Purim is a unique festival: the intense celebrations of the day, including dressing up in costumes, having festive meals with friends and family, and even becoming inebriated, all express an exuberance felt more than on all other festive days. In fact, Purim is such a happy day that it makes the entire month joyous: “When Adar arrives, we increase our joy” (Ta’anit 29a). This great emphasis on joy seems to point to a deeper essence behind the festival. This class will explore this essence, delving into the nature of the day and its inner message.