Purim, the Book of Esther Holiday
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The Purim Holiday: About Ancient Persian Politics
They tried to kill the Jews.
The Jews won.
Now we eat Hamantashen.
In the Talmud, we learn that when there are two months of Adar, we celebrate Purim in the second (leap) month. This in order to juxtapose Purim to Passover, "from redemption to redemption". The Passover story features God Almighty as the ultimate Redeemer, with his sidekick Moses leading the way. The Purim story does not even have the name of God once in the Scroll. It is about a redemption that is brought about by focusing our acts for the good, choosing heaven on earth.
Purim, a holiday of redemption
(or how Iran is between Iraq and a hard place)
1. Making noise in shul is a mitzvah.
2. Levity is not reserved for the Levites.
3. If you're having a bad hair day, you can always wear a mask & no one will know who you are.
4. Purim is easier to spell than Khanuka, Chanukah, Chanuka, Hanuka -- the Hebrew name for the Festival of Lights.
5. You don't have to kasher your home and change all the pots and dishes.
6. You don't have to build a sukkah and eat outside.
7. You get to drink wine & you don't have to stand for Kiddush.
8. Mordechai - 1; Haman - 0.
9. You won't get hit in the eye by a lulav.
10. You can't eat hamentaschen on Yom Kippur.
11. Mordechai - 1 ; Haman - 0!
Making your own costumes
Keep your Purim expenses down by making your own costumes. Here are some tips:
- Use inexpensive costume accessories such as hats, beards, wands, and old used wigs to make your own specialized characters.
- Sew simple costume pieces from remnants or inexpensive material.
- Borrow pieces of costumes from friends whose kids have outgrown them.
More tips, plus some online links to costumes on this modest costumes page.
Links to different amusing hats that will really get your costuming imagination going can be found on this Funny Purim Hats page.
And if you want to know more about Purim laws, customs, and history, check out Purim 2010.
Shaloch Manos - What to give?
It isn't Halloween!
Give everyone visiting this page some better ideas for their shaloch manos (gift baskets) than ugly old Halloween candy.
WWQED? What Would Queen Esther Do?
They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat.
According to wikipedia, "Q.E.D. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum, which literally means "which was to be demonstrated". The phrase is written in its abbreviated form at the end of a mathematical proof or philosophical argument to signify that the last statement deduced was the one to be demonstrated; the abbreviation thus signals the completion of the proof."
What would Queen Esther do? She would put her life on the line for doing the right thing, she would survive spiritually, emotionally, and physically in an environment that seemed to contradict her very essence. She would get up and do what had to be done. That is WWQED.
Poll: What WOULD Queen Esther Do? (WWQED)
If you were Queen for a day...
She was the most powerful woman in politics in this era of Ancient Persia. She had to make decisions.
The many flavors of HamanTaschen
I'm the last person on the planet that likes poppy seed filled ones?
Poppy
Chocolate
Date
Jam
Hamantaschen List -- Tell Us What You've Seen
When poppy won't do
Modern Hamantaschen aren't just poppy anymore. What kinds do you like? What have you seen for sale or made by friends? What flavor do you wish there was?
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resabi Mar 17, 2011 @ 10:27 pm | delete
- Don't forget prune and apricot (separately). Apricot is probably my all-time favorite. My sister makes them. Lensrolling this to my Funny 10 Plagues Gifts lens. Blessed.
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Kristi
Jul 4, 2010 @ 6:33 pm | delete
- I never knew much about Purim, the Book of Esher Holiday - thank you very much for informing me. Great lens.
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JaguarJulie Mar 24, 2008 @ 8:50 am | delete
- Thank you for your most unique and interesting lens! 5 stars. Jaguar Julie Lensography.
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Shushan Purim is for Jerusalem
Party for two days straight!
Stay in the outer reaches of the city for the first day of Purim and enjoy the festivities, then in the evening, move on to the Old City for a sure Shushan Purim you won't forget (well, maybe you will if you take the drinking too seriously).
Shushan Purim is celebrated in towns which were walled at the time that Joshua and the Israelites entered the land of Israel. Jerusalem is considered one such place that certainly was walled at that time. Possible others include Tiberias and Safed. Shushan itself, of course, but that's now somewhere in Iran (Persia of latter days).
Purim Stock on eBay
Get it cheap!
Check out auctions for Purim stuff.
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