Spirituality

HOLIDAY 101

Purim At A Glance

Remembering our victory over Haman.

Elizabeth Applebaum

Special to the Jewish News

W

hen it happens: The 14th day
of Adar, which this year corre-
sponds to sundown, Thursday,
March 20, until sundown, Friday, March 21
(the beginning of Shabbat).

• What it commemorates: How
Queen Esther and Mordechai thwarted
the plans of the evil Haman to kill all the
Jews during the reign of King Ahaseurus
(Achashverosh) of ancient Persia (4th cen-
tury B.C.E).

• What the name of the holiday
means: Purim means "lots" (objects —
such as dice — used in making a choice
by chance). It refers to the lots cast by
Haman to determine the month in which
to exterminate the Jews (Esther 3:7; 9:26).

• Ceremonies and rituals: The main
event of Purim is the public reading of
Megilat Ester, the Book of Esther (or
Scroll of Esther), commonly known as
the Megillah (which in Hebrew means
"scroll").
The day before Purim is Ta'anit Ester,
the Fast of Esther. This fast begins in the
morning (6:23 a.m. Detroit time) and
ends at sundown, although we do not eat
until after Ma'ariv, the evening prayer ser-
vice, when Purim starts.

In synagogues, the Megillah is read dur-
ing the evening service. Some synagogues
hold additional readings after the service.
The Megillah also is read in the synagogue
the next morning, during the Shacharit
service. Some synagogues hold further
readings later in the morning.

Hebrew ("sending portions") or shlach-
moness in Yiddish — consist of at least
two different types of food ready to eat or
that can be enjoyed with minimal prepa-
ration.
2) Give money to the poor. The mini-
mum amount is the lowest denomination
of currency and it must be given to at least
two poor persons. (Still, it is proper to be
generous.)
3) Eat a festive meal. On Purim, include
more wine or liquor with the meal than
usual, enough to make things lively but
not to become drunk. Begin the meal dur-
ing the daylight hours of Purim, though it
may extend into the evening after Purim.
This year, with Purim falling on a Friday,
it goes straight into Shabbat, so it's advis-
able to conclude the Purim feast during
the daylight hours. (It is proper to eat a
festive meal on Shabbat also, and the rab-
bis advise us to enter Shabbat with a good
appetite.)

• How to celebrate: Attend both the
evening and morning readings of the
Megillah. Drown out every mention of
Haman's name by booing and hissing, or
use any type of noisemaker. The tradition-
al 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: The lovely
Queen Esther of Persia is actually the
Jewish girl, Hadassah; loyal palace guards
are scheming insurgents; the great con-
queror, King Ahaseurus, can be a drunken
lecher; the capable administrator, Haman,
is a genocidal maniac; events seem to hap-
pen by themselves, but all is ordained by
God.
• Other rules and regulations: In
Accordingly, adults as well as children
the Shemoneh Esrey, or Amidah (silent,
dress in costume. Because the Jews sur-
standing) prayer, and in Birkat Ha-Mazon
vived the planned massacre, Purim is a
(grace after meals), include the prayer of
festival of joy and a day of fun. Carnivals,
Al Ha-Nisim. Do not recite the Tachanun
humorous skits, practical jokes and gen-
(penitential) prayer at morning and after-
eral silliness are all part of the day.
noon services. Unlike the major holy days,
In addition to Megillah, we observe
on Purim all manner of work is permitted:
three practices:
fires may be kindled, electricity may be
1) Send gifts of food to fellow Jews. The
turned on and off, cars may be driven, etc.
gifts — known as mishloach manot in

• The day after Purim: The day is
known as 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 at the
time of Joshua celebrate Purim on the 15th
of Adar. Jerusalem is one such place.
The only walled city in North America
(north of Mexico) is the Old Town district
of Quebec City, Canada. ❑

Purim Limerick

He was reading di gantze Megila*
Tzu zein** Hershl und*** Dovid
und Tzila.
But when he drank abisel****
liquor
And he became a little shiker*****
He couldn't tell hip-hop from
"Hava Nagila."

* di gantze Megila – the whole

Megillah
** tzu zein – to his

*** und – and
**** abisel – a little
***** shiker – drunk

Rachel Kapen of West Bloomfield prepared this
limerick in memory of Mary Jo Fleischman,
longtime JN Yiddish limerick writer.

March 20 • 2008

A35