|
|
March 10, 2006
International flavors of Purim
Festivals around the world celebrate triumph over adversaries.
DVORA WAYSMAN
No festival in the Jewish calendar is more joyous than Purim, which
falls this year on March 14 (14 Adar), except in Jerusalem, where
it is celebrated one day
later on 15 Adar, known as Shushan Purim. It recalls the fact that
the Jews living in the Persian town of Shushan continued to fight
their enemies on 14 Adar, then celebrated their victory a day later.
Therefore, it was ordained that towns in Israel, with ancient walls
from the days of Joshua, should celebrate Purim on 15 Adar.
The central elements of Purim are joy and celebration. The historical
origin involves a plot in Persia by the wicked Haman to exterminate
the Jews. By the courage of Queen Esther, aided by her wise cousin
Mordechai, Haman was outwitted, defeated and destroyed. The Jews
were saved, wrongs were righted and there was a very happy ending.
The central characters have become symbols even today. The name
"Haman" is associated with every oppressor of Israel;
"Mordechai" stands for a wise leader of the Jews in times
of trouble and "Esther" for every Jewish heroine. Purim,
in fact, signifies a festival of the deliverance of Jews from any
threatened evil. Many communities observe individual Purims each
year to celebrate their own deliverance.
The Jews of Egypt commemorated an event in 1524 CE, when a governor
threatened to massacre them because they refused to join him in
a revolt against the Sultan of Turkey, who ruled Egypt. They were
saved when others rose against the governor and slew him. A book
was written to tell the story and read in Egyptian synagogues on
their Purim.
The Jews of Frankfurt also celebrated a special Purim for being
saved from an attack on their ghetto in 1614. Other special Purims
were kept in Vilna after a rabbi in 1804 survived a gunpowder explosion;
and similar events were commemorated in Tiberias, Israel; Saragossa,
Spain; Narbonne, France; Prague, Czechoslovakia and Rhodes, Greece.
Observant Jews fast on the day before Purim, which is known as "The
Fast of Esther," because she fasted on the day prior to appearing
before King Ahasuerus to present her petition.
Purim differs from other solemn holidays in the Jewish calendar.
Many shops remain open and one is permitted to work as usual. But
you can feel the holiday spirit – hamantashen (oznei
Haman in Israel) are eaten – three-cornered cakes of dough
filled with poppyseed or jam, representing Haman's hat (or ears).
People send mishloach manot to friends and to the poor –
gifts of fruit, cookies, cakes, sweets, nuts – all prepared
foods. A special family feast, called a seudah, is held in
the afternoon.
Children (and many adults) wear fancy costumes and hold masquerades,
parties and Purim spiels – hilarious satires and parodies,
with no one immune from ridicule. It is even considered a mitzvah
to drink ad lo yada (until one doesn't know) the difference
between "blessed be Mordecai" and "cursed be Haman."
What is important is to have fun at Purim. Modern Israel made one
word out of the three little Hebrew ones and adopted adloyada
as the word for their Purim carnival.
Different ethnic groups have their own customs. Iranian Jews eat
their meal seated on Persian carpets. The father, with his long
dark beard, wears a turban of cloth and a belted white gown striped
with silver.
Yemenite Jews also sit on a carpet, chanting oriental songs while
the father smokes his negilla (long water pipe). Their festive
meal consists of fresh, sweet dishes, in contrast to their usual
spiced food. The young girls wear silver rings and dance, gaily
shaking tambourines. The father of a Kurdish family stands at the
door to welcome his guests, wearing a jacket over wide, bloomer-like
trousers. Jews from the Caucasus wear native robes with knives at
their belts, exhibiting ancient folk dances, throwing the knives
and dancing around them.
The greatest gaiety is in the kibbutzim, where there is music, dancing,
theatrical performances, masquerades, beauty queens, games and contests.
The children have a day of non-ending fun. Although there is a link
between Purim and other folk cultures which occur around this time
to mark the emergence of spring, Purim really celebrates the joy
of survival.
It is a merry, uninhibited holiday with wonderful overtones of friendship
and sharing. So be happy, it's Purim!
Dvora Waysman, formerly from Melbourne, Australia, lives
in Jerusalem. She is the author of nine books, including The
Pomegranate Pendant, Woman of Jerusalem and Esther – A Jerusalem
Love Story. She can be reached at [email protected].
^TOP
|
|
