Spirituality
HOLIDAY 101
Purim At A Glance
Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News
W
hen it happens: The 14th
day of Adar, which this year
corresponds to sundown,
Monday, March 9, until sundown, Tuesday,
March 10.
• 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
century BCE).
• 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 deter-
mine the month in which to exterminate
the Jews (Esther 3:7; 9:26).
• Ceremonies and Rituals: The
main event of Purim is the public
oao
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 morn-
ing (Monday, 6:43 a.m.
Detroit time) and ends
at sundown (8:01 p.m.),
although we do not eat
until after Ma'ariv, the
evening prayer service,
when Purim starts.
In synagogues, the
Megillah is read dur-
ing the evening
service. Some hold additional readings
after the service. The Megillah also is
read in the synagogue the next morning
(Tuesday), during the Shacharit service.
Some synagogues hold further readings
later in the morning.
• 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
during daylight, but if it extends into the
evening when Purim is over, that's OK.
• 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 noise maker. The traditional type
that spins and makes a clicking noise is
known in Yiddish as a gregger.
One of the main themes of Purim is
that things are not as they seem: the
beautiful Queen Esther of Persia is actu-
ally the Jewish girl, Hadassah; loyal pal-
ace guards are scheming insurrectionists;
the great conqueror, King Ahaseurus, is a
drunken lecher; the capable administra-
tor, Haman, is a genocidal maniac; events
seem to happen by themselves, but all is
determined by God. In accordance with
the theme, children and adults hide their
identity by dressing in costume.
Because the Jews survived the planned
massacre, Purim is a festival of joy and
a time of fun. Carnivals, skits, practical
jokes and silliness are all part of the day.
• Other rules and regulations: In the
Amidah (silent, standing) prayer and
in Birkat HaMazon (grace after meals),
include the prayer Al HaNisim. Do not
recite the daily Tachanun (penitential)
prayer at morning and afternoon services.
On Purim, unlike other holidays, work is
permitted: fires may be kindled, electricity
turned on, cars driven, money handled, etc.
In addition, we observe three practices:
• Send gifts of food to fellow Jews. The
gifts — known as mishloach manot in
Hebrew ("sending portions") or shlach-
moness in Yiddish — consist of at least
two types of food ready to eat or that can
be enjoyed with minimal preparation.
• Give money to the poor — generous-
ly, to the best of your ability. The mini-
mum amount is the lowest denomination
of currency (1 cent), and it must be given
to at least two poor persons. The rabbis
teach that donations to the poor should
form the bulk of our Purim expense.
• The day after Purim 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 that were walled
at the time of Joshua (the leader who
succeeded Moses, about 1,400 BCE) cele-
brate Purim on the 15th of Adar. The Old
City of Jerusalem is one such place. The
only walled city in North America (north
of Mexico) is the Old Town district of
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. P1
Elizabeth Applebaum is a marketing spe-
cialist at the Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit.
Purim
Limerick
Ahasuerus, a groyser* fool
und Mordechai der Yid** so cool.
Esther zayer shain*** und brave
Asked der king her folk to save.
Now, kinderlach,**** make noise in shul!
groyser — big
und Mordechai der Yid
— and Mordechai the Jew
zayer shain — very beautiful
kinderlach — little kids
Rachel Kapen of West Bloomfield writes
Yiddish limericks in memory of Martha Jo
Fleischmann, the late JN limerick writer.
A28
March 5 • 2009
Holiday Discussions
Rabbi David Ackerman, national
outreach director for the Jewish
Theological Seminary in New York, will
teach Kollot study sessions locally the
week of Purim.
He will discuss
"Purim's Legacy
of Violence
noon Wednesday,
March 11, at Sun
Communities,
27777 Franklin
Rabbi
Road, Suite 200,
Ackerman
Southfield. A dairy
lunch is available
and walk-ins are welcome.
Wednesday evening, March 11,
Rabbi Ackerman will teach at a pri-
vate home in Huntington Woods
about "The Masks We Wear (and
What They Say About Us)."
For reservations: (248) 258-0055 or
beroth@jtsa.edu.
Rabbi Ackerman will lead a program
for Adat Shalom parents and fifth-
and sixth-grade children at 5:30 p.m.
March 11. At 8 a.m. Thursday, March
12, he will speak to Hillel Day School of
Metropolitan Detroit parents.
Visit sponsors arethe Detroit
Jewish Theological Seminary Cabinet,
chaired by Norma Dorman and Steve
Weisberg.
Purim Celebration
Adat Shalom Synagogue will host its
Purim Party Plus fundraiser Sunday,
March 8. A "Wild Wild West" party
will include a buffet, music and prizes.
On Monday, March 9, the Mega-
Megillah evening begins at 6 p.m.
with a Purim story by Rabbi Aaron
Bergman for kids through kindergar-
ten age. Rabbi Rachel Shere will lead a
Mishpacha Minyan Megillah Reading
for older kids and their families. At
6:30, a carnival will include entertain-
ment by Joe Cornell. The Megillah
reading by Adat Shalom teens begins
at 7:15 p.m., led by Noah Betman,
Cameron Blum, Vanessa Farkas, Abbie
Ginis, Ali Gornbein, Jill Gornbein,
Victoria Greenstein, Elizabeth Isack,
Zach Jirik, Josh Morof, Sydney Rosen,
Jonathan Schiff, Danielle Schostak,
Zoe Soble and Alex Vieder.
On Wednesday morning, March 11,
nursery and kindergarten youngsters
will have Purim activities in class.
The sisterhood will hold a Purim
luncheon on Thursday, March 12. for
JVS, Kadima and JARC clients.
For charges/reservations: (248)
851-5100 or info@adatshalom.org .