Purim

•    Purim is the story of the defeat of a plot against the extermination of the Jews.
•    We read the Megillah (scroll)
•    Costume Parties
•    Drinking
•    Hamantash
•    The story is told in the Book of Esther
    •    The heroes are
        •    Esther
        •    Mordecai, her uncle
•    Esther is taken to the king of Persia’s house
    •    Ahasuerus
        •    He loves Esther more than the other women in his harem.
            •    He makes her queen.
        •    He does not know she is a Jew.
•    The villain of the story is Haman.
    •    Possibly an Amalekite
    •    He hated Mordecai because he refused to bow down to him.
    •    He accuses the Jews of lawlessness. Esther 3:8
    •    The king puts the fate of the Jewish people into Haman’s hand.
•    Mordecai persuades Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jews.
•    Esther’s life is endangered because of approaching the king without being summoned.
    •    Esther fasts 3 days to prepare herself.
    •    The king welcomes Esther.
    •    Esther tells the king of Haman’s plot against the Jews.
        •    The Jews are saved.
        •    Haman and his 10 sons are hanged.
•    The Book of Esther does not contain Yah’s Name.
    •    Yah works in ways that appear to be
        •    Chance
        •    Good Luck
•    Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar.
    •    Haman chose the 13th day of Adar to kill the Jews.
    •    The 15th day is named Shushan Purim - when the Jews were delivered from massacre in the walled (Shushan) cities in the time of Joshua.
•    During the years when there are two months of Adar
    •    Purim is celebrated in Adar II
        •    One month before Pesach
•    Purim Katan - Little Purim is celebrated one month before Purim during Jewish leap year.
    •    There is no mourning or fasting.
•    Purim - Lots
    •    Haman employed the casting of lots to choose the date for killing the Jews.
•    Purim is celebrated with a minyan fast before the Holiday.
•    The primary commandment relating to Purim is
    •    To read the Megillah
        •    There are five books that are called Megillah
            •    Esther
            •    Ruth
            •    Ecclesiastes
            •    Song of Solomon
            •    Lamentations
•    It is customary to boo or hiss or rattle gragers (noisemakers) whenever Haman’s name is mentioned
    •    To blot out his name
•    We are to
    •    Eat
    •    Drink
    •    Be Merry
•    We are to send out baskets - this is referred to as Shalach Manos (sending out portions)
•    We are to hold
    •    Carnival like celebrations
    •    Plays
    •    Beauty contest
    •    It is the Jewish Mardi Gras
        •    No crossing dressing
•    Purim is not a High Holy Day, Half Holy Day



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