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:Happy Purim

Happy Purim!

Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.

The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther .

The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter.

The Purim story is told at the Book of Esther .




The Book of Esther commences with a six month (180 day) drinking feast given by king Ahashverosh, for the army of Persia and Media, for the civil servants and princes in the 127 provinces of his kingdom, at the conclusion of which a seven day drinking feast for the inhabitants of Shushan, rich and poor with a separate drinking feast for the women organised by the Queen Vashti in the pavilion of the Royal courtyard.

At this feast Ahashverosh gets thoroughly drunk and orders his wife Vashti to display her beauty before the people and the princess by dancing naked. She refuses, and Ahashverosh decides to remove her from her post.

He then orders all young women to be presented to him, so he can choose a new queen to replace Vashti.

One of these is Esther (Haddassah, who changed her name to Esther so that the king wouldn't know she was Jewish), who was orphaned at a young age and was being fostered by her cousin Mordechai .



She finds favor in the king's eyes, and is made his new wife. Esther does not reveal that she is Jewish. Esther was taken to the house of Ahashverosh, King of Persia, to become part of his harem, and he loved her more than his other women and made her queen. But the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordechai told her not to reveal her nationality.

The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Mordechai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people.

In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king's laws; therefore it does not profit the king to suffer them.” Esther 3:8.

The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.



Mordechai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman was hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordechai.

The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordechai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that it the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the story is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck.

Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar, which is usually in March.

The word “Purim” means “lots” and refers to the lottery that Haman used to choose the date for the massacre.

The Purim holiday is preceded by a minor fast, the Fast of Esther, which commemorates Esther's three days of fasting in preparation for her meeting with the king.

The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the book of Esther. The book of Esther is commonly known as the Megillah, which means a scroll.



It is customary to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle gragers (noisemakers - raashanim) whenever the name of Haman is mentioned in the service. The purpose of this custom is to “blot out the name of Haman.”

We are also commanded to eat, drink and be merry. According to the Talmud, a person is required to drink until he cannot tell the difference between “cursed be Haman” and “blessed be Mordechai ”.

In addition, we are commanded to send out gifts of food or drink, and to make gifts to charity. The sending of gifts of food and drink is referred to as Mishloach Manot

Among Ashkenazic Jews, a common treat at this time of year is hamentaschen (lit. Haman's pockets). These triangular fruit-filled cookies are supposed to represent Haman's three-cornered hat.

It is customary to hold carnival-like celebrations on Purim, to perform plays and parodies, and to hold beauty contests.

Mishloach manot

Gaily wrapped baskets of sweets, snacks and other foodstuffs given as mishloach manot on Purim day.

The Book of Esther prescribes "the sending of portions one man to another, and gifts to the poor" (9:22). Over time, this mitzvah has become one of the most prominent features of the celebration of Purim.

Masquerading

Most evidence suggests that the concept of "masquerading in costumes" (on Purim) is a fairly recent addition to Purim, which was added sometime during the past five hundred years - in Europe. The practice probably did not exist in Middle Eastern countries earlier than 150 years ago.

Dressing up in masks and costumes is one of the most entertaining customs of the Purim holiday. Children in particular enjoy dressing up as the protagonists in the Book of Esther, including Queen Esther and Mordecai; other Biblical personalities such as King David and the Kohen Gadol ("High Priest"), and modern-day costumes from flower girls to indigenous peoples of the Americas to animals to policemen.

Costumes and masks are worn to disguise the wearers' identities. Mistaken identity plays an important role in The Book of Esther, as Esther hid her cultural origins from the king, Mordecai hid his knowledge of all the world's languages (which allowed Bigthan and Teresh to discuss their plot openly in his presence), and Haman was mistaken for Mordechai when he led Mordecai through the streets of the capital city of Shushan.

The custom of masquerading on Purim was first introduced among the Italian Jews about the close of the fifteenth century under the influence of the Roman carnival. This custom spread over all countries where Jews lived, except perhaps the Orient. The first among Jewish authors to mention this custom is Judah ben Eliezer ha-Levi Minz (d. 1508 at Venice) , quoted by Moses Isserles on Orach Chayim 696:8. He expresses the opinion that, since the purpose of the masquerade is only merrymaking, it should not be considered a transgression of the Biblical law regarding dress. Although some authorities issued prohibitions against this custom, the people did not heed them, and the more lenient view prevailed. The custom is still practiced today amongst religious Jews of all denominations, and among both religious and non-religious Israelis.

In Israel there are Purim parades called Adloyada (Ad-עד Lo-לא Yada-ידע, Until one didn't know the other). The name refers to the drinking feast described in the book of Ester, after which the guests couldn't tell their friends apart from the other attenders. In these Parades men, women, boys and girls dress in costumes and masks and celebrate publicly.

The holiday of Purim has been held in high esteem by Judaism at all times; some have held that when all the prophetical and hagiographical works will be nullified, the Book of Esther will still be remembered, and, accordingly, the Feast of Purim will continue to be observed (Jerusalem Talmud, Megillah 1/5a; Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Megilla).

Like Hanukkah, Purim has more of a national than a religious character, and its status as a holiday is on a lesser level than those days ordained holy by the Torah. Accordingly, business transactions and even manual labor are allowed on Purim, though in certain places restrictions have been imposed on work (Shulkhan Arukh, Orach Chayim, 696). A special prayer ("Al ha-Nissim"—"For the Miracles") is inserted into the Amidah during evening, morning and afternoon prayers, as well as is included in the Birkat Hamazon ("Grace after Meals.")

The four main mitzvot of the day are:

1. Listening to the public reading, usually in synagogue, of the Book of Esther in the evening and again in the following morning (k'riat megilla) 2. Sending food gifts to friends (mishloach manot) 3. Giving charity to the poor (matanot la'evyonim) 4. Eating a festive meal (se`udah)

Giving of food gifts and charity

Mishloach manot

Gaily wrapped baskets of sweets, snacks and other foodstuffs given as mishloach manot on Purim day.

The Book of Esther prescribes "the sending of portions one man to another, and gifts to the poor" (9:22). Over time, this mitzvah has become one of the most prominent features of the celebration of Purim.

According to the halakha, each Jew over the age of bar or bat mitzvah must send two different, ready-to-eat foods to one friend, and two charitable donations (either money or food) to two poor people, to fulfill these two mitzvot.[36] The gifts to friends are called mishloach manot ("sending of portions"), and often include wine and pastries; alternately, sweets, snacks, salads or any foodstuff qualifies.

Although the sending of mishloach manot is technically limited to one gift for one friend, for some the custom has evolved into a major gift-giving event. Families often prepare dozens of homemade and store-bought food baskets to deliver to friends, neighbors, and relatives on Purim day. Charitable organizations, synagogues, Jewish schools and other groups also tap into the spirit of gift-giving by turning mishloach manot into a fund-raising device. These organizations collect money from members and either send out actual food gifts to other members, or mishloach manot "certificates" which indicate that a donation has been made to their organization.

To fulfill the mitzvah of giving charity to two poor people, one can give either food or money equivalent to the amount of food that is eaten at a regular meal. It is better to spend more on charity than on the giving of mishloach manot.[36]

In the synagogue, regular collections of charity are made on the festival and the money is distributed among the needy. No distinction is made among the poor; anyone who is willing to accept charity is allowed to participate. It is obligatory upon the poorest Jew, even one who is himself dependent on charity, to give to other poor people.[36]

Children's Songs

Both before and on Purim, special children's songs (with non-liturgical sources) may be sung:

* Once There Was a Wicked Wicked Man

* Ani Purim

* Chag Purim, Chag Purim, Chag Gadol Hu LaYehudim

* MisheNichnas Adar

* Shoshanas Yaakov

* Al HaNisim

* VeNahafoch Hu

* LaYehudim Hayesa Orah

* U Mordechai Yatza

* Kacha Yay'aseh

* Chayav Inish

* Utzu Eitzah

The Blue Box of JFN - Keren Kayemet le Israel

The blue charity collection boxes have been distributed by the JNF almost from its beginning. Once found in many Jewish homes, the boxes became one of the most familiar symbols of Zionism. A children's song about the boxes, written by Dr. Yehoshua Frizman, Headmaster of the Real Gymnasium for Girls in Kovno, ran

The box was invented when a bank clerk named Haim Kleinman in Nadvorna, Galicia placed a blue box labeled "Keren Le'umit" in his office, and suggested that similar boxes be distributed by the Fund. The first mass-produced boxes were distributed in 1904.[16] Kleinman visited Mandate Palestine in the 1930s and planned to make aliyah, but perished in the Holocaust.[16] Menahem Ussishkin wrote that "The coin the child contributes or collects for the redemption of the land is not important in itself; it is not the child that gives to the Keren Kayemeth, but rather the Fund that gives to the child, a foothold and lofty ideal for all the days of his life."

The boxes could take a variety of shapes and sizes. Some were paper made to fold flat like envelopes and able to contain only a small number of coins, some early American boxes were cylindrical, some German boxes were made of tin stamped into the shape of bound books.

Israel issued postage stamps bearing the image of the blue box in 1983, 1991, and 1993 for the JNF's 90th anniversary.



The Blue Box as a Zionist Symbol

The Blue Box is a symbol of JNF and its efforts to develop the land, plant parks and forests, prepare the ground for communities and agriculture, and build roads and water reservoirs. It is a symbol of the bond between man and country. It is also a vehicle for educating youngsters and involving them in these efforts in order to foster their identification with the Zionist enterprise and the State of Israel.

JNF's collection box, the "Blue Box" (so called because of its blue and white colors) has been part and parcel of the Zionist Movement since its inception. Professor Zvi Hermann Schapira, whose concepts and suggestions led to the inception of the JNF at the 5th Zionist Congress in Basle on 19 Tevet, 5662 (December 18, 1901), had unveiled a tin collection box a "pushke" as early as 1884. Calling it the "Keren Kayemeth Le'Israel" box, he invited colleagues at a gathering of the "Zion Association" to contribute to the redemption of the land and Jewish settlement in Eretz Israel.

Upon JNF's establishment, a bank clerk by the name of Haim Kleinman from Nadvorna, Galicia placed a Blue Box marked "Keren Le'umit" (National Fund) in his office. He suggested that such a box be placed in every Jewish home and that everyone contribute to the newly created national fund at every possible opportunity. The idea had been well rooted in Jewish tradition for hundreds of years. Many Jewish homes contained a "Rabbi Meir Baal Ha'Ness" box, the proceeds of which helped support Jews living in the Land of Israel. The proceeds of the Blue Box, however, were slated for the redemption of the land itself, and it was distributed in Jewish communities throughout the world.

The very act of collecting funds in a special box aroused in Jews everywhere a longing for the tastes and fragrances of Eretz Israel, and strengthened their yearning for the homeland.

The first Blue Boxes were produced in 1904. One of these was placed by Theodor Herzl in his study (and can still be seen in "Herzl's Room" in Jerusalem). Their impact was immediate, not only in terms of the money they generated but as an expression of the deep bond between the Diaspora Jewry and the small Jewish community and the soil of Eretz Israel. In the 'Thirties, for example, about one million JNF Blue Boxes were to be found in Jewish homes around the world.

Kleinman was to appreciate the fruit of his labors when he visited pre-state Israel some 30 years after placing the first box in his office, and was gratified to learn that the idea had become reality. Unfortunately, he perished in the Holocaust before he was able to come on aliya. The Blue Box, however, which he had conceived together with Prof. Schapira, lives on to this day.

At a festive assembly marking JNF's 80th anniversary, Israel's fifth president, Mr. Itzhak Navon responded and, as we approach its 90th anniversary, we find pupils again learning through the Blue Box the meaning of "You shall redeem the land." The Blue Box has also returned to its rightful place in the Diaspora. In Australia, for example, it is once more a common sight in most Jewish homes, symbolizing their support for the Zionist enterprise.

The late Menhahem Ussishkin, one of JNF's predominant leaders, described the Blue Box's educational value succinctly:

"The coin the child contributes or collects for the redemption of the land is not important in itself...but as an element of education: It is not the child that gives to Keren Kayemeth, but, rather, the Fund that gives to the child...a foothold and lofty ideal for all the days of his life."

The Many Faces of the Box

The Blue Box has changed form many times over the years and in many cases was not even blue for the most part. The first boxes, such as Theodor Herzl's, were in fact whitish. Ornamental boxes, manufactured in Austria in 1920, were copper-colored. Leather-bound boxes, produced in Germany, were sometimes black. Indeed, the standard "Blue Box' widely distributed for the past 50 years, is both blue and white but mostly white.

Nor was the Blue Box always a box. Its original shape was first changed in the United States, where it was replaced for a while by a round tin container. In Germany boxes were made in the form of a leather-bound book, and other sites in Central Europe adopted paper "boxes" resembling an envelope, which could be folded and pocketed. These envelopes were apparently distributed at Zionist Congresses so that should a delegate be overcome by an irresistible urge to contribute, all he had to do was pull the envelop out of his pocket, drop a coin inside and replace it. Such boxes were primarily common in Jewish schools in Germany in the 'Twenties and early 'Thirties.

Some of the boxes could only hold a few coins. The smallest box, made in Jerusalem during the Mandate, measured 28x58x35 mm., approximately the size of a matchbox. Even when full it hardly promised a sum that could redeem any significant tract of land...

The largest known "Blue Box" has no money opening at all. In every other way, however, it does resemble a collection box, although it is not meant for canvassing; it is a monument, in the shape of a Blue Box, which stands two meters high in JNF's Australia Park in the Segev District of Galilee.

For many people the Blue Box is bound up with childhood memories from home and the traditional contribution made in kindergarten and school.

Author and poetess Yemina Tchernowitz-Avidar described her experience with the Blue Box thus:

"I came upon the Blue Box by chance: I don't know how it came to be among the papers I was sorting in search of a document. The box, of course, was empty.

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