Purim is a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar. The majority of modern Jewish people do not observe it, and those who do, do so primarily for the sake of their children.
Observance of Purim
Purim is observed on the 14th of Adar (February-March). In Jerusalem it is also celebrated on the 15th, as it was in the ancient city of Susa. When the Jewish calendar has a leap year, a second month of Adar is added, and the observance of Purim is postponed until this second date.
The central activity on Purim is reading the Book of Esther. A Megillah or scroll is taken out and folded like a letter. The entire story of Esther is read from this scroll. This is done in the synagogue. Based on the command to “blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven” (Dt. 25:19), an unusual custom developed and has long been practiced. As the Megillah is read, every time the name of Haman is mentioned the listeners boo, hiss, stomp their feet, whistle, pound plastic, air-filled hammers, or spin noisemakers called greggers. The idea is to make so much noise that the memory of Haman, an Amalekite, is blotted out from under heaven.
In the home, a special holiday meal is eaten in the afternoon. This meal must be plentiful and festive. Hamantashen, a three-corner pastry filled with poppy seeds, prunes, or other fruits and said to resemble Haman’s hat, is a holiday favorite. It is also customary to give small baskets full of cooked foods to friends on Purim. And a few coins are handed out to the poor.
The underlying theme of every Purim activity is fun. It is the most joyous of all Jewish holidays. Happiness and good cheer are the highlights of this day’s celebration. There is singing, dancing, and an almost carnival-like atmosphere. Children and even some adults dress in costumes. Purim plays are presented. People who are usually held in high esteem, such as rabbis, are good-naturedly parodied and made the brunt of jokes. In Israel, there are Purim parades with large floats and marching bands.
The most controversial aspect of the Purim celebration is found in the Talmud, which states, “It is the duty of a man to mellow himself [with wine] on Purim until he cannot tell the difference between ‘cursed be Haman’ and ‘blessed be Mordecai.’ ” The phrases “cursed be Haman” and “blessed be Mordecai” are found in a prayer that follows the reading of the Megillah. The idea is that on Purim it is permissible to drink alcoholic beverages to such a degree that people find it difficult to distinguish between the cursing and blessing of this prayer. Some people in the Jewish community do imbibe a great deal of alcohol on Purim. Others feel that getting drunk on Purim is excessive. They interpret the Talmudic injunction to simply mean lie down to rest from the exhaustion of the celebration. Unfortunately, however, heavy drinking has become a part of the fun-making traditions of Purim.
Prophecy and Purim
Being a man-made holiday, there is no direct correlation between Purim and biblical prophecy. Nor is there any clear typology between this festival and the person of Jesus the Messiah.
Jewish tradition however believes that Purim will be one of the few Jewish festivals to continue in the days of the Messiah and his kingdom. At that time, Purim will serve as a memorial. It will be a remembrance of the beginning of the annihilation of Amalek during the days of Mordecai and Esther and their final annihilation at the coming of the Messiah.
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