The Sinai Standing Between Haman’s Persia and the Ayatollah’s Iran

Welcome to the Schaarai Zedek Podcast, where you’ll find live recordings of sermons, divrei Torah, teachings, and reflections from our Erev Shabbat and High Holy Day services. Whether you’re listening on your commute, during a walk, or from home, we’re glad to have you with us.
This Episode: “The Sinai Standing Between Haman’s Persia and the Ayatollah’s Iran”
Delivered by Rabbi Joel Simon on March 6, 2026.
In the aftermath of a dramatic week in world events and on the eve of Purim, Rabbi Simon explores the parallels people often draw between the ancient story of Esther in Persia and the realities of the modern Middle East. While acknowledging those echoes, he shifts the focus away from politics and toward a deeper Jewish question: how do we respond to fear and uncertainty?
Turning to the Torah’s story of the Golden Calf, Rabbi Simon examines a teaching from Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and the Midrash suggesting that Jewish history might have unfolded differently had the Israelites waited patiently for Moses to return from Mount Sinai. Rather than blaming ancient sins for modern hatred, Rabbi Simon reframes the lesson: the Golden Calf was not primarily about idolatry—it was about the human urge to replace uncertainty with easy certainty.
Throughout Jewish history, tyrants and enemies have come and gone, but the real challenge for the Jewish people has remained the same: what kind of people will we choose to be in moments of fear?
Contrasting the Golden Calf—born from panic—with the Mishkan, the sanctuary built with patience and intention, Rabbi Simon reminds us that while we cannot control the existence of hatred in the world, we can control what we build in response. Each generation stands, metaphorically, at the foot of Sinai, deciding whether to respond to uncertainty with fear, despair, and reaction—or with faith, compassion, and covenant.
This sermon invites listeners to reflect on how Jewish values guide us through uncertain times and challenges us to continue building a world rooted in patience, dignity, and hope.