PI

To Life!

APPLE -TREE

Happy

Purim.

Elizabeth Applebaum

Contributing Editor

• When The Holiday Occurs:
The 14th day of Adar, which this
year corresponds to sundown
Monday, March 13, until sun-
down Tuesday, March 14.

• Why We Celebrate: Purim
recalls how Queen Esther and
Mordechai thwarted the plans of
Haman to kill all the Jews during
the reign of King Ahasuerus of
ancient Persia (4th century BCE).
The name "Purim" means
"lots," objects used in making a
choice by chance, such as dice,
and refers to the lots cast by
Haman to determine the month
in which to exterminate the Jews.

gogues hold further readings
later in the morning.

• How We Celebrate: During
both the evening and morning
readings of the Megillah, drown
out with sound every mention of
Haman's name. You can boo and
hiss or use any type of noise
maker. The traditional type that
spins and makes a clicking noise
is known in Yiddish as a grogger.
One of the main themes of
Purim is that things are not as
they seem. Accordingly, everyone
can dress in costume. Purim is a
festival of joy and a day of fun
filled with humorous skits, prac-
tical jokes and general silliness.
Aside from hearing the megillah,
we observe three practices:

• Send gifts of food to fellow
Jews.
The gifts, known as mishloach
manot in Hebrew ("sending por-
tions"), or shlachmoness in
Yiddish, consist of at least two dif-
ferent types of food that are ready
to eat-or can be enjoyed with min-
imal preparation.
The most popular item in
mishloach manot is undoubtedly
hamantashen, triangular-shaped
cookies. Most rabbis believe the
shape harkens back to Queen
Esther, whose greatness was
inspired by the three patri-
archs, Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob.
Hamantashen are, of
course, the most popular
item for inclusion in mishloach
f
manot, but if you would like to
/ expand your repertoire a bit, con-
sider kreplach, or sweet-and-sour
dumplings. Kreplach on Purim is
Maariv, the evening prayer serv- traditional among some families
because the chopped meat is said
ice, when Purim begins.
to reflect the loud stamping and
In most synagogues, the
clapping that occurs whenever we
megillah is read during the
hear Haman's name during the
evening service (some syna-
reading of Megillat Esther.
gogues hold additional readings
Certain Chassidic Jews enjoy
after the service). The Megillah
sweet-and-sour foods on Purim
also is read in the,synagogue the
because these reflect the sweet-
next morning, during the
and-sour aspects of the time: a
Shacharit service. Some syna-

• Ceremonies And Rituals: The
main event of Purim is the public
reading of Megillat Esther, the
Book of Esther, commonly known
as the Megillah. The day before
Purim is Taanit Esther, the Fast of
Esther. This begins in the morn-
ing and ends at sundown,
although we do not eat until after

,

The background of the
holiday and some
little-known facts.

fast day followed by one of cele-
bration.
How did the whole idea of
mishloach manot get started?
In Hebrew, mishloach manot
literally means "sending portions!'
In Megillat Esther 9:22, we are
directed to send these "portions"
as a way of expressing joy for
Esther's victory.

• Give money to at least two
poor persons.
Eat a festive meal. On Purim,
include more wine or liquor with
the meal than usual, enough to
make things lively, but
not so much as to be
unable to recite the
grace after meals. The
repast may extend into
the evening after Purim,
but it must begin during
the daylight hours of the
day.

• Bet You Didn't Know...
• Purim is unique in the annals
of Jewish history for many rea-
sons. First, God's name is never
mentioned in Megillat Esther. This
is because the megillah was writ-
ten as a scroll and sent through-
out Persia to tell the story. Writers
preferred not to write God's name,
fearing the scroll might be thrown
away or otherwise improperly
handled.
•Another unusual fact about
the holiday is that the events
occurred outside Israel. Every
other miracle since the Exodus
that is commemorated with a hol-
iday took place within the Land of
Israel.
• The day after Purim is
Shushan Purim. The Jews of
Shushan, Persia's capital city, did
not gain their deliverance until
the 15th of Adar (Esther 9:18).
Because Shushan was a walled
city, it became the law that Jews
who live in walled cities, or in
cities walled from the time of
Joshua, celebrate Purim on the
15th of Adar. Jerusalem is one
such place. The only place in

North America that qualifies is
Quebec City, Canada.

•Rules And Regulations: In the
Shemoneh Esrey, or Amidah prayer,
and in Birkat Ha-Mazon (grace
after meals), include the prayer of
Al Ha Nisim. Do not recite the
Tachanun (penitential) prayer at
morning and afternoon services.
Unlike the major holy days, on
Purim all manner of work is per-
mitted: fires may be kindled, elec-
tricity may be turned on and off,
cars may be driven, etc.

• Little Purims: In 1942, the
Nazis threatened the Jewish com-
munity of Casablanca, but noth-
ing ever happened — and the
Jewish community there survived
intact. In honor of this occasion,
and in gratitude to God, the rabbis
instituted a Purim Katan, a minor
Purim, on the 2nd of Kislev. This
one bears the name of its cruel
instigator: Purim Hitler.
Jewish history is filled with
Purims Katan, other occasions
which, like their namesake, mark
extraordinary times when God
has saved the Jewish people.
These generally are observed by
the individual Jewish communi-
ties affected, celebrated
with a meal and charitable
donations. Some commu-
nities also would institute
a fast before the Purim
Katan, and read a scroll
recounting how the com-
munity was saved.
A few of the Purims
Katan from Jewish histo-
ry include:
In 1339 , the king's advis-
er, Gonzales Martinez, hoped to
annihilate the entire Jewish com-
munity of Spain.: His plans were

thwarted, and Purim Martinez is
observed on the 1st of Adar.
In 1742, a terrible earthquake
destroyed much of the town of
Leghorn, Italy. The Jewish corn-
munity survived. This is observed
on the 12th of Shevat.
In 1744, the Jews of Mstislavl,
Russia, were saved from destruc-
tion by the Cossacks. This Purim
Katan is observed on the 4th of
Shevat.
In 1722, the Baghdad Jewish
community was relieved from
oppression by the Persians. The
Purim Katan is on the 11th of Av.
In 1809, an earthquake rocked
the city of Sermide, Italy, and once
again the Jewish community sur-
vived. Observed on the 25th of
Tammuz.
In 1819, 10 leaders of the
Srajevo Jewish community were
falsely charged and set to be exe-
cuted. They were freed, and this
Purim Katan is celebrated on the
4th of Cheshvan.
In 1806, the Jewish community
of Bulgaria feared attack when
rumors spread that the country's
leader had died of poisoning at
the hands of his Jewish physician.
Yet the community was
unharmed. Observed on the 4th
and 5th (sometimes the 9th and
10th) of Cheshvan.
In 1648, Poland's Bogdan
Chelminicki planned an attack on
the Jewish community of
Medzibezh. The Jews were saved,
and this Purim Katan comes on
the 11th of Tevet.

❑

March 9 • 2006

19