3.03.2011

Get Ready to Celebrate Purim!

This article comes to you from Susan of SusanKnits.  Enjoy!  

The short history of every Jewish holiday is, “They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!” The holiday of Purim is certainly no exception. Whether or not the events in Megillat Esther actually happened or not isn’t important; perhaps they took place, perhaps they didn’t. Unlike Hanukkah, which the Apocrypha chronicled, we don’t have historical information to corroborate the events in the Purim story. It’s also the only holiday we have that has its setting in the Diaspora, Persia to be exact, as opposed to Eretz Israel or the Sinai wilderness. It’s also the only holiday, according to the Sages, that we’ll continue to celebrate when the Messiah comes. Imagine, no fasting on Yom Kippur, no going crazy cleaning for Pesach!

 collage by norunningwithscissor.etsy.com

The Midrash (Mishlei 9) gets this from a verse in Megillat Esther, (9:28) "the memory of Purim will never cease from among their descendants." Do the Rabbis of the Talmud then put Purim on a par with the festivals and holy days mentioned in the Torah? After all, we consider Hanukkah a minor holiday because it isn’t in the Torah; Purim is a minor holiday as well, but it takes on a different dimension.

card from beadsofparadiseshop.etsy.com

On Pesach we tell the story of how God brought us out from slavery in Egypt. Hanukkah has too many miracles to count. On Shavuot we received the Torah in a blaze of fire and brimstone. During the High Holy Days we stand before God to atone for our sins and be remembered and inscribed for a life of good.

God appears to be conspicuously absent from the story of Purim; there are no miracles, no Divine intervention, no dreams foretelling events. There are just people. Mordechai and Esther; Ahashueros and Haman; and Vashti, whose early departure from the story sets things in motion. The story of Purim shows us just how much people can accomplish if they’re willing to stand up and help make the world a better place. We’re God’s partners in creation, and like the artist Betzalel who was commissioned to design the sanctuary in the wilderness, we on the EtsyChai team are creating beautiful objects every day. We celebrate our heritage and help make the world more beautiful.

earrings by lindab142.etsy.com

One of the many customs we observe for Purim is the idea of turning things upside down, Synagogue bulletins and Jewish newspapers will be full of “purim torah,” articles that at first glance appear to be normal, but then continue on in a way that raise a few questions, such as the director of our nursery school who wrote an article about her new program, “Nursery School for Adults.” It sounded great until the part about the 70+ class didn’t need to be toilet trained.

   Three Stooges Plate by threesistersplates.etsy.com

In keeping with that theme, enjoy this song I wrote to the tune of “Charlie on the MTA” by the Kingston Trio.

Chag Purim Sameach!

Get Esther off the STA (Shushan Transit Authority)

Let me tell you the story of a gal named Esther on that tragic and fateful day, she put a drachma in her pocket kissed her cousin Mordechai, took a ride on the STA.

But did she ever return, no she never returned and her fate is still unlearned, she may ride forever ‘neath the streets of Shushan she’s the queen who never returned.

Now Esther was destined to be queen of Persia but she had a surprise in store, there was Haman who was evil and who would have killed her but she evened up the score.

But did she ever return, no she never returned and her fate is still unlearned, she may ride forever ‘neath the streets of Shushan she’s the queen who never returned.

So Esther invited Achasverosh and Haman to a banquet in the train’s cafe, then she said Haman’s a bad guy and he wants to kill me so I want you to send him away!

But did she ever return, no she never returned and her fate is still unlearned, she may ride forever ‘neath the streets of Shushan she’s the queen who never returned.

Unlike Charlie in Boston many centuries later Esther’s finally off the train, so we celebrate this holiday that we call Purim, again and again and again.

But did she really return? Yes, she finally returned, and mean Haman he was spurned, so we’ll eat hamantashen and we’ll wear great costumes and we’ll tell the story every year!

Thanks again to Susan of SusanKnits for a creative, fun blog post!

kippah by SusanEknits.etsy.com

1 comment:

debbie - no running with scissor said...

HAPPY ROSH CHODESH ADAR BET!!!! YAY !!! Purim is almost here!
It is definitely one of my absolute favorite holidays!!!! Going tomorrow to gather supplies to make super duper mishloach manot! Now technically the mitzvah is to send two kind of foods ( 2 different blessings ) to at least 1 person - but we decided to do a movie theme - -popcorn and movie sized candy and other fun movie related treats - what are you doing this year to get into the spirit of FUN this Purim???