Specialness of Purim

There is a Tannaic statement in Masechet Megilla that describes the uniqueness of the Purim holiday.

It says, “There were forty-eight male prophets and seven female prophets in Israel. They were not permitted to add or subtract from the Torah, except for the reading of the Megilla.” They could make rabbinic rules that were a fence to the Torah, but they could not enact rules that were on the level of a Torah law.

We must remember that the Purim story unfolded after the destruction of the First Temple. Prophecy still existed until forty years after the rebuilding of the Second Temple. The Chanukah story took place much later, when prophecy no longer existed.

There was a very unique and special aspect of Purim. The Megilla is described as containing דברי שלום ואמת, “words of peace and truth.” The Rabbis added, כאמיתה של תורה, like the truth of the Torah. The story that unfolded in Shushan, was a completion of that which took place on Mount Sinai. The voice of Hashem and the thunder and lightning caused everyone to accept the Torah out of fear. Mordechai and Esther inspired the people to accept the Torah out of love.

This is why special status was given to Purim and the reading of the Megilla. The Jewish people had now come full circle in sealing the unbreakable bond and covenant between Hashem and the Jewish people.

There was Divine inspiration by the remaining prophets, to give the special holiday of Purim the status of Torah law.