Pourim (Hebrew: פורים Pûrîm “fates”, of the Akkadien pūru ) is merry a Jewish holiday which commemorates the delivery of all consequently the Juif S, at the time where they lived under the Persian domination, of the Captivité in Babylon (after the conquest of Babylon by Perse), of the hand of Haman, which had planned and almost put into practice their extermination, as reported in the Livre of Esther.
The festival of Pourim is characterized by the public recitation of the Book of Esther, the mutual sending of parcel of food and drinks, the gifts with stripped, and a feast of celebration (Esther 9:22). Pourim is also rich in habits, for example of drinking more than of habit for some, of the masquerades and disguises, even of the popular demonstrations.
Pourim is celebrated the 14 of the Hebrew month of Adar. In the cities which carried an enclosure of the time of Josué, including Jerusalem, Pourim is celebrated the 15 of this month, called Chouchan Pourim ). Like all Jewish holidays, Pourim begins the preceding civil day day before, with laying down sun.
Overall picture
The events having led to Pourim were consigned in the Livre of Esther. Briefly:
- At the time of a feast given to Suse by the Persian king of Assuérus, his Vashti wife is repudiated to have disobeyed the king. Esther beats Avigaïl, an young woman who hides her Jewish origins like advised her uncle Mardochée to him, is selected like new queen by Assuérus.
- Mardochée surprises a plot fomented by “guards of the threshold” to kill the king. He warns the queen, and the fact is consigned in annals of the king, but Mardochée is not rewarded.
- Haman the Agag ite wire of Hamedata, enjoying the favors the king and one of the men most powerful of his time, takes shade of what Mardochée Judéen prostrate step in front of him. He persuades the king to make publish a decree of extermination of the people judéen of which he fixes the date by Cléromancie at 13 Adar.
- When Mardochée takes note of it, it takes a mourning so spectacular that the business arrives at the ears of Esther. This one is shown initially reticent with speaking to the king, because it could cost him the life of it. Convinced by Mardochée, she asks all the Juif people and with its maidservants to fast during 3 days and to request for her, after which she will see the king.
- Seeing the king, Esther invites it to a feast with Haman, but guard silence on its reasons and invites them to another feast. Disturbed, Assuérus, not being able to find the sleep, is made read annals, and takes note of the acts of Mardochée. He convenes Haman to know how to reward such a man, and thus, in consequence of a misunderstanding, Haman escorts Mardochée out of royal robeses in front of crowd. Haman ruminates its revenge, and projects to make hang Mardochée.
- At the time of the second feast, Esther reveals its Juive identity and the plot which aims its community. She uncovers the tyrant. The king authorizes the Jews to be defended against the attacks issued by the minister. Haman is hung with the bracket which it had prepared for Mardochée. Mardochée is named Prime Minister. The fate ( For ) was turned over against the authors of the disastrous intention of extermination of the Jews.
- the news arrives at the moved back places only one day later. Judéens take the weapons and overcome those which wanted to kill them. Great rejoicings are celebrated in all the Persian empire.
Following the decision of the Large Parliament, the Book of Esther became one of the Ketouvim, integrating the Jewish biblical gun.
La series of events which he reports is held over nine years and no relation seems to take shape between them. However, these events, when they are analyzed overall, reveal that “coincidences” are actually evidence of the intervention of God (whereas His Name is not mentioned nowhere), operative “behind the scene”. This interpretation is developed and explained by the comments ic Talmud, midrashic and others of Meguilla.
The festival of Pourim was at all times held in high regard by the Judaïsme. Some teach that, even after the come from the Messiah, whereas the prophetic Livres and the Other Writings fall into the lapse of memory, one will still remember the Book Esther, and that the festival of Pourim will continue to be observed (Talmud of Jerusalem, Meguilla 1/5a; Maïmonide, Yad, Meguila).
Like Hanoucca, the statute of Pourim as a bank holiday is somewhat lower than the days declared holy in the Torah. Consequently, behavior of a trade, as well as manual work is authorized in Pourim, although in certain places, of the restrictions on work were imposed ( Choulhan Aroukh , Orah Hayim , 696). A prayer, or rather a complement of prayer (“ Al ha-Nissim ” — “For the Miracles”), is inserted in the Shemona Esreh during the offices of the evening, the morning and the afternoon, like in the thanksgiving after the meals.
Pourim comprises four mitzvot, called “the four mem”:
- M eguila: public reading, with the Synagog, of the Book of Esther, at the time of the offices of the day before and the morning day of Pourim
- M ishloa' H Manot: sending of food parcels to the friends
- M atanot la' eviyonim: present at stripped the
- M ishte vesim' ha: festive meal and merry
Reading of Meguila
The first religious ceremony prescribed for the celebration of Pourim is the reading with the Synagog Book of Esther, that the Jews name Meguilat Esther . One can discharge this obligation in listening to the reading, but it should be listened to completely. This regulation is obligatory for any old man of more than 13 years and any old woman of more than 12 ans.the institution of this reading is allotted according to the Talmud of Babylon (Meguila 2a) to the “Men of the Grande Parliament”, chaired by Ezra the Scribe, and whose Mardochée would have been membre.
In the beginning, this rule was not prescribed that for 14 Adar, but Rabbi Josué Ben Levi (a Amora of the 3rd century of the common era) prescribed that Meguila is also read the day before Pourim. Moreover, it obliged the women to witness this reading, since it is by a woman, the Esther queen, that achieves the miraculous delivery of the Jews.
At the time of the Michna, the recitation of a blessing before the reading of Meguila yet had not been unanimously established. However, the Talmud (which was codified approximately four centuries after Michna) prescribed the recitation of three blessings before the reading and a blessing afterwards. He also added other provisions. Among those:
- the reader must pronounce the names of ten wire of Haman () in a breath, in order to indicate their simultaneous death;
- the assembly must aloud recite, with the reader, the verses, and, which milked at the origin (judéenne) of Mardochée, and its triumph.
Meguila is read with a traditional song different from that used usually for the Lecture of the Torah. In certain passages like, one does not sing, one reads as one would read a letter, because of the statute of “`iggeret” (epistle) which is applied to the book of Esther. It is of use since the time of the Gueonim (Early middle ages) to entirely unroll the text of Meguilah before its reading, in order to accentuate its appearance of epistle. The Jewish Loi authorizes the reading of Meguila in any understandable language for the audience, in order to recreate the conditions of proclamation of a decree within all the Persian empire, where several languages were spoken.
The Michna ( Meguila 30b) prescribed lira, the Chabbat preceding the festival, history of the attack of the Jews by Amalek, the ancestor of Haman. This passage starting with the word Zakhor , Chabbat is called Chabbat Zakhor .
Pourim gave rise to many religious compositions, of which some were built-in the liturgy, among which anthems intended for the public offices. Other compositions (dramas, plays, etc) were created for the construction of the public, in Hebrew and in others langues.
Vers the 18th century, the parts of Pourim (called Pourimspiel ) played in Romania and other regions of the Europe of the East had become satires with broad range, being accompanied by musics and dances, preceding the Théâtre Yiddish, being based on the history of Esther only per pretext: indeed, a century and half later, the “Pourim” spieln were based on other stories, like the sale of Joseph, Daniel, or the Sacrifice of Isaac. These satires were often played in the external courses, being considered to be inappropriate and improper for the synagogs. The hassidim of Bobov never ceased playing their Pourimspieln, the Bobov Purimspiel being played annually, at midnight in the Bobov synagogs of Brooklyn.
Exubérance in the synagog
Pourim is an occasion where the tolerance is broader than of habit, including in the walls of the synagog itself. For example, during the public service, of many congregations punctuate the reading of Meguila of noisy whistles, percussions and rattlings at the time of the mention of the name of Haman (54 occurrences).
This practice goes back to the Tossafistes, of the rabbis having lived at the 13th century in the north of France and in Germany, who instituted it while following a ic interpretation Midrash of the verse (You will erase the memory of Amalek): this midrash specifying that to erase meant “even wood and stones”, these rabbis wrote the name of Haman, the race of Amalek, on two polished stones which they knocked and rubbed until the name is unobtrusive.
The stones fell in disuse, but the fact of knocking remained. Some registered the name of Haman on the heels of their shoes, and typed feet with the mention of the name, as a sign of contempt.
The will to erase the name yielded in its turn the use with the habit to make noise (what, symbolically, also amounted erasing the name), and the use of a Crécelle ( Hebrew Ra' ashan in - “maker of noise”, ra' ash, “noise”; Gregger in Yiddish - Polish grzégarz , “rattle”) was spread.
Environment “good child” extended to the office itself and, nowadays still, certain congregations read the prayers in a manner which would be regarded as Sacrilège on any other occasion, for example while singing on an air of known songs, or by employing melodies used at the time of other Jewish celebrations.
These habits are now almost universal. However, some rabbis, mainly those which are originating in country where these habits were not known, like the Yemen, protested against these excesses, considering that they disturb the public reading, and preserve at Pourim a quiet and solemn character.
To burn Haman in effigy
Out of the synagog, the indulgence granted to Pourim with the children as with the adults goes still further, and this, according to some, since the talmudic period. As of the Fifth century, and particularly during the period of Gueonim (S), it was of habit to burn Haman in effigy with Pourim, in a way similar to the Guy Fawkes Night British.
In Italy, the Jewish children put themselves in rows, and were sent nuts, while the adults crossed the streets with branches of fir tree, shouted and gave trumpet, around a puppet representing Haman, which was burned with solemnity on the échafaud.
With Francfort-sur-le-Main, one made houses of Cire where the figures of Haman and its torturer (also out of wax) were placed side-by-side. The whole was placed on the Bimah , where the figures were held of wax of Zeresh (the wife of Haman) surrounded by two guards; all were vêtus frivolous behaviors, with pipes in their mouths. The house was burned with its occupants at the beginning of the reading of Meguila, with the great joy of the spectators.
These habits often caused the ire of the Christian , which interpreted them like a way diverted to ridicule Jesus and the cross; their suspicions were all the more sharp as Haman was sometimes represented on its bracket. Prohibitions were enacted against these demonstrations, for example under the reign of the emperors Honorius (395-423) and Théodose II (408-450; comp. Schudt, l.c II. 309,317, and Cassel, l.c.).
Pour to avoid the reprisals, the rabbis themselves tried to abolish these habits, going sometimes until calling the magistrature in reinforcement, as it was the case with London in 1783.
The habit persisted however until the 20th century, then disappeared, except for some Haredim antisionists. Indeed, Rav Elchonon Wasserman, known for its positions against the Zionism, taught in the name of its Master, Rav Israel Meir Kagan, the author of the Hafetz Hayim (loving so deeply the Jewish people that it never allowed the least scandalmongering without reason serious and formal nor proof), that the laic Zionists went down from Amalek just like Haman. This is why certain Haredim antisionists do not hesitate to burn the flag of Israel with Pourim, in commemoration of the fall of a descendant of Amalek, in Pourim.
Women and reading of Meguila
The women have the obligation to hear Meguila because “they also were implied in this miracle. ” Consequently, certain orthodoxe authorities estimated that the women can read Meguila. The readings of women became increasingly common in the modern orthodoxe communities more “liberal”, however they are intended only for one public of women. The majority of the orthodoxe communities, including orthodoxe modern, do not authorize however the women with reading Meguila, except rare cases.Those of the authorities which estimate that the women should not read Meguila for themselves, because of a question as for the blessing which they should recite during the reading, estimate nevertheless that they have the obligation to hear it. According to these authorities, if a woman, or a man, cannot attend the synagogaux offices, Meguila should be to them read into private by any man of more than 13 years. There often exists in the orthodoxe congregations a public reading reserved to the women, but that it is made into private, in residence, or the synagog, it is a man who must read it.
Mishte Pourim
- Esther 9:22: prescribed with the Jews “to make these days of the days of feast and joy where one is sent portions one to the other with the others, and where one distributes gifts to poor”.
It is thus prescribed to prepare a meal of festival, called Mishte Pourim or, more frequently, Seoudat Pourim , the afternoon of 14 Adar, before fallen the night. The wine holds a prominent place to with it: whereas the Jews are rather known for their low alcohol consumption, it is not rare to see some to poison itself on this occasion. The “jovial” character of the feast of Pourim is illustrated by the talmudic sentence (Meguila 7b), which recommends to drink during Pourim AD dèlo yada , “until one cannot distinguish any more " cursed is Haman" (Arour Haman) of " blessed either Mordekhaï" (Baroukh Mordekhaï)”.
This sentence was codifée by the Ri" F, the Rosh, the Turn, the Choulhan Aroukh ( Orah Hayim 695), and is interpreted according to its simple interpretation (that above mention) by the Hatam Sofer.
The interpretation of this talmudic sentence, or the acceptance of this sentence itself is disputed (for varied reasons) by the '' Ba' alei Tossafot '' (on the basis of the Talmud of Jerusalem), like by Moïse Maïmonide, Rabbenou Ephraïm, the Ba' Al HaMa' gold , the Ran, the Or' hot Hayim , the Be' er Hagola , the Magen Avraham , the Taz , the Rema, the Gaon de Vilna, the Maharsha, Rashash, the Tzeida LaDerekh , the Hagahot Maimoniyot , Ra' avyah, the Korban Netanel , the Bakh , the Maharil, the laughed P' Me gadim , the Kol Bo , the Chochmat Mano' ach , the Hafetz Hayim (in its Mishna Beroura ), and others.
Although the sending of mishloa' H manot applies technically only to one parcel for a friend, it developed at certain a habit to offer many and sumptuous baskets. Families often prepare tens of baskets, filled up made house or bought food, that they send or make deliver to their friends, neighbors, family…, in Pourim.
Large baskets are also delivered to the professors of the parents, directors of the schools, owners of the parents, secretaries, doctors, and practically any person with whom one is in regular relation during the year. This evolution was the recent rabbinical debate object, because the verse of Meguila mentions only the sending of parcel “one with the other”, meaning parcel containing (at least) two mets with only one person, while the same verse specifies “with the indigent' ”, which was interpreted by the Halakha like requiring gifts with several people (in light, rather than to spread itself in generosities between friends, would not have one to hold those with stripped?).
Historically, the habit concerning the gifts of mishloa' H manot was that when one went to the seouda of his next, one brought two mets prepared, because the host often did not have enough food; thus one discharged mitzva mishloa' H manot .
With the synagog, regular searches are made during the festival, and this money is distributed among the needy ones. No distinction is made between those, any person lends to accept the gift can profit from it, including a not-Jew. To note that the obligation to give to the needy applies to all the Jews, including with that which saw gifts of others.
Chabbat, these gifts must be realized front, to make it possible to the poor to benefit from it during the chabbat. -->
The habit was however quickly integrated because, in the miracle of Pourim, God does not act directly. All is made in an incredible and hidden way. This habit was then spread in all the countries where the Jews lived, except perhaps in the East.
Nowadays, an Israeli childish counting rhyme makes appear the masks, the rattles, the songs and the dances before any history of Esther. Nevertheless, Esther and Mardochée appear in good place among the disguises; the King David, the Cohen Gadol (High priest), Cinderella, the police officers, the Ninja S, the Cow servant boy S and other stars of the song or cinema are frequently found.
The costumes and masks are carried to hide the identity of their carrier, because the mistakes play a big role in the Book of Esther: Esther hides with the king her husband his origins judéennes; Mardochée holds secret its knowledge of the foreign languages, which enables him to hear Bigtan and Teresh to discuss their plot openly; in one of the most memorable misunderstandings of the Book, Haman suggests with the king how to return glory to the person whom the king wants to honor… Mardochée; moreover, according to Talmud, the girl of Haman seeing the procession passing, thinks that Mardochée draws his/her father, and drops a chamberpot on her head; carrying out its error, it commits suicide.
God Himself hides, the Wise ones referring to His role in Meguila like הסתרפנים ( hester panim , “Veiling the Face”, which represents also an allusion under the Book, Meguilat Esther — according to a midrashic translation, “revelation of which is hidden”). Indeed, in “the country of Thousand and One Nights”, intrigues, misunderstandings and reversals of situation are the daily batch, and the theological reading of the events could seem exclusively Jewish. Other side, the biblical Jewish Philosophie and commentators teach that the reason of the omission of the divine Name is used to put forward the point that God precisely was held hidden throughout the events, but did not cease making act Its providence. Thus the rabbinical assertion that “all the good acts of Assuérus towards the Jews emanated from God, because Assuérus was bad until the end”. Morals applies to the whole of the Histoire of the Jewish people, including in its exile: the presence of God is more strongly felt at certain times than with others, but He always plays a prominent part in the life of the Jews, their future and the future one of their people. From where the emphase on the bludgeon with Pourim.
The first among the Jewish authors to mention this habit is Juda Minz (D. 1508 in Venice) in its Responsa, 17, cité number by Mosheh Isserles in its book “Orah Hayyim”, 696:8. It expresses the opinion there that, since the goal of the disguise makes it possible to be merry, it should not be regarded as a transgression of the biblical law. This more flexible opinion prevailed on others which tended to restrict it. The habit is still practiced today among the Jews practitioners of all the origins and among the practitioners and the not-practitioners Israeli. In Israel, there are processions of Pourim.
Many variations are tolerated in Pourim with regard to the standard, which led to the belief that “in Pourim, all is allowed”, even certain transgressions of a biblical law, such as prohibition (Deut. XXII. 5) for a man to wear clothing of woman and vice versa.
Songs of Pourim were introduced into the Synagog S. For the children, certain passages of the Livre of Esther are sung in the choruses of Pourim.
Outside, one leaves and one goes in friends, one sings various songs such as:
The prayer Shoshanat Yaakov , read at the end of the reading of Meguila is often sung on popular melodies (cf supra ).
The Kreplach, a kind of filled Pellet to the meat, liver or chicken been useful in soup, are tasted also traditionally in Pourim.
The fast of Esther, celebrated before Pourim, 13 Adar, did not form part of the rites of Pourim in the beginning. It was instituted to commemorate the 3 days fast that Esther was essential, like to its maidservants, Mardochée and with the Juif people, before presenting themselves in front of king Assuérus. According to the rabbinical tradition, it took place the 15,16 and 17 Nissan. The first to mention this fast is Rav A' ha of Shab' ha (8th century of the common era) in She' iltot 4; the reason given for the institution of this fast is based on an interpretation of and Talmud of Babylon, Meguila 2a: “13th was day of gathering”, which gathering would have been done with an aim of public prayer and fast.
Nowadays, only the fast of the 13 continues to be observed. However, when 13 Adar falls one day from Sabbath (as it is the case in 2007), the fast is pushed back at previous Thursday, because Friday is necessary to prepare for Chabbat, and celebrates it of Pourim to come.
Chouchan Pourim (15 Adar) is the day during which the Jews of Jerusalem and Suse (in Iran) celebrate Pourim. The Book of Esther explains why, while the Jews residing in not-strengthened places fought their enemies 13 Adar, and the 14 rested, the Jews of the strengthened capital of Suse reflect two days to demolish their enemies, and rested the 15 (Esther 9:20 - 22).
Although Mardochée and Esther issued that only the strengthened cities were to celebrate Pourim the 15, in commemoration of the battle in the strengthened city of Suse, Wise the judéens noted that Jerusalem, center of the Jewish and capital life of old the Royaume of Juda, lay in ruins at the time of the events of the Book of Esther. So that a city, however prestigious is it, is not more honoured that Jerusalem, there they determined which cities had been strengthened time of Josué, in order to be able to include Jerusalem; paradoxically, that made of Suse an exceptional case, because the miracle had occurred there, whereas it was not not strengthened time of Josué.
Meguila is also read the 15 in other cities of Israël— like Jaffa, Acre, Safed and Hebron — but only because of one doubt as for knowing if they were strengthened time of Josué. So one celebrates Pourim there the 14 and one carries out an additional and obligatory reading of Meguila the 15. The Jews of these cities do not recite the blessings before and after the reading of Meguila the 15.
Certain years, with the addition of a thirteenth month (called Adar II) in the Hebrew calendar, two months ago of Adar. The Karaïtes maintain the celebrations of Pourim at the time of the first month of Adar (they add a second month of Chevat). The Jews adopted the position to celebrate Pourim at the time of the month of Adar II and to celebrate, at the same date during the month of Adar I, which they call “ Pourim Katan ”, i.e. “Small Pourim”.
The distinction between first and second Pourim is mentioned in the Mishna (Meguila 1/46b; to compare with Orah Hayyim, 697).
Many Jewish families had also their Pourim “family” during the centuries, celebrating in their hearths their rescue of persecutions, or other misfortunes which could have cost them the existence.
the Be' er Hagolah and the Magen Avraham decide that, like the sentences “Arour Haman” and “Baroukh Mordekhaï” has same the numerical value in Hebrew, one should drink wine only until being unable to calculate these numerical values.
Le Rema says that one should only drink a little more than that of which one with the practice, and to try to fall asleep then (in this state, there is little risk so that the individual distinguishes between the two sentences). This position is followed by the Kol Bo and the Mishna Beroura , and is similar to that of Maïmonide.
Sending of parcel of food and gifts with stripped
According to the Halakha, any Jew having reached the religious majority must send parcels of food prepared for the friends, and two donations (out of money or food) with two stripped people, in order to carry out these two mitzvot. A mishloa' H manot typical includes/understands wine and pastry makings; however, other softnesses, cookies, salads or any supply make the deal.
Les two mets should not necessarily be of different nature, i.e. to require a different blessing before their consumption. Two food of comparable nature, even two same food is enough, although the variety on the matter is appreciated.
Masquerade
One of the most famous aspects of the festival, the masquerade, is paradoxically not Jewish origin, the disguise during Pourim having appeared in Italy towards the end of the 15th century under the influence of the Roman Carnaval.
However, Jewish leaders as eminent as Hafetz Hayim, followed nowadays by many directing of academy, insisted on the “label” to preserve, even on this occasion.
Si some yeshivot authorize the pupils to parody their colleges, professors or the leaders of the Jewish world, passed and present, the majority require the minimum of respect, when others prohibit it simplement.
Selon certain decrees halakhic, it is defended with the men to disguise itself as women, and vice versa; the rabbis authorizing the men to be disguised as women (and vice versa) do not allow them to disguise completely , imposing that they can still be recognized as being men/women. The jokes grivoises and loose-living women remain prohibited.
Songs
Traditional dishes of Pourim
During Pourim, it is of habit to eat triangular pastry makings — the hamantaschen (“Pockets of Haman”) in Yiddish and oznei Haman (“Ears of Haman”) in Hebrew. They are spread out pastes, cut in round and filled of grains of poppy, before being packed in a triangular form, the poppy being apparent or not. More recently, the poppy was replaced by plums, dates, apricots, or chocolate. They are also called “orrechi of Aman” in Italy, Kreppchen , Kindchen , etc
The fast of Esther
Certains fasted three days but, as the fast was interdict during Nissan (the month of Pessa' H), the first and second Monday of Adar, as well as Thursday following Pourim were selected.
Chouchan Pourim
Pourim Katan
Lors of this first “repetition” of the festival, it does not have there reading of Meguila, but the other rules are observed.
Other “Pourims”
Until there is little, much Jewish communities celebrated of Pourim “buildings”, commemorating their delivery of so-and-so directing or groups anti-semite. Most known of these Pourim was the Pourim Vintz , traditionally celebrated in Frankfurt, one week after Pourim. It commemorated the revolt of Fettmilch (1616-1620), during which certain Vincenz Fettmilch, “new Haman of the Jews” autodécrété had tried to exterminate the Jewish community.
Selon some, Rav Moshe Sofer (the Hatam Sofer ), native of Frankfurt celebrated the Pourim Vintz each year, even when he was the rabbi of Pressburg.
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