Supplemental
History
Ritual
Purim
Purim · Lots / Lottery
The rescue of the Jews of , read from the with noise, costume and gifts.
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1
The basics
Name, translation, date and length — the facts to have by heart.
Name and timing
- Hebrew name
- Purim
- English translation
- Lots / Lottery
- Date / timing
- 14 Adar (usually March)
- Length
- 1 day
- Historical reason
- The deliverance of the Jews of Persia from Haman's decree, whose date he chose by lottery.
2
Meaning and story
Why this exists, what happened, and the values it carries.
What it means
- Purim means 'lots' or 'lottery': when Haman wanted to kill the Jews, he cast lots to pick the day.
- Nobody saw it coming — and if it were not for Esther and Mordechai it would have been a disaster.
Story and history
- In , King Achashverosh removes Queen Vashti and Esther becomes queen.
- Mordechai, Esther's cousin, refuses to bow to Haman.
- Haman plots to destroy the Jews and casts lots for the day — but he never tells the king that what he wants is to kill the Jews.
- Everyone is hiding: Esther conceals that she is a Jew, as if wearing a mask.
- Esther finally tells the king that she is Jewish and that Mordechai is her cousin, and Haman's mask comes off.
- The king sobers up and decides to hang Haman — who had wanted to be king — and his sons as well.
- The decree is overturned and the Jews are saved.
Major themes and values
- The precariousness of Jewish existence in the
- Political influence and advocacy
- Prejudice and antisemitism
3
Practice
Rituals, symbols, prayers and foods — and the reason behind each.
Rituals and observances
- Reading the out loud.
- Sounding the () — anything that makes noise — whenever Haman's name is heard.
- Wearing .
- Sending — gifts of food.
- Eating (hamentashen).
Why we do these rituals
- Drowning out Haman's name enacts the blotting out of those who would destroy the Jewish people.
- echo the theme of hidden identity — everyone in the story was hiding, and Esther conceals and then reveals that she is a Jew.
- turn rescue into communal generosity.
Symbols and what they mean
- Costumes and masks
- Everyone was wearing a mask and hiding that they were Jewish; Esther's concealment and revelation.
- Grogger / gragger
- Anything that makes noise, sounded to blot out Haman's name.
- Hamantaschen
- The holiday's three-cornered pastry.
- Mishloach manot
- Gifts of food; communal solidarity.
Important prayers and readings
- Megillat Esther (the reading)
Foods
- food gifts
- Festive Purim meal
4
Words to know
The Hebrew vocabulary for this topic.
Vocabulary
- Megillah
- The scroll of Esther.
- Grogger
- Noisemaker used during the reading.
- Mishloach manot
- Gifts of food sent to friends on Purim.
- Shushan
- The Persian capital where the story takes place.
5
Beth Din prep
Answer these out loud before you sit down with the rabbis.
What I should be able to explain to the Beth Din
- 1Tell the Purim story with its characters: Esther, Mordechai, Haman, Achashverosh, Vashti.
- 2What the name Purim means, and how Haman chose the day.
- 3Why costumes and the are part of the day.
- 4How the story ends: Esther reveals herself, the king sobers up, and Haman and his sons are hanged.