Purim
Purim is celebrated on Tuesday, March 10, 2009Day of celebration for the triumph of Mordechai and Esther over the Wicked Haman in Persia.
Background of the Hamentash
Jewish Tradition has it that the Hamentash, being similar to a three-cornered hat, is the kind of hat that "Haman HaRasha," the wicked Haman, wore. But why do we wear the hat of our great enemy? Of one who wanted to destroy our People?Because Purim is the Holiday of "V'Nahapoch hu," of Topsy Turvy and Upside Down, of evil plans falling upon their plotters' heads. It is the Holiday which shows our enemies with their high and mighty plans for world domination, for being Number 1, winding up at the bottom of the list!
Of Haman wanting to ride on the King's horse, in the King's robes and crown, pulling Mordechai through the streets of Shushan on that horse wearing that clothing!
To paraphrase a once-popular tune about a certain Lola, "Whatever Haman wants, Mordechai gets!"
And this is the one Holiday that we are permitted to laugh at our enemies! To mock them and to make up funny plays about them! As it says in "Mishlei"/Proverbs 3:34, "As concerning mockers, He will mock them."
When the mighty general Sisera was killed by a woman, Yael, Devorah the Judge and Prophetess sang about that event, "…so may they be destroyed, all the enemies of Hashem! And as for those who love Him, may they be like the sun rising in its glory!" ("Shoftim"/Judges 5:31)
On this Holiday of Purim, we show our faith in Hashem that the bigger our enemies, the harder will they fall! "Utzu etzah, V'Tufar, Daberu Davar V'lo Yakum, Ki Imanu E-l," "Make your plans; they will be nullified - Hold your conferences of hate against us, and all your plans will not succeed; for Hashem is with us!"
The OU.ORG Adar section is adapted with permission from The Book of Our Heritage by Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov and other sources.
Other Purim Content
- Fast of Esther
- Purim and its Mitzvot
- When is Purim Observed?
- Megillat Esther - Introduction
- Why we wear disguises on Purim
- Background of the Hamentash
- “Ad D’lo Yada” - “Until one Cannot Distinguish”
- “Al HaNisim” Section for Purim
- Purim is Forever
- The Evils of Wine & Drugs
- Shoshanat Yaakov
- Purim and Yom kePurim
- Parshat Zachor
- The Book of Esther
- Megillat Esther - Part I
- Megillat Esther - Part II
- Every Day Purim - Every Night Kippurim
- Purim Coloring Pages
- Children’s Activities for Purim
- Purim - The Story of Purim - in Parties
- The Story of Purim - Narrated by Your Neighborhood Hamantash
- A Purim Miracle for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Our Way
- Important Video Regarding Purim - Aleinu