Happy Purim!

[Harmonious]

Hey there!

Today is Purim. We celebrate the fact that the Jews were saved from annihilation when Haman, son of Hamdata, the Aggagite, carefully planned the destruction of the Jews, as people from Amalek are wont to do. Instead, God used hidden miracles, and worked life out such that all the best laid plans of this evil man were turned on their head.

Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows he intended for Mordechai the Jew (I kid you not - that is how he is referred to in the text of the Book of Esther).

Today, Jews celebrate by hearing the reading of the Book of Esther (last night and this morning), by giving gifts to the poor, by giving gifts of food to friends, and by having a feast this evening, which is the one time of year it is permitted for Jews to become drunk. (Or, if not drunk, per se, then to be at least tipsy enough to stumble over the expression "Cursed is Haman, blessed is Mordechai.")

In honor of the fact that God's Hand was hidden, many Jews will dressed up in costumes. Other folks, like me, will dress in Shabbat clothes, to celebrate that today is a holiday. Still, it is considered a "minor holiday," wherein we can do the type of work we CAN'T do on Shabbat and major holidays.

Purim is biblically mentioned (i.e. the Book of Esther), but it is not considered by Jews to be a "biblical holiday." It is a "Rabbinic holiday." The reason for this is that Jews get Jewish law from the Five Books of Moses. Esther is not one of them. Mordechai was a Rabbi who pushed for the day to be commemorated eternally on the 14th of the Jewish month of Adar, except in Jerusalem and other walled cities, when it is celebrated on the 15th of Adar.

Purim gets its name because Haman cast "lots", which was called Pur, in Persian. One was cast to decide which month he wanted to annihilate the Jews. One was to decide which day during that month. And it was the 13th of Adar. Of course, that was the twelfth month, if you start counting months from Nissan, the month of Passover.

Haman managed to become Prime Minister to King Achashverosh.

(Historical sources confirm that Achashverosh was actually a nickname of sorts for Xerxes, who was a usurping king of Persia. The name comes from the Hebrew words Chashash and Rosh. Chashash means "worry" and Rosh means "head." The king was a bit paranoid and it was logical that if a person knew the king personally, one had to worry that his head would be attached to the rest of him from day to day.)

The Book of Esther is an interesting read. There is NO mention of any of God's names in the entirety of the book. It is understood that God ran the show, no question, or I wouldn't be here to post this. But life's circumstances happened in such synchronicity that if someone chose to overlook it, a person could have said everything was coincidence. Be that as it may, Jews know that God stepped in and set life's circumstances such that Haman was hoist by his own petard, and instead of a day where there are no Jews in the world (which easily could have happened, as at the time, all 127 provinces wherein Jews lived were ruled by Achashverosh, and if Haman had his way, there would be NO provinces left that had Jews in it), today is celebrated as a Jewish holiday.

[RayMan]

And a Happy Purim to you too!

Did you hear that I visited a local Reform Temple Shabbat service about three Fridays ago as part of my World Religions course?

Had a great time. Loved the service. The Rabbi and congregation were the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.

[Marleysdaddy]

Happy Purim! :hug:

And thanks for the lesson - I learned more about Purim there than in Judaism class...

I especially like this sentence

Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows he intended for Mordechai the Jew (I kid you not - that is how he is referred to in the text of the Book of Esther).


Apparently, the author of Esther had to use the qualifier 'the Jew' because the name Mordechai didn't give it away :D

[Mimiheart]

We had fun last night. There was much craziness at work. I didn't drink though. (I actually have a class I take on Monday nights, I missed part of it for Purim and went to it dressed in a gypsy costume... *doh*.) The rabbi in the dress was a bit much, though... (There's some that say that cross dressing IS allowed on Purim, some that say it isn't.)

My son's school is having the costume parade today... he's wearing a spiderman outfit and the principal was dressed in a prisoner's outfit. Should be fun.

[Harmonious]

And a Happy Purim to you too!Thank you kindly!

Did you hear that I visited a local Reform Temple Shabbat service about three Fridays ago as part of my World Religions course?
Not until now.

Had a great time. Loved the service. The Rabbi and congregation were the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.I'm glad you had a good time. :hug:

[Harmonious]

Happy Purim! :hug:

And thanks for the lesson - I learned more about Purim there than in Judaism class... It is my pleasure! :hug:

I especially like this sentence Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows he intended for Mordechai the Jew (I kid you not - that is how he is referred to in the text of the Book of Esther).


Apparently, the author of Esther had to use the qualifier 'the Jew' because the name Mordechai didn't give it away :D
What can I tell you? Esther is referred to as Queen Esther, and even though we know that Mordechai's father is Ya'ir, he is constantly referred to as "Mordechai, [the] Jewish man", or "Mordechai [the] Jew". I think it is to distinguish this from the fact that so many people in the capital town of Shushan were NOT Jews, and he was the head of the Jewish Court, such as it was in Shushan. He might have also been in the King's court, if not precisely a courtier.

Also, I think it was to show that Haman hated Mordechai for no apparent reason other than because he was a Jew. (From the tribe of Benjamin, no less.) The Talmud points out that it was far more personal, but instead of dealing with "petty problems," Haman came up with his own "final solution." He wanted to rid the king of this "weird people that follow their own rules." And he was willing to pay the king 10,000 talents of silver for the pleasure of annihilating the Jews.

The king rejected the money, but gave his Prime Minister his signet ring and told him to do as he pleased.

Boy, was Achashverosh surprised when Esther told him that she was Jewish! Her cousin Mordechai told her to keep her nationality secret until the time was right. At that second private party, between Queen Esther, Achashverosh, and Haman, that was when she revealed it.

In the Book of Esther, Chapter 7, so it goes:

1 The king and Haman came to drink with Queen Esther.

2 And again on the second day the king said to Esther during the wine feast, "What is your plea, Queen Esther? It will be granted you. What is your request? [Even if it be] half the kingdom it will be fulfilled."

3 Queen Esther replied and said: "If I have found favor in your eyes, O King, and if it please the King, let my life be granted me by my plea, and the life of my people by my request.

4 "For my people and I have been sold to be annihilated, killed and destroyed! Had we been sold as slaves and maidservants I would have kept silent. But indeed the persecutor is not bothered by the King's loss."

5 And King Achashverosh spoke and said to Queen Esther, "Who is this, and which one is he, that has the audacity to do such a thing?"

6 "A man who is a persecutor and an enemy: this evil Haman!" Esther replied. And Haman shuddered in the presence of the king and the queen.

At that point, it was known that Esther was "sold to be destroyed," like all the Jews were.

Interesting times, those.

But when Esther and Mordechai tried to get the king to rescind the decree, Achashverosh wouldn't do it. Instead, he allowed Mordechai to add an additional decree. The decree that Haman had enacted stated that in all provinces, the Jews were to be killed on the 13th of Adar. The decree enacted by Mordechai said that on the 13th of Adar, the Jews were welcome to all of the realm's armories and arsenals to defend themselves. Apparently, it was necessary, because the Book of Esther gives the non-Jewish body count and says that all over the Empire, the battle took place on the 13th of Adar, and the Jews rested and feasted on the 14th of Adar.

However, the battle seemed to rage hottest in Shushan, the capital, and Esther pleaded that the armories remain open to the Jews' defense on the 14th of Adar as well. For the people in Shushan, they continued to battle, and the non-Jewish body count is listed, again. And for them, the 15th of Adar was the day of celebration.

As such, Purim is on the 14th of Adar, but in the walled cities of Israel (like Jerusalem, Tzfat, and a few others), they celebrate the 15th of Adar, called Shushan Purim.

[Harmonious]

We had fun last night. There was much craziness at work. I didn't drink though. Dear lady, the drinking is supposed to happen at the Se'uda tonight. :mrgreen:

(I actually have a class I take on Monday nights, I missed part of it for Purim and went to it dressed in a gypsy costume... *doh*.) The rabbi in the dress was a bit much, though... (There's some that say that cross dressing IS allowed on Purim, some that say it isn't.)

When I was in high school, the Rabbi and Rebbetzin had complementary costumes. Cross-dressing isn't one I remember Rabbi Greer doing, but they were insanely clever and creative.

My son's school is having the costume parade today... he's wearing a spiderman outfit and the principal was dressed in a prisoner's outfit. Should be fun.
Very cool. And I shall wear the costume of a well-adjusted human being. From what I'm told, they look like everyone else...

[Marleysdaddy]

It is my pleasure! :hug:


What can I tell you? Esther is referred to as Queen Esther, and even though we know that Mordechai's father is Ya'ir, he is constantly referred to as "Mordechai, [the] Jewish man", or "Mordechai [the] Jew". I think it is to distinguish this from the fact that so many people in the capital town of Shushan were NOT Jews, and he was the head of the Jewish Court, such as it was in Shushan. He might have also been in the King's court, if not precisely a courtier.

Also, I think it was to show that Haman hated Mordechai for no apparent reason other than because he was a Jew. (From the tribe of Benjamin, no less.) The Talmud points out that it was far more personal, but instead of dealing with "petty problems," Haman came up with his own "final solution." He wanted to rid the king of this "weird people that follow their own rules." And he was willing to pay the king 10,000 talents of silver for the pleasure of annihilating the Jews.

The king rejected the money, but gave his Prime Minister his signet ring and told him to do as he pleased.

Boy, was Achashverosh surprised when Esther told him that she was Jewish! Her cousin Mordechai told her to keep her nationality secret until the time was right. At that second private party, between Queen Esther, Achashverosh, and Haman, that was when she revealed it.

In the Book of Esther, Chapter 7, so it goes:

1 The king and Haman came to drink with Queen Esther.

2 And again on the second day the king said to Esther during the wine feast, "What is your plea, Queen Esther? It will be granted you. What is your request? [Even if it be] half the kingdom it will be fulfilled."

3 Queen Esther replied and said: "If I have found favor in your eyes, O King, and if it please the King, let my life be granted me by my plea, and the life of my people by my request.

4 "For my people and I have been sold to be annihilated, killed and destroyed! Had we been sold as slaves and maidservants I would have kept silent. But indeed the persecutor is not bothered by the King's loss."

5 And King Achashverosh spoke and said to Queen Esther, "Who is this, and which one is he, that has the audacity to do such a thing?"

6 "A man who is a persecutor and an enemy: this evil Haman!" Esther replied. And Haman shuddered in the presence of the king and the queen.

At that point, it was known that Esther was "sold to be destroyed," like all the Jews were.

Interesting times, those.

But when Esther and Mordechai tried to get the king to rescind the decree, Achashverosh wouldn't do it. Instead, he allowed Mordechai to add an additional decree. The decree that Haman had enacted stated that in all provinces, the Jews were to be killed on the 13th of Adar. The decree enacted by Mordechai said that on the 13th of Adar, the Jews were welcome to all of the realm's armories and arsenals to defend themselves. Apparently, it was necessary, because the Book of Esther gives the non-Jewish body count and says that all over the Empire, the battle took place on the 13th of Adar, and the Jews rested and feasted on the 14th of Adar.

However, the battle seemed to rage hottest in Shushan, the capital, and Esther pleaded that the armories remain open to the Jews' defense on the 14th of Adar as well. For the people in Shushan, they continued to battle, and the non-Jewish body count is listed, again. And for them, the 15th of Adar was the day of celebration.

As such, Purim is on the 14th of Adar, but in the walled cities of Israel (like Jerusalem, Tzfat, and a few others), they celebrate the 15th of Adar, called Shushan Purim.

Fascinating...my sincerest thanks.

[Hadassah]

I love the book of Esther. She was one gutsy lady and I admire her greatly.

Thank you, my friend, for posting this. I learned alot about Purim and alot about the history that I hadn't known before.


Happy Purim! :hug:




BTW, how do you pronounce Purim?

[Harmonious]

Fascinating...my sincerest thanks.My deepest pleasure! :hug:

[Mimiheart]

Dear lady, the drinking is supposed to happen at the Se'uda tonight. :mrgreen:What can I say? It's a reform synagogue.



When I was in high school, the Rabbi and Rebbetzin had complementary costumes. Cross-dressing isn't one I remember Rabbi Greer doing, but they were insanely clever and creative.I always thought it was okay, but apparently it's become less okay as time has gone by. Considering the rabbi has a beard, and there's absolutely no chance anyone thought he was an actual woman, I don't think there was a problem.


Very cool. And I shall wear the costume of a well-adjusted human being. From what I'm told, they look like everyone else...
I wouldn't know...:eek:

[Mimiheart]

I love the book of Esther. She was one gutsy lady and I admire her greatly. Is that why you took her name?

Thank you, my friend, for posting this. I learned alot about Purim and alot about the history that I hadn't known before.


Happy Purim! :hug:




BTW, how do you pronounce Purim?Pooh-REEM or POOH--rihm depending on where in Europe you're from.

[Harmonious]

I love the book of Esther. She was one gutsy lady and I admire her greatly. *nods*

Yup. She was forced into marriage, and was worried that she would be killed if she approached the king without his express permission, and he hadn't called on her for at least 30 days before Mordechai told her to go. She, and all the Jews in Shushan (if not elsewhere), as well as her handmaidens, fasted for three days before she went to see Achashverosh.

Her last words in that scene were, "[If] I am lost, I am lost."

But she did it. And she saved the day.

Thank you, my friend, for posting this. I learned alot about Purim and alot about the history that I hadn't known before. My pleasure! :mrgreen:

Happy Purim! :hug:Thank you! :hug:

BTW, how do you pronounce Purim?

POO-rim.

[Harmonious]

What can I say? It's a reform synagogue.



I always thought it was okay, but apparently it's become less okay as time has gone by. Considering the rabbi has a beard, and there's absolutely no chance anyone thought he was an actual woman, I don't think there was a problem.



I wouldn't know...:eek::))

:hug:

[Hadassah]

Is that why you took her name?



Actually, I had no idea that "Hadassah" was another name for Esther until after I joined Hannity forums.


Pooh-REEM or POOH--rihm depending on where in Europe you're from.



Thank you. :hug:

[Harmonious]

BTW, how do you pronounce Purim?
Pay attention to this nice lady right here.

Pooh-REEM or POOH--rihm depending on where in Europe you're from.

[Hadassah]

*nods*

Yup. She was forced into marriage, and was worried that she would be killed if she approached the king without his express permission, and he hadn't called on her for at least 30 days before Mordechai told her to go. She, and all the Jews in Shushan (if not elsewhere), as well as her handmaidens, fasted for three days before she went to see Achashverosh.

Her last words in that scene were, "[If] I am lost, I am lost."

But she did it. And she saved the day.

My pleasure! :mrgreen:

Thank you! :hug:



POO-rim.



thank you again. :hug:

did Xerxes love Esther?

[Harmonious]

Actually, I had no idea that "Hadassah" was another name for Esther until after I joined Hannity forums.

Just because I thought you would like a happy reminder:

From the Book of Esther, chapter 2:
7 He raised his cousin Hadassah, also called Esther, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was of beautiful form and beautiful visage, and when her father and mother died, Mordechai adopted her as his daughter.

It is a beautiful thing...

[Fire Watch]

http://rlv.zcache.com/happy_purim_stickers-p217298615731521877qjcl_400.jpg

[Harmonious]

thank you again. :hug:

did Xerxes love Esther?

I don't know that he LOVED her, but it was cold (her "turn" came up in the Jewish month of Tevet, which is right after the month with Chanukah ((albeit, Chanukah didn't exist for many centuries hence...)). It was the dead of winter -something like January), and she was warm and artless, and widely acknowledged to be pleasant.

[Harmonious]

http://rlv.zcache.com/happy_purim_stickers-p217298615731521877qjcl_400.jpg
Thank you! :hug:

[Koushi Shinigami]

Happy Purim Harmonious and the same to all the other Jewish posters here.

Harmonious, thankyou for sharing this with us.

[Harmonious]

Happy Purim Harmonious and the same to all the other Jewish posters here.Thank you kindly!

Harmonious, thankyou for sharing this with us.It is a pleasure, as always! :hug:

[Hadassah]

Just because I thought you would like a happy reminder:

From the Book of Esther, chapter 2:
7 He raised his cousin Hadassah, also called Esther, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was of beautiful form and beautiful visage, and when her father and mother died, Mordechai adopted her as his daughter.

It is a beautiful thing...


Thank you. :redface: My swiss-cheese memory let me forget the fact that the name Hadassah is right there in the book of Esther. :doh:



:hug:

[Harmonious]

Thank you. :redface: My swiss-cheese memory let me forget the fact that the name Hadassah is right there in the book of Esther. :doh:



:hug:Teaching people Torah is what I live to do. And the Book of Esther is short, and a LOT of fun to read.

Reminding folks of what lies therein just makes me all the happier.

:hug:

[ellis]

Thanks Harmonica ;-), I really love the story of Esther, but my Bible does not have the h in Mordecai. Is mine in error. thanks

[Mimiheart]

Thanks Harmonica ;-), I really love the story of Esther, but my Bible does not have the h in Mordecai. Is mine in error. thanks
The ch sound is the same as the ch in Bach or Chanukah. It's not really incorrect as Mordecai, it just looks weird to those who know Hebrew.

[Constantine the Great]

Happy Purim to our Jewish friends.

Oh, and I ask this of most of the Jewish holidays, is there a traditional phrase of well wishing for this day?

[Harmonious]

Happy Purim to our Jewish friends.

Oh, and I ask this of most of the Jewish holidays, is there a traditional phrase of well wishing for this day?You got it in one. Happy Purim, or Purim Same'ach is the one. Or the more generic Happy Holiday, Chag Same'ach.

Thank you, love!

:hug:

[free2B]

Happy Purim! for all of us slow learners harmonious does Purim celebrate the Jewish Princess who became the Queen of Persia?

[Harmonious]

Happy Purim! for all of us slow learners harmonious does Purim celebrate the Jewish Princess who became the Queen of Persia?
In a fashion.

The Jewish woman who became the Queen of Persia (and the title heroine for the Book of Esther) was central to God's plot to save the Jews.

Purim primarily celebrates the fact that Haman, a man who appeared to have the power to erase the Jews from the planet, failed miserably and was hanged himself.

It has been said (both tongue-in-cheek and otherwise) that the central theme of almost every Jewish holiday is "Someone tried to kill us. God saved us. Let's eat." This is one very such thing.

In a story that would seem like pointless palace intrigue if it wasn't so vital for the continued existence of the Jewish people, there was great partying, great feasting, a wife was killed, a pageant of sort was held, a new wife was selected, a plot for regicide was discovered, a prime minister was appointed. The prime minister had evil intentions in mind for the Jewish people, and God had other plans.

The Book of Esther goes into blessed details. With nine short chapters (and a ridiculously short tenth chapter of three verses), the story is told in much glory, detail, confusion, intrigue, and general resolution. No sea was split, no miraculous plagues hit Persia, no celestial body stopped its path in the sky. But what - to the common observer of the time - would have appeared to be commonplace and happenstance actually were the ultimate workings of God's Hands.

I am more than happy to go into any detail I know and that you care to know more about.

[Mimiheart]

Happy Purim! for all of us slow learners harmonious does Purim celebrate the Jewish Princess who became the Queen of Persia?She wasn't a Jewish Princess. She was just a Jew who married the King of Persia, thus becoming a queen.

[Harmonious]

She wasn't a Jewish Princess. She was just a Jew who married the King of Persia, thus becoming a queen.

*nods*