Purim for Jews

In Jewish cultural traditions, Purim is considered one of the most life-affirming, spectacular, bright and joyful holidays It symbolizes the victory of the Jewish people over the enemies who were plotting to destroy them In terms of the scale of the celebration in Israel, the celebration can be compared with the New Year that is familiar to us It is celebrated on the 14th-15th of the month of Adar in accordance with the Jewish calendar, and the date is movable The holiday lasts for 2 days, and they are preceded by a 3-day fast Officially, these days are not considered days off, so work is not prohibited The tradition of celebration dates back to the times of the Persian Empire In 355 BC it was ruled by King Ahasuerus He was married to the beautiful Esther, a representative of the Jewish people, which the king did not know about Haman served as an adviser at court He was powerful and vain, demanding to show respect to himself by kneeling Only Mordechai, Esther’s uncle, dared not to fulfill this whim The angry courtier convinced the king to deal with the Jews of the empire, and the king signed a corresponding decree Haman cast lots (pur) to determine the date of its fulfillment (this is how the name Purim arose) Mordechai convinced his niece to persuade her husband to change his mind She arranged a feast for the king and Haman, giving the adviser wine He was sure that he was being given a great honor Meanwhile, Esther begged her husband for forgiveness for the Jewish population The ruler's decrees could not be canceled, and he had to issue another decree Jews were given the right to defend their lives and property So Esther, with her self-sacrifice, saved the Jewish people from extermination Celebrations begin at dusk People take to the streets in festive clothes and congratulate each other: “Chag Purim Sameach” (“Happy Purim”) Visiting the synagogue on this day is a mandatory rule: first in the evening and then in the morning of the next day There the Megillat Esther (“Scroll of Esther”) is read with a description of the events that laid the foundations for the holiday While reading, visitors must be attentive and silent When pronouncing blessings, you should answer: “Amen!” Having heard the name of Aman, listeners express their attitude by whistling, stomping and spinning special rattles After visiting the synagogue, lavish feasts are held with drinking wine This day is considered one on which a Jew is simply obliged to drink Moreover, excessive wine drinking is not prohibited A mandatory attribute of the meal is triangular cookies stuffed with poppy seeds and honey or jam (“Haman’s ears”) Family members must try it and receive it as a gift to relatives and those in need Giving to the poor on Purim is considered a worthy deed for every Jew During the existence of the holiday, a whole layer of folklore was formed in the form of “Purim” literature The fun wouldn't be complete without theatrical performances reenacting history People wear carnival outfits when going out Men are allowed to dress in women's clothes and vice versa, which is prohibited on other days In Jewish tradition, it is believed that with the advent of the month of Adar, Jews become more joyful This means an attitude towards the concept commonly called “fate” But they do not proclaim silent following the flow of life as a good thing, but allow people the opportunity to influence their happiness and well-being Purim balances the worries and trials that surround the Jewish people throughout the year Therefore, these days you need to demonstrate unbridled optimism, sparkling humor, and reckless fun