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Origin of Purim
The events commemorated by Purim took place in the
ancient Persian Empire, in the fifth century BCE, under the reign
of King Achashverosh. Mordechai, a Jew, refused to bow down
and prostrate himself before Haman, the vizier to the King. Haman
immediately set out "to destroy all the Jews that were
throughout the whole kingdom of Achashverosh" (Esther 3,6).
In order to effect his vicious racist plan, Haman decided to
enlist the aid of the unsuspecting King
Achashverosh. Since Haman was a very superstitious person, he had
lots cast to determine on which day he should carry out his
design. The word for lots is "Purim", and from it we get
the name for the holiday. The chosen date was the thirteenth of
Adar.
The king, who trusted Haman, agreed to his plan to
murder the Jews. For Haman had told him that the Jews were
"scattered abroad in all the provinces," and that
"their laws are different from those of every people"
(Esther 3,8).
Letters, written by Haman and signed by the king, were sent out
throughout all the provinces, commanding all persons "to
destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all the Jews"
(Esther 3,13). The Jews would have been massacred, had it not been
for Esther, Mordechai's cousin, who had been chosen queen a few
years earlier. Queen Esther was able to intercede and save the
Jewish community from genocide.
Haman was hanged on the gallows which he himself
had prepared for Mordechai. The Jews of Persia were spared and
judgments were executed on their enemies.
Mordechai thereupon sent letters to all the Jews,
calling upon them to observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth of
Adar, "the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies,
and the month which was turned for them from sorrow to gladness,
and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days
of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions (mishloach manot)
one to another and gifts to the poor (matanot la'evyonim)"
(Esther 9,22).
Some of the nicest traditions of Purim are matanot laevyonim, the
giving of gifts to the poor, and mishloach manot, the giving of
gifts of food to friends and family.
Purim is known as a time of delicious smells emanating from the
kitchen from the baking of the delicious sweets and goodies.
Hamantaschen, a Purim cookie named for the three-cornered hat that
Haman wore, is one of the favorites.
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