THE JEWISH NEWS

FEBRUARY 18, 1994

A Toast
To Jewish Living

oitettilo A Purim Se'udah Fit For Kings, Queens, Assorted Royalty

By HARLENE W. APPELMAN

Continued on page 56

My Kind of Se'udah

By RABBI AARON BERGMAN

The Purim se'udah, the festive
meal we eat on the day of Purim, is
my kind of mitzvah. We get as much
credit with God for eating lots of our
favorite foods on this day as we do
for fasting on Yom Kippur.
The Zohar in fact says that on
Purim one can accomplish with
pleasure what one can accomplish on
Yom Kippur through affliction.
Religious feeling can be stirred as
much by appreciating the good things
that God has given us as it can be by
depriving ourselves. Jews who are
constantly making themselves
miserable in order to be closer to God
miss out in the joys that also bring us
closer.
The very first Purim se'udah took
place after the Jews of Persia
defeated their enemies and

prevented Haman's evil decree from
coming true. Out of a sense of relief
and thanksgiving they made great
feasts. We continue to celebrate even
two thousand years later for a
number of reasons.
Just like the Passover seder, it is
an annual reminder of our constant
struggle to remain free. We were
slaves in Egypt and we were in grave
danger in Persia. The Purim se'udah
is a delicious reminder that we have
thrived, while our enemies always fall
in the long run. Unlike the seder, it is
less work and causes less anxiety;
reason enough to celebrate it.
Feasts are a critical component of
the Purim story. If Vashti had not
refused to show herself at the king's
feast, Esther would never have
become queen. If Esther had not
made a feast, Haman would not have
been exposed as the monster he

was. Our own feasts at home
become a reenactment of these
fortuitous events. As all good
teachers know, empathy is key to
understanding.
By mandating a Purim feast, the
rabbis of the Talmudgive us a
greater opportunity to really
understand the holiday. By hearing
the story, by dressing in the
costumes of ancient Persia and
recreating the feast we put ourselves
back into history. We do not just read
of Jews who were saved. We
become them, sharing their sorrow
and joy. This is what being a Jew is
all about.
So, eat up, and drink, too. It's an
order.

Rabbi Bergman serves
Congregation Beth Abraham Hillel
Moses and Hillel Day School.

a)

CO

FEBRU AR Y

Celebrating Purim with a se'udah
(feast) is a Purim opportunity. Think
about creating a Purim meal as a
theme party. Plan the party like any
birthday party you've planned before.
Send silly invitations or leave riddles
on answering machines.
Start the fun before the feast.
Make centerpieces with the kids or
buy them at the party store. Clowns
are a great theme for decorations.
Hats are more easily worn than
masks. Everyone can wear a funny
hat and be comfortable. Invite your
guests to create hats around your
theme. There really are no rules for
this celebration. So you can only suc-
ceed. It's also a great opportunity to
involve children in planning a fun-
filled Jewish celebration.
Themes that might be fun are:
1. Kings, Queens and those in
between
2. Clowning Around
3. Aladdin — The Jewish Version
Traditionally, the Purim meal
begins before sundown on the day of
Purim. Invite some other families. Let
it be potluck, and invite your guests to
bring food fit for a king and queen, or
come up with funny containers for
their offerings. You might want them
to create cookie castles.
Ask your guests to prepare a
Purim skit: maybe a funny family
event or video or something more in
line with the Purim story. They could
create a Purim rap. Let the kids put
on a talent show for you or tell knock-
knock jokes or come up with riddles.
This is a great time to invite sever-
al families for a mini-Purim carnival in
your home. By creating a set of Purim
bean bags and using some very sim-
ple props, a series of almost non-
destructive games can be set up in
which everyone can be a winner. A
trip to the local discount store will
supply you with enough prizes to
make your carnival authentic. What's
really nice about this is that eventual-

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