This week we are celebrating the holiday of Purim. It is a fun and exciting holiday, yet it is one that is not written about or referred to in the Torah. So where did this holiday come from? What happened? What are we really celebrating? What is Purim really all about? How do we celebrate Purim 2017?
What is the story of Purim?
Ok, so what happens? In about the year 357 BCE there was a well-known King in Persia named King Ahasveros. One night he decided to throw a party in his palace. During the party, he told his wife, Queen Vashti, he wanted her to dance for everyone at the party. When she refused, he tried again to order her to dance. Queen Vashti again said no. This made Ahasveros very mad. So he kicked her out of the palace, and making her instantly his ‘ex- wife.’
But after calming down a few days later, King Ahasveros realized he needed a new wife. He decided that he would choose his new wife by holding a beauty contest. A Jewish subject of the Empire named Mordechai encouraged his niece Esther to take part in the beauty contest. Sure enough on the day of the beauty contest, Esther got all dolled up, and went over to the palace. King Ahasveros spoted Esther almost immediately, falls in love with her beauty, and crowns her Queen. What he doesn’t know is that she is killer smart too.
Things seem to be going well until Uncle Mordechai finds out about a plot to kill the king.
Immediately upon discovering this information, he goes and tells Queen Esther. At the same time King Ahasveros promoted Haman, a Persian official, making him more powerful than all the other officials. Well, guess who created the plot to kill the King? HAMAN! He wants all the power.
After his great promotion, Haman begins to demand Persian subjects to bow down to him. But Mordechai won’t do it… No way was he going to bow down to someone who wasn’t the king! Who did Haman think he was anyway?! But Haman has a temper, and he doesn’t like being told he is in the wrong. So he sets up a plan to kill all of the Jews of the Empire. Mordechai again learns of Haman’s plans, and tells Esther what is about to happen. She HAS to tell the King and fast. Oh, what did I mention that Esther never told the King that she was Jewish!
But this is where Esther’s smarts come into play. She told her husband, King Ahasveros, her true identity, and she asked him to host a banquet, inviting Haman to it. During this first part is to check out the story of Haman She then hosts a second one in order to accuse him. At the second banquet, she accused Haman of plotting to kill the Jews. When the King found out what his right man had been planning, he condemned Haman to die on the same gallows he built for the Jews. The Jews were saved, Mordechai was promoted to be the King’s right hand man, and Queen Esther saved the Jews
How do we celebrate Purim 2017?
So the Jews were saved by the wonderful Queen Esther. The holiday of Purim is born. How do we celebrate the holiday?
The Costumes
The first thing we do is to get all dressed up in costumes. There are all kinds of costumes to wear, but why do this? There are many reasons why we get dressed up:
- The miracles of Purim were disguised in natural events. The King needed a new Queen, the wicked official had the urge to gain more power, etc. Wearing costumes is a connection to the Purim miracle, which was also hidden from the outside.
- It is written in the Talmud that the Jews pretended to be serving other gods at the time. G-d pretended G-d was going to destroy the Jewish nation. In reality, the Jews didn’t believe in any other gods, and G-d wasn’t going to destroy the Jewish people. According to the Talmud, G-d hid G-d’s own presence We dress up to remember the masked intentions.
- We also wear costumes because we don’t want to embarrass the poor who ask for charity specifically, and we give to anyone and everyone who asks on Purim. But we dress up so they don’t know who we are and we don’t know who they are… therefore less embarrassment. The best way to give charity.
- A final reason, and there are many more you can read about or imagine, is to commemorate King Ahasverus dressing up Mordechai in royal dressing at the end of the story.
Sometimes finding ways to make a unique costume can be hard. But ‘Kveller’ can offer some tips for that!
The Cookie
We make a special cookie called “Hamentashen” in Yiddish. It means “Haman’s Hat” in English. Now we call these cookies that because we believe Haman wore a triangular hat. It is a triangular cookie with a jelly filling in the middle. Well, that’s the traditional Hamentashen. Today there are all sorts of different kinds of Hamentashen: pop tart, smores, Reese’s, etc. So we show our victory by eating his hat.
We call it “Oznei Haman” in Hebrew, or in English Haman’s Ears. The idea here is not that Haman had pointy ears; he wasn’t an elf. After King Ahassveros found out what Haman has done, he makes him parade Mordechai around town on the King’s horse and in the King’s clothing. The Megilla adds that Haman
“hasted to his house, mourning, and having his head covered’ (Book of Esther 6:12) A midrash, or Jewish commentary, adds “oznav mekutafot” or ‘his ears hung limply.”
What on earth does that mean? He went home with his tail between his legs. And thus the connection to Haman’s ears.
The Reading of the Book of Esther
In the synagogue we read the Book, or Scroll, of Esther (in Hebrew “Megillah Esther”, traditionally both at evening and morning serves. The Talmud says
“the study of Torah can be interrupted for the reading of the Megillah.”
When we hear the story, every time we hear Haman’s name we have to make a lot of noise in order drown it out. That is drown out Haman’s name and memory, so that something like that doesn’t happen again.
Performing the Purim- spiel (pronounced “shpeel”) in synagogue is another common practice. It is a skit acting out the story of Purim in a funny, up- beat way. Sometimes they have different themes, like ‘Game of Thrones’, or ‘Purim, the Musical.’
What is Purim 2017 really all about: Misloach Manot and Matanot L’evyonim
Jews exchange “mishloach manot” or gifts of food (usually snacks and “Hamantashen”) during the holiday. People call them “Shalach Manos” in Yiddish. But no matter what you call them, giving food baskets to friends and family lends a fun spice to the holiday. It sometimes looks something like this!
“Matanot l’evyonim” means gifts to the poor. It is a common practice to donate or give gifts to the needy, so they to can have a special Purim meal. But remembering those less fortunate than us, is always good to remember, especially during such festive times.
There are many more customs and practices including:
- Having quite a bit to drink,
- Celebrating with various friends and family,
- Saying special prayers during the holiday.
What about the differences between the celebrations in Israel and the Diaspora?
Despite basic practices, celebrations in Israel aren’t the same as in Diaspora… and vice versa. For example, in Israel schools have vacation for Purim. The day before vacation from school, teachers hold parties with music and students wear costumes. Sometimes even adults dress up in costumes for work. However, in the U.S., and other parts of the world, Jewish students still have school. Diaspora Jews celebrate Purim at home and at synagogue.
Many American Jews use the Yiddish words for Purim instead of the Hebrew words. Israeli Jews use the Hebrew words.
What can we learn from the story of Purim 2017?
I mean really, what is Purim really all about? First, there are a lot of feminist overtones in the story. Queen Vashti refused to dance in front of a bunch of men. She refused to objectify her body for their enjoyment. She valued her self- respect, her identity, and her womanhood. Today with all of the pressure on young women to look and act a certain way, with all of the shamming and cyber-bullying, learning to respect our bodies and standing by our set borders is an important lesson to learn.
Second, while we’re talking about strong women, let’s talk about Esther. What is amazing about Esther is that she is not merely beautiful; she is smart and caring. She cared for her people, and she wanted them to live. And best of all she knows how to play the political and governmental game to save her people. Esther is:
- Smart,
- Beautiful
- Caring,
- And loyal.
It looks like the King knew what kind of woman to pick to be his Queen.
What we can also learn from the story of Purim 2017 is to stand up for what we believe in. Sometimes that can be hard to do, but it is incredibly important. Too often, there is a bully walking our streets, hateful sentiment running through our society. But when we think about what Esther did, at risk of her life, other things might seem less hard to stand up against. Stand up to that bully in school, to that jerk in your university classes, the boss you mistreats you. And if you see societal injustice, create a petition, a call to action, tell all of your friends on Facebook.
Why is celebrating Purim 2017 important?
What is Purim really all about? Celebrating Purim is important because the messages and lessons of the holiday are valuable. Once a year it is good to remember them. And besides that, it’s a fun holiday. Instead of being serious, we can do something that is fun and joyous. We dress up, eat some good cookies, listen to a good story, and be carefree. One day a year for this, especially when it’s connected to our religion, culture, and history, is a good thing… an empowering thing!
(What is Purim really all about? by Samantha Israel Tours)
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