Celebrating Before Redemption: A Lesson for Purim and Beyond

How can we celebrate when our world is so broken?

What does it mean to celebrate before the redemption? To find joy even when things feel uncertain, unresolved, or unfinished?

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov tells a striking tale of a king who, in his lifetime, chooses to hand over his crown to his son. In doing so, he offers a mysterious piece of advice: One day, you will fall from kingship. If you are sad, I will be sad too, for in that moment, you will not truly be deserving of the throne. But if, after falling, you can still find joy—only then will you be ready to be king again.

It’s a profound challenge: How do we hold onto joy even in the midst of struggle?

This question is woven into the fabric of Purim itself. The Megillah tells us when to celebrate—on the 14th or 15th of Adar. And yet, the sages of the Talmud teach that some began reading the Megillah as early as the 11th, days before the official victory. It seems counterintuitive. How can we celebrate before we know the full outcome?

And yet, isn’t that what faith calls us to do?

Even at the end of the Purim story, the Jewish people remain in exile. The redemption isn't complete. But within that incompleteness, there is a deep comfort—noach, a sense of being wrapped in divine love, even as the world remains imperfect.

Can we, too, learn to celebrate before the redemption? To taste the joy of what’s coming, even when it hasn't yet fully arrived?

Join us in exploring this powerful teaching in our latest video, where Nadav Slovin delves into Rabbi Nachman’s wisdom, the Megillah’s mysteries, and the deeper meaning of finding happiness even when we have yet to reach the end of the journey.

Watch now and let’s start celebrating—before the redemption.

Shalom and Chag Purim Sameach! 🎭✨