Yesterday morning, as I was taking her to school, my seven-year-old daughter asked me, "What's the most important day of the year?" "Yom Kippur," I replied instinctively. A moment later I said, "Or maybe Purim.""
At the next red light, I was already backtracking again. "Actually, Passover is a very important day in our history. And Shavuot, when we received the Torah, and Rosh Hashanah too...""
I can't really be blamed for my confusion. Open any Hasidic text about the festivals of the Jewish calendar, and you'll find that the most important day of the year is the one you're reading about. The Hasidic discourses on Passover explain how the Exodus from Egypt is the most significant event in our history and that on Passover, when the Exodus is "remembered and revived," we establish the very foundation of our spiritual lives and our relationship with God. The discourses on Shavuot say the same thing—about the revelation at Mount Sinai. So do the discourses on Hanukkah, Purim, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot... the idea is clear.
And all of this is, of course, true. Within each precept of the spiritual realm of Jewish time lies a resource—freedom, wisdom, joy, unity, commitment—that is the foundation of our spiritual lives and our relationship with God. The entire edifice of Judaism rests upon each of these precepts.
However, Yom Kippur and Purim stand out as "more important" days. Both are distinguished by being one-day festivals (as opposed to the two days of Rosh Hashanah, the seven of Sukkot, the eight of Hanukkah, etc.). Even their names sound the same; in fact, the great Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria ("The Holy Ari," 1534–1572) says that Yom Kippurim—the full Hebrew name for Yom Kippur—can also be interpreted as Yom ke'Purim, "one day as Purim" (which means my first instinct was wrong: if Yom Kippur is a day like Purim, then Purim should be at the top of the list...).
Both days represent extremes. Yom Kippur in spirituality – we fast, dress in white to emulate the angels, and spend the entire day repenting and praying. And Purim in materiality – we eat, celebrate, give food gifts to friends and money to the poor, and are even told to drink excessively.
""Push yourself to your limits and beyond," is what these two days tell the Jew, "and if you do it with all the integrity, devotion, and kindness of your Jewish soul and body, there you will find God.".
By Yanki Tauber of www.chabad.org