Purim: a Jewish holiday of celebration

Today is the Jewish holiday of Purim, which begins at sundown as do most Jewish holidays/ Purim is the Jewish holiday commemorating the saving of the Jewish people from genocide during the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire and told in the Book of Esther. It is also known as the Feast of Lots. It is a day of deliverance and became a day of feasting and rejoicing. The story is one of courage in the face of death. Modern historians view the story behind the holiday differently than did the traditional historians. As well many holiday, certain foods are enjoyed during the day of feasting.

In the Book of Esther, Esther becomes queen when King Athasuerus gets rid of his wife and queen, Vashti, for refusing his order. Esther hides her Jewish heritage from the king. Shortly afterward, Mordecai, her uncle and adopted father, discovers a plot to kill the king by two of the palace guards. He reveals the plot. The two guards are hanged, and Mordecai’s service is recorded. A man named Haman becomes the king’s viceroy and is outraged when Mordecai refuses to bow down to him. When he discovers Mordecai is Jewish, he plots to kill not only Mordecai but all the Jews. Mordecai learns of the plots and goes into mourning. He would also plead Esther to intercede with the king on their people’s behalf. Esther agrees to do so despite the great risk to her life as it was upon penalty of death to approach the king. At a feast, Esther reveals she is Jewish and exposes Haman’s plot to kill the Jews. The king becomes enraged and orders Haman to be executed instead.

Traditional historians have written about the events of the Book of Esther. Berossus from the early third century BCE, wrote the context for the account in the introduction of idols of Anahita under Artaxerxes II Mnemom throughout the Persian Empire. Josephus from the first century CE recounts the origins of Purim in the 11^th book of his Antiquities of the Jews which follows the original biblical account as well as information in the Greek version, the Septuagint. The Islamic historian from 915 CE, Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, gives a brief Persian account similarly to Jewish and Christian sources as well as additional details. However, modern historian argue that Purim has no historical basis. Amnon Netzer argues that “Mordecai” and “Esther” are names derived from the Babylonian gods, Marduk and Ishtar (Netzer, 1999). Shaul Shaked argues that the Book of Esther is historical fiction despite its accurate account of the Achaemenid court (Shaked, 1998).

Purim is more a national rather than religious holiday, on a different level than days ordained as holy by the Torah. There are four main mitzvot (obligations). First, listening to a public reading, usually a synagogue, of the Book of Esther in the morning and in the morning. Second, sending food gifts to friends. Third, giving charity to the poor. Lastly, eating a festive meal. The customs of Purim including a greeting “Chag Purim Sameach” which in Hebrew which loosely translate to “Happy Purim Holiday.” Another custom is masquerading in costumes and masks, believed to originate with Italian Jews in the end of the 15^th century. One explanation for this custom is given as to emulating God who was “disguised” during the events of the Book of Esther and remained concealed yet present in Jewish history. Hamantaschen (Haman’s pockets), a traditional food made among Ashkenazi Jews, is a sweet pastry dough filled with a poppy seed filling and folded into a triangle. More recently, prunes, dates, apricots, apples, and chocolate fillings have been used. Fazuelos, a traditional food among the Sephardi Jews, is a fried thin pastry.

In conclusion, Purim is the Festival of Lots which commemorates the Jewish people being saved from execution and the courage of one woman to stand up and say something despite cultural rules dictating she remain silent. The Book of Esther details the story behind Haman’s plot to kill the Jews and Esther’s plan to expose his evil intentions. Throughout history, the views of the story range as historical to fiction. The day is filled with customs and food. The foods made during the holiday symbolize the events and people involved. To the Jewish community, Chag Purim Sameach!

References

Netzer, Amnon. Festivals vii, Jewish. In Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 9, 1999, pp. 555-60.

Shaked, Shaul. Esther, Book of. In Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 8, 1998, pp. 655-57.