[img]96|left|||no_popup[/img] Dateline Jerusalem — This is a week for celebration.
It is the anniversary of my weekly Friday column of “Our Eyes in Israel.”
I want to thank the editor for his constant encouragement and praise, and for giving me the opportunity to relate my experiences living in Israel.
And, I wish to thank you, my readers, as well.
This week Israelis, and Jews throughout the world, celebrated Purim.
It is a holiday of fun and rejoicing, and most importantly, thanking G-d for all the miracles He gave the Jews in dire times.
In Persia (Iran of today), a Jewish woman by the name of Esther and her Uncle Mordecai were the heroes of the day when King Ahasueros' vizier, the wicked Haman, tried to to wipe out, murder, and destroy all the Jews, including women and children, in one day.
The Hebrew word “Purim” means “lots.” Haman cast lots to determine the day in which he would annihilate all the Jews of the Persian Empire.
That day was the13th day of the month of Adar. Neither the king (Esther's husband) nor Haman knew that Esther was a Jew.
Mordecai had advised her to keep that fact hidden.
When Esther learned of the intentions of Haman, she asked Mordecai to inform all the Jews to fast and pray for 3 days. Her husband, King Ahasueros, had decreed at the behest of Haman, that the Jews were to be wiped out.
It was at that time that Esther came out of hiding and informed the king that she was a Jew and that Mordecai had once saved the king's life.
The king could not change his original decree so he issued another decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves and to destroy their enemies. The King also had Haman and his 10 sons hanged.
Purim is celebrated on the 14th of Adar, the day after the Jews’ victory over their enemies. In cities surrounded by walls, like Jerusalem and the city of Shushan in Persia, it is celebrated on the 15th of Adar.
Living here in Israel means the holiday is observed by most of Israel on one day and those living in Jerusalem the next day.
My Puzzled Boss
My secular employer could not understand why I took off work on a different day than my equally religious co-worker.
As with Esther hiding her Jewish identity from the king, everything about the holiday involves hidden meanings and symbolism. Although Megillat Esther, the biblical Scroll of Esther, does not mention G-d, it alludes to the miracles and His Divine intervention, that hidden behind the survival of the Jews was the hand of G-d.
Some of the customs of Purim involve adults and children dressing up in costumes and wearing masks to “hide” their identities and faces.
Triangular-shaped pastries with “hidden” fillings, such as Hamantaschen (Haman's pockets in Yiddish) or Ozaei Haman (Haman's ears in Hebrew) are eaten as well as Kreplach, a won-ton or ravioli-like dough filled with meat hidden in it.
Other customs of Purim involve fasting before the holiday, like the fast requested by Esther of the Jewish people, hearing the Megillat Esther in synagogue, giving gifts of food and drink, giving charity to the poor, and eating a festive meal (seudat).
A Time for Noise
Whenever the name of evil Haman is heard during the Megillat reading, the entire synagogue stomps their feet, shouts “boo,” and shakes noisemakers called “graggers” to blot out the name of evil.
The louder the better.
Then Purim baskets, called “mishloach manot,” with ready-to-eat food and Drink, are delivered to friends and family.
Even if one does not personally know of a poor person to give charity to, there are several people going from door to door collecting.
While attending the festive meal at a friend's house, a group of young men came into the house singing and dancing in costume, and after their “performance,” we all donated money to their charity.
Gifts for Brides-to-be
The night before, women came to my door collecting for brides who do not have enough money for a wedding or trousseau. Every market or store has charity boxes and several charities have people collecting money on the streets.
Cars with loudspeakers playing Israeli music drove up and down the streets in my neighborhood. There was singing and dancing in the streets, and setting off of firecrackers. The entire country was in a festive mood.
However, for me, Purim has particular significance in this day and age, especially since history can and does repeat itself.
Just as the Persian Haman tried to annihilate all the Jews of his time, the Persian (Iranian) leader Ahmadinejad advocates the annihilation of all the Jews of Israel.
With fasting and prayer, Jews today again hope for G-d's intervention in preventing this from occurring.
L'hitraot, Shachar
Shachar is the Hebrew name of a California-based attorney and former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy who moved to Israel last year.
