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Fast of Esther
The Fast of Esther, celebrated before
Purim, on the 13th of Adar, is not an original part of the Purim celebration.
It was instituted to commemorate the fasting of Esther, Mordechai, and the people,
which occurred on the 15th, 16th and 17th days of Nisan, according to rabbinical
tradition. The first who mentions the Fast of Esther is Rabbi Acha of Shabcha
(8th century CE) in She'iltot 4; the reason there given for its institution
is based on an interpretation of Esther 9:18 and Talmud Megillah 2a: "The
13th was the time of gathering", which gathering is explained to have had
also the purpose of public prayer and fasting. Some, however, used to fast three
days in commemoration of the fasting of Esther; but as fasting was prohibited
during the month of Nisan, the first and second Mondays and the Thursday following
Purim were chosen. The fast of the 13th is still commonly observed; but when
that date falls on a Sabbath, the fast is pushed back to the preceding Thursday,
Friday being needed to prepare for the Sabbath and the following Purim festival.
On the thirteenth of Adar, the day before
Purim, Jews observe a fast day in memory of Esther who asked the Jews of Shushan
to fast and pray for three days before she risked approaching King Ahashveurosh
to rescind Haman’s evil decree. It was in response to Mordecai’s urging that
Esther asked the King for a special audience. This was done at great personal
risk, since no one was allowed to enter the King’s court without being called.
If they did, and the King’ scepter was not outstretched, they were put to death.
Like all Jewish fast days, eating, drinking, wearing leather shoes, washing
and engaging in sexual activity is prohibited. |
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Boisterousness in the Synagogue
Purim is an occasion on which much joyous
license is permitted within the walls of the synagogue itself. For example,
during the public service in many congregations, when the reader of the Megillah
mentions Haman (54 occurrences), there is boisterous hissing, stamping, and
rattling. This practice traces its origin to the Tosafists (French and German
rabbis of the 13th century). In accordance with a passage in the Midrash, where
the verse "Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek" (Deuteronomy
25:19) is explained to mean "even from wood and stones", the rabbis
introduced the custom of writing the name of Haman, the offspring of Amalek,
on two smooth stones and of knocking or rubbing them constantly until the name
was blotted out. Ultimately, the stones fell into disuse, with the knocking
alone remaining. Some wrote the name of Haman on the soles of their shoes, and
at the mention of the name stamped with their feet as a sign of contempt. For
noisemaking, others used a noisy rattle, called in Hebrew a ra'ashan (from the
Hebrew ra-ash, meaning "noise") and in Yiddish a gragger/greggar (from
the Polish grzégarz). Some of the rabbis protested against these uproarious
excesses, considering them a disturbance of public worship, but the custom of
using noisemakers in synagogue on Purim is now almost universal. Purim is also
a time for other unusual goings-on. For example, many congregations will read
the prayers in ways that would be considered sacrilegious on any other occasion
during the year—for example, singing some prayers to the tune of widely-known
songs, to add to the levity—or employing melodies used on other Jewish
holidays. |
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Reading of the Megillah
The first religious ceremony ordained
for the celebration of Purim is the reading of the Book of Esther (the "Megillah")
in the synagogue, a regulation ascribed in the Talmud (Megillah 2a) to the "Men
of the Great Assembly", of which Mordechai is reported to have been a member.
Originally this enactment was for the 14th of Adar only; later, however, Rabbi
Joshua ben Levi (3d century CE) prescribed that the Megillah should also be
read on the eve of Purim. Further, he obliged women to attend the reading of
the Megillah, inasmuch as it was a woman, Queen Esther, through whom the miraculous
deliverance of the Jews was accomplished. In the Mishnah, the recitation of
a benediction on the reading of the Megillah is not yet a universally recognized
obligation. However, the Talmud, a later work, prescribed three benedictions
before the reading and one benediction after the reading. The Talmud added other
provisions. For example, the reader is to pronounce the names of the ten sons
of Haman (Esther 9:7-10) in one breath, to indicate their simultaneous death.
The congregation was to recite aloud with the reader the verses 2:5, 8:15-16,
and 10:3, which relate the origin of Mordechai and his triumph. The Megillah
is read with a traditional chant, differing from that used in the customary
reading of the Torah. In some places, however, it is not chanted, but is read
like a letter, because of the name "iggeret" (epistle) which is applied
(Esther 9:26,29) to the Book of Esther. It has been also customary since the
time of the Geonim (early Medieval era) to unroll the whole Megillah before
reading it, in order to give it the appearance of an epistle. According to Jewish
law, the Megillah may be read in any language intelligible to the audience. |
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The Book of Esther, which is one single
scroll, is read out loud. It is first read on the eve of Purim, at the conclusion
of the fast. The Megillah is chanted with its own melody before the entire congregations
at the synagogue. If you are unable to attend Megillah reading at the synagogue,
it is permissible to have the Megillah read to you at home. As with all sacred
scrolls, the Megillah reading is preceded by three blessings:
The First Blessing: Baruch ata
Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, vitzivanu al mikra
megillah.
> Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, ruler of the universe, who has made us holy
with your commandments and has commanded us about reading the Megillah
The Second Blessing: Baruch atah
Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam sheh-assah nissim l’avoteynu ba-yamin ha-hem
bazman hazeh.
> Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, ruler of the universe, who performed miracles
for our fathers in these days at this time of year.
The Third Blessing: Baruch ata
Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam sheh-hechianu v’ki;manu v’higianu lazman hazeh.
> Blessed are You Lord our G-d ruler of the universe who has given us life,
lifted us up and brought us to this moment. |
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According to the Mishnah (Megillah 30b),
Exodus 17:8-16, the story of the attack on the Jews by Amalek, the progenitor
of Haman, is also to be read. Purim gave rise to many religious compositions,
some of which were incorporated into the liturgy. These include a large number
of hymns intended for the public service. Other writings (dramas, plays, etc.)
intended for general edification, both in Hebrew and in other languages, have
been composed as well. By the 18th century in eastern Romania and some other
parts of Eastern Europe, Purim plays (called Purimspiels) had evolved into broad-ranging
satires with music and dance, precursors to Yiddish theater, for which the story
of Esther was little more than a pretext: indeed, by the mid-19th century, some
were even based on other stories, such as Joseph sold by his brothers, Daniel,
or the Sacrifice of Isaac. Because satire was deemed inappropriate for the synagogue
itself, they were usually performed outdoors in its court. The Bobov Hasidic
group has never ceased performing its Purimspiel. The Bobov Purimspiel is still
performed annually, at midnight, inside the Bobover synagogues in Brooklyn.
Women and Megilla reading
: Women have an obligation to hear
the Megilla because "they also were involved in that miracle." Accordingly,
some Orthodox authorities have held that women can read the Megilla, and that
women count in the minyan of 10 required for public megilla-reading. Women's
megilla readings have become increasingly common in Modern Orthodox Judaism. |
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Shabbat Shekalim
The Shabbat before the month of Adar
officially welcomes the Purim season. This special Shabbat is called Shabbat
Shekalim, Hebrew for the Sabbath of Shekals (an ancient form of Israelite money).
Shabbat Shekalim is honored with the reading of an additional Torah portion
dedicated to tzedakah, giving charity, a mitzvah associated with Esther. This
special Torah reading is taken from Exodus 30:11-16, which describes the giving
of a half-shekel in support of the Temple’s sacrificial offerings. A special
haftorah, a selection from the prophets read immediately following the Torah
portion, is also read on Shabbat Shekalim. It is taken from Kings II 11:17-12:17,
in which King Jehoash collects money for repairing the Temple.
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Shabbat Zachor
The Sabbath immediately preceding Purim
is called Shabbat Zachor, the Sabbath of Remembrance. On this Sabbath, the Torah
portion recalls the Jews’ exodus from Egypt when Amalek, son of Eliphaz, and
grandson of Jacob’s brother Esau, tried to destroy the Jews at their most vulnerable
moment. The Torah reading describes how Amalek and his nation attacked the Jews
just as they escaped slavery, and a pursuing Egyptian army, immediately after
they crossed the parted Red Sea. It is a special mitzvah for both Jewish men
and women to hear this Torah portion read. The Torah commands: Remember what
Amalek did to you on the road as you came out of Egypt- how he met you on the
road and with no reverence for G-d, attacked all your stragglers in the rear,
those who were famished and weary. Therefore, when the Lord our G-d grants you
safety from your enemies, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under
the heavens. Do Not Forget! (Deuteronomy 25:17-19; Exodus 17:8-16). The Haftorah
read on Shabbat Zachor is taken from Samuel I 15:1-34, which describes how King
Saul had the chance to destroy all of Amalek, but instead, took pity on King
Agag, and spared his life. The Prophet Samuel severely chastised King Saul for
his misguided pity and killed the Amalek king himself, but not before the king
had the opportunity to return home and father a child. Haman was a direct descendant
of Agag. It is fascinating to note that it was Mordechai, son of Yair, son of
Shimi, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who helped destroy Haman the Amalekite.
Mordechai, a descendant of King Saul, carried out generations later what his
ancestor failed to accomplish.
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Amalek
In a history with so many enemies, why
was Amalek’s crime considered so heinous that Jews are specifically commanded
to literally stamp out his name? The reason, our rabbis say, is because Amalek
preyed on the weak and sought the Jews destruction. Haman, like his Amalekite
ancestors, also wanted the Jew’s physical destruction. So, the Shabbat preceding
Purim, before we can let ourselves go and enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere
of Purim, we, as Jews, are reminded of the kind of evil that is out there, the
kind that wants nothing more than the total extermination of the Jewish people. |
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Burning of Haman's Effigy
Outside the synagogue, the pranks indulged
in on Purim by both children and adults have been carried even to a greater
extreme. Some of them date from the Talmudic period. As early as the fifth century,
and especially in the Geonic period (9th and 10th centuries), it was a custom
to burn Haman in effigy on Purim, semblant of the British customs for Guy Fawkes
Day. The burning custom, which persisted into the 20th century, is no longer
practised. In Italy, Jewish children used to arrange themselves in rows, and
pelt one another with nuts; while the adults rode through the streets with fir-branches
in their hands, shouted, or blew trumpets round a doll representing Haman and
which was finally burned with due solemnity at the stake. In Frankfurt am Main,
Germany, it was customary to make a house of wax wherein the figures of Haman
and his executioner, also of wax, were placed side by side. The whole was then
put on the bimah, where stood also the wax figures of Zeresh (Haman's wife)
and two guards—one to her right and the other to her left—all attired
in a flimsy manner and with pipes in their mouths. As soon as the reader began
to read the Megillah, the house with all its occupants was set on fire, to the
enjoyment of the spectators. These customs often aroused the wrath of Christians,
who interpreted them as a disguised attempt to ridicule Jesus and the cross.
Prohibitions were issued against these displays; e.g., under the reign of Honorius
(395-423) and of Theodosius II (408-450; comp. Schudt, l.c. ii. 309, 317, and
Cassel, l.c.). To avoid danger, the rabbis themselves tried to abolish these
customs, often even calling the magistracy to their aid, as in London in 1783. |
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Giving of Food and Charity
he Book of Esther prescribes "the
sending of portions one man to another, and gifts to the poor" (9:22).
Over time, this mitzvah has become one of the most prominent features of the
celebration of Purim. According to the Halakha, each Jew over the age of bar
mitzvah or bat mitzvah must send two different, ready made foods to one friend,
and two charitable donations (either money or food) to two poor people, to fulfill
these two mitzvot. The gifts to friends are called mishloach manot ("sending
of portions"), and often include wine and pastries; alternately, sweets,
snacks, salads or any foodstuff qualifies. Although the sending of mishloach
manot is technically limited to one gift for one friend, the custom has evolved
into a major gift-giving event. Families often prepare dozens of homemade and
store-bought food baskets to deliver to friends, neighbors, and relatives on
Purim day. Impressive baskets are also delivered to children's teachers, school
principals, parents' bosses, doctors, and other service personnel with whom
they have regular dealings throughout the year. This evolved custom has been
a topic of debate among Rabbinic authorities of late, due to the fact that the
verse in the Megillah only mentions the sending of portions one man to 'another',
which indicates one gift (consisting of 2 items) to only one man, while the
verse clearly mentions " gifts to 'the poor'", which has been interpreted
by halakha as requiring giving gifts to more than one person. This difference
is to point out the importance of giving charity. Historically, the custom regarding
giving mishloach manot was that during the day when people would be going to
one another's seudah, they simply brought along two ready-made foods, because
the person at whose house they were eating their seudah often did not have enough
food, thus fulfilling their own obligation of mishloach manot. In the synagogue,
regular collections of charity are made on the festival and the money is distributed
among the needy. No distinction was to be made among the poor; anyone who was
willing to accept charity is allowed to participate. It is obligatory upon the
poorest Jew, even one who is himself dependent on charity, to give to other
poor people. |
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The Purim Meal
On Purim day, typically toward evening,
a festive meal called Seudat Purim is held, with wine as the prominent beverage.
While Jews have long been noted for a lack of alcohol abuse, drunkenness is
not uncommon at this meal. The jovial character of this feast is illustrated
in the saying of the Talmud (Megilla 7b) stating that one should drink on Purim
until he can no longer distinguish between the phrases, arur Haman ("Cursed
is Haman") and baruch Mordechai ("Blessed is Mordechai"). (In
Hebrew these phrases have the same numerical value, and some authorities, including
the Be'er Hagolah and Magen Avraham, have ruled that one should drink wine until
he is unable to calculate these numerical values.). This saying was codified
in the Rif, Rosh, Tur, Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 695), and is interpreted
simply (as explained above) by the Chatam Sofer. This interpretation of the
Talmudic statement, or the acceptance of the statement itself, is disputed (for
various reasons) by the Ba'alei Tosafot (based on the Jerusalem Talmud), Maimonides,
Rabbeinu Ephraim, Ba'al HaMa'or, Ran, Orchot Chaim, Be'er Hagolah, Magen Avraham,
Taz, Rema, Vilna Gaon, Maharsha, Rashash, Tzeidah LaDerech, Hagahot Maimoniyot,
Ra'avyah, Korban N'tan'el, Bach, Maharil, P'ri M'gadim, Kol Bo, Chochmat Mano'ach,
Mishnah Berurah (by the Chafetz Chaim), and others. These authorities all advocate
drinking wine in some quantity, but all (excepting Hagahot Maimoniyot and Ra'avyah)
discourage the level of drunkenness suggested by the Chatam Sofer. The Rema
says that one should only drink a little more than he is used to drinking, and
then try to fall asleep (whereupon he certainly will not be able to tell the
difference between the two phrases indicated by the Talmud). This position is
shared by the Kol Bo and Mishnah Berurah, and is similar to that of Maimonides.
Many kinds of merry-making and mockery are indulged in on Purim, so that among
the masses it is believed that "on Purim everything is allowed". However,
Jewish leaders such as the Chafetz Chaim and modern-day heads of yeshivas insist
on decorum even in the midst of the merry-making. Men should not dress in women's
attire (according to some halakhic rulings), nor engage in ribald jokes about
their teachers or Jewish leaders, even in the "spirit" of Purim. |
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Masquerading
Dressing up in masks and costumes is
one of the most entertaining customs of the Purim holiday. Children in particular
enjoy dressing up as the protagonists in the Book of Esther, including Queen
Esther and Mordechai; other Biblical personalities such as King David and the
Kohen Gadol (High Priest), and modern-day costumes from flower girls to Indians
to animals to policemen. Costumes and masks are worn to disguise the wearers'
identities. Mistaken identity plays an important role in The Book of Esther,
as Esther hid her cultural origins from the king, Mordechai hid his knowledge
of all the world's languages (which allowed Bigthan and Teresh to discuss their
plot openly in his presence), and Haman was mistaken for Mordechai when he led
Mordechai through the streets of the capital city of Shushan (according to the
Talmud, Haman's daughter, thinking that it must be Mordechai leading her father
around, dumped a chamber pot on her father's head as he passed by, and, realizing
her error, committed suicide). The one who is truly hidden behind all the events
of the Megillah is God. The Jewish Sages referred to His role as "hester
panim", or "hiding of the Face", which is also hinted at
in the Hebrew name for the Book of Esther, Megillat Esther—literally,
"revelation of [that which is] hidden"). Although Jews believe that
everything turned out in the end for the best as a direct result of Divine intervention
(that is, a series of miracles), the Book of Esther lacks any mention of God's
name and appears to have been nothing more than a result of natural occurrences.
In remembrance of how God remained hidden throughout the Purim miracle, Jews
dress up on Purim and many hide their faces. The custom of masquerading on Purim
was first introduced among the Italian Jews about the close of the fifteenth
century under the influence of the Roman carnival. This custom spread over all
countries where Jews lived, except perhaps the Orient. The first among Jewish
authors to mention this custom is Judah Minz (d. 1508 at Venice) in his Responsa
no. 17, quoted by Moses Isserles on Orach Chayim 696:8. He expresses the opinion
that, since the purpose of the masquerade is only merrymaking, it should not
be considered a transgression of the Biblical law regarding dress. Although
some authorities issued prohibitions against this custom, the people did not
heed them, and the more lenient view prevailed. The custom is still practiced
today amongst religious Jews of all denominations, and among both religious
and non-religious Israelis. In Israel there are Purim parades, and men, women,
boys and girls celebrate publicly in costumes and masks. |
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Songs
Traditional Purim songs include "Mishenichnas
Adar marbim be-simcha" ("From the beginning of [the Hebrew month of]
Adar, joy increases"—Mishnah Taanith 4:1), "LaYehudim haisah
orah ve-simchah ve-sasson ve-kar" ("The Jews had light and gladness,
joy and honor"—Esther 8:16), and "Chayav inish livesumei"
("There is an obligation to drink"—Talmud Megilla 7b). The prayer,
"Shoshanat Yaakov", read at the conclusion of the Megillah reading,
is often sung to various popular melodies.
Traditional Foods
During Purim it is traditional to serve
triangular pastries—called hamantaschen ("Haman's pockets")
in Yiddish and oznei Haman ("Haman's ears") in modern Hebrew. A sweet
cookie dough is rolled out, cut into circles, and traditionally filled with
a sweet poppyseed filling, then wrapped up into a triangular shape with the
filling either hidden or showing. More recently, prunes, dates, apricots, and
chocolate fillings have been introduced. The pastry's triangular shape could
either represent the tri-cornered hat which Haman wore, or the alleged shape
of his ears. Kreplach, a kind of dumpling filled with cooked meat, chicken or
liver and served in soup, is also traditionally served on Purim. |
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Shushan Purim
Shushan Purim (the 15th day of Adar)
is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem and Shushan (in Iran) celebrate Purim.
The Book of Esther explains that while the Jews in unwalled cities fought their
enemies on the 13th of Adar and rested on the 14th, the Jews in the walled capital
city of Shushan spent the 13th and 14th defeating their enemies, and rested
on the 15th (Esther 9:20-22). Although Mordechai and Esther decreed that only
walled cities should celebrate Purim on the 15th, in commemoration of the battle
in the walled city of Shushan, the Jewish Sages noted that Jerusalem, the focus
of Jewish life, lay in ruins during the events of the Book of Esther. To make
sure that a Persian city was not honored more than Jerusalem, they made the
determination of which cities were walled by referring to ancient cities walled
during the time of Joshua. This allowed Jerusalem to be included on the basis
of that criteria; paradoxically, they included Shushan as the exceptional case
since the miracle occurred there, even though it did not have a wall in Joshua's
time. The Megillah is also read on the 15th in a number of other cities in Israel—such
as Jaffa, Acre, Safed and Hebron—but only as a custom based on a doubt
over whether these cities were walled during the time of Joshua. These cities
therefore celebrate Purim on the 14th, and the additional Megillah reading on
the 15th is a stringency. Jews in these cities do not recite the blessings over
the reading of the Megillah on the 15th. |
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Purim Katan
In leap years on the Hebrew calendar,
Purim is celebrated in the second month of Adar. (The Karaites, however, celebrate
it in the first month of Adar.) The 14th of the first Adar is then called Purim
Katan ("Little Purim" in Hebrew), for which there have been set forth
certain observances similar to those for Purim proper, with the exception of
reading the Megillah, sending gifts to the poor, and fasting on the 13th of
the month. The distinctions between the first and the second Purim in leap years
are mentioned in the Mishnah (Megillah 1/46b; compare Orach Chayim 697).
Other "Purims"
Until recently, many Jewish communities
around the world celebrated local "Purims" that commemorated its deliverance
from a particular anti-semitic ruler or group. The best known is Purim Vintz,
traditionally celebrated in Frankfurt am Main, one week after the regular Purim.
This commemorates the Fettmilch uprising (1616-1620), in which one Vincenz Fettmilch
attempted to exterminate the Jewish community [1]. According to some sources,
the influential Rabbi Moses Sofer (the Hatam Sofer), who was born in Frankfurt,
celebrated Purim Vintz every year, even when he served as a rabbi in Pressburg.
Many Jewish families have also had "family Purims" throughout the
centuries, celebrated at home, whereby they celebrate their escape from persecution,
an accident, or any other type of misfortune.
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