Purim, Passover, and Miracles

The Jewish year begins with Passover, which is in the month of Nissan, the first month, and ends with Purim which is in Adar, the twelfth month. This peculiarity occurs because our New Year is in the seventh month, strange, but true! We didn't make up the calendar; G-d did, so he is to blame for the confusion.

Never the less, there is a profound point in Passover coming in the first month and Purim in the last month. Let us analyze this and we will come to a profound understanding of the nature of miracles.

Passover marks the beginning of the Jews becoming a people. It was a time that forged its national identity and values. We left Egypt amidst the most unbelievable miracles that could be imagined. Starting with the ten plagues, which included the Nile turning into blood and the slaying of all the first born of Egypt, it culminated with the miraculous splitting of the Red Sea, saving the Jewish people and killing the advancing armored Egyptian armies.

When we think of miracles, we reckon the splitting of the Red Sea as the magnus opus of the miracles. Here each individual saw a tremendous supernatural occurrence. From this exodus, our national character was formed. Our unswerving belief in the G-d of gods, the King of kings, was founded and has continued with each generation.

Passover was the time that our belief in G-d was developed beyond a mere intellectual concept. Through the open miracles that our forefathers witnessed, our national identity became firm and unyielding and our individual belief became unshakable.

All this was due to the massive occurrence of miracles during the time of the exodus from Egypt.

During the time of Purim, we also witnessed miracles. However the Talmud debates exactly what the miracle was. Was it that Achasverous could not sleep or that Esther made her wine feasts? It is not really clear what the miracle was. Certainly it was not a clear and open miracle. The name of G-d (the chief performer of miracles) is not even mentioned in the Migalah.

Why is this?

The answer is very simple, yet deep.

G-d unquestionably rules the world. He alone possesses the ability to change nature. He changes the hearts of kings and rulers. He is the ultimate cause; we only see the effects.

He possesses two ways to affect changes. One is through the suspension of nature; the other is within the natural process.

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Origins of the Purim Masquerade Custom

Have you ever wondered when the Purim masquerade custom began?

The honest truth is that it's embedded in the Book of Esther, but we'll get to that later. If we want to stick to global custom origins, the first recorded source of dressing up in costume on Purim is a 15th century German document discussing women wearing men's clothing, drunkenness and other related Purim issues.

Any other global connections? There is a school of thought connecting Purim masquerades with the Carnival of Venice which dates back to the 11th Century. By coincidence, the calendar date of this festival famous for superb leather, porcelain and glass Venetian masks is not all that far from Purim. Hmmm...many Jewish customs have been "borrowed" from Christian neighbors, so this sounds like a definite possibility.

Speculation aside, let's take a look at the Book of Esther -- a story chock full of disguises.

The most obvious example is Queen Esther herself, depicted in this mosaic. Hiding her Jewish identity by competing in and winning Achashverosh's beauty pageant was the biggest masquerade of all. Even the name Esther, possibly taken from the Persian name Ishtar, is part of the cover up. Esther's given Hebrew name? Hadassah -- as in the name of the women's organization.

The carnival of poses doesn't end with Esther. Let's take her husband, the mighty king Achashverosh. He wears the mask of a strong ruler when actually his advisors -- most notably Haman -- rule him. Mordechai hides behind the mask of a loving uncle when he really is a mastermind pulling strings in order to save the Jewish people.

Haman? Is he as smart as he presents himself to be? Indeed, the story of Purim is one big charade. Speaking of which, maybe a good old fashioned game of charades should be part of this year's Purim curricula or family Purim feast? Not only does it enhance the masquerade custom, it sets the stage for it.

What do you think?

Megillot From the Ages

 While most of the Jewish holidays are celebratory, there is none like the holiday of Purim. This smaller holiday, which often falls in March and occasionally in late February (such as this year), commemorates the victory of the Jewish population of Ancient Persia over Haman, the notorious anti-Semite and persecutor of Jews in the 4th century B.C.E. Haman, an advisor to the king, created a plot by which he planned to annihilate the Jewish population. Through the intervention of the Jewish hero Mordechai and his niece, Esther, Haman's plans were overturned and the evil plot quickly destroyed.

Purim is traditionally celebrated by partaking in a festive meal with family and friends, giving charity to the poor, dressing up in costume and sending food parcels to close friends and relatives. The main focus of the celebration, however, is the reading of the book of Esther, more commonly known in Hebrew as Megillat Esther, or the Megillah as it is known for short, in synagogue both in the evening before and the morning of the actual day of Purim.

The tale of Purim is not simply a piece of Jewish history, faith and storytelling; instead, because it is recorded by Jewish law on a scroll of vellum (also known as parchment), it has become part of the long Jewish tradition of beautifying religious objects. This tradition, which is known as hiddur mitzvah, the beautification of the good deed, is considered important because the beautification of religious objects is considered to enhance their holiness. This is particularly true when it comes to the megillah.

For centuries the tradition has evolved and today, the megillah is enclosed within a silver case. This case provides safety for the megillah as well as preserving it from decay. Most importantly, the case accomplishes hiddur mitzvah, the beatification of the scroll.

Continue reading and to see more pictures of Megillot.

Your Quick Purim Guide

Hear the Megillah!

Hear the complete story of how Mordechai and Queen Esther helped save the Jewish people from the hands of the wicked Haman. Once at night and a second time on Purim day.

Give Gifts of Food!

Purim is a day we show extra special friendship to our friends. Send your friends gifts of food that include at least two different types of food. For example: fruits and candies; cookies and a bottle of juice; etc.

Give Tzedakah (Charity)!

Give some money to two poor people (or more), or put at least two coins in your favorite charity box.

Eat and Rejoice!

Participate in a festive meal on Purim afternoon. Sit together with your family and friends, sing Jewish songs, tell the story of Purim, and be merry!

Purim 101

Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period (539-330 BCE). The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, whose eponymous heroine plays the leading role in saving her people. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with wild abandon and with the giving of gifts to friends and the poor.

History

While the origins of Purim appear clear from the Book of Esther, historians have looked in vain for any sort of extra-biblical corroboration of the events of the story. Be that as it may, it is a tale that purports to take place during a time when many Jews were living in Persia. A young Jewish woman, Esther, rises to be Queen of Persia under the tutelage of her guardian Mordecai. All, however, is not right. The Jews have enemies, and a certain Haman, the grand vizier, plots the Jews' destruction. Even though Esther has hidden her Jewish identity from all, Mordecai prevails on her to risk her life by revealing her true identity to the king. She does this and denounces the evil Haman's plot. At the end of the story, the Jews are able to turn the tables on their enemies, who are then punished in place of the intended victims. This story is one of the most beloved in the Jewish community, because of the hope that it gives a minority living in an oftentimes hostile majority culture.

In Masekhet Megillah (scroll), the Talmudic tractate devoted to Purim observances, Rabbi Akiva declares the Book of Esther to be divinely inspired. Some commentators believe this eventually led to the inclusion of Esther in the Hebrew Bible, despite the omission of God from the book. The Greek versions of Esther contain a number of additions--including God's name--not found in the Hebrew story.

At Home In distinction  to various other holidays, such as Pesach (Passover), Purim is the quintessential community holiday. Nonetheless, there are a number of activities that are centered in the home. One of the favorite activities in preparation for the holiday is the baking of hamantaschen, the triangular filled pastries that are the traditional food at Purim time. In addition, following the commandment to give gifts to friends and the poor, the preparation of so-called mishloah manot baskets is a fun activity to engage in, as is their distribution on the holiday. The centerpiece of Purim's home celebration is the seudah, a festive meal accompanied by alcoholic beverages.

In the Community
Purim is a community holiday of joyful celebration. The centerpiece of the communal celebration is the reading of the Scroll of Esther, the Megillah, in the synagogue. This is a raucous affair, with whoops, hollers, and noise being made every time that Haman's name is mentioned, so no one can hear the name of this horrible evildoer. Another tradition is the Purim shpiel, the Purim play, during which fun is poked at community leaders and members. Purim has often been called the Jewish carnival, and dressing in costume and taking part in a Purim carnival heighten the levity of thepurim quiz day, on which one is encouraged to engage in activities that at other times of the year would be somewhat more restricted in scope, such as drinking.

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Tu Bishevat (Arbor Day) in United States

Tu B'Shevat 2013 begins in the evening of Friday, January 25 and ends in the evening of Saturday, January 26

Tu B’Shevat (Tu Bishvat) is the 15th day of the Jewish months of Shevat. This festival is also known as the “New Year for Trees” and is observed in Jewish communities in countries such as the United States.

What do people do?

Many Jewish communities in the United States observe the festival by eating fruit on this day. The Torah praises seven “fruits”, in particular grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Many Jewish people also try to eat a new fruit, which can be any seasonal fruit. Some Jewish communities plant trees on Tu B’Shevat.

Public life 

Tu B’Shevat is not a public holiday in the United States. However, some Jewish organizations may be closed or offer a limited service to allow for festivities to occur on this day.

Background
Tu B’Shevat is first referred to in the late Second Temple period (515 BCE to 20 CE) when it was the cut-off date for levying the tithe on the produce of fruit trees. When Jewish colonists returned to Palestine during the 1930s, they reclaimed the barren land by planting trees where they could. It became customary to plant a tree for every newborn child – a cedar for a boy and a cypress or pine for a girl.

About Tu B'Shevat (Arbor Day) in other countries

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TU BISHVAT: A New Year for Trees

Tu Bishvat, traditionally known as the birthday of the trees, is a time to think about relating to the natural world. This holiday can be celebrated by planting trees, eating fruits, and having a Tu Bishvat Seder, a ritual that began with the kabbalistic masters of the 15th century.

Tu Bishvat, or the "birthday" of all fruit trees, is a minor festival seemingly tailor-made for today's Jewish environmentalists. In fact, there is an ancient midrash (rabbinic teaching) that states, "When God led Adam around the Garden of Eden, God said, 'Look at My works. See how beautiful they are, how excellent! For your sake I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil or destroy My world--for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you'" (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7.13).

But it was not always this way. In ancient times, it was merely a date on the calendar that helped Jewish farmers establish exactly when they should bring their fourth-year produce of fruit from recently planted trees to the Temple as first-fruit offerings. After this, all subsequent fruit produced from these trees could be eaten or sold as desired.

Tu Bishvat could easily have fallen into desuetude after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, since there was no longer a system of fruit offerings or Temple priests to receive them. However, the kabbalists (mystics) of Tzfat (the city of Safed) in the Land of Israel in the 16th century created a new ritual to celebrate Tu Bishvat called the Feast of Fruits.

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