Purim: customs of a cheerful holiday

The month of Adar Begins and the joy increases" - it is told in the Talmud (Tractate "Taanit", section 4, sheet 29A). Tradition recommends that Jews, if possible, postpone the beginning of complex, dangerous activities until the beginning of the month of Adar - in particular, not to start until Adar trials with enemies. The 14th of Adar is the day of the feast of Purim (?????), which the Jews celebrate in memory of the amazing events that took place more than 2400 years ago, when the Jewish people stood on the threshold of total destruction and defeated its enemies. All the events of Purim are described in the Tanakh, in the book "Megilat Esther" ( ????? ???? ) – "the Scroll" (Megillah).

This holiday is wrapped in a shroud of mystery. Only a few riddles: why is the book of Esther the only book of the Jewish Canon still not found in the scrolls of the Dead Sea? Why does the Talmud claim that the days of miracles are over with Esther? Why does the scroll never mention the name of G-d? Why tradition says that after the coming of the Messiah all prophets’ books will be forgotten, all holidays will be cancelled and only the book of Esther will continue and that only Purim will remain forever? Why on this day can you break the biblical Covenant and change into a woman's dress? On all these and many other questions there are no unambiguous answers. Until nowadays the debate continues, whether there has been a historic event of the rescue of Jews from genocide in the Persian Empire by the Queen Esther and Mordechai two and a half thousand years ago... The descendants of Amalek, grandson of Esau, the anti-Semites, were, are and will be.

There are four commandments associated with Purim, which, according to Jewish tradition, were established by the sages of the Sanhedrin and the prophets. These include reading of Megillah, festive feast and fun, mishloach manot and matanot laevyonim. Purim begins on the evening of the 13th of Adar with a reading of Megilat Esther in the synagogue. Even the synagogue looks unusual on this day: girls are wearing the Queen Esther’ costume – snow white dresses and crowns; boys are in Ahashverosh and Mordechai costumes, but among them there are also the villains Amans. It is possible that the custom to wear costumes is related to the fact that Esther, having become the Queen, hid that she was Jewish, and the people in the Palace didn't know who she really was. Another custom, Mishloah Manot is literally translated as "sending food" when everyone has to send at least one person a gift consisting of at least two types of food. On Purim it is required to provide charity to all: "Whoever held out his hand for charity on Purim, must receive it".

In Jerusalem, the engaged girls sent their chosen ones a magnificent gift – a large tray of sweets and decorated pies. In the countries of Eastern Europe the young people sent their brides gold jewelry in the palm of their hand, made of sugar. Gifts were sent with the drummer girl. Upon arrival, the bride went out into the yard and danced with other women. The drummer girl did return to the house of the groom with the bride's gift, laid in a silver casket or a box of incense. Matanot laevyonim is the custom to distribute gifts to the poor. In Yemen, children accompanied parcels for the poor in the form of a procession on brightly decorated chariots, with attached Aman dolls made of wood. The procession passed through the Jewish streets and continued until they finished handing out gifts and receiving money. In Eastern Europe, the poor of the city, dressed in carnival costumes and with songs approached the doors of houses and begged for alms. The hosts tried to recognize them by voice and gave them donations. The custom to eat and drink a lot on Purim is explained by the fact that the salvation of the Jews was preceded by the abundant feasts: first feast of Ahasuerus, after which Esther became the Queen, and the second feast, hosted by Esther, in which Aman was exposed and, as a result, the Jews were saved. Purim is a celebration of unbridled fun and carnival.

On Purim it is possible what is impossible on other days. This is the only day in the year when a Jew is not only allowed, but even required to drink to excess. This rule seems rather strange: the attitude towards drunkenness has always been traditionally negative in the Jewish world. Meanwhile, in this day you should drink enough to not distinguish between blessing Mordecai and cursing Aman. And not to distinguish the blessing from the curse, Aman and Mordechai, you do have to try hard and drink really a lot. And he who hasn’t drunk wine for the whole year has to drink it on Purim. And really, the wine flows like water on Purim. So during the magnificent festive meal of Purim people get overly drunk. Of dishes usually cookies are served - homentash, or oznei Aman - "Aman's ears", a triangular shaped cookies with poppy and honey filling. For Purim a special Hala is baked – a large one, generously flavored with raisins. Sephards treated by a variety of sweet dishes – pies made from dough mixed with a large number of eggs, as well as made with honey, cinnamon, sesame seeds and other. In Ashkenazi communities on this day it is customary to eat kreplah (meat dumplings cooked in broth), as well as turkey. Among special festive dishes it is necessary to name also boiled beans and peas which are served as a reminder that the prophet Daniel ate bread grain to avoid violation of food bans.

One of the main ideas of the Esther scroll is the idea that the fate of the Jewish people is in the hands of Divine Providence, that the people will be saved, and that on the tree that Aman has prepared for Mordechai, he will hang himself. And it's not a parable, not a fairy tale with a happy ending, it is the true fact. Because in the twentieth century, in the days of Purim were hanging the Nazi leaders who tried to solve the "Jewish issue". In the days of Purim Stalin died on the threshold of his planned elimination of Jews in the USSR. In the days of Purim Saddam surrendered, sending missiles to Israel. By the way, that was on the very land where once Aman prepared to destroy the Jews. Thus was. And so it will be. Hag Purim Sameah!

Purim: customs of a cheerful holiday

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