Megilla Lessons for 2026

We just celebrated an amazing Purim, and there was one part of the Megillah that kept sticking out to me as I read it that seems so relevant this year.
The Megillah describes how Achashverosh promoted Haman above all his ministers and ordered that all the servants kneel and bow before him. Yet the verse tells us, “Mordechai would neither kneel nor prostrate himself.”
When the other ministers asked Mordechai why he refused, he told them simply that he was a Jew. Haman was enraged and plotted the destruction of the Jewish people.
Soon enough Mordechai learns of Haman’s plan. So what happens the next time he sees Haman?
He does not hide. He does not cower. He does not bow. The Megillah tells us that when Haman passed by, Mordechai remained where he was, “v’lo kam v’lo za mimenu,” he neither rose nor was shaken because of him.
We all know the end of the story, how ultimately Haman’s plot failed and the tables were turned, and the gallows he built for Mordechai were used for him. But when I read the Megillah and think about the times we are in now, I cannot help but feel that it was also this spirit of Mordechai that was so important for the Jewish people going through that time. His confidence, clarity, and pride helped define the strength of our people and lead them through it.
When discussing the laws of Megillah reading, the Talmud says, “One who reads the Megillah backwards has not fulfilled his obligation” (Megillah 17a). Simply put, this means the Megillah must be read in order.
But the Baal Shem Tov explained a deeper meaning. He taught that if someone reads the Megillah “backwards,” as a story that happened long ago without relevance today, they have missed the entire point.
The story of the Megillah is not just ancient history. It is the story of Jewish life in every generation. It is the story of G-d’s hand working behind the scenes, and of the Jewish people finding the strength within themselves to stand proudly and remain faithful no matter the circumstances.
In many ways, Jews have faced moments like this throughout history. Even in places like South Dakota, where we are few and often far apart, the lesson is the same. Jewish life continues when we stand proudly for who we are, when we strengthen our communities, and when we invest in the future of the next generation.
The lesson of the Megillah, and of Mordechai’s unwavering pride and determination, must continue to guide each of us today.