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Celebrating Purim

Which came first: the festival of Purim or the book of Esther? Some believe the festival was a response to scripture. "In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur-which means "the lot"-before Haman for the day and for the month, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar" (Esth. 3:7). By casting lots, tossing sticks or coins, Haman and his men selected the day for the pogrom, the annihilation of the Jewish people

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Costumes and Masks

Children perform a dance for Purim in Jerusalem.

Dressing up in masks and costumes is one of the most entertaining customs of the Purim holiday. Children in particular enjoy dressing up as the characters found in the book of Esther, including King Ahasuerus, Vashti, Esther, Mordechai and Haman.

Costumes and masks are worn to disguise a person's identity and they play an important role in the celebration of Purim because mistaken identity was a familiar plot twist in the story of Esther-from Esther's concealment of her Jewish heritage to Haman's mistaken belief that the King's reward was intended for him.

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Purim commemorates the deliverance of God's people through the actions of Queen Esther and Mordecai, challenging the idea that this celebration marks any chance or random human plan. "But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the open towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, a holiday on which they send gifts of food to one another" (Esth. 9:18--19). However, others believe that the book of Esther was written to authorize a celebration that already existed. The Purim Feast may have been taken over by the Jews in the Persian or Mesopotamian world to serve as a New Year's Feast. The date of Purim is in late February or early March, at the end of winter, when the seasons change and it seems like a new year is beginning.

This year, Purim will be celebrated on February 26, 2002. During this joyous holiday, people will remember the survival of a distinct Jewish community amidst an alien land and culture.
Jews will also be reminded of the persecution experienced in Persia and the continuing threat for Jews today, but also of the importance of freedom if life is to be lived with joy.

Purim can be a lot of fun. People dress in costumes and go to the temple to hear the story of Esther read from the Megillah (the scroll). The story is passed down from generation to generation so that no one will forget the courage of Esther and the blessing of God. During the reading of the story, every time Haman's name is mentioned, the congregation begins to boo and hiss, stamping their feet and making noise by twirling their groggers or noisemakers to drown out the name of the evil Haman. Girls often dress like Queen Esther and boys wear a crown and robe like King Ahasuerus or a three-cornered hat like Haman. Some communities have parades, carnivals and shpiels (Purim plays) to celebrate this festive time of year.

Families gather for the seudah (the family dinner) and join together singing songs, playing games and celebrating. Dinner always includes hamantaschen, three-cornered cookies filled with prunes, apricots, honey, poppy seeds, jelly or chocolate chips. These delicious cookies are also called oznai Haman, meaning Haman's ears or Haman's pockets. Eating hamantaschen is yet another way to blot out Haman.

Another tradition is the mishloach manot, the sending of gifts to family, neighbors and friends. Baskets filled with hamantaschen, fruit, candies and pennies are given. Matanot l'evyonim, the gifts for the poor, includes toys and food sent to people in hospitals and nursing homes. Tzedakah, a monetary gift, may also be given to help the poor.

At Purim, Jews express gratitude to God as each remembers his or her own escapes from danger. The Midrash, a Jewish text that highlights the underlying significance in the Hebrew scriptures, says that anyone to whom a miracle happens may establish a local Purim to celebrate this occurrence. Many communities have specific Purim celebrations for victories over riots, fire and anti-Semitism.

The ninth chapter of Esther is the basis for Purim customs: a festive meal, the exchange of gifts and giving charity to the poor. Some have likened the Festival of Purim to Mardi Gras, which features drinking, feasting, costumes, parades and carnivals on Fat Tuesday, followed by a day of fasting on Ash Wednesday. A mirror image of Mardi Gras, the Ta'anit Esther (fast of Esther) takes place on the day before Purim as a reminder of the three days that Queen Esther did not eat or sleep, but prayed for courage to confront King Ahasuerus. The next day the people celebrate freedom from oppression with the Festival of Purim.

Although Purim is a Jewish holiday, there is much to be gained by Christians who celebrate it, especially those studying the 2001 Horizons Bible study, Esther's Feast: A Study of the Book of Esther. The details shared here only scratch the surface of this rich and wonderful tradition of celebration. Make plans now to incorporate your own celebration of Purim into your study of Esther. You can begin by contacting a Jewish temple or rabbi in your community-perhaps your circle can take part in their celebration or attend a reading of the Megillah. Call the department of religious studies at your local college or university-they may have helpful resources to suggest or could recommend a speaker for your next Bible study meeting. Consider joining with a PW circle from a nearby church or extending an invitation to your entire congregation or community-after all, such a celebration of life and freedom is something to be shared.

Karen McDonald Smith is a church musician and Christian educator, and has served churches in Pennsylvania, California, Alaska, Virginia and Kentucky.

Hamantaschen

Hamantaschen, a cookie named for the three-cornered hat Haman wore, is one of the goodies made to celebrate Purim. There are a variety of recipes for this Purim treat-here is our favorite.

Cream Cheese Pastry
1 cup cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup lightly salted butter at room temperature
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour

Let cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature, then cream together until they are completely blended. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour; you may need to use your hands, but do so sparingly to avoid making the dough tough. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for at least 1--2 hours. If you chill it overnight, remove it from refrigerator at least one hour before using.

* For more traditional fillings, use canned poppy seed, cherry or blueberry pie fillings, fruit preserves or fruit butter (such as apple, pumpkin, and prune).

Cherry Chocolate filling
1 to 1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 egg white
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp almond extract

Combine cherries and chips in a bowl. Combine egg white, sugar and extract in a separate bowl, mixing with a fork. Pour over cherry mixture and toss to coat. Let stand to allow egg white mixture to permeate cherry mixture, giving an occasional stir or toss.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter cookie sheet(s). Divide pastry dough into portions for rolling out, keeping unrolled dough in refrigerator. On a lightly floured board, roll out first portion until it is very thin (it will be springy and if it is too thick it will not stay pinched closed while baking). Cut out 3-inch circles (using cookie cutter or top of a drinking glass). Place about 1/2 teaspoon filling in the middle of each circle. Lifting the dough's edges with two fingertips of one hand and one fingertip of the other, form a pyramid, pinching closed the edges but leaving an opening at the top. Lightly brush with egg yolk glaze, if desired. Place on buttered pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Use a spatula to transfer warm pastries from pan to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Glaze (optional)
Combine 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp water

Purim Songs

Hamantaschen
(To the tune of "Frere Jacques")

Hamantaschen, hamantaschen,
Are they good? Are they good?
I could eat a million,
I could eat a million,
Yes, I could. Yes, I could.

 

Haman Was Bad, As Bad Could Be
(To the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush")

Haman was bad, as bad could be, as bad could be, as bad could be.
Haman was bad, as bad could be, to all the Jews in Persia.So Mordechai told the Queen on him, the Queen on him, the Queen on him.
Mordechai told the Queen on him and she told the King the story.The King said, "Haman, Out you go! Out you go! Out you go!"
The King said, "Haman, Out you go!" And all the Jews were happy.

Children's Books

On Purim (ages 4--8)
by Cathy Goldberg Fishman
illustrated by Melanie W. Hall
New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000
ISBN: 0689823924

In this outstanding, charming and informative children's book, a young girl poses the question, "I wonder, why do we wear masks on Purim?" As the Purim story unfolds, she adds a veil to her mask because Queen Esther hid her Jewish identity. Bells on the mask remind her of the noises to blot out the name of Haman and red, smiling lips added to her mask are for the delicious hamantaschen. Curly ribbons are for schalach manot and red cheeks remind her of all the Purim happiness at the carnival and parade.

When she asks where God is in the Purim story, she decides that God is the hidden part of Purim and our lives. We wear masks to remind us that even when Purim is over, God who appears to be hidden is always with us.

Sammy Spider's First Purim (ages 3--8)
by Silvia A. Rouss
illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn
Rockville, Md.: Kar-Ben Copies, Inc., 2000
ISBN: 1580130623

Sammy Spider wants to join the little boy, Josh, for Purim fun. Josh makes a costume, bakes hamantaschen and makes a grogger. Sammy tries to help, but soon learns that his mother was right every time she told him that spiders don't celebrate Purim.

Make Your Own Megillah (ages 3--8)
by Judyth Groner and Madeline Wikler
illustrated by Katherine J. Kahn
Rockville, Md.: Kar-Ben Copies, 1998
ISBN: 1580130135

Children color, cut out and assemble their very own Megillah or scroll that tells the Purim story. Holiday customs, craft pages, holiday blessings and songs, recipes, puppet patterns, costume ideas and games introduce young children to the Festival of Purim, the story of Esther, and the holiday traditions. This is an excellent resource for both teachers and families.

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