IH reports - "Go and gather together all the Jews...," are the opening words of Esther's instructions to Mordechai as soon as she learns of the sinister decree of King Ahasuerus, "to destroy, massacre, and exterminate all the Jews, young and old, children, and women, on a single day."

Rather than interpreting this as a one-time directive relevant to that specific period in history, Jewish sages over the years have preferred to understand this as a message for all generations, intended to repair the fundamental defect that Haman identified within the Jewish people, whom he describes as "a scattered and dispersed people." The commandment of mishloach manot (sending gifts to one another) which has become a widespread and popular custom on the festival of Purim, is intended to increase love and friendship among the Jewish people, to this very end.

Today too, we here in Israel are facing fateful predicaments, mainly in relation to the Iranian regime that is proceeding full steam ahead towards attaining a nuclear weapon, as well as with regards to its proxies who are primed for action and deployed along our borders. And the people are dispersed and polarized.

The internal discord is viewed by our enemies as an unprecedented schism in the history of the state. The fact that the dispute has made its way into the IDF and the defense establishment only serves to further encourage them, sparking their imagination and fueling their hopes. In Tehran, they are already beginning to jump for joy, and those who adhere to Nasrallah's perception of Israel being as weak as a "spider's web", who see Israeli society as being torn apart by strife, overindulged and tired of war, are now identifying signs to support their inner hopes.

In articles published on the Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen, such as that written by Muzar Shahabil on March 2, it is stated that "It is true that Israel enjoys military power and considerable economic strength, but the importance and value of these pale into insignificance in view of the weaknesses and the escalating internal conflict and polarization."

The severity of the current crisis results from the accumulated impact of a number of factors: firstly, the timing. It has hit Israeli society precisely at the time that decisions will have to be made on the Iranian nuclear issue with what Israel believes to involve existential ramifications. We cannot overemphasize the importance of the need to face up to this threat as a unified and consolidated front. The same is true for our approach to the US and the international community – in relation to whom too, tough decisions will need to be made.

There are times when the common challenges that face us as a nation must take precedence over all other disputes. It is at moments like these that anybody in a position of potential influence should regard the following words from the Book of Esther as being personally addressed to them: "And who knows, perhaps you have attained this royal position for just such a time as this."

Source - Israel Hayom/Twitter - Image - Reuters