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Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a joyous holiday
that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period, around 539-330
BCE. The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, whose popular heroine plays the leading role
in saving her people. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with wild abandon and with the giving of
gifts to friends and the poor.
History: While the origins of Purim appear clear from the Book of Esther, historians have looked in
vain for any sort of extra-biblical corroboration of the events of the story. Be that as it may, it is a
tale that purports to take place during the Persian period.
A young Jewish woman, Esther, rises to be Queen of Persia under the tutelage of her guardian Mordecai.
All, however, is not right. The Jews have enemies, and a certain Haman, the grand vizier, plots the Jews'
destruction. Even though Esther has hidden her Jewish identity from all, Mordecai prevails on her to risk
her life by revealing her true identity to the king. She does this and denounces the evil Haman's plot.
At the end of the story, the Jews are able to turn the tables on their enemies, who are then punished in
place of the intended victims. This story is one of the most beloved in the Jewish community, because of
the hope that it gives a minority living in an oftentimes hostile majority culture.
In The Megillah or the scroll, the Talmudic tractate devoted to Purim observances, Rabbi Akiva declares
the Book of Esther to be divinely inspired. Some commentators believe this eventually led to the inclusion
of Esther in the Hebrew Bible, despite the omission of God from the book. The Greek versions of Esther
contain a number of additions -- including God's name -- not found in the Hebrew story.
In distinction to various other holidays, such as Passover, Purim is the quintessential community holiday.
Nonetheless, there are a number of activities that are centered in the home. One of the favorite
activities in preparation for the holiday is the baking of hamantaschen, the triangular filled pastries
that are the traditional food at Purim time. In addition, following the commandment to give gifts to
friends and the poor, the preparation of so-called mishloah manot baskets is a fun activity to engage in,
as is their distribution on the holiday. The centerpiece of Purim's home celebration is the seudah, a
festive meal accompanied by alcoholic beverages.
The overriding theme of Purim is the saving of the Jews from a mortal threat. Even though God is not
mentioned at all in the Book of Esther, from a Jewish perspective, God is the one who is pulling the
strings of redemption behind the scenes. The holiday of Purim has become one of the best-loved holidays of
the Jewish year. The reasons for this are easy to see. It is a joyous holiday on which everyone just lets
go. Most significant, however, is the paradigmatic nature of the story of Purim. It is not difficult to
see how a story in which a small and threatened Jewish community in exile is able to triumph over its foes
would prove to be a powerful image for a Diaspora community faced over the centuries with threats from
many different sources. The story of Purim, however, holds out the hope that no matter how bad the
circumstances, things will turn out well in the end.
Purim is a community holiday of joyful celebration. The centerpiece of the communal celebration is the
reading of the Scroll of Esther, the Megillah, in the synagogue. This is a raucous affair, with whoops,
hollers, and noise being made every time that Haman's name is mentioned, so no one can hear the name of
this horrible evildoer.
Another tradition is the Purim shpiel, the Purim play, during which fun is poked at community leaders and
members. Purim has often been called the Jewish carnival, and dressing in costume and taking part in a
Purim carnival heighten the levity of the day, on which one is encouraged to engage in activities that at
other times of the year would be somewhat more restricted in scope, such as drinking.
Jewish communities around the world celebrate Purim as a holiday of feasting and gladness, gift-giving and
tzedakah (charity), revelry and imbibing. It is one of the most popular Jewish holidays for families and
children. The celebration of Purim is based on the story found in the biblical Book of Esther. A tractate
of the Mishnah (and hence the Talmud) is devoted to it as well. Purim is a time when Jewish communities,
like the community in the book of Esther, become particularly aware of the fragility and even the danger
of living in the Diaspora, as a people "scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples"(Esther
3:8).
The primary communal observance connected to Purim is the mitzvah of reading the Book of Esther, called
the Megillah or scroll. It is supposed to be read in the synagogue with a minyan (quorum) present. The
scroll is read twice, once in the evening after the Amidah (silent prayer) of Ma'ariv (the evening
service) and once during Shaharit (the morning service). The Megillah is in the form of a parchment
scroll, handwritten like a Torah. The Book of Esther has a special cantillation used only for that book,
and the reading is preceded by three blessings.
During the reading, it is customary for the congregation to drown out the name of Haman by making noise,
usually using a special noisemaker called a gragger, whenever the reader utters the villain's name.
Another custom is to read the verses listing the ten sons of Haman (found in chapter 9) in one breath. One
theory regarding the significance of this practice says that it is done to symbolize how the brothers all
died together, while a second theory suggests that we should not draw out the reading of the names so as
not to gloat over their fate.
Traditionally, an additional Torah reading, in addition to the weekly reading, is inserted on the Sabbath
preceding Purim. Called Shabbat Zachor (the Sabbath of remembrance), the additional reading is one of the
four special parashiyyot (weekly Torah portions) leading up to Passover. This excerpt from the Book of
Deuteronomy (25:17-19) discusses the battle with Amalek. Jewish tradition views Amalek as the ancestor and
in some ways the precursor of Haman. Both sought to annihilate the Jewish people, and both were thwarted
in their plans.
Besides the reading of the Megillah, the only liturgical additions for the day of Purim are the addition
of the Purim Al Hanissim ("for the miracles") both in the Amidah Prayer and in the Birkat
Hamazon (grace after meals). There are a number of explanations for why Hallel (Psalms of praise) is not
recited on Purim as it is on other joyous holidays. Among them is the theory that on Purim, unlike on such
holidays such as Pesach or Hanukkah, the
redemption is not complete. On Pesach and Hanukkah, the Jews are completely delivered from a foreign king,
while on Purim the Jews are still subjects of Ahasuerus. The reading of the Megillah is seen to achieve
the same purpose as Hallel. Also, Hallel is generally not said for events that took place outside the land
of Israel.
Fast of Esther: Another traditional feature of Purim observance is the Fast of Esther. It is one of
the four statutory public fasts in the Jewish calendar. All of these other fasts are connected with tragic
events related to the destruction of Jerusalem or to the loss of the Jewish state. The fast of the 13th of
Adar, the day preceding Purim, is related rather to the threat to destroy the Jewish people. When Mordecai
told Esther about Haman's plan to kill all the Jews, she asked him to proclaim a three-day fast. It is in
commemoration of this that some Jews still fast on this day.
In Israel: There is another unique feature to communal Purim observance. Purim is celebrated in
most of the world on the 14th of Adar. However, in Jerusalem it is observed on the 15th of Adar, because
of the interpretation of Esther 9:18-19, "But the Jews that were in Shushan assembled together on the
13th day thereof, and on the 14th thereof; and on the 15th day of the same they rested, and made it a day
of feasting and gladness. Therefore do the Jews of the villages, that dwell in the unwalled towns, make
the 14th day of the month of Adar a day of gladness and feasting." The sages concluded that Purim was
celebrated on the 15th of Adar, as in Shushan, in cities that had been walled since the days of Joshua.
In a leap year, when there is the additional month of Adar II, it is traditional to do everything that
must be done in Adar during the first Adar. Purim is the exception to this rule and is celebrated during
the second Adar.
Gifts: On Purim the Megillah mandates that we give gifts to friends, usually of food, and to the
poor. It is a tradition for congregations to collect money in memory of the half shekel collected in
ancient days for the upkeep of the Temple. Purim is a time for carnivals and parties and masquerades. Most
Jewish congregations hold special carnivals for children, and children dress in costumes that commemorate
the various characters of the Purim story. They perform humorous plays called Purim shpiels, which more
often than not mock both the characters in the story and leaders in the Jewish community. |
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