
The Gemara asks: Where is Esther hinted to in the Torah? Chazal point to this week’s parsha:“וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא” — “I will surely hide My face on that day.”The words haster astir allude to Esther, and to Hashem’s hiddenness in the Purim story. The Ramban explains: hester panim means Hashem withdraws His…

In the early 2000s, the MTA in New York City rolled out a powerful campaign:“If you see something, say something.”It was a call to action.A reminder that noticing something off wasn’t enough. You had to respond. To act. But the Torah takes it even further:If you see something… do something. In this week’s parsha, we…