What Is Purim and How is it Celebrated?
To wish someone a Happy Purim, say “Chag Purim Sameach!”.
The usage of the word “happy” as a proper greeting for Purim is a perfect fit because it is definitely one of the happiest, merry, joyful holidays on the Jewish calendar.
Krasner shares in an article from TIME magazine that, that the holiday is so much fun because it truly is a celebration of family and community. Purim really stands out as a kind of frivolity, a time for joy, a time to let your hair down a little bit.
The Purim Story
As retold in Chabad, the jolly Jewish holiday of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar (late winter/early spring). Purim 2022 begins on Wednesday night, March 16, and continues through Thursday, March 17, (extending through Friday in Jerusalem).
It commemorates the (divinely orchestrated) salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day”.
Purim means “lots” in ancient Persian. The holiday was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme.
This holiday from the Jewish bible’s Scroll of Esther, tells the story of Esther, the wife of a Persian king who hid the fact that she was Jewish. As the story goes, Esther had made a decision to reveal herself in an attempt to save her people. During Purim, Jewish people everywhere commemorate Esther’s triumph with food, gifts, and costumes.
The ritual observance of Purim begins with a day of fasting, Taʿanit Esther (Fast of Esther) on Adar 13, the day preceding the actual holiday. The most distinctive aspect of the synagogue service is the reading of the Book of Esther, as shared in Britannica.
The Happiest Celebration
The NY Daily News excitedly shares that celebrations are a little bit of Mardi Gras, Easter, and Halloween all rolled into one — making this holiday so fun for everyone!
Inspired by Tori Avey sharing how she believes the energy we pass on through our cooking feeds the body as well as the soul, there’s lots of food and drinks when we celebrate Purim. The holiday itself is known for a party atmosphere, with big feasts where you can eat and drink.
Speaking of food, one of the best treats for Purim is “hamantaschen”, these triangle-shaped cookie pastries with fruit or savory filling. The treat is said to look like Haman’s tri-cornered hat or his ears (“oznei Haman” in Hebrew). Other traditional foods are dishes made with beans because of this Esther/legume tradition, where Purim is often celebrated with a vegetarian meal.
Baking and eating hamentaschen isn’t the only Purim tradition that focuses on the character of Haman. During services for the holiday, when the story is told and the name “Haman” is spoken or sung, people shout and use noisemaking instruments called groggers to prevent his name from being heard.
Traditionally, costumes and masks are worn to school, synagogue,s and carnivals on Purim. According to Jonathan Krasner, a professor of Jewish education and Judaic studies at Brandeis University, this is in part due to the notion of Esther concealing her true identity as a Jew out of fear.
Part of the holiday also includes giving gifts or charity to the poor, called matanot l’evyonim, where baskets of food and drink are shared (“shalach manot”/”mishloach manot”).
In addition, one biblical commandment and mitzvah on Purim is actually the retelling of and listening to, the story itself. Telling the story in the form of a play, farce or skit is another way to bring the community together during the holiday.
On Jewish leap years, it’s twice the fun since there are two months called Adar, Adar I, and Adar II where Purim is celebrated in the second Adar, but 14 Adar I is still a happy day, referred to as Purim Katan (Small Purim).
Celebrating the Meaning of Purim
Chabad insightfully shares that Purim celebrates God’s intimate involvement in every aspect of this world. Even though there were no overt miracles recorded in the Megillah — indeed, His name is not even mentioned once — God was actively “pulling the strings” to care for His nation.
We’ve all heard similar stories where an evil tyrant follows the ways similar to Haman, even up to this day. During that time, most Jewish communities have narrowly escaped catastrophe, but God was always there to save His people from certain doom.
Additionally, what happened during Purim brought forth a spiritual revival, proving more significant than the Covenant at Sinai, where there was a compelling grace that led them to accept the Torah.
As perfectly put, “it was in the merit of this spiritual reawakening that God orchestrated their salvation”, and that is one happy truth to celebrate.
Happy Purim!