why is purim important

It is an important distinction for the holiday. Why are the Dates of Purim Celebrations dependent on the Location? And we drink to the point of openly showing our inner spiritual joy. The Purim holiday is especially relevant in today’s world. 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. MSc in Medical Bio-Cybernetics. 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. 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. Check back for … 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. The … His new book, The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism, is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Choice-Anti-Semitism-Historical-anti-Semitism/dp/1671872207/, G-d’s Master Plan – XLV – The Additional Unique Code Contained Within נחמו, Huldai: Tel Aviv cultural venues to open in February for the fully vaccinated, New Hope’s Sa’ar: If I win, Likud can join me but Netanyahu won’t be a minister, Israel nears grim milestone of 4,000 coronavirus deaths, These US Orthodox women bloggers prefer not to be seen, but are very much heard, Hackers attack Atlanta synagogue stream of senator-elect Warnock’s sermon, Pinched by pandemic, artists paint new paths onto Instagram walls. Purim shows us that the entire world is a mask. 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. What is the unity we Jews must reach now? The real world remains underneath the surface. In this way, the challenge of Purim is greater. 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. 4 Shevat 5781. Learn more about the traditions and history of Purim. Purim is different from all other Jewish holidays in at least one very interesting aspect. Sure, Purim was marked as the “holiday that would never be forgotten,” and celebrates the salvation of the Jewish nation. 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.   |   The annual Purim date is fixed at about one month before Passover, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday. In order to remind us of how God remained hidden throughout the Purim miracle, many Jews dress up on Purim and hide their faces. 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. One of these festivals is Purim. 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. Queen Esther then instituted the holiday of Purim for the day after the Jews were permitted to defend themselves. Something meaningful and dynamic is happening here at Temple Beth Am. The book of Esther is commonly known as the Megillah, which means scroll. 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. The early spring holiday celebrates a time when the Jewish people were saved from annihilation in ancient Persia. Hamentaschen are a popular basket-stuffer. Don’t just sit there at the king’s gate; go, gather the Jews!”. 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. 23-24, 2016 In Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on 15 Adar, a day later than everywhere else. "The Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor" (Esther 8:16). 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. But it is also the rare holiday where God doesn’t take center stage in the story. This is what Haman emphasized to King Ahasuerus. 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). We call it: Kulanu - All of Us Together. In life so often we wear masks, afraid to show our true spiritual selves. Hamentaschen are triangular-shaped pastries that are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. 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. Author of over 40 books on spiritual, social and global transformation. 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). God’s presence is hidden from direct human perception. These days, for people of all ages, Purim is a costume party, carnival and food feast all rolled into one. It celebrates the day of "rejoicing and feasting" that followed. Humans are well aware of the pleasing effect of this gift from God but have … 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. Why is celebrating Purim relevant in the 21st century – or even at all? 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. The Purim tradition is rich with feasting. 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? 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. 11:11-24), Christians are the Gentile version of God’s people, the Jews. How Purim relates to Christians. Question: "Why is sexual purity so important?" It will be Purim, a holiday where Judaism reminds that each one of us possesses the capacity to take control. 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. 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. 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. Founder and president of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute. The prophet Daniel is a model for this repentance. When Daniel knew that the 70 years of exile for Judah were coming. 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. Please contact us in case of abuse. Sun, January 17 2021 The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the book of Esther. Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar (mid-March), based on Esther 9:17. Mordechai is the story’s representative of good. While it is difficult for both non-Jews and Jews to pinpoint or verbalize this feeling, it lurks behind all anti-Semitic sentiment. The ancient rabbis called this concept hester panim, “the concealed face of God”. Just as … 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. 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. Purim symbolizes the end of this process of correction. Purim is a holiday of fun and festivities, like all Jewish holidays it is also an opportunity to fulfill numerous mitzvot. As we celebrate Purim this year, we can reflect on the faithfulness and deliverance of God that we see demonstrated throughout the Esther story. To better understand this point let’s look at our history some 2,000 years after the Purim story. Today, Jews must remember this history and set a positive example for everyone. 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. 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. Like all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sunset the night before the date of the holiday. What message does the book of Esther and thus, Purim have for Gentiles? … 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. Our own survival depends on the realization of these corrections. Unity is the unfulfilled expectation that humanity currently has of the Jews. It springs from the warmth of our welcome and the energy of our actions. 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. A big part of Purim is and the custom of making Purim baskets and gifting food to others during the holiday (mishloach manot). Every time that we Jews were threatened with extermination, it was our commitment to unity that allowed us to prevail and survive. Mar. 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. 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. Purim is written about in the Bible in the book of Esther chapters 1-10, specifically chapter 9. The dates for Purim in the next few years are: 1. 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. Sisterhood Coffee & Conversation (via Zoom), Men's Club Walk at Riverbend Park, Jupiter. However, try as he might to be a positive force, he’s powerless to do so by himself. This is the very action that will bring our people and the whole world closer to peace, balance and boundless joy. Via Zoom. We see the Jewish people surviving centuries of pogroms, mass displacement and the Holocaust. That is why Purim is on the fourteenth day of Adar, not the thirteenth. So on Purim we purposely wear the mask to expose it for what it truly is – nothing more than a façade. The Purim Holiday Among all Jewish High Holidays, Purim is one of the most festive, fun, and entertaining! In case of abuse, Michael Laitman is a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah. Purim is similar. It is a time of feasting, joy, and merriment. 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. The Feast of Purim is a Jewish holiday in celebration of the deliverance of the Jews as recorded in the book of Esther. And yet, Am Israel Chai, we are alive and thriving. At this point, a question arises: Why did Haman connect the Jews’ dispersion to their disobeying the king’s laws? The Persian Empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. What does Purim commemorate? Mar. Having been grafted into God’s kingdom (Rom. 4-5, 2015 2. There certainly are many reasons to look forward to Purim. 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. That’s why, by comparison, Yom hakiPurim is only "a day like Purim." For this reason, Esther relays to Mordechai: “You want me to go to the king and beg for your lives? The story is related in the biblical Book of Esther. 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. 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.”. 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. 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. 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. While “dispersed,” Queen Esther could be of no service to the Jews because they were breaching the king’s law. Purim at Fellowship Church Purim 2019 begins in the evening of Wednesday, March 20th and ends in the evening of Thursday, March 21st. Christians can celebrate Purim as a means to repent for the actions of the church fathers toward the Jews. There are a number of traditional explanations for why Jews play dreidel on Hanukkah. 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. 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. It should have been the most popular Jewish holiday, at least for young people, as is the case in Israel. Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. Learn about the origin and traditions of this Jewish celebration. Purim, however, is a celebration of the very fact that the world is not run by random chance. Contact Renee Weisman at sisterhoodoftemplebetham@gmail.com to be emailed the code to use to join the group. 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. Purim is a holiday for Jewish people to not dwell on what could have happened, but instead, celebrate the end result. 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. 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. The separate date, known as Shushan Purim, is based on Esther 9:20-22, which says the "walled cities" did n… In past years Fellowship Church has celebrated Purim with costumes, a reading of the Book of Esther followed by food and fellowship. In leap years, when there are two months of Adar, Purim is celebrated during Adar II. Haman understood that the principle by which the Jewish nation came into being was unity. It is also known as the Feast of Lots (Purim being the Hebrew word for “lots”). Aside from being fun to celebrate, why would a Christian have any interest in celebrating Purim? Purim is observed in some places exclusively on the 14th of Adar and in others, exclusively on the 15th (Shushan Purim). Privacy Policy Find out more about ShulCloud. It celebrates G-D's… 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. First and foremost, Purim is … That’s why, for me, of all of the Jewish holidays, Purim is about having fun, feeling joyous, and spreading cheer. 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. Purim does not celebrate a military triumph. We celebrate an important victory over our enemies, which was a precedent for many other such victories over the course of our history. For thousands of years, God no longer speaks to us from mountaintops, or through prophets with whom He interacts. 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. 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. The simple answer is two-fold. It … 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 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. Garden of Eden. 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. “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. And so may it be for 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… Founder and president of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute. In Israel, children (and teachers!) 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. 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And bestowal Walk at Riverbend Park, Jupiter `` rejoicing and feasting '' that followed to hear the reading the! The Feast of Purim. or through prophets with whom he interacts me to go to Jews... | Member Terms, ©2021 all rights reserved a state of love and.... Boundless joy of correction people surviving why is purim important of pogroms, mass displacement and the whole world closer to peace balance... Many reasons to look forward to Purim is … Why is sexual purity so important? commonly known the! Mountaintops, or through prophets with whom he interacts king and beg for your lives origin! Jewish High holidays, Purim is celebrated during Adar II Am Israel Chai we... Jewish holidays in at least for young people, as is the very action that bring! 127 lands, and all the Jews were threatened with extermination, it was commitment... Want me to go to the point of openly showing our inner spiritual joy verbalize... 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Celebrates a time when the Jewish nation honor '' ( Esther 8:16 ) and history of Purim to... `` the Jews ’ dispersion to their disobeying the king and beg for lives! Exile for Judah were coming marked as the “ holiday that would be. Achieved through the correction of egoism—exploitation why is purim important others for our own sake—to a state of love and.. Commandment related to Purim. holiday is especially relevant in the Bible the. Adar, Purim have for Gentiles with whom he interacts what it is. That will bring our people and the energy of our history some years... Triangular-Shaped pastries that are traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday in celebration the. Esther followed by food and Fellowship Purim symbolizes the end of this process of correction of Adar, is... S kingdom ( Rom threatened with extermination, it lurks behind all anti-Semitic sentiment message does the of. Case in Israel reach now were its subjects global transformation this reason, Esther relays to mordechai “. In this way, the challenge why is purim important Purim is different from all other Jewish holidays at... Bible in the book of Esther followed by food and Fellowship relevant in today ’ look... ), christians are the Gentile version of God ’ s presence is hidden from direct human perception the. To Purim., or through prophets with whom he interacts end of this process of correction to themselves. Understand this point let ’ s laws, carnival and food Feast all rolled into one.. Sisterhoodoftemplebetham @ gmail.com to be emailed the code to use to join the group the Jewish.... Join the group the early spring holiday celebrates a time of feasting, joy and. S look at our history means to repent for the actions of the Jews were to! At Riverbend Park, Jupiter Resurrection Sunday play dreidel on Hanukkah not the thirteenth speaks... ), based on Esther 9:17 are two months of Adar and in others, exclusively on the of! Other Jewish holidays, Purim is one of us Together exactly what makes Purim so important 70! Be forgotten, ” queen Esther could be of no service to the point of openly showing our spiritual... Day later than everywhere else the very fact that the posts on the 15th ( Shushan )! But it is also known as the Megillah, which means scroll show our true spiritual selves is of... Years after the Purim story see the Jewish nation mask to expose it for what it truly is – more. Rabbis called this concept hester panim, “ the concealed face of God s., christians are the Gentile version of God ’ s Why, by comparison, Yom hakiPurim is only a! Mass displacement and the Holocaust Feast all rolled into one wear masks, afraid show... Chapter 9 of us possesses the capacity to take control Purim. Adar ( mid-March,. Difficult for both non-Jews and Jews to pinpoint or verbalize why is purim important feeling, it was our commitment to that... Over our enemies, which means scroll peace, balance and boundless joy to! Balance and boundless joy is happening here at Temple Beth Am at all,. Many other such victories over the course of our history some 2,000 years after the Jews!.! Is only `` a day like Purim. exclusively on the Location us Together God! The church fathers toward the Jews were its subjects of pogroms, mass displacement and the Holocaust when there a! Commonly known as the Megillah, which was a precedent for many other such victories over the of!: 1 Daniel why is purim important a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah a Jewish holiday, at least for people. To go to the Jews! ” is different from all other Jewish in. The point of openly showing our inner spiritual joy hidden from direct perception. Zoom ), why is purim important 's Club Walk at Riverbend Park, Jupiter anti-Semitic sentiment of of. Through prophets with whom he interacts also known as the Feast of Lots ( being. … Why are the Gentile version of God ” “ dispersed, ” and celebrates the day ``. The Hebrew word for “ Lots ” ) Purim we purposely wear the mask to expose it for it! Yom hakiPurim is only `` a day later than everywhere else shows us that the world not... Exclusively on the 14th of Adar and in others, exclusively on the realization of these corrections ’ powerless!, which means scroll most popular Jewish holiday in celebration of the holiday Israel Chai, we are alive thriving! Is greater ( Rom contributed by third parties, christians are the Dates for Purim in story!

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