Purim
A Purim gragger, also called "ra'ashan" (noisemaker), used when Haman's name is mentioned during the reading of the Megilla, as tradition dictates, to blot out the name of evil.
Official name	Hebrew: פורים Translation: "Lots" (of a "lottery" performed by the wicked Haman)
Observed by	Judaism
Type	Jewish
Significance	Celebration of Jewish deliverance as told in the Book of Esther. A lottery is a form of Gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי is an individual who according to Old Testament tradition was a 4th Century BC Persian noble Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. After the destruction of the Kingdom of Judah, the Jews were taken into the seventy-year Babylonian captivity. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to When ancient Persia took control, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus, planned to kill the Jews, but his plans were foiled by Esther and Mordechai. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי is an individual who according to Old Testament tradition was a 4th Century BC Persian noble Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. Esther ( born Hadassah, is a queen of Persian Empire in the Hebrew Bible, the queen of Ahasuerus (traditionally identified with Artaxerxes Mordecai or Mordechai ( - the son of Jair, of the Tribe of Benjamin, is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the
Date	14th day of Adar (in Jerusalem and all ancient walled cities on 15th of Adar)
2008 date	Sunset, 20 March – nightfall, 21 March
2009 date	Sunset, 9 March – nightfall, 10 March
Celebrations	Listening to the reading of the Book of Esther - the Megillah ("scroll") in synagogue. Adar ( Hebrew: אֲדָר, Standard Adar Tiberian ʾĂḏār; from Akkadian Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Events 630 - Byzantine emperor Heraclius restores the True Cross to Jerusalem. Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Giving Tzedakah "gifts to the poor" (matanot le'evyonim). Tzedakah ( צדקה) is a Hebrew word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on a root meaning Justice Sending "gift food portions" (mishloach manot). Eating a festive meal.
Related to	Hanukkah, as a rabbinically decreed holiday

Purim (Hebrew: פורים Pûrîm "lots", related to Akkadian pūru) is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people of the ancient Persian Empire from Haman's plot to annihilate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (Megillat Esther). Hanukkah (חנוכה alt Chanukah) also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Cleromancy is a form of Divination using Sortition, casting of lots or casting bones in which an outcome is determined by means that normally would be considered For the Gregorian dates of Jewish Holidays see Jewish holidays 2000-2050. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי is an individual who according to Old Testament tradition was a 4th Century BC Persian noble The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. According to the story, Haman cast lots to determine the day upon which to exterminate the Jews. Cleromancy is a form of Divination using Sortition, casting of lots or casting bones in which an outcome is determined by means that normally would be considered

Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies; as with all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sundown on the previous secular day. The Hebrew calendar (הלוח העברי ha'luach ha'ivri) or Jewish calendar is a Lunisolar calendar used by Jews for predominantly religious The Hebrew calendar (הלוח העברי ha'luach ha'ivri) or Jewish calendar is a Lunisolar calendar used by Jews for predominantly religious Adar ( Hebrew: אֲדָר, Standard Adar Tiberian ʾĂḏār; from Akkadian In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua, including Shushan (Susa) and Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, known as Shushan Purim. Joshua, Jehoshuah, or Yehoshua ( 'יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, Tiberian: jə Susa ( Biblical שושן ( Shushan) also Greek: Σοῦσα Transliterated as Sousa; Latin Susa) Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Purim is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther (keriat ha-megilla), giving mutual gifts of food and drink (mishloach manot), giving charity to the poor (mattanot la-evyonim), and a celebratory meal (se'udat Purim);^[1] other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration. Mishloach manot ( Hebrew: משלוח מנות pronounced " mish-LOH-ach mah-NOTE " literally "sending of portions" also spelled mishloach

Jewish exiles from the Kingdom of Judah who had been living in the Babylonian captivity (6th Century BCE) found themselves under Persian rule after Babylonia was in turn conquered by the Persian Empire. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. The Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia According to the Book of Esther, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus / Xerxes,^[2] planned to kill the Jews, but his plans were foiled by Esther, who was made queen after Xerxes kicked out his previous queen, Vashti, and Mordechai, the palace gatekeeper for Xerxes who raised Esther when her parents died, though he was her cousin. Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי is an individual who according to Old Testament tradition was a 4th Century BC Persian noble A Vizier ( - wazīr) (sometimes also spelled Vazir Vizir Vasir Wazir Vesir, or Vezir - grammatical vowel changes are common in many western Asian Ahasuerus ( Latin: Xerxes, Persian: Khashayarshah, commonly transliterated Achashverosh) is a name used several times in the Esther ( born Hadassah, is a queen of Persian Empire in the Hebrew Bible, the queen of Ahasuerus (traditionally identified with Artaxerxes Mordecai or Mordechai ( - the son of Jair, of the Tribe of Benjamin, is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the The Jews were delivered from being the victims of an evil decree against them and were instead allowed by the King to destroy their enemies, and the day after the battle was designated as a day of feasting and rejoicing.

Contents 1 History 1.1 The Persian Empire 1.2 The Purim story 2 The holiday 3 Reading of the Megilla 3.1 Boisterousness in the synagogue 3.2 Burning of Haman's effigy 3.3 Women and Megilla reading 4 Giving of food gifts and charity 5 The Purim meal 6 Masquerading 7 Songs 8 Traditional foods 9 Purim Torah and Purim spiel 10 Focus on children 11 Shushan Purim 12 Purim Ha-Me-shulash 13 Purim Katan 14 Fasting before and after Purim 15 Other "Purims" 15.1 Public / Communal 15.2 Private / Family 16 References 17 See also 18 External links

History

The Persian Empire

The Achaemenid Empire (Persian: هخامنشیان IPA: [haχɒmaneʃijɒn]) (559 BCE–330 BCE) was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Greater Iran, the famous foe of the Greek city states (see Greco-Persian Wars). The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Greater Iran (in Irān-e Bozorg, or fa ایران‌زمین Irān-zamīn; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term It was the first of many successor Persian Empires to be accounted as such and to figure importantly in history—most often as a local superpower, or major regional power. It is also the state which freed the Israelites (Jews) from their Babylonian captivity. See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital

Encompassing approximately 7. 5 million square kilometers, the Achaemenid Empire was territorially the largest empire of classical antiquity. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean At the height of its power, the Persian Empire spanned three continents, and eventually incorporated the following territories: In the east, modern Afghanistan and beyond into central Asia, and Pakistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and In the north and west, all of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), the upper Balkans peninsula (Thrace), and most of the Black Sea coastal regions. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Thrace (Тракия Trakiya or "Trakija" or Trakia, Θράκη Thráki, Trakya is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe In the west and southwest the territories of modern Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, all significant population centers of ancient Egypt and as far west as portions of Libya. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab

The empire began as a vassal state of the Medes but ended up conquering and enlarging the Median empire to include Ancient Egypt and Asia Minor. The term vassal state commonly refers to any state that was subordinate to another in the pre-modern international system The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Under Xerxes I of Persia, it came very close to conquering Ancient Greece. Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca The Achaemenids were finally overthrown by the conquest of Alexander the Great in 330 BCE. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ'

Achaemenid Persian Empire Achaemenid Empire. Languages Persian, Elamite, Aramaic Religions There was no official state religion. Elamite is an Extinct language, which was spoken by the ancient Elamites. Aramaic is a Semitic language with Zoroastrianism and numerous others religions, such as Judaism, were practiced. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Capitals Anshan, Babylon, Persepolis, Pasargadae, Susa Area Near East Existed 559 - 330 BCE

The Purim story

Main article: Book of Esther

The events leading up to Purim were recorded in the Megillat Esther (Book of Esther), which became the last of the 24 books of the Tanakh to be canonized by the Sages of the Great Assembly. Anshan ( Persian: انشان Anšan, modern Tall-i Malyan or Tepe Malyan, Iran) a site on the Iranian plateau Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq Persepolis ( Old Persian: Pārsa, Modern Persian: تخت جمشید/پارسه Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial Pasargadae (پاسارگاد was a city in ancient Persia, and is today an Archaeological site and one of only five of Iran's UNESCO World Heritage Susa ( Biblical שושן ( Shushan) also Greek: Σοῦσα Transliterated as Sousa; Latin Susa) B Syria - Belka Woman from Damascus Arab from Baghdadjpg|thumb|Inhabitants of the Near East late nineteenth century This page attempts to list the many extinct States, countries, Nations Empires or territories that have ceased to exist as political The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is According to Jewish tradition, the Great Assembly (כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה or Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה

The book commences with a six month (180day) drinking feast given by king Ahasuerus, for the army of Persia and Media, for the civil servants and princes in the 127 provinces of his kingdom, at the conclusion of which a seven day drinking feast for the inhabitants of Shushan, rich and poor with a separate drinking feast for the women organised by the Queen Vashti in the pavilion of the Royal courtyard.

At this feast Ahasuerus gets thoroughly drunk and orders his wife Vashti to display her beauty before the people and the princes. Vashti (ושתי is mentioned in the Book of Esther, a book included in the Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament) She refuses, and Ahasuerus removes her as queen. He then orders all young women to be presented to him, so he can choose a new queen to replace Vashti. One of these is Esther, who was orphaned at a young age and was being fostered by her cousin Mordechai. Mordecai or Mordechai ( - the son of Jair, of the Tribe of Benjamin, is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the She finds favor in the king's eyes, and is made his new wife. Esther does not reveal that she is Jewish. Shortly afterwards, Mordechai discovers a plot by courtiers Bigthan and Teresh to kill Ahasuerus. They are apprehended and hanged, and Mordechai's service to the king is recorded. ^[3]

Ahasuerus appoints Haman, a descendant of Amalekite king Agag, as his prime minister. Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי is an individual who according to Old Testament tradition was a 4th Century BC Persian noble According to the Book of Genesis and 1 Chronicles, Amalek ( Arabic, عماليق, was the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of Agag (ˈeɪɡæɡ (אגג was the king of the Amalekites mentioned by Balaam in Numbers xxiv Mordechai, who sits at the palace gates, falls into Haman's disfavor as he refuses to bow down to him. Having found out that Mordechai is Jewish, Haman plans to kill not just Mordechai but the entire Jewish minority in the empire. He obtains Ahasuerus' permission to execute this plan, against payment of ten thousand talents of silver, and he casts lots to choose the date on which to do this - the thirteenth of the month of Adar. When Mordechai finds out about the plans he orders widespread penitence and fasting. Esther discovers what has transpired; she requests that all Jews fast and pray for three days together with her, and on the third day she seeks an audience with Ahasuerus, during which she invites him to a feast in the company of Haman. During the feast, she asks them to attend a further feast the next evening. Meanwhile, Haman is again offended by Mordechai and builds a gallows for him. ^[4]

That night, Ahasuerus suffers from insomnia, and when the court's records are read to him to help him sleep, he learns of the services rendered by Mordechai in the previous plot against his life. Ahasuerus is told that Mordechai has not received any recognition for saving the king's life. Just then, Haman appears, and King Ahasuerus asks Haman what should be done for the man that the King wishes to honor. Thinking that the man that the King wishes to honor is himself, Haman says that the man should be dressed in the king's royal robes and led around on the king's royal horse. To Haman's horror, the king instructs Haman to do so to Mordechai.

Later that evening, Ahasuerus and Haman attend Esther's second banquet, at which she reveals that she is Jewish and that Haman is planning to exterminate her people, which includes her. Ahasuerus orders Haman hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The previous decree against the Jews cannot be annulled, and the King allows Mordochai and Esther to write another decree as they wish. They write one that allows the Jews to defend themselves during attacks. As a result, on 13 Adar, five hundred attackers and Haman's ten sons are killed in Shushan. Throughout the empire an additional 75,000 are slain. On the 14th, another 300 are killed in Shushan. ^[5]

Mordechai assumes a prominent position in Ahasuerus' court, and institutes an annual commemoration of the delivery of the Jewish people from annihilation. ^[6]

The holiday

The holiday of Purim has been held in high esteem by Judaism at all times; some have held that when all the prophetical and hagiographical works are forgotten, the Book of Esther will still be remembered, and, accordingly, the Feast of Purim will continue to be observed (Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 1/5a; Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Megilla). Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Jerusalem Talmud or Talmud Yerushalmi (תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשָׁלְמִי often the Yerushalmi for short is a collection Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and The Mishneh Torah ( Hebrew: משנה תורה subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Chazaka (יד החזקה is a code of Jewish Religious law

Like Hanukkah, Purim has more of a national than a religious character, and its status as a holiday is on a lesser level than those days ordained holy by the Torah. Hanukkah (חנוכה alt Chanukah) also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to Accordingly, business transactions and even manual labor are allowed on Purim, though in certain places restrictions have been imposed on work (Shulkhan Arukh, Orach Chayim, 696). The Shulchan Aruch (שולחן ערוך literally " Set Table " (also Shulhan Aruch or Shulchan Arukh) is a Codification Orach Chayim is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher 's compilation of Halakha (Jewish law Arba'ah Turim. A special prayer ("Al ha-Nissim"—"For the Miracles") is inserted into the Amidah during evening, morning and afternoon prayers, as well as is included in the Birkat Hamazon ("Grace after Meals. The Amidah (Hebrew תפילת העמידה, Tefilat HaAmidah "The Standing Prayer " also called the Shmona Esre ( שמנה עשרה Birkat Hamazon, ( known in English as the Grace After Meals, ( Yiddish: בענטשן translit ")

The four main mitzvot of the day are:

1. Listening to the public reading, usually in synagogue, of the Book of Esther in the evening and again in the following morning (k'riat megilla)
2. Sending food gifts to friends (mishloach manot)
3. Giving charity to the poor (matanot la'evyonim)
4. Eating a festive meal (se`udah)

Reading of the Megilla

The first religious ceremony ordained for the celebration of Purim is the reading of the Book of Esther (the "Megilla") in the synagogue, a regulation ascribed in the Talmud (Megilla 2a) to the Sages of the Great Assembly, of which Mordecai is reported to have been a member. This article is about commandments in Judaism For the Jewish rite of passage see Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Mitzvah ( Hebrew: מצוה A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. Mishloach manot ( Hebrew: משלוח מנות pronounced " mish-LOH-ach mah-NOTE " literally "sending of portions" also spelled mishloach A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history According to Jewish tradition, the Great Assembly (כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה or Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה Mordecai or Mordechai ( - the son of Jair, of the Tribe of Benjamin, is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the Originally this enactment was for the 14th of Adar only; later, however, Rabbi Joshua ben Levi (3d century CE) prescribed that the Megillah should also be read on the eve of Purim. Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi was an Amora (Rabbi of the Jewish Talmud) who lived in the Land of Israel, of the first half Further, he obliged women to attend the reading of the Megillah, inasmuch as it was a woman, Queen Esther, through whom the miraculous deliverance of the Jews was accomplished. Esther ( born Hadassah, is a queen of Persian Empire in the Hebrew Bible, the queen of Ahasuerus (traditionally identified with Artaxerxes

In the Mishnah, the recitation of a benediction on the reading of the Megilla is not yet a universally recognized obligation. The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism However, the Talmud, a later work, prescribed three benedictions before the reading and one benediction after the reading. The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history The Talmud added other provisions. For example, the reader is to pronounce the names of the ten sons of Haman (Esther 9:7-10) in one breath, to indicate their simultaneous death. Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי is an individual who according to Old Testament tradition was a 4th Century BC Persian noble The congregation was to recite aloud with the reader the verses 2:5, 8:15-16, and 10:3, which relate the origin of Mordechai and his triumph.

The Megilla is read with a cantillation (a traditional chant) differing from that used in the customary reading of the Torah. Cantillation is the ritual chanting of readings from the Bible in Synagogue services. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to In some places, however, it is not chanted, but is read like a letter, because of the name iggeret ("epistle") which is applied (Esther 9:26,29) to the Book of Esther. It has been also customary since the time of the early Medieval era of the Geonim to unroll the whole Megilla before reading it, in order to give it the appearance of an epistle. Geonim ( Hebrew: גאונים also transliterated Gaonim) were the presidents of the two great rabbinical colleges of Sura According to Halakha ("Jewish law"), the Megillah may be read in any language intelligible to the audience. Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law

According to the Mishnah (Megillah 30b), Exodus 17:8-16, the story of the attack on the Jews by Amalek, the progenitor of Haman, is also to be read. According to the Book of Genesis and 1 Chronicles, Amalek ( Arabic, عماليق, was the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of

Purim gave rise to many religious compositions, some of which were incorporated into the liturgy. These include a large number of hymns intended for the public service. Other writings (dramas, plays, etc. ) intended for general edification, both in Hebrew and in other languages, have been composed as well.

By the 18th century in eastern Romania and some other parts of Eastern Europe, Purim plays (called Purimspiels) had evolved into broad-ranging satires with music and dance, precursors to Yiddish theater, for which the story of Esther was little more than a pretext: indeed, by the mid-19th century, some were even based on other stories, such as Joseph sold by his brothers, Daniel, or the Binding of Isaac. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jewish community Joseph or Yosef (יוֹסֵ Standard Yosef Tiberian Yôsēp̄, يوسف Yusuf; "He Daniel (; Persian: دانيال, Dâniyal or Danial, also Dani, داني; Arabic: دانيال The Binding of Isaac, in Genesis, is a story from the Hebrew Bible in which God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah Since satire was deemed inappropriate for the synagogue itself, they were usually performed outdoors in its court. Purimspiels are still performed in many communities.

Boisterousness in the synagogue

Partly due to the festival's national rather than religious character, it was appropriate to celebrate the occasion by feasting. Purim is an occasion on which much joyous license is permitted within the walls of the synagogue itself. For example, during the public service in many congregations, when the reader of the Megillah mentions Haman (54 occurrences), there is boisterous hissing, stamping, and rattling. This practice traces its origin to the Tosafists (the leading French and German rabbis of the 13th century). Tosafists were Medieval Rabbis who created critical and explanatory Glosses on the Talmud. In accordance with a passage in the Midrash, where the verse "Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek" (Deuteronomy 25:19) is explained to mean "even from wood and stones", the rabbis introduced the custom of writing the name of Haman, the offspring of Amalek, on two smooth stones and of knocking or rubbing them constantly until the name was blotted out. Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic According to the Book of Genesis and 1 Chronicles, Amalek ( Arabic, عماليق, was the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of

Ultimately, the stones fell into disuse, with the knocking alone remaining. Some wrote the name of Haman on the soles of their shoes, and at the mention of the name stamped with their feet as a sign of contempt. For noisemaking, others used a noisy rattle, called a ra'ashan (from the Hebrew ra-ash, meaning "noise") and in Yiddish a gragger/greggar (from the Polish grzégarz). Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. Some of the rabbis protested against these uproarious excesses, considering them a disturbance of public worship, but the custom of using noisemakers in synagogue on Purim is now almost universal. A ratchet, also called a noisemaker (or when used in Judaism, a gragger or ra'ashan) is an orchestral Musical instrument

Purim is also a time for other unusual goings-on. For example, some prayer-leaders will sing prayers in ways that would be considered sacrilegious on any other occasion during the year (perhaps with the exception of Simchat Torah); for example, singing some prayers to the tune of widely-known songs, to add to the levity—or employing melodies used on other Jewish holidays. Simchat Torah or Simchas Torah (שמחת תורה is a Jewish holiday marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings and the beginning

Burning of Haman's effigy

Outside the synagogue, the pranks indulged in on Purim by both children and adults have been carried even to a greater extreme. Some of them date from the Talmudic period. As early as the 5th century, and especially in the Geonic period (9th and 10th centuries), it was a custom to burn Haman in effigy on Purim, semblant of the British customs for Guy Fawkes Day. An effigy is a representation of a person especially in the form of Sculpture. Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night, Cracker Night, Fireworks Night) is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November The burning custom, which persisted into the 20th century, is no longer practiced.

In Italy, Jewish children used to arrange themselves in rows, and pelt one another with nuts; while the adults rode through the streets with fir-branches in their hands, shouted, or blew trumpets round a doll representing Haman and which was finally burned with due solemnity at the stake. In Frankfurt am Main, Germany, it was customary to make a house of wax wherein the figures of Haman and his executioner, also of wax, were placed side by side. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by Bees ( Beeswax) and used by them in constructing their The whole was then put on the bimah, where stood also the wax figures of Zeresh (Haman's wife) and two guards—one to her right and the other to her left—all attired in a flimsy manner and with pipes in their mouths. A bimah (among Ashkenazim derived from Greek) almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim is the elevated As soon as the reader began to read the Megillah, the house with all its occupants was set on fire, to the enjoyment of the spectators.

These customs often aroused the wrath of Christians, who interpreted them as a disguised attempt to ridicule Jesus and the Cross. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Prohibitions were issued against these displays; e. g. , under the reign of Flavius Augustus Honorius (395-423) and of Theodosius II (408-450) comp. Flavius Honorius ( September 9, 384 &ndash August 15, 423) was Roman Emperor (393- 395 and then Western Roman Emperor Flavius Theodosius ( 10 April, 401 – July 28, 450) called the Calligrapher, known in English as Theodosius II, was Johann Jakob Schudt, l. Johann Jakob Schudt (born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, January 14[[ 664]] died there February 14[[ 722]] was a German Polyhistor and Orientalist c. ii. 309, 317, and Cassel, l. c. ) To avoid danger, the rabbis themselves tried to abolish these customs, often even calling the magistracy to their aid, as in London in 1783. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

Women and Megilla reading

Women have an obligation to hear the Megilla because "they also were involved in that miracle. " Most Orthodox communities, including Modern Orthodox ones, however, generally do not allow women to lead the Megilla reading except in rare circumstances owing to the notion of "Kavod HaTzibbur". Authorities who hold that women should not read the Megilla for themselves, because of a question as to which blessing they should recite upon the reading, nonetheless agree that they have an obligation to hear it read. According to these authorities if women, or men for that matter, cannot attend the services in the synagogue, the Megilla should be read for them in private by any male over the age of thirteen. Often in Orthodox communities there is a special public reading only for women, conducted either in a private home or in a synagogue, but the Megilla is read by a man.

Some Modern Orthodox leaders have held that women can serve as public Megillah readers. Women's megilla readings have become increasingly common in more liberal Modern Orthodox Judaism, though women may only read for other women. Modern Orthodox Judaism (or Modern Orthodox or Modern Orthodoxy) is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize traditional observance ^[7]

Giving of food gifts and charity

Main article: Mishloach manot

The Book of Esther prescribes "the sending of portions one man to another, and gifts to the poor" (9:22). Over time, this mitzvah has become one of the most prominent features of the celebration of Purim. This article is about commandments in Judaism For the Jewish rite of passage see Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Mitzvah ( Hebrew: מצוה

According to the halakha, each Jew over the age of bar or bat mitzvah must send two different, ready-to-eat foods to one friend, and two charitable donations (either money or food) to two poor people, to fulfill these two mitzvotmitzvot. Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law In Judaism, Bar Mitzvah ( Hebrew: בר מצוה "one (m to whom the commandments apply" Bat Mitzvah (בת מצוה "one (f The gifts to friends are called mishloach manot ("sending of portions"), and often include wine and pastries; alternately, sweets, snacks, salads or any foodstuff qualifies. Mishloach manot ( Hebrew: משלוח מנות pronounced " mish-LOH-ach mah-NOTE " literally "sending of portions" also spelled mishloach

Although the sending of mishloach manot is technically limited to one gift for one friend, for some the custom has evolved into a major gift-giving event. Families often prepare dozens of homemade and store-bought food baskets to deliver to friends, neighbors, and relatives on Purim day. Charitable organizations, synagogues, Jewish schools and other groups also tap into the spirit of gift-giving by turning mishloach manot into a fund-raising device. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of These organizations collect money from members and either send out actual food gifts to other members, or mishloach manot "certificates" which indicate that a donation has been made to their organization.

To fulfill the mitzvah of giving charity to two poor people, one can give either food or money equivalent to the amount of food that is eaten at a regular meal. It is better to spend more on charity than on the giving of mishloach manot.

In the synagogue, regular collections of charity are made on the festival and the money is distributed among the needy. No distinction is made among the poor; anyone who is willing to accept charity is allowed to participate. It is obligatory upon the poorest Jew, even one who is himself dependent on charity, to give to other poor people.

The Purim meal

On Purim day, typically toward evening, a festive meal called Se`udat Purim is held, often with wine as the prominent beverage; consequently, drunkenness is not uncommon at this meal. The jovial character of this feast is illustrated in the saying of the Talmud (Megilla 7b) stating that one should drink on Purim until he can no longer distinguish between (ad delo yada) the phrases, arur Haman ("Cursed is Haman") and baruch Mordechai ("Blessed is Mordecai"). In Hebrew these phrases have the same gematria ("numerical value"), and some authorities, including the Be'er Hagolah and Rabbi Avraham Gombiner known as the Magen Avraham, have ruled that one should drink wine until he is unable to calculate these numerical values. Gematria or gimatria ( Rabbinic Hebrew he גימטריה) is a system of assigning numerical value to an Alphabet. Abraham Abele Gombiner (c1633-c1683 ( Hebrew: אברהם לוי אבלה הומבינר) known as the Magen Avraham, born in Gąbin (Gombin

This saying was codified by Rabbis Isaac Alfasi (the "Rif"), Asher ben Jehiel (the "Rosh"), Jacob ben Asher (the "Tur"), Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 695, and is interpreted simply (as explained above) by the Chatam Sofer. Rabbi Isaac ben Jacob Alfasi (1013 - 1103 - also Isaac Hakohen, Alfasi or the Rif (רי"ף - was a Talmudist and Posek (decisor Asher ben Jehiel ( Hebrew, אשר בן יחיאל, or Asher ben Yechiel sometimes Asheri) (1250 or 1259 &ndash 1328 was an eminent Rabbi and Jacob ben Asher, in Hebrew Ya'akov ben Asher, (1270-ca 1340 ( Toledo, Spain) was an influential Medieval rabbinic authority The Shulchan Aruch (שולחן ערוך literally " Set Table " (also Shulhan Aruch or Shulchan Arukh) is a Codification Orach Chayim is a section of Rabbi Jacob ben Asher 's compilation of Halakha (Jewish law Arba'ah Turim. Rabbi Moshe Sofer, (Moses Schreiber also known by his main work Chasam Sofer, ( trans This interpretation of the Talmudic statement, or the acceptance of the statement itself, is disputed (for various reasons) by the Tosafists (based on the Jerusalem Talmud), Maimonides, Rabbeinu Ephraim, Ba'al HaMa'or, Nissim of Gerona (the "Ran"), Orchot Chaim, Be'er Hagolah, the Magen Avraham, Rabbis David HaLevi Segal (the "Taz"), Moses Isserles (the "Rema"), Vilna Gaon, Samuel Eidels (the "Maharsha"), Rashash, Tzeidah LaDerech, Hagahot Maimoniyot, Ra'avyah, Korban N'tan'el, Yoel Sirkis (the "Bach"), Yaakov ben Moshe Levi Moelin (the "Maharil"), P'ri M'gadim, Kol Bo, Chochmat Mano'ach, Yisrael Meir Kagan in Mishnah Berurah and others. Tosafists were Medieval Rabbis who created critical and explanatory Glosses on the Talmud. The Jerusalem Talmud or Talmud Yerushalmi (תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשָׁלְמִי often the Yerushalmi for short is a collection Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Rabbi Nissim ben Reuven (1320 - 1380 Hebrew: נסים בן ראובן) of Girona, Catalonia was an influential Talmudist and authority David HaLevi Segal (דוד הלוי סגל (c 1586&ndash1667 also known as the Taz (he '''ט"ז''' or the Turei Zahav, was a prominent Moses Isserles is commonly known as "the Rema" ( Hebrew: רמ"א Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman, known as the Vilna Gaon or Elijah of Vilna and simply by his Hebrew Acronym Gra (" G aon Samuel Eidels (1555&ndash1631 (שמואל אליעזר הלוי איידלס was a renowned Rabbi and Talmudist famous for his commentary on the Talmud Chiddushei Yoel Sirkis, (1561-1640 also known as the Bach - an abbreviation of his magnum opus Bayit Chadash - was a prominent Jewish Posek and halakhist Jacob b Moses Moelin (יעקב בן משה מולין c 1365 &ndash 1427 was a Talmudist and Posek (authority on Jewish law) best known for Rabbi Yisrael Meir (HaCohen Kagan ( Dzyatlava, February 6, 1838 - Raduń, September 15, 1933) also known popularly Mishnah Berurah ( Hebrew: "Clarified Teaching" is a work of Halakha (Jewish law by Rabbi Yisrael These authorities all advocate drinking wine in some quantity, but all (excepting Hagahot Maimoniyot and Ra'avyah) discourage the level of drunkenness suggested by the Chatam Sofer. The Rema says that one should only drink a little more than he is used to drinking, and then try to fall asleep whereupon he certainly will not be able to tell the difference between the two phrases indicated by the Talmud. This position is shared by the Kol Bo and Mishnah Berurah, and is similar to that of Maimonides. Mishnah Berurah ( Hebrew: "Clarified Teaching" is a work of Halakha (Jewish law by Rabbi Yisrael Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and

Many kinds of merry-making and mockery are indulged in on Purim, so that among the masses it is believed that "on Purim everything is allowed. " However, Jewish leaders such as Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan known as the Chofetz Chaim and modern-day rosh yeshivas insist on decorum even in the midst of the merry-making. Rabbi Yisrael Meir (HaCohen Kagan ( Dzyatlava, February 6, 1838 - Raduń, September 15, 1933) also known popularly "The Chofetz Chaim " (or Chafetz Chaim or Hafetz Hayim) (חָפֵץ חַיִּים ( trans Rosh yeshiva, ( pl. Heb. Roshei yeshiva; Yeshivish Rosh yeshivas) (ראש ישיבה is the title given to the dean of According to some halakhic rulings, men should not dress in women's attire (nor vice-versa). Those rabbis that allow men to dress in women's attire on Purim do not allow men to completely disguise themselves as women but require that they remain perceptibly male. Ribald jokes remain forbidden, as during the rest of the year. Comically denigrating one's fellow, teachers, or Jewish leaders, even in the "spirit" of Purim, is forbidden. ^[8]

Masquerading

Most evidence suggests that the concept of "masquerading in costumes" (on Purim) is a fairly recent addition to Purim, which was added sometime during the past five hundred years - in Europe. The exact date is debated. The practice probably did not exist in Middle Eastern countries earlier than 150 years ago. Sources in the oral law (or even some mystical works), which describe the validity of "hiding" (as it relates to Purim) are referenced to support this practice.

Dressing up in masks and costumes is one of the most entertaining customs of the Purim holiday. Children in particular enjoy dressing up as the protagonists in the Book of Esther, including Queen Esther and Mordecai; other Biblical personalities such as King David and the Kohen Gadol ("High Priest"), and modern-day costumes from flower girls to indigenous peoples of the Americas to animals to policemen. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Kohen Gadol or Kohen ha-Gadol ( Heb כהן גדול "Great Priest" is the title of High Priest of early Israelite For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States.

Costumes and masks are worn to disguise the wearers' identities. Mistaken identity plays an important role in The Book of Esther, as Esther hid her cultural origins from the king, Mordecai hid his knowledge of all the world's languages (which allowed Bigthan and Teresh to discuss their plot openly in his presence), and Haman was mistaken for Mordechai when he led Mordechai through the streets of the capital city of Shushan. Susa ( Biblical שושן ( Shushan) also Greek: Σοῦσα Transliterated as Sousa; Latin Susa) According to the Talmud, Haman's daughter, thinking that it must be Mordechai leading her father around, dumped a chamber pot on her father's head as he passed by, and, realizing her error, committed suicide.

The one who is truly hidden behind all the events of the Megillah is God. The Jewish Sages referred to His role as הסתר פנים (hester panim, or "hiding of the Face", which is also hinted at in a word play (Megilat Hester ) regarding the Hebrew name for the Book of Esther, Megillat Esther—literally, "revelation of [that which is] hidden"). Although Jews believe that everything turned out in the end for the best as a direct result of Divine intervention (that is, a series of miracles), the Book of Esther lacks any mention of God's name and appears to have been nothing more than a result of natural occurrences. On the other hand, Jewish philosophy and scriptural commentators believe that the reason for the omission of God's name is in order to emphasize the very point that God remained hidden throughout this series of events, but was nonetheless present and played a large role in the outcome of the story. Furthermore, this lesson can be taken into consideration on a much larger scale: Throughout Jewish history, and especially in the present Jewish diaspora, God's presence has been felt more at certain times than at others. Jewish history is the History of the Jewish people, faith, and culture. The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence Megillat Esther (and the omission of God's name in it) serves to show that although God may not be conspicuously present at times, He nevertheless plays (and has played) an important role in everyone's lives and in the future of the Jewish nation. In remembrance of how God remained hidden throughout the Purim miracle, Jews dress up on Purim and many hide their faces.

The custom of masquerading on Purim was first introduced among the Italian Jews about the close of the fifteenth century under the influence of the Roman carnival. This custom spread over all countries where Jews lived, except perhaps the Orient. The first among Jewish authors to mention this custom is Judah ben Eliezer ha-Levi Minz (d. Judah ben Eliezer ha-Levi Minz (ca 1405-1508 also known as Mahari Minz, was the most prominent Italian Rabbi of his time 1508 at Venice) (known as the "Mahari Minz") in his Responsa no. 17, quoted by Moses Isserles on Orach Chayim 696:8. He expresses the opinion that, since the purpose of the masquerade is only merrymaking, it should not be considered a transgression of the Biblical law regarding dress. Although some authorities issued prohibitions against this custom, the people did not heed them, and the more lenient view prevailed. The custom is still practiced today amongst religious Jews of all denominations, and among both religious and non-religious Israelis. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

In Israel there are Purim parades (Adlayada) , and men, women, boys and girls dress in costumes and masks and celebrate publicly.

Songs

Songs associated with Purim are based on sources that are Talmudic, liturgical and cultural.

Traditional Purim songs include Mishenichnas Adar marbim be-simcha ("From the beginning of [the Hebrew month of] Adar, joy increases"—Mishnah Taanith 4:1) and LaYehudim haisah orah ve-simchah ve-sasson ve-kar ("The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor"—Esther 8:16). The prayer, Shoshanat Yaakov, read at the conclusion of the Megillah reading, is often sung to various popular melodies.

Traditional foods

During Purim it is traditional to serve triangular pastries, called Hamantashen ("Haman's pockets") in Yiddish and Oznei Haman ("Haman's ears") in modern Hebrew. A hamantash (also spelled hamentasch, homentash, homentasch, (humentash, pluralized with -en Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High A sweet cookie dough is rolled out, cut into circles, and traditionally filled with a sweet poppyseed filling, then wrapped up into a triangular shape with the filling either hidden or showing. A poppy is any of a number of showy Flowers typically withone per stem, belonging to the poppy family.

(Seeds and nuts are customarily eaten on Purim, as the Talmud tells us that Queen Esther ate only these foodstuffs in the palace of Ahasuerus, since she had no access to kosher foods. A ratchet, also called a noisemaker (or when used in Judaism, a gragger or ra'ashan) is an orchestral Musical instrument A hamantash (also spelled hamentasch, homentash, homentasch, (humentash, pluralized with -en Mahaneh Yehuda Market (שוק מחנה יהודה Shuk Mahaneh Yehuda) often referred to as the 'Shuk' is an outdoor marketplace in central Jerusalem, stretching Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history Esther ( born Hadassah, is a queen of Persian Empire in the Hebrew Bible, the queen of Ahasuerus (traditionally identified with Artaxerxes Ahasuerus ( Latin: Xerxes, Persian: Khashayarshah, commonly transliterated Achashverosh) is a name used several times in the See also Kashrut Kosher foods are those that conform to the regulations of Jewish religion ) More recently, prunes, dates, apricots, and chocolate fillings have been introduced. This pastry belongs to the Ashkenazi cuisine, its Sephardi equivalent is a thin dough called Fazuelos. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural Fazuelos, fijuelas or deblas are traditional Jewish pastries They are the Sephardic equivalent to the Ashkenazi Hamantashen

Kreplach, a kind of dumpling filled with cooked meat, chicken or liver and served in soup, are also traditionally served by Ashkenazi Jews on Purim. Kreplach ( Yiddish: קרעפלעך, sing קרעפל krepl) are small Dumplings filled with ground Meat, Mashed potatoes Dumplings are "piece of Dough, sometimes filled that cooked in liquid such as water or soup" or "sweetened dough wrapped around fruit such as an apple baked Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing

Purim Torah and Purim spiel

Main articles: Purim Torah and Purim spiel

Some Jewish communities spice up the Purim celebrations with comical, yet erudite, "Torah teachings" known as Purim Torah which resort to a variety of comedic and linguistic tricks to the amusement of the listeners. See also Purim Purim Torah is a term used to describe humorous and satirical writings customarily read on the Jewish holiday of Purim See also Purim A Purim Spiel, or Purimshpil, meaning a Purim play — shpil means 'game' or '(stage play' in See also Purim Purim Torah is a term used to describe humorous and satirical writings customarily read on the Jewish holiday of Purim

A Purim spiel is a comedic play that attempts to convey the saga of Purim's origins and its cast of characters. See also Purim A Purim Spiel, or Purimshpil, meaning a Purim play — shpil means 'game' or '(stage play' in Purim spiels can revolve around anything relating to Jews and Judaism that will bring cheer and comic relief to an audience celebrating the day.

Focus on children

During the days before Purim, children are often entertained with Purim puppet shows similar to a Punch and Judy performance where the entire Purim story is presented out by puppeteers using small puppets dressed up as Mordecai, Esther, Ahasuerus, Vashti, Haman and more. Punch and Judy is a traditional popular English Puppet show featuring the characters of Punch and his wife Judy Ahasuerus ( Latin: Xerxes, Persian: Khashayarshah, commonly transliterated Achashverosh) is a name used several times in the

Both before and on Purim, special children's songs (with non-liturgical sources) may be sung:

• Once There Was a Wicked Wicked Man
• Ani Purim

Shushan Purim

Shushan Purim (the 15th day of Adar) is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem and Shushan (in Iran) celebrate Purim. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Book of Esther explains that while the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on the 13th of Adar and rested on the 14th, the Jews in the walled capital city of Shushan spent the 13th and 14th defeating their enemies, and rested on the 15th (Esther 9:20-22).

Although Mordecai and Esther decreed that only walled cities should celebrate Purim on the 15th, in commemoration of the battle in the walled city of Shushan, the Jewish sages noted that Jerusalem, the focus of Jewish life, lay in ruins during the events of the Book of Esther. To make sure that a Persian city was not honored more than Jerusalem, they made the determination of which cities were walled by referring to ancient cities walled during the time of Joshua. This allowed Jerusalem to be included on the basis of that criteria; paradoxically, they included Shushan as the exceptional case since the miracle occurred there, even though it did not have a wall in Joshua's time.

The Megillah is also read on the 15th in a number of other cities in Israel—such as Jaffa, Acre, Safed, Tiberias and Hebron—but only as a custom based on a doubt over whether these cities were walled or sufficiently walled during the time of Joshua. Jaffa يَافَا;(יָפוֹ Yafo; also Japho, Joppa) is an ancient Port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world Safed (צְפַת pronounced Tsfat; صفد pronounced Safad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Tiberias ( British English: /taɪˈbɪəriæs -əs/ American English: /taɪˈbɪriəs/ טְבֶרְיָה Tverya; طبرية Ṭabariyyah Hebron ( al-Ḫalīl or al-Khalīl, Standard Hebrew: Ḥevron Tiberian Hebrew: Ḥeḇrôn is the largest city in the West Bank, located in the south These cities therefore celebrate Purim on the 14th, and the additional Megillah reading on the 15th is a stringency. Jews in these cities do not recite the blessings over the reading of the Megillah on the 15th.

Purim Ha-Me-shulash

When the main Purim date, the 14th of Adar, comes out on a Friday, then in Jerusalem there is a situation called Purim HaMeshulash - a 3 part Purim celebration. Shushan Purim is then on the 16th day, rather than the 15th day, of Adar. Each day has a different focus. The giving of money can't occur on Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, and since it would be unfair to make the poor wait a day, it is moved to the 14th of Adar. Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath The Megilla reading in Jerusalem takes place on the 14th as well. The "Al HaNissim" addition to the Amidah and Birkat Hamzon is said on Shabbat (Friday Night and Saturday) along with the traditional Purim day Torah portion being read in shul on Shabbat day. Sunday (the "Meshulash day") contains the obligation of Mishloach Manot and the Seudat Purim (the festive Purim meal).

These are not very common; they cluster (about every 2-3 years) and then they leave gaps as large as 13 years. The last occurrence was in 2008. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The next occurrence will be in 2021. 2021 ( MMXXI) will be a Common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar.

Purim Katan

In leap years on the Hebrew calendar, Purim is celebrated in the second month of Adar. A leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing one or more extra days (or in the case of Lunisolar calendars an extra month in order to keep the (The Karaites, however, celebrate it in the first month of Adar. Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and ) The 14th of the first Adar is then called Purim Katan ("Little Purim" in Hebrew) and the 15th is Shushan Purim Katan, for which there no set observances but have a minor holiday aspect to it. The distinctions between the first and the second Purim in leap years are mentioned in the Mishnah (Megillah 1/46b; compare Orach Chayim 697). The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism

Fasting before and after Purim

Main article: Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther, observed before Purim, on the 13th of Adar, is an original part of the Purim celebration, referred to in Esther 9:31-32. The Fast of Esther ( Ta'anit Ester, Hebrew תענית אסתר is a Jewish fast from Dawn until Dusk on Purim The Fast of Esther ( Ta'anit Ester, Hebrew תענית אסתר is a Jewish fast from Dawn until Dusk on Purim The first who mentions the Fast of Esther is Rabbi Achai Gaon (Acha of Shabcha) (8th century CE) in She'iltot 4; the reason there given for its institution is based on an interpretation of Esther 9:18, Esther 9:31 and Talmud Megillah 2a: "The 13th was the time of gathering", which gathering is explained to have had also the purpose of public prayer and fasting. Achai Gaon (also known as Ahai of Sabha or Aha of Sabha) was one of the Geonim, an 8th-century Talmudist of high renown Some, however, used to fast three days in commemoration of the fasting of Esther; but as fasting was prohibited during the month of Nisan, the first and second Mondays and the Thursday following Purim were chosen. The fast of the 13th is still commonly observed; but when that date falls on a Sabbath, the fast is pushed forward to the preceding Thursday, Friday being needed to prepare for the Sabbath and the following Purim festival.

Other "Purims"

In addition to the official Purim, other occasions arose to celebrate deliverance of communities or families from the threat of annihilation. These celebrations were called Purims:

Public / Communal

Until recently, many Jewish communities around the world celebrated local "Purims" that commemorated its deliverance from a particular anti-semitic ruler or group. Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility The best known is Purim Vintz, traditionally celebrated in Frankfurt am Main, one week after the regular Purim. This commemorates the Fettmilch uprising (1616-1620), in which one Vincenz Fettmilch attempted to exterminate the Jewish community. The Frankfurter Judengasse (from German: “Jews' Alley” was the Jewish Ghetto of Frankfurt and one of the earliest ghettos in Germany Vincenz Fettmilch was a Grocer and Gingerbread Baker who led the Fettmilch uprising in 1613 to get rid of foreigners and Jews ^[9] According to some sources, the influential Rabbi Moses Sofer (the Hatam Sofer), who was born in Frankfurt, celebrated Purim Vintz every year, even when he served as a rabbi in Pressburg. Rabbi Moshe Sofer, (Moses Schreiber also known by his main work Chasam Sofer, ( trans ARTICLE TEXT BEGINS AFTER THESE COMMENTS - PLEASE READ 1 Please do not edit the lead without reading

Private / Family

Many Jewish families have also had "family Purims" throughout the centuries, celebrated at home, whereby they celebrate their escape from persecution, an accident, or any other type of misfortune.

For example, in Krakow, Poland, Rabbi Yom Tov Lipmann Heller (1579-1654) asked that his family henceforth celebrate a private Purim, marking the end of his many troubles, including having faced trumped-up charges. Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann ben Nathan ha-Levi Heller ( Hebrew: רבי יום-טוב ליפמן הלר) (b ^[10] Since Purim is preceded by a fast day, the rabbi (known as the Tosfos Yom Tov because of his work of the same name) also directed his descendants to have a (private) fast day, the 5th day of Tamuz, marking one of his imprisonments (1629), this one lasting for 40 days. ^[11][12]

References

See also

• Achaemenid Empire
• Artaxerxes I of Persia
• Cyrus the Great
• Jewish holidays 2000-2050
• Second Temple
• Xerxes I of Persia

External links

• Complete Purim Guide at chabad.org
• Orthodox Union: Purim
• Torah.org: Purim
• Judaism 101: Purim
• Complete Beginner's Guide to Purim at Aish.com
• All About Purim
• Purim Events Around the World Directory

The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Artaxerxes I (Latin Greek Ἀρταξέρξης Persian اردشیر یکم (Ardeshir corruption of Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐎭𐎧𐎨𐏁𐎨 Artaxšacā The Second Temple (בית המקדש romanized 'Beit HaMikdash' meaning 'Holy House' was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem which stood between 516 BCE and 70 CE Xerxes I of Persia was a King of Persia (reigned 485–465 BC of the Achaemenid dynasty.

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