל עַל־יְדֵי עֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה לְהָבִיא אֶל־גִּנְזֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ.” “If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who perform the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.” The brilliance of Haman’s proposal was not merely its evil intent. It was the way it was packaged. He presented his scheme as a practical arrangement that would benefit the king. There would be economic gain. There would be political advantages. There would be profit. All Achashverosh needed to do was sign on the dotted line.
Thousands of years later, the cast may have changed, but the script feels remarkably familiar. Today we hear of another deal with Persia. We are told that sanctions relief, economic concessions, and the release of massive financial resources will somehow bring stability and security. We are assured that this arrangement will benefit everyone involved. We are told that the risks are manageable and the rewards are substantial. Many of the same voices who once condemned the Obama Iran deal as a historic mistake now appear willing to entertain an agreement that may prove even more dangerous. The details may differ, but the underlying assumption remains the same: that the regime in Tehran can be managed through incentives, negotiations, and economic benefits.
The comparison is not that history repeats itself exactly. It never does. The comparison is that powerful rulers are often persuaded by trusted advisers that a dangerous arrangement is actually in their interest. In the Purim story, Achashverosh was not the mastermind. Haman was. The king simply allowed himself to be convinced. In our own generation, many see Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff playing the role of the persuaders, presenting a vision of diplomacy, business, and economic opportunity, while President Trump occupies the position of the decision-maker. Whether one agrees with the comparison or not, the parallel is difficult to miss. Advisers present a proposal involving Persia. Economic benefits are emphasized. The ruler is encouraged to approve the deal. The Jewish people watch nervously from the sidelines.
What makes the parallel even more striking is that Persia itself remains at the center of the story. The empire that sought to destroy the Jewish people in the days of Esther has long since disappeared, but its modern successor occupies the same geographic region and openly declares its hostility toward the Jewish state. Once again Persia stands at the center of world affairs. Once again powerful figures insist that accommodation and compromise will produce peace. Once again Jews are asked to trust that those making the deal understand the risks.
Yet perhaps the most important lesson of Megillat Esther has nothing to do with Haman, Achashverosh, Kushner, Witkoff, Trump, or even Iran. The true lesson is that Jewish survival never depended on any of them. Throughout our history, Jews have repeatedly placed their hopes in kings, presidents, governments, political parties, military alliances, and international agreements. Sometimes those relationships proved beneficial. Sometimes they ended in disaster. But every generation eventually discovers the same truth: no human being is capable of guaranteeing the future of Am Yisrael.
When Haman’s decree was signed, salvation did not begin in the royal palace. It did not begin with a diplomatic breakthrough or a clever political strategy. It began when Mordechai gathered the Jews. It began with fasting. It began with teshuvah. It began with a nation rediscovering its relationship with Hashem. Only after the Jewish people turned upward did events begin to unfold in their favor.
Perhaps that is precisely what we are witnessing today. As the world becomes increasingly unstable, as alliances shift, as political leaders disappoint us, and as the illusion of security continues to crumble, we are being pushed toward a realization that previous generations learned the hard way. America will not save us. Political parties will not save us. Peace agreements will not save us. Economic deals will not save us. Even the strongest armies and the most sophisticated intelligence services are not the ultimate source of our protection. They are merely tools in the hands of the One who truly directs history.
Perhaps the greatest blessing hidden within this entire episode is that it forces us to remember where our trust belongs. The more uncertain the nations become, the clearer the message becomes. The closer we move toward Geulah, the less room there is for illusions. Presidents come and go. Empires rise and fall. Advisers whisper in the ears of kings. Deals are signed and broken. Yet the Jewish people remain because the Master of the World guides history according to His plan.
As Chazal taught regarding the period preceding the final redemption: “אֵין לָנוּ עַל מִי לְהִשָּׁעֵן אֶלָּא עַל אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם” — We have no one upon whom to rely except our Father in Heaven. Perhaps that is the real lesson of the new Persia deal. The more the world demonstrates the limitations of human leaders and human solutions, the more we are reminded that the redemption of Israel will not come from Washington, Brussels, Moscow, or the halls of the United Nations. It will come from the same place it has always come from: our Father in Heaven.
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