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Purim
Purim (the word comes from the Assyrian or
Persian pur-"lots") is the most joyful holiday in the Jewish
calendar.
It is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month of adar
(in Israel
on the fifteenth-i.e., either in February or in March).
Purim is celebrated in commemoration of when the Jews in
Susa were
saved from the extermination planned by Haman, a dignitary
at the court
of the king of Persia, Ahashverus. Through a provocation
orchestrated by
Haman, they were to be accused of blasphemy and disrespect
of the
government. Then they were to be killed. The plans were
ruined by the
king's wife, Ester, and her uncle, Mordechai. As a result,
it was Haman
and his ten sons who were killed, and the Persian Jews were
put under
the protection of the king.
Sources show that this holiday has been celebrated since
the first
century AD-first under the name Mordechai Day, and then
under its
current name, "Purim".
The holiday is preceded by a one-day fast, Tannit Ester
(Hebrew,
Ester's fast), which is observed in commemoration of the
queen's fast
before her visit to Ahashverus. It is also a custom during
this holiday
to give alms to the poor, and to give small gifts to one's
friends and
neighbors-usually sweets, fruit or alcohol. Among the foods
traditionally eaten during this holiday are hamantashe
("Haman's ears",
"Haman's pocket")-three-cornered yeast cakes with
poppy-seed, plum jam,
or fruit and nut fillings.
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In the synagogue, Megilat Ester (The Scroll of
Ester) is read, which is the story of the Jews' fate in
Susa, Haman's
intrigue, and the courage of Ester and Mordechai. During the
reading,
those present try their best to drown out Haman's name when
it is
uttered. They do this by making noise, whether by shouting,
whistling or
using noise-makers�all this in the belief that the
names of the
evil-doers should be erased. After the service, a party is
thrown,
during which alcohol is served, in addition to all manner of
special
treats. Traditionally on this holiday, one is required to
drink
alcoholic beverages until one no longer distinguishes
between good and
evil (ad lo yada, Hebrew: let him know)-which is to say,
until one
begins to confuse the words: "may Mordechai be blessed, may
Haman be
damned". This has many meanings. It is a reminder that the
Jews were
saved during a feast at the king's. Some commentators stress
the
mystical significance of ad lo yada�as an entrance
into a world in which
concepts become ambiguous, in which they mingle and create a
harmonious
whole.
Such recommendations have made Purim the most joyous of
the Jewish
festivals, something akin to a general carnival. That day,
even the
strictest ban on men dressing in skirts and women in men's
clothes can
be broken. As a result, during Purim there are usually
masquerade balls,
other masked events and other boisterous social gatherings.
Students at
religious schools usually write humorous presentations, in
which they
explain the basic precepts of faith in an absurd way, and
sometimes
criticize their teachers and undermine the authority of the
rabbis.
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The Purim celebrations gave rise to a
special kind of play, the purimshpil (Yiddish, Purim play).
At first,
these were comprised of texts about the story in the Book of
Ester;
later, they expanded to include other Biblical themes, which
were often
depicted in a humorous or parodistic manner. Groups of
purimshpilers
would go from house to house, giving short, humorous shows,
and in
return would receive gifts of money or something to eat.
These Purim
shows became the basis of modern Jewish theater.
(kw/cm)
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