The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Contact Renee Weisman at sisterhoodoftemplebetham@gmail.com to be emailed the code to use to join the group. Privacy Policy Sun, January 17 2021 4-5, 2015 2. What does Purim commemorate? And we drink to the point of openly showing our inner spiritual joy. Learn about the origin and traditions of this Jewish celebration. How Purim relates to Christians. In leap years, when there are two months of Adar, Purim is celebrated during Adar II. There are a number of traditional explanations for why Jews play dreidel on Hanukkah. Find out more about ShulCloud. There certainly are many reasons to look forward to Purim. 23-24, 2016 In Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on 15 Adar, a day later than everywhere else. Humans are well aware of the pleasing effect of this gift from God but have … The story that is told in completely human terms, focuses on an assimilated Jewish community with no divine manifestation or supernatural miracles that determine the outcome of their story. Question: "Why is sexual purity so important?" Purim, a joyous Jewish festival commemorating the survival of the Jews who, in the 5th century BCE, were marked for death by their Persian rulers. That is why Purim is on the fourteenth day of Adar, not the thirteenth. Our own survival depends on the realization of these corrections. Mar. Calling the holiday Purim reminds the Jewish people that even when events appear to be happening at random, such as in a lottery, G-d is still the ultimate controller of fate. The separate date, known as Shushan Purim, is based on Esther 9:20-22, which says the "walled cities" did n… In Israel, children (and teachers!) The Purim holiday is especially relevant in today’s world. It … The events described in The Scroll of Esther hint at the corrections we have to go through as a people to overcome the threats looming over us. “There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed,” Haman says to King Ahasuerus, contending that the Jews failed to uphold the king’s laws, which discredited their purpose for existence in the king’s eyes. It will be Purim, a holiday where Judaism reminds that each one of us possesses the capacity to take control. It’s even harder to comprehend this book’s importance when we realize that not even once does God’s name appear in it, and none of the main characters are religious leaders, prophets or people with exceptional virtues. If the Jewish people would be asked to vote for the holidays they observed we will get in the first category Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Passover (in no particular order), while all the others in the second category struggle for some attention and do not often get it. That’s why, for me, of all of the Jewish holidays, Purim is about having fun, feeling joyous, and spreading cheer. Purim is observed in some places exclusively on the 14th of Adar and in others, exclusively on the 15th (Shushan Purim). And yet, Am Israel Chai, we are alive and thriving. We call it: Kulanu - All of Us Together. Megillat Esther may 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. Founder and president of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute. A big part of Purim is and the custom of making Purim baskets and gifting food to others during the holiday (mishloach manot). The prophet Daniel is a model for this repentance. The story is related in the biblical Book of Esther. Even after we reclaimed a tiny piece of land and called it home we attracted the fury of hundreds of millions of Muslims and the resentment of so many other countries. The energy of Purim is beyond anything we can know—so we connect to it by creating happiness that is “beyond knowing.” So it’s really no puzzle that work is permitted on a day when such a transcendental energy shines. Although Purim was traditionally viewed as less than a major holiday, today it has been elevated to a higher status because of the unique Jewish historical experience – much in the same way that Hanukkah has been elevated to a larger status than was originally intended. Founder and president of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute. It is an important distinction for the holiday. 4 Shevat 5781. A dreidel (sevivon in Hebrew) is a spinning top, with four sides, each side featuring a different Hebrew letter: nun (נ), gimmel (ג), hay (ה) and either shin (שׁ) or peh (פּ).Why do Jews play dreidel? Learn more about the traditions and history of Purim. The Jews became sanctioned as a nation when they agreed to unite “as one man with one heart.” Their dispersion was synonymous with their disunity, which meant that they failed to live up to what established them as a nation to begin with. In the theater of our current reality, the curtain rises and the performance begins with entry of the full cast of characters, the heroes and villains, and the intricate plot unfolds. Today, Jews must remember this history and set a positive example for everyone. That’s why, by comparison, Yom hakiPurim is only "a day like Purim." "The Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor" (Esther 8:16). For thousands of years, God no longer speaks to us from mountaintops, or through prophets with whom He interacts. However, try as he might to be a positive force, he’s powerless to do so by himself. Hamentaschen are triangular-shaped pastries that are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. Member Terms, ©2021 All rights reserved. Such a state of unity was achieved through the correction of egoism—exploitation of others for our own sake—to a state of love and bestowal. Christians can celebrate Purim as a means to repent for the actions of the church fathers toward the Jews. Garden of Eden. Uniting means that we must mentally and emotionally support each other in seeking a common agreement to be there for each other, “as one man with one heart,” above any differences between us. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen, though she refused to divulge her nationality.Meanwhile, the Jew-hating Haman was appointed prime minister of the empi… Via Zoom. In life so often we wear masks, afraid to show our true spiritual selves. Purim at Fellowship Church Purim 2019 begins in the evening of Wednesday, March 20th and ends in the evening of Thursday, March 21st. What is the unity we Jews must reach now? And this is exactly what makes Purim so important. The story of Purim conveys a powerful theological statement that experiencing God’s miracles does not lie exclusively in the realm of the prophets, priests and supernatural miracles. Purim is a holiday for Jewish people to not dwell on what could have happened, but instead, celebrate the end result. The real world remains underneath the surface. Sure, Purim was marked as the “holiday that would never be forgotten,” and celebrates the salvation of the Jewish nation. When they united, however, they reestablished themselves as a nation, exactly as King Ahasuerus commanded, making Haman’s claim fall short. Purim provides us with the happy-ending example where the Jewish people understand their role and purpose, and take responsibility to realize the king’s law: uniting above their differences and thereby securing their survival. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he arranged a beauty pageant to find a new queen. Purim does not celebrate a military triumph. The Feast of Purim is a Jewish holiday in celebration of the deliverance of the Jews as recorded in the book of Esther. Aside from being fun to celebrate, why would a Christian have any interest in celebrating Purim? Mar. Something meaningful and dynamic is happening here at Temple Beth Am. The Book of Esther portrays a hidden manifestation of God, inspiring us to have faith that God is ever present in the world, even when that doesn’t seem so obvious. See the fact file below for more information on the Purim or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Purim worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. Like all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sunset the night before the date of the holiday. Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar (mid-March), based on Esther 9:17. This is what Haman emphasized to King Ahasuerus.   |   In other words, the dispersion and disunity between our hearts spreads dispersion and disunity to the world, and its opposite is also true—our unification spreads unification. Just as … Having been grafted into God’s kingdom (Rom. Although there are five books of Jewish scripture that are properly referred to as megillahs (Esther, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations), this is the one people usually mean when they speak of The Megillah. Please contact us in case of abuse. As we celebrate Purim this year, we can reflect on the faithfulness and deliverance of God that we see demonstrated throughout the Esther story. The opposite end was clearly exemplified by the tragic events in the middle of last century that revealed what an escalation of Jewish hatred coupled with Jewish denial of that hatred and failure to do anything about it could lead to. And so may it be for us. While “dispersed,” Queen Esther could be of no service to the Jews because they were breaching the king’s law. Purim is similar. The annual Purim date is fixed at about one month before Passover, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday. Purim is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid Persian Empire official who was planning to kill all the Jews, as recounted in the Book of Esther (מגילת אסתר‎ Megillat Ester in Hebrew; usually dated to the 5th century BC). But when we look deeper into the meaning of Purim we learn that it is much more than a poor consolation prize for Jewish kids who don’t celebrate Halloween. From the doubt and fear in the face of utter destruction to the elation and euphoria after everything works out in the end, the story and meaning of Purim encompasses one of the greatest ever resolution of opposites. Let’s look at the characters behind the costumes: Haman is represented by the resurgence of Nazism, hatred from the left toward Jews and Israel, and extreme voices from both sides of the spectrum that call for our destruction. Author of over 40 books on spiritual, social and global transformation. In case of abuse, Michael Laitman is a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah. That is why, even if the custom of masks and disguises on Purim has come from somewhere else, it still finds a place in our tradition. It will continue to exist, as will the Torah and the Oral Law, which will never be nullified (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Megillah, 2:18). To better understand this point let’s look at our history some 2,000 years after the Purim story. In this way, the challenge of Purim is greater. Purim shows us that the entire world is a mask. Just like the Purim story’s scenario in Shushan, the Jewish people today face special times when great forces of separation operate to tear us apart. The … The Book of Esther portrays a hidden manifestation of God, inspiring us to have faith that God is ever present in the world, even when that doesn’t seem so obvious. He needs to first gather and unite the far-flung Jews, and by doing so, Mordechai invalidates the decree of the wicked Haman, to eradicate all the Jews. It is a time of feasting, joy, and merriment. Just like on a cloudy day when we don’t see the sun but know it’s there, the story of Purim teaches us that God is involved, even when we don’t see His direct involvement. As much as I don’t like to mix religion and politics, I couldn’t help it one night as I found myself comparing the outcome of the primaries to the Jewish holidays. Purim is different from all other Jewish holidays in at least one very interesting aspect. The Purim tradition is rich with feasting. What message does the book of Esther and thus, Purim have for Gentiles? It celebrates G-D's… The book of Esther is commonly known as the Megillah, which means scroll. These days, for people of all ages, Purim is a costume party, carnival and food feast all rolled into one. Haman understood that the principle by which the Jewish nation came into being was unity. It should have been the most popular Jewish holiday, at least for young people, as is the case in Israel. It springs from the warmth of our welcome and the energy of our actions. In his Laws of Purim, Maimonides teaches: In the Messianic era, all of the biblical books of the Prophets and Writings will be nullified, with the exception of the Book of Esther. Purim is a festive Jewish holiday that celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies in ancient Persia as told in the Book of Esther. Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. When Daniel knew that the 70 years of exile for Judah were coming. We celebrate an important victory over our enemies, which was a precedent for many other such victories over the course of our history. Unity is the unfulfilled expectation that humanity currently has of the Jews. We Jews hold the keys to both possible outcomes: the choice to remain disunited, which has devastating consequences, or the choice to unite, which brings about the elated state Purim symbolizes. The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the book of Esther. It celebrates the day of "rejoicing and feasting" that followed. So on Purim we purposely wear the mask to expose it for what it truly is – nothing more than a façade. The Persian Empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. Answer: God gave man and woman the joy and pleasure of sexual relations within the bounds of marriage, and the Bible is clear about the importance of maintaining sexual purity within the boundaries of that union between man and wife (Ephesians 5:31). It is also known as the Feast of Lots (Purim being the Hebrew word for “lots”). Purim, however, is a celebration of the very fact that the world is not run by random chance. First and foremost, Purim is … The dates for Purim in the next few years are: 1. Such a state of unity was achieved through the correction of egoism—exploitation of others for our own sake—to a state of love and bestowal. Queen Esther then instituted the holiday of Purim for the day after the Jews were permitted to defend themselves. This is the very action that will bring our people and the whole world closer to peace, balance and boundless joy. It is an extraordinary idea that the only book besides the five books of Torah that will be part of the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible, is the book we read on Purim: The Book of Esther. Purim provides us with the happy-ending example where the Jewish people understand their role and purpose, and take responsibility to realize the king’s law: uniting above their differences and thereby securing their survival. Purim is a holiday of fun and festivities, like all Jewish holidays it is also an opportunity to fulfill numerous mitzvot. Moreover, uniting also means that, by our efforts to find our common unifying point, we will become conduits of unity to the rest of humanity, as is written, to become “a light unto nations.”. At this point, a question arises: Why did Haman connect the Jews’ dispersion to their disobeying the king’s laws? We see the Jewish people surviving centuries of pogroms, mass displacement and the Holocaust. Don’t just sit there at the king’s gate; go, gather the Jews!”. While it is difficult for both non-Jews and Jews to pinpoint or verbalize this feeling, it lurks behind all anti-Semitic sentiment. One of these festivals is Purim. 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The simple answer to this question is because all things Jewish are now important to G-d's holy and treasured people who are Black people throughout the world who wish to claim their Hebrew, Israelite, Jewish heritage. In past years Fellowship Church has celebrated Purim with costumes, a reading of the Book of Esther followed by food and fellowship. Purim symbolizes the end of this process of correction. The importance of keeping the Purim celebration “ throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city ” has become even more important as time has gone on. Sisterhood Coffee & Conversation (via Zoom), Men's Club Walk at Riverbend Park, Jupiter. Purim is written about in the Bible in the book of Esther chapters 1-10, specifically chapter 9. MSc in Medical Bio-Cybernetics. 11:11-24), Christians are the Gentile version of God’s people, the Jews. Every time that we Jews were threatened with extermination, it was our commitment to unity that allowed us to prevail and survive. Purim is also a story of everything turning out to be the opposite of what it seemed to be: A victim into a winner, a second most important man in the state into a criminal… This spirit is preserved in Purim traditions. … But it is also the rare holiday where God doesn’t take center stage in the story. The story of Purim conveys a powerful theological statement that experiencing God’s miracles does not lie exclusively in the realm of the prophets, priests and supernatural miracles. In order to remind us of how God remained hidden throughout the Purim miracle, many Jews dress up on Purim and hide their faces. The ancient rabbis called this concept hester panim, “the concealed face of God”. But if you try to follow the tradition here, you soon realize that while dressing up is fun, when you are the only one who does it – let’s be honest, it’s just weird. The early spring holiday celebrates a time when the Jewish people were saved from annihilation in ancient Persia. It is seen by some as a strictly Jewish holiday, but since we Christians are fully "grafted into" God's special relationships, it makes sense for us to celebrate Purim as well. It does not mean that we need to physically gather in Israel or anywhere else, just as the Jews in the Purim story didn’t need to leave the 127 provinces in which they lived to physically unite in Shushan. According to Jewish thought, the only people to see the world in a state of perfection were Adam and Eve, who lived in the paradise of Eden. As the TV channels were reporting the outcome of the voting, they created two categories for the results: One was dedicated to the first three candidates and the other for all the rest. Why are the Dates of Purim Celebrations dependent on the Location? God’s presence is hidden from direct human perception. 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