Purim Festival Celebration

Purim 101

• Purim is a Jewish holiday celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar, typically in late winter or early spring.
• Purim 2024 begins on Saturday night, March 23, and continues through Sunday, March 24, extending to Monday in Jerusalem.
• The holiday commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people from Haman's plot to destroy them in the ancient Persian empire.

The Story of Purim

• The Persian Empire, which extended over 127 lands, had all the Jews as its subjects in the 4th century BCE.
• King Ahasuerus executed his wife, Queen Vashti, and arranged a beauty pageant to find a new queen, which Esther, a Jewish girl, won.
• Esther became queen, but refused to divulge her nationality, while Mordechai, her cousin, defied the king's orders and refused to bow to Haman, the Jew-hating prime minister.
• Haman convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all Jews on the 13th of Adar, a date chosen by a lottery.
• Mordechai galvanized the Jews to repent, fast, and pray to G‑d, while Esther revealed her Jewish identity to the king, leading to Haman's hanging and Mordechai's appointment as prime minister.
• The Jews mobilized and killed their enemies on the 13th of Adar, rested on the 14th, and celebrated.

Naming and Observances

• Purim means "lots" in ancient Persian, named after Haman's lottery to determine the date of his diabolical scheme.
• Purim observances include:
  • Reading the Megillah (book of Esther) on the eve and day of Purim.
  • Giving money gifts to at least two poor people.
  • Sending gifts of two kinds of food to at least one person.
  • A festive Purim feast, often including wine or other intoxicating beverages.

Traditions and Customs

• Purim is characterized by a spirit of liveliness and fun.
• It is customary for children (and adults) to dress up in costumes.
• Traditional Purim food is hamantaschen (three-cornered pastries with poppy seeds or sweet filling).
• Many Jews fast on the day before Purim (or on the Thursday before, when Purim is on Sunday) to commemorate Esther's fasting and praying.

When to Celebrate

• Common Custom: Jews celebrate Purim on Adar 14, the day when their ancestors rested from the war against their enemies.
• Walled Cities: In cities that were surrounded by walls in the days of Joshua, such as Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th.
• Small Towns: In ancient times, villagers read the Megillah on the market day preceding 14 Adar, but this custom is no longer practiced.
• Note: On Jewish leap years, there are two months called Adar, and Purim is celebrated in the second Adar.

The Meaning of Purim

• Purim expresses the idea that G‑d is intimately involved in every aspect of the world, even when there are no overt miracles.
• The holiday celebrates G‑d's salvation of the Jews, despite Haman's efforts, and the spiritual revival that occurred among the Jews as a result.