Hava Nedaber Ivrit: A Time For Narbim B'Simha'
By NIRA LEV
Each month in this space,
L'Chayim will present a Hebrew
lesson entitled, "Hava Nedaber
Ivrit!" (Let's Speak Hebrew), whose
aim is to encourage further study of
Hebrew. The lesson will include a
brief story utilizing the Hebrew
words to be studied and a
vocabulary list with English
translations. The lessons will be
prepared by Nira Lev, associate
professor of Hebrew language and
literature at the Midrasha College of
Jewish Studies. Mrs. Lev also
teaches Hebrew language and
literature at the Community Jewish
High School at the United Hebrew
Schools.
Following is this month's
lesson:
Of all the mitzvot relating to our
hagim yehudiyim the one most
readily and happily fulfilled is the
mitzvah to be happy on Purim.
Megillat-Ester commands us to
celebrate Purim as "Y'mey
mishteh" and "yom toe mishloah
manot to the poor and to one
another. The rabbis tell us that
when chodesh Adar begins
"marbim b'simha." The reason for
this simha and tzahala is the
celebration of nitzahon Mordechai
and Ester over Haman Ha'rasha,
who sought to destroy all the Jews
in Paras. This hag actually
celebrates the nitzahon of our am
against the oyvim, the evil forces
who wish to destroy us.
Purim, which is celebrated on
the 14th of Adar, derives its shem
from the word "pur," meaning "lot."
It recalls the lots that Haman cast to
determine when to destroy the
Jews. The highlight of this hag is
the public reading of Megillat-Ester.
The seepur of the megillah revolves
around four main characters:
Hameleh Ahashverosh, king of
Persia, Hamalkah Ester, Haman
harasha and Mordehai. Ester is
chosen in a beauty contest to be
the malkah over Vashti who is
banished. Haman becomes the
king's chief sar, and when Mordehai
refuses to bow down to him, he
decides to kill all Jews by
convincing the Meleh to hang them
all. Mordehai and Ester succeed in
thwarting these tohniyot. Haman is
hanged and the Jews celebrate their
nitzahon over their oyvim.
Megillat Ester is unusual
because the name of Hashem is
never mentioned in the seepur. The
point it makes is that it is through
the peulot and ma'asim of anashim
that Hashem manifests His
presence in history. B'ney adam are
the shutafim of Hashem in the
process of geulah.
Since Purim is a hag of simha
all the minhagim of this hag are
intended to enhance and increase
our hana'ah and simha. A special
seudah is held on this day, recalling
the royal mishteh at which Ester
obtained the annulment of Haman's
g'zeirah ra'ah. Another minhag
enjoyed by all is mishloah manot
(often called shalah monos). This
came to mean sending matanot shel
ohel to our haverim and krovim.
Since it is a mitzvah to be sameah
on Purim, we have to help other
anashim to be happy as well.
Therefore, as is typical in other
Jewish hagim, we have to give
tz'daka to the aniyim. It was the
minhag long ago to make a special
communal appeal for the aniyim on
Purim so that they might have a
proper Seudat Purim.
Last, but not least, is the
minhag enjoyed by young and old
to wear tahposot, to masquerade
and to put on a purim play, allowing
people to be completely free and
discard restraints.
Meelon
mitzvah ..a religious commandment
mitzvot ...religious commandments
holiday
hag
holidays
hagim
Megillat-Ester ....The book of Ester
a scroll
megillah
days of feasting
y'mey mishteh
yom tov ....a holiday ("a good day)
mishloah manot sending of portions,
sending of gifts
chodesh Adar ...The month of Adar
marbim b'simha one increases
happiness, doing many
things to be happy
joy
tzahala
victory
nitzahon
the wicked
ha'rasha
Persia
Paras
nation
am
enemies
oyvim
name
shem
a story
seepur
the King
ha'meleh
a queen
malkah
minister
sar
king
meleh
plan
tohnit
plans
tohniyot
God
Hashem
activity
peulah
activities
peulot
a deed
ma'aseh
deeds
ma'asim
people
anashim
human beings
b'ney adam
partner
shutaf
partners
shutafim
redemption
geulah
custom
minhag
customs
minhagim
pleasure
hana'ah
a festive meal
seudah
a feast, a banquet
mishteh
a decree
g'zeirah
bad, evil
rah
bad, evil (feminine)
ra'ah
a gift
matanah
gifts
matanot
food
ohel
gifts of food
matanot shel ohel
friends
haverim
relatives
krovim
happy
sameah
charity
tz'daka
poor people
aniyim
costumes
tahposot
Why I Like Purim
By ELMA EHRLICH LEVINGER
Now I like Hanukkah a lot,
And Sukkot in the fall,
And Pesah, but I think that I
Love Purim most of all.
Maybe it's 'cause I like to watch
My mother when she bakes;
And help her pound the shiny stuff
She puts in Purim cakes.
The kitchen air smells awful sweet;
I just won't go away.
Till she gives me a Hamantash
And sends me out to play.
Then father takes us all to Shul,
Me, mother and the boys;
It's more fun than the reglar days,
`Cause I can make a noise.
At home, we put on mother's
clothes—
Her oldest ones, I mean; -
And cousin Rachel dresses up
And tries to act a queen.
For then we give our Purim play
And laugh and dance and cheer;
Say, don't I wish that Purim came
'Bout twenty times a year!
Reprinted from "The Purim
Anthology," by Philip Goodman,
1949.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
L 3
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