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Why does the Gemara (גמרא) require drinking on Purim (פורים) until one cannot distinguish between cursing Haman and blessing Mordechai? More puzzling: why does one Midrash say the greatness of Purim was the mourning—the death decree itself? Rabbi Zweig develops a fundamental approach: Amalek represents living for "tomorrow," disconnecting today from consequences. The Jewish response—epitomized by the Jews' mourning under Haman's decree—is recognizing each day as finite, irreplaceable life itself, creating urgency and meaning that no prophet could achieve.
Rabbi Zweig opens with several perplexing questions about Purim (פורים) and Amalek. The Gemara (גמרא) states that one must drink on Purim until unable to distinguish between cursing Haman and blessing Mordechai. The Mishnah (משנה) Berurah understands this as becoming too inebriated to tell which was greater—Haman's downfall or Mordechai's victory. But why would this philosophical question relate to drunkenness? And why curse Haman after he's already been destroyed? The shiur then turns to the original battle with Amalek in Parshas Tetzaveh. Amalek attacks the Jews at Refidim. Moshe tells Yehoshua: "Choose soldiers and go fight Amalek tomorrow." But the war is happening today—why wait until tomorrow? The Gemara notes this is one of five ambiguous verses in the Torah (תורה). It could mean either "fight Amalek tomorrow" or "fight Amalek [today]; tomorrow I will stand on the hill." Either reading is puzzling—why delay the battle or the prayer?
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Shemos 17:8-16 (Parshas Tetzaveh), Megillas Esther, Gemara on Purim drinking
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