Celebrating Purim at KCT

KEHILLAT CHOVEVEI TZION
SHABBAT AND PURIM SERVICES
February - March 2013
Adar - Nisan 5773
Parshat Mishpatim (Shabbat Shekalim)
Friday
February 8
Saturday
February 9
6:00 PM
9:00 AM
5:00 PM
Parshat Terumah
Friday
Saturday
February 15
February 16
6:00 PM
9:00 AM
5:09 PM
Parshat Tetzaveh (Shabbat Zachor)
Friday
February 22
Saturday
February 23
6:00 PM
9:00 AM
5:17 PM
Erev Purim
Megillah Reading
Saturday Evening February 23
7:30 PM
Parshat Ki Tissa (Shabbat Parah)
Friday
March 1
Saturday
March 2
6:00 PM
9:00 AM
5:25 PM
Parshat V’yachel - Pekudei (Shabbat HaChodesh)
Friday
March 8
6:00 PM
Saturday
March 9
9:00 AM
5:33 PM
Parshat Vayikra
Friday
Saturday
6:41 PM
March 15
March 16
6:00 PM
9:00 AM
With the start of Nisan, comes the call to “Begin Pesach Preparations”!
Parshat Tzav (Shabbat HaGadol *)
Friday
March 22
Saturday
March 23
6:05 PM
9:00 AM
6:48 PM
* Happy Anniversary to the entire Kehillah Mishpacha!
Erev Pesach Monday evening
March 25
14-15 Nisan
Be sure to see the upcoming Pesach mailing for holiday service times!
MEGILLAH READING AT KCT
SATURDAY EVENING
FEBRUARY 23RD
7:30 PM
Proclaiming the Holiday of Purim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megillat Esther 9:1-4
Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the
king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies
of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews
had rule over them that hated them.) The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities
throughout all the provinces of the king Achashuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and
no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. And all the rulers of the
provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because
the fear of Mordechai fell upon them. For Mordechai was great in the king's house, and his fame
went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
~
Purim 5773
While Purim is but a minor two day holiday, its celebration and commemoration actually
occupies two full weeks and contains numerous, customs, traditions and mitzvot. The Mishna
teaches that . . . .
mishenichnos Adar marbeen b’simcha - ‫משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה‬
From the time that Adar begins, we are to increase our simcha - our happiness.
Adar is a happy month; the silly frivolity of Purim is in the air which means that Pesach cannot
be far away. Here is an overview of the extended Purim celebration.
The Purim Holiday in Overview:
Its Meaning, Words and Practices
Drawn from the writings of Rabbi Stanley Asekoff, of Congregation Bnai Shalom
in West Orange, NJ
The start of the month of Adar (this year, Adar begins on the evening of February 23) is a reminder
to commence the merrymaking in anticipation of the holiday of Purim. This famous Rabbinic
statement indicates the wonderfully happy overtones attributed to the entire month of Adar.
SHABBAT ZACHOR (March 3 this year). The Shabbat immediately prior to Purim is called
Shabbat Zachor (the Sabbath of Remembrance) because, on this Shabbat, it is customary to read
a special section from the Torah (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) that instructs us to remember what the
Nation of Amalek did to the Jewish People as they were fleeing from Egypt - they attacked them
and attempted to destroy them, singling out the rear of the column of marchers where the elderly,
frail, and weak were gathered. God says that He will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek
from under the heavens. This is read prior to Purim because of the tradition that Haman was
descended from Amalek, along with a special Haftorah Zachor haftorah (I Samuel 15:2-34) which
discusses G-d's command to King Saul to destroy the people of Amalek.
TA’ANIT ESTHER (The Fast of Esther, Thursday, February 21). It is customary to observe a
daytime fast (from sun-up to sun-down) on the day before Purim (or if it falls out on Friday, to
observe the fast two days before Shabbat) in commemoration of the Fast observed by Queen
Esther prior to her appearance before Achashuerus to intercede with him in behalf of her people.
MEGILLAT ESTHER (The Scroll of Esther) is the Biblical book containing the story of Purim. We
actually read the story in the synagogue on Purim from a parchment scroll, being very careful to
rattle the graggers whenever the name Haman is mentioned, but only then. The mitzvah is to hear
all of the words of the megillah.
MACHATZIT HASHEKEL (The half-shekel). This refers to the half shekel that was collected in
ancient days for the upkeep of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a reminder of the custom that
developed and is mentioned in Megillat Esther of giving gifts of money to the poor on Purim. (It is
the KCT long-standing custom mid-way through the Megillah reading, that all attendees - men,
women and youngsters - contribute exactly one dollar, not more, not less, as our fulfillment of this
precious custom.)
RA’ASHANIM (Graggers) are noise makers used during the reading of the Megillah every time the
name of Haman is mentioned to fulfill the Biblical statement that God would wipe out the name of
Amalek from under the heavens. The Hebrew word for gragger is Ra’ashan.
MATANOT LA’EVYONIM (Gifts for the poor). In ancient Persia, the Jews celebrated Purim by
giving gifts to the poor, from which is derived the custom that we should put at least two coins of
the realm into at least two different tzedakah “pushkes” at the conclusion of the reading of the
Megillah.
MISHLOACH MANOT (Sending food gifts) to friends is a
Purim tradition also derived from the Megillah. We read that
the Jews of Persia celebrated Purim by sending such gifts to
their friends. On Purim day, we send at least two plates
containing at least two different kinds of foods to at least two
friends. Some make this gift even more elaborate, in baskets
with decorations, and several additional types of foods and
drink.
PURIM GELT (Purim money) refers to the custom of giving
two coins to any child who brings Mishloach Manot to our
homes on Purim day. Chanukah gelt is derived from Purim
gelt and in recent years, the latter seems to have been
gaining in popularity.
SHUSHAN PURIM Shushan was the capital city of Persia. Because the Jews of Shushan were
saved one day later than all the other Persian Jews, and consequently celebrated Purim one day
later, it has become customary that all Jews living in cities that had walls surrounding them in the
days of Joshua celebrate Shushan Purim. So the Jews of Jerusalem, for example, celebrate Purim
one day later.
DRESSING IN COSTUME on Purim has become a venerable custom. Why costumes? As a
reminder that although God’s presence in the Purim story was not mentioned, He was there, in
disguise, so to speak, and it was He who helped Esther and Mordechai save the Jews.
OZNAY HAMAN (Haman’s Ears in Hebrew and in Yiddish HAMANTASHEN -“Pockets of Haman”)
are the three cornered pastries containing a variety tasty fillings, such as mon (poppy), apricot,
cherry, and prunes. They remind us of the three cornered hat worn by Haman, the villain of the
Purim story. The original name for this pastry was “muntashen”, “mun” being the Yiddish word for
poppy seeds, The Hebrew name “Oznay Haman” is taken from the older name “Haman Ohren”
(Haman’s ears).
SE’UDAT PURIM-THE FESTIVE PURIM MEAL is a special, celebration meal eaten late on Purim
Day close to sunset and continuing through until dark. It commemorates the festive meals that took
place in Shushan, the capital of Persia, on Purim Day when the Jews were saved from Haman’s
plot of destruction.
~
The Book of Esther: Going Beyond Imagination
Adele Berlin is Professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Maryland. In 2002 she wrote a
wonderful and very accessible commentary on the Book of Esther as part of the JPS
Commentary series. Here is a brief excerpt from her commentary on The Book of Esther.
Megillat Esther, the Book of Esther in the form that we have it in the Hebrew Bible,
provides the story of the origin of Purim, the blueprint for its celebration, and the
authorization for its observance in perpetuity.
The story itself is implausible as history and, as many scholars now agree, it is better
viewed as imaginative storytelling, not unlike others that circulated in the Persian
and Hellenistic periods among Jews of the Land of Israel and of the Diaspora. This
story seems to have been known in several different versions, or to have gone through a number
of different stages in its development, before it was linked with Purim and incorporated into the
Bible.
Diaspora Story
As a Diaspora story--a story about, and presumably for, Jews in the Diaspora during the Persian
period--it provides an optimistic picture of Jewish survival and success in a foreign land. In this it
resembles other Diaspora stories such as the biblical Book of Daniel (chapters 1-6) and the
apocryphal books of Judith and Tobit. But unlike those books, Esther lacks overtly pious characters
and does not model a religious lifestyle.
Esther is the most "secular" of the biblical books, making no reference to God's name, to the
Temple, to prayer, or to distinctive Jewish practices such as kashrut. Yet Esther, of all the biblical
books outside of the Torah, is the only one that addresses the origin of a new festival. For this
reason, if for no other, Esther should be considered a "religious" book. Its main concern, the very
reason for its existence, is to establish Purim as a Jewish holiday for all generations.
Legitimizing Purim
Megillat Esther establishes the Jewishness of the holiday by providing a "historical" event of Jewish
deliverance to be commemorated and an authorization, through the letter of Mordecai, for the
continued commemoration of the event. Just as the more ancient festivals are historicized and their
observance is mandated by the Torah, so Purim is historicized and its observance is mandated by
the Megillah.
The Book of Esther serves as the authorizing document for
Purim, a holiday that is not mentioned in the Torah. But the
Megillah's mandate differs from the Torah's in one crucial
respect: it is careful not to say that God commanded the
observance of Purim. In fact, God is nowhere mentioned in
the book and this absence emphasizes the distinction
between the Torah and its festivals on the one hand and
the Megillah and its festival on the other. The Megillah
makes no suggestion that Purim is an ancient festival that
had been forgotten or neglected. Purim is clearly a new
festival, of recent origin.
The Megillah gives legitimacy to this first post-Torah festival
in a mode that is quasi-traditional but at the same time quite
contemporary. Following tradition, the book's explanation of
Purim as a "historical" event to be commemorated harks
back to the Torah's etiologies (stories of origin) for the Esther approaches King Achashverosh
well-established holidays. But, calling on contemporary practice, the form in which the holiday was
instituted imitates the legal practice of Persia. Purim was legislated in much the same way that all
Persian law was legislated--by means of a document written by the king or his authorized agent
and circulated throughout the empire.
This rhetorical strategy of calling upon both traditional and current forms must have made the
etiology of Purim more compelling to ancient readers. In fact, the Book of Esther, more than
anything else, is responsible for the continued celebration of Purim. It also opened the way for the
establishment of later holidays that, like Purim, could be instituted without divine command if they
commemorated an important event or served an important function in the life of the Jewish people.
Serious Theme, Comic Style
Another successful rhetorical strategy is the combination of a serious theme and a comic style. The
threat of the destruction of the Jews is no laughing matter, but the Book of Esther is hilariously
funny. The raucous Persian court, with its lavish display of luxury and its pervasive drinking parties,
is not the setting we expect for the impending annihilation of the Jewish people. The plot glories
in revelry and bawdiness (and this may be the primary reason for the absence of God's name).
The frivolity of the book's style--with its hyperbole, mockery, and comic misunderstandings and
reversals--undercuts the gravity of its theme. Yet, for the Purim festival this setting, plot, and style
are natural and fitting, part and parcel of the celebration of Purim. The tone of the book fits its
purpose: a comic story for a carnivalesque holiday.
In the Greek versions of Esther, which de-emphasize Purim, the comic elements are diminished.
The Hebrew Esther and the festival of Purim bring us a uniquely irreverent and joyously optimistic
celebration of Jewish identity and Jewish continuity.
~
The Book of Esther is the longest of the five migillot. In ten chapters in tells the Purim story and outlines
its observance. On the next page, is a brief summary of this incredible book – chapter by chapter – but
it is much better in the original.
The 60-Second Megillah
Adapted from "One Hour Purim Primer," by Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf.
CHAPTER 1 -- KING ACHASHVEROSH THROWS A PARTY
A lavish six-month celebration marks the third year in the reign of Achashverosh, king of Persia.
Queen Vashti refuses the king's request to appear at the celebration and display her beauty for the
assembled guests. The king's advisors counsel that Vashti be replaced with a new queen.
CHAPTER 2 -- ESTHER BECOMES THE QUEEN
Across the Persian Empire, officials are appointed to identify beautiful candidates to succeed
Vashti as queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, the niece of Mordechai, is brought to the capital of Persia
as one of the candidates. Mordechai tells Esther to conceal her identity. Esther is chosen to be the
queen. Mordechai learns of a plot to overthrow the king. Mordechai informs Esther, Esther tells
the king, and the plotters are hanged.
CHAPTER 3 -- THE RISE OF HAMAN
Achashverosh appoints Haman to be his prime minister. All bow in
homage to Haman. Mordechai consistently refuses to bow to Haman.
An enraged Haman vows to kill all the Jews of Persia. Haman
prevails upon Achashverosh to destroy the Jews. A royal edict is
disseminated throughout Persia. The 13th of Adar is designated as
the date to exterminate all the Jews and plunder their possessions.
CHAPTER 4 -- ESTHER'S MISSION BECOMES CLEAR
Mordechai tears his clothes and puts on sackcloth and ashes as a
sign of public mourning. Mordechai sends a copy of the decree to
Esther and asks her to intercede with the king. Esther replies that to
approach the king without being summoned is to risk death. Mordechai tells her that she has no
choice. Esther tells Mordechai to ask the Jews to fast and pray for three days before she will
approach the king.
CHAPTER 5 -- ESTHER'S STRATEGY, HAMAN'S FURY
King Achashverosh receives Esther and grants her virtually any request. Esther's request: that the
king and Haman join her at a banquet. After the banquet, Haman sees Mordechai who once again
refuses to bow. Haman's wife, Zeresh, suggests that Mordechai be hung, and the gallows are
prepared.
CHAPTER 6 -- THE REVERSAL BEGINS
The king can't sleep and asks to hear the royal chronicles. For the first time, the king learns of the
assassination plot that Mordechai had revealed. That same night, Haman comes to see the king
about hanging Mordechai. Before Haman can speak, the king tells Haman to honor Mordechai by
dressing him in royal garments, to place him on a royal stallion and to personally lead him through
the streets of Shushan, capital of Persia.
CHAPTER 7 -- REVERSAL OF FORTUNE
At the second banquet, Esther reveals her identity and announces that she and her people are
about to be murdered. Esther identifies Haman as her arch enemy. The king has Haman hung
on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordechai.
CHAPTER 8 -- THE REVERSAL IS COMPLETE
Mordechai is named prime minister to replace Haman. A second royal edict is promulgated
empowering the Jews to fight and kill anyone who would try to harm them.
CHAPTER 9 -- THE HOLIDAY OF PURIM IS ESTABLISHED
On the 13th of Adar, a day that had been designated for Jewish destruction, the Jews are victorious
over their enemies. The 10 sons of Haman are hung. The 14th and 15th of Adar are designated
to celebrate the salvation. These are the days of Purim. Mordechai initiates the Purim practices -consisting of a festive meal, the exchange of gifts of food, and the giving of monetary gifts to the
poor.
CHAPTER 10 -- MORDECHAI AND PERSIA
Persia, with Mordechai as prime minister, flourishes. The role of Mordechai in the history of the
Persian empire is recorded in the king's chronicles..
~
The Concealed Face of God
A theological explanation for why God is not mentioned in the Book of Esther
The Name of God is not to be found anywhere in any form in the Book of Esther. Stephen Arnoff, the
executive director of the 14th Street Y, presents a theological explanation as to why this is.
Many of the serious messages of Purim are encoded in word play and irony, and the
Book of Esther's seemingly absent God is no exception. The centrality of the
concept of hester panim or "the concealed face of God" to Purim is recognized in the
fact thatEsther is the only text in the Hebrew Bible, except for the Song of
Songs,that does not mention the name of God explicitly.
In the case of Purim, hester panim's importance is also intimated by the name of the
heroine of the central narrative of the festival, Esther. The Babylonian Talmud tractate Hullin 139B
states, "From where does the Torah bring the name Esther? From the verse 'But I [God] will surely
conceal my face ["haster astir panai"] on that day for all of the ill that they have done--for they
turned to other gods. (Deuteronomy 31:18).'" The name Esther is interpreted as an extension of
the phrase for a "concealed God."
Discussing the verse in Deuteronomy, the medieval commentator Abraham ibn Ezra suggests that
the term "turned to" or panah should actually be read as "whored with" or zanah. Here, the blame
for the broken relationship between God and Israel lies squarely with Israel's assimilation and
worship amongst the gods of the nations, a circumstance apparent in the story of Purim as well.
There seems to be no distinction between Esther or Mordechai and the non-Jewish Persians until
the Jews themselves reveal who they are.
Furthermore, Esther's moniker is doubly ironic, because her name is a Hebraization of the name
of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar, and her Uncle Mordechai's name is a Hebrew version of the
name of the Near Eastern god Marduk. Through the lens of a nitty-gritty melodrama of sex,
deception, and violence, The Book of Esther openly critiques the possibility of a "secular" world of
blind fate and challenges the nature of assimilated Jewish life. Without God at its center, Jewish
life and Jewish heroes merely become a poor imitation of the world around them. The Diaspora
Jews depicted at Purim's core can be seen as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy of divine
abandonment resulting from Jewish assimilation to the cultural norms counter to a Jewish center.
Esther as Commentary
The Book of Esther as a whole may be a kind of midrash or meditation on the verse in
Deuteronomy cited above. This meditation is far from simple, much closer to a hall of mirrors than
an opportunity for focusing reflection on any one proper identity or image. Culturally in the Book
of Esther, Jews mirror non-Jews, going so far as to popularize the names of foreign gods for their
own elite. This is a dramatic turn for a Jewish people told to be a nation holy like God throughout
the period of their growth in the desert (Leviticus 19: 1-2) or for that matter, for humanity as a
whole, which is said to be created in the image of God in the first chapters of Genesis.
Yet despite God's vow in Deuteronomy, it is not clear if the Jewish disconnect with the divine in
Esther is the result of God's withdrawal from protection of Jewish religious sanctity during the
destruction of the First Temple--from which Mordechai and Esther's ancestors as said to have
fled--or if God withdraws from the Jews only gradually because of their assimilation in Persia.
Whether God or the Jewish people initiate the break in this relationship, the result is that the Jews
can no longer mirror God because God is no longer a face to be experienced and reflected upon.
The world of the Jews of the Purim story is one of physical and spiritual exile.
Purim and the Day of Atonement
Amidst practices of drinking and bawdy entertainment, Purim contains a serious undercurrent that
carries the responsibility of repentance to mend a broken relationship with the divine. Jewish
teachers note that etymologically, Purim is partnered with Yom HaKippurim, the Day of Atonement.
Yom HaKippurim is said to be a day k'purim – a day like Purim. This linguistic and thematic
connection reflects on the tone of both days, Yom Kippur giving a sense of life's random absurdity
and Purim a feeling that even the most outrageous celebrants are in fact approaching the work of
reconciliation with God. The terminology of the hurt and concealed face provides a particularly
strong link between these two festivals.
The concept of the concealed face appears initially when Adam and Eve hide themselves "from the
face of God" after eating from the Tree of Knowledge (Genesis 2: 8). Then, as part of his
punishment following Cain's murder of his brother Abel, God asks Cain, "Why has your face
fallen?" (Genesis 4:6). Having admitted his guilt, Cain summarizes his punishment: "Here, you drive
me away from the face of the soil, and from your face must I conceal myself" (Genesis 4:14). The
concealed face represents a violent rift between people and God, a burden of great wrong that is
an ancient, shared vocabulary of pain and disappointment.
Furthering the link between repentance, God's concealed face, and Purim, another medieval
commentator, Nachmanides, notes that the curse of God's concealed face in Deuteronomy--to
which Esther is most likely related--is a burden of the sin of idolatry punishable by exile, not relieved
until the Jewish people demonstrate profound remorse through vidui [confession] and teshuvah
[repentance]. These are terms essential to the ritual process of reconciliation between people and
the divine on Yom HaKippurim. While Purim theology is by its nature at turns serious and
ridiculous, the link between Purim and unfulfilled atonement makes thematic sense.
As social commentary on the cause of the concealed face of God, the Book of Esther challenges
both Jewish and divine identity from numerous directions. Purim can be understood as a ritualized
celebration of breaking down day-to-day persona and identity by questioning the old and trying on
the new. The festival also presents the deeper conflict of Jews who do not know who they really
are in relation to their own culture, the surrounding culture, or their Creator. Indeed, even the
identity of God, certainly the hero of the Hebrew Bible, is challenged. God does not make even a
cameo appearance in the Book of Esther--at least not in a form to which the text cares to give a
name.
While it is not clear that Esther and Mordechai fully internalize the lessons of transforming danger
and fear into a productive model for a lasting partnership with God, there are indications of a move
towards a kind resolution – or at least resolve – as the narrative concludes. Esther's decree to
establish permanent feasting, gifts to the poor, and the sending of portions to neighbors to
commemorate the events of her day (Esther 9:22) is done in a language of commandment
generally reserved for the divine. This may indicate her desire for reestablishment of a
commandment-based community, thus inviting God to reconnect with the Jews on terms God can
understand. It may also suggest that Jewish leadership has matured enough to take on the mantel
of providing religious commandments and political and social balance for the Jewish people in a
period of God's lasting absence.
~
Plays and Carnivals . . .
Creative ways that fulfill the religious obligation to have fun on Purim
Written by Rabbi Daniel Kohn, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, who was
ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1991.
He is the author of several books on Jewish education and spirituality
who currently writes and teaches throughout the San Francisco Bay
area.
The joyous nature of the Purim celebration often carries a serious
message behind the smile. The Purim Shpiel often takes a look at
world politics with various world leaders playing the roles of heroes
and villains. By offering a mocking commentary, the Purim Shpiel
presents a Jewish version of political justice in the world.
Despite the relatively minor nature of the festival of Purim, it has
assumed far greater proportions and significance in popular Jewish
culture. It is often celebrated as if it were a major Jewish holiday.
On the surface of it, the events of Purim--recounted in the biblical
book of Esther--are about a near catastrophe in ancient Persia.
© The artist, Rae Chichilnitsky
The Jews, about to be attacked, end up turning the tables on their enemies and end up the victors.
Therefore, the date of Purim became an opportunity for celebration of this miraculous turn of
events.
Early on, the Talmud records that Purim was a date of celebrations and riotous parties. In the
Talmudic tractate entitled megillah, the ancient Rabbis passed along a longstanding tradition that
in order to celebrate the victory of Purim, everyone is supposed to drink alcohol and reach the point
where they are” and “Curse Haman” unable to differentiate between the phrases “Bless Mordecai.
While the dictum of consuming alcohol may not be palatable to everyone today, drinking (at least
for the adults!) and merriment remain a traditional aspect of Purim celebrations.
Even though Purim is a religious opportunity for young and old to celebrate together, the
celebration of Purim has been commonly relegated to a children's event. Many synagogues today
celebrate Purim by holding a Purim fair or carnival. This is an opportunity to set up booths with
games, give prizes, and serve holiday food. And the highlight of any Purim celebration is the
Purim Shpiel.
The Purim Shpiel . . .
Shpiel is a Yiddish word meaning a "play" or "skit." A Purim shpiel is actually a dramatic
presentation of the events outlined in the book of Esther. Featuring the main characters, such as
King Ahasuerus, Mordecai, Esther, and the wicked Haman, the Purim shpiel was a folk-inspired
custom providing an opportunity for crowds to cheer the heroes (Mordecai and Esther) and boo the
villains (Haman). It is a staple of many modern synagogue Purim celebrations for children to attend
the ritual chanting of the book of Esther and Purim carnivals dressed in costumes depicting these
main characters.
Often, a synagogue religious school will hold a costume contest and organize a parade of all the
costumed children. While it is traditional to masquerade as characters from the story of Esther,
many Jewish families celebrate Purim as an alternative to Halloween, with children dressing in nontraditional costumes and masks. There is no "right" or "wrong" costume for Purim.
In relatively modern times, the popularity of these Purim shpiel plays and the boisterous audience
reaction they engendered, spilled over into the actual synagogue celebration of Purim when the
scroll of Esther is chanted in Hebrew. There is an ancient tradition derived from the Torah that one
is supposed to "blot out" the mention of Haman as a form of enduring spiritual punishment and
ignominy for his actions. Therefore, synagogue attendees attempting to "blot out" Haman's name
will literally shout, catcall, boo and swing noisemakers, called graggers, to drown out the name of
Haman as it is read.
Purim shpiels have evolved over time into the presentation of humorous skits not just about the
story of Purim, but also about leaders and well-known people in the community. In synagogues,
members may write and act in funny skits gently mocking the rabbis, cantor, president, and other
people. In Jewish religious day schools, no teacher ever escapes the mocking attention of their
students in such Purim shpiels.
Purim shpiels also include popular songs sung with new, creative funny lyrics lampooning
community leaders. Some congregations go to elaborate lengths in producing shpiels, sometimes
writing mini-musical plays, or with some people renting expensive outrageous costumes. It is also
traditional for religious leaders to deliver "Purim Torahs," which are farcical, sometimes
nonsensical, sermons about ridiculous topics. Often, the synagogue bulletin for Purim will be a
special joke edition with many funny, ludicrous articles.
Blowing Off Steam . . .
Dr. Jeffrey Rubenstein, a professor of religion at New York University writes that Purim is a holiday
characterized by "liminality," that is, a day in which traditional social boundaries and rules of
etiquette are deliberately blurred. Purim is a day to "blow off steam" for a community by celebrating
this ancient escape from destruction. Therefore, it is a day of topsy-turvy antics, especially in the
Purim shpiel. In addition to drinking more alcohol than usual, well-respected leaders are
lampooned, children dress up as adults, and especially in Israel, men often dress up as women and
vice versa. It is a day in which society as we know it is turned upside down.
But the celebrations of Purim are ultimately for a religious purpose--to celebrate the unseen
presence of God who saved the Jewish community in Persia thousands of years ago. While Purim
shpiels and graggers may seem to diminish the spiritual importance of the holiday, they are part
of an ongoing celebration of good over evil, and a festival celebrating God's presence in Jewish
history..
~
Anti-Semitism, Renewal and Purim
Excerpted from an essay by Dr. Joshua Kulp, Director of the Conservative Yeshiva
in Jerusalem, reflecting on the deeper meanings of Purim.
At the end of the Book of Esther, after the Jews have been saved from Haman's evil decree, Esther
and Mordecai request that the 14th and 15th of Adar be established as eternal holidays to be
observed in every generation.
The response to this request is not recorded in the Bible, but the Rabbis preserved several
traditions which expressed the hesitation felt towards the holiday of Purim. Read the following two
passages and ask why they felt such hesitation.
Babylonian Talmud Tractate Megillah 7a
* Rav Shmuel the son of Yehudah said: Esther sent to the Sages, "Establish me (my holiday) for
the generations! They sent back to her, "You will arouse the jealousy of the other nations." She
sent back to him, "I (my holiday) is already written in the chronicles of the Medean and Persian
kings.
Jerusalem Talmud Tractate Megillah 1:7, 70d
* Eighty five elders, amongst them 30 prophets, were distressed over the following matter. They
said, "It is written (in the Torah) 'These are the commandments which God commanded Moses'
(Leviticus 27:34), i.e., these are the commandments which we were commanded by Moses. Thus
Moses said that no prophet is permitted to institute anything new. Nevertheless, Mordecai and
Esther wish to institute the new holiday of Purim.
According to the first passage, the Sages feared that by celebrating the incredible fortunes of the
Jews, they would arouse the anti-Semitism of the rest of the world.
How has this fear been an ever present emotion in Jewish history? Can Jews celebrate their
religion and uniqueness without causing jealousy and hatred amongst others? Can we claim that
God "chose" the Jewish people and at times during our history brought salvation to the Jews
without becoming prejudiced against other people?
The second passage expresses a different fear about Judaism, the fear of renewal. The Rabbis
were not convinced that it was in their power to create new holidays. Why would they be afraid of
new institutions or holidays? Does a new holiday in some way impinge upon the sanctity and
uniqueness of the older traditions?
With these two passages in mind, we might want to consider Purim in a new light. Purim is a
holiday of Jewish renewal and Jewish pride, one in which our ancient relationship to God gave
human beings the strength to save the Jewish people despite the inherent dangers involved.
Mordecai, Esther and the leaders of the time then had the courage and healthy pride to create a
new holiday, fostering a sense of Jewish renewal, which would invigorate the Jewish people in
every generation to come..
~
Esther's Tomb: Iran's Jewish Queen Defies Decay and Dissolution
We tend to forget that the story of Persia is a Diaspora story that occurs in ancient Persia, modern day
Iran. Tradition identifies the graves of Esther and Mordecai in the town of Hamadan. For centuries
Persian (Iranian) Jews made pilgrimages to their tombs.
Diarna, "Our Homes" in Judeo-Arabic, is a project dedicated to virtually preserving Mizrahi ("Eastern")
Jewish history through the lens of physical location. Satellite imagery, photographs, videos, oral
histories, panoramas, and even three-dimensional models, offer a unique digital window onto sites and
communities disappearing before our very eyes. (http://www.diarna.org).
According to the biblical book named after her, Esther was a beautiful young Jewish woman who
caught the eye of the Persian King Ahasuerus, became queen, and with the assistance of her uncle
Mordecai, saved Jews throughout the Persian Empire from annihilation. Every year, on the holiday
of Purim, Jews around the world celebrate this miraculous salvation by reading the Book of Esther,
dressing in costumes, and eating delicacies. Iranian Jews similarly mark the holiday, but for
centuries have also made a pilgrimage--throughout the year, but especially on Purim--to a shrine
in the city of Hamadan where, according to tradition, Esther and Mordecai are buried. The origins
and contents of this shrine are cloaked in legend and mystery.
Hamadan, known in antiquity as Ecbatana, is in the Kurdish region of Iran. Mount Alvand, which
overlooks the city proper, hosted the summer residence of Persian royalty of the Achaemenid
Empire (ca. 550?330 BCE, the period when the Purim story is believed to have happened).
Tradition has it that Esther and Mordecai--after spending their final years at the royal resort--were
buried in the city, next to one another, with a shrine constructed over their graves.
While the original shrine's date of construction is unknown, its date of destruction, at the hands of
Mongol invaders, purportedly occurred in the 14th century. Historian Ernst Herzfeld contends that
the current structure may actually belong to Shushan Dokht, the Jewish queen of King Yazdagerd
I (ca. 399-420 CE), who is credited with securing permission for Jews to live in Hamadan.
Herzfeld dates the current structure to 1602 CE, partly on account of its traditional Persian
architectural style (known as Emamzadeh), which was ubiquitous amongst the shrines of Muslim
religious leaders built in that era. In most cases, these buildings include an entry hall and a main
square hall with a domed ceiling that surrounds the sarcophagus (stone coffin).
Earliest Reports
For centuries, Iranian Jews, Muslims, and
Christians, particularly women praying for fertility,
venerated the modest brick shrine. The first
detailed accounts in the historical record are from
Christian tourists in the 1800s and early 1900s.
These records, which include outstanding
illustrations, descriptions, and even photographs,
were recently digitized--and provide a rare
glimpse into the condition of the shrine in the past
and the particular observances once held there.
Reputed tomb of Mordechai and Esther in the
Persian capital of Hamadan (present-day Iran)
One 19th-century visitor describes a marble
plaque on the interior dome walls claiming that the
structure was dedicated in the year 714 CE
(Jewish calendar year 4474) by "?the two
benevolent brothers Elias and Samuel, sons of
Ismail Kachan." Other visitors describe rooms
covered in pilgrims' graffiti in various languages
as well as darkened by candle smoke; a stork's
nest sitting atop the shrine's dome; and a prayer
area within that was designed to enable
worshippers to face the tombs and Jerusalem at
same time.
They also recount that notes in Hebrew script were placed near the tombs, similar to how Jewish
worshippers often tuck prayer notes into the stones of Jerusalem's Wailing Wall. For Iranian Jews,
who could only reach Jerusalem with great difficulty, the shrine served as a stand-in place at which
to pray and weep.
Renovation
Until the 1970s, the shrine was hidden away in a crowded part of Hamadan, surrounded by houses,
and only accessible through a narrow dirt alley. But in 1971, in honor of a national celebration of
2,500 years of Iranian monarchy, the Iranian Jewish Society commissioned architect Yassi (Elias)
Gabbay to undertake a renovation.
Houses around the tomb were purchased and demolished, making the shrine accessible from the
main street via a bridge Gabbay constructed over the new courtyard and a partially-underground
synagogue chapel he also built, to complete the shrine complex. The subterranean chapel has a
skylight in the shape of a Star of David that can be seen in Google Earth, quite possible making
the Islamic Republic in Iran home to the only Jewish Star visible from space.
The renovation did not significantly alter the shrine itself, or the grave stones cluttering the plaza
outside the old shrine. (Some prominent local Jews had in the past secured burial plots outside the
shrine, which they considered holier than plots in the main Jewish cemetery in Hamadan.)
One of the old structure's remarkable features that Gabbay preserved is its front door, a massive
piece of granite with a hidden lock. Less than four feet high, the stunted doorframe forces visitors
to bow as they enter, in deference to the site's holy occupants.
An outer chamber holds tombs of famous rabbis and provides access by means of an archway to
the interior chamber. The interior chamber features Hebrew writing along the walls and holds two
carved sarcophagi, supposedly marking the burial spots of Esther and Mordecai. This chamber also
houses a cabinet with a 300-year-old Torah scroll.
The Contemporary Shrine
Today, Esther's Tomb has lost some of its former
splendor. Iranian authorities, for example, have
removed an ornamented gate Gabbay had erected
along the sidewalk using a geometric motif common
in many mosques. The problem? Part of the classic
motif forms a Jewish Star--a fact regime officials
apparently considered intolerable (unlike the fence,
the Star of David skylight is not visible from street
level). Gabbay himself lives in exile, having fled the
Islamic Revolution and restarted his architectural
practice in Los Angeles, though he dreams of
returning to see the site he transformed.
Esther's tomb
The question of whether the shrine actually marks
Photo courtesy of Yossi Gabbay
the resting place of Esther and her uncle remains
unanswered, and is perhaps unanswerable. But one 19th-century Christian pilgrim offered her own
insight on the effectual significance of the tomb and the 2,700-year-old Persian Jewish community
that guards it: "Beside the tomb of Esther, the lowly race she saved have kept loving watch
through all the weary ages. More wonderful than any ancient monument are these Jews
themselves, lineal descendants, in blood and faith, of the tribes of Israel, and the only vestige of
the truly olden time which entirely defies decay and dissolution.".
~
Purim Foods
Written by Rabbi Robert Goodman, and
reproduced from his book, “Teaching
Jewish Holidays: History Values and
Activities”. Formerly the rabbi of
Congregation Beth Shalom in Brandon,
FL, Rabbi Goodman serves as a
consultant to the Boards of Jewish
Education in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and
Milwaukee.
The most well-known Purim pastry
is associated with the villain of the
story!
Many customs related to eating special foods have developed around Purim. The most famous
Purim food is hamantaschen [Yiddish for "Haman's pockets"] which is known in Hebrew as oznay
Haman, meaning "Haman's ears." In addition to eating hamantaschen filled with poppy seeds, fruit,
cheese, or jellies, other foods are also traditional for Purim.
A special Purim challah, known as keylitsh [kulich] in Russian, is sometimes made. This challah
is oversized and extensively braided. The braids on the challah are intended to remind people of
the rope used to hang Haman.
Kreplach are customarily eaten whenever "beating" takes place: before Yom Kippur when men
have themselves flogged [rarely done in modern times], on Hoshanah Rabbah when the willow
branches are beaten, and on Purim when Haman is beaten. The kreplach consist of triangular
pouches of dough filled with chopped meat. They are eaten as a separate dish or served in soup.
Bean dishes are also eaten. They include salted beans boiled in their jackets, and chickpeas boiled
and seasoned with salt and pepper: This is meant to remind us that Esther would not eat anything
at the court of King Ahashuerus that was not kosher, so she mainly ate peas and beans. A similar
idea is expressed regarding Daniel and his friends (Daniel 1:12).
Among Sephardic Jews, it is a custom to wrap pastry dough around a decorated hard-boiled egg
to create the shape of a Purim character or an animal. After baking, these artistic creations
(Folares) are displayed with pride and eaten with delight..
~
Be sure to visit us on Facebook at Purim or at any other time of the year . . .
at www.facebook.com/kctsetauket
Some Interesting Facebook Pages and Groups
Log on to Facebook, and search for . . . “Purim” (WikiPedia’s page), “Dressing Up On Purim”,
“Tomb of Esther and Mordechai” and several for “Queen Esther”. The good news? . . . there
seem to be none for Haman!
~
Purim Songs . . . For The Young of All Ages!
A Wicked, Wicked Man . . .
O once there was a wicked, wicked man, and Haman was his name, sir
He would have murdered all the Jews, though they were not to blame, sir.
Oh, today we'll merry, merry be,
Oh, today we'll merry, merry be,
Oh, today we'll merry, merry be,
And nosh some hamentaschen.
And Esther was the lovely queen, of king Achashverosh.
When Haman said he'd kill us all, Oh my, how he did scare us.
Oh, today . . .
But Mordechai her cousin bold, said: "what a dreadful chutzpa!
If guns were but invented now, this Haman I would shoot, sir."
Oh, today . . .
The guest of honor he shall be, this clever Mr. Smarty,
And high above us he shall swing, at a little hanging party.
Oh, today . . .
Of all his cruel and unkind ways, this little joke did cure him,
And don't forget we owe him thanks, for this jolly feast of Purim.
Oh, today . . .
Editors’ note: You may wish to seek out the lyrics and music for other “Purim standards” like Ani Purim,
Chag Purim, Ze Hayom Purim, Shoshanat Ya’akov (described elsewhere in this booklet),
HaRa’ashan (the Noisemaker), or Utzu Eitza (Make Your Plans!) . . . OR perhaps, have your family
write your own!
~
Chag Purim Sameach!
KEHILLAT CHOVEVEI TZION
SETAUKET, NY