January 7th - Purim

We now come to one of the holidays that I had really no prior knowledge of before this project started.  My only experience of the Jewish holiday of Purim was Christopher Guest’s film For Your Consideration.  A film about the eccentricities of Hollywood, it concerns the filming of a movie called “Home for Purim,” in which a Jewish family celebrates this holiday during WWII.  It’s not his best work, but it’s the only film example of what goes on during Purim.

I tried calling several local synagogues in an attempt to do today (along with Passover, Hanukkah, and Rosh Hashanah) justice.  My advice (when I actually go it) was to simply go on to Google and search for the holidays that way.  I’m sure that they were busy.  I’m also sure that my explanation of what I was doing (celebrating each holiday of the year during the month of January in a respectful way) was lost on the people I contacted.

I do find it sad that our religious traditions are being passed along in the same way I searched for a monkey sniffing its butt.

According to The Google, Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction of a plot by Haman. Now, buckle up, because this is taken directly from the source of all knowledge now, The Wikipedia.

The story begins with a  six month 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 nobles wearing her royal crown. She refuses, and Ahasuerus decides to remove her from her post. 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 Mordecai. She finds favor in the king's eyes, and is made his new wife. Esther does not reveal that she is Jewish.

Shortly afterwards, Mordecai discovers a plot by courtiers Bigthan and Teresh to kill Ahasuerus. They are apprehended and hanged, and Mordecai's service to the king is recorded.

Ahasuerus appoints Haman as his prime minister. Mordecai, who sits at the palace gates, falls into Haman's disfavor as he refuses to bow down to him. Having found out that Mordecai is Jewish, Haman plans to kill not just Mordecai but the entire Jewish minority in the empire. He obtains Ahasuerus' permission to execute this plan, and he casts lots to choose the date on which to do this – the thirteenth of the month of Adar. When Mordecai finds out about the plans he orders widespread penitence and fasting. Esther discovers what has transpired; she requests that all Jews of Shushan 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 Mordecai and builds a gallows for him, with the intention to hang him there the very next day.

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 Mordecai in the previous plot against his life. Ahasuerus is told that Mordecai had 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 King is referring to Haman himself, Haman says that the honoree 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 Mordecai.

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 instead orders Haman hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The previous decree against the Jews could not be annulled, so the King allows Mordecai 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 75,000 of the Jews' enemies are killed (Esther 9:16). On the 14th, another 300 are killed in Shushan. No spoils are taken.

Mordecai assumes the position of second in rank to Ahasuerus, and institutes an annual commemoration of the delivery of the Jewish people from annihilation.

This story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther, or the Megillah.  This is recited publicly at sundown on Purim, as well as during the following day.  A sample of this reading can be seen below:

I sat through the whole thing, and while I might not have gleaned a total understanding of the holiday itself, it did make me appreciate the amount of suffering that the Jewish people endured throughout history.  It's interesting to note that this is the only holiday celebrated by the Jewish community in which God is not mentioned.  Instead, it describes a time in which the Jewish people were almost wiped out, but were able to overcome and triumph.  To me, this is as good a reason as any to celebrate.

To celebrate, I baked a traditional Jewish cookie called hamantash, which are meant to represent Haman's ears.  These are normally given out as gifts, as a central part of Purim is the practice of the giving of food (charity is also a huge part of Purim, so I made sure to donate a load of canned goods to the local Salvation Army food bank).

So they kinda came out ok.  I need more baking skills.  Applications are now being accepted for a full-time baker at 3031 Windchase.  Inquire within...