Purim
s i x  o b j e c t s

Purim, the Feast of Lots, falls on the 14th of Adar. It is a most joyous time, recalling the rescue of the Jews of Persia during the reign of King Ahasuerus in the fourth century B.C.E., as told in the Book of Esther. The main feature of the festival is the reading of the Megillah (the story of Esther), accompanied by the Purim noisemakers that are sounded to “blot out” the name of the villain Haman. Purim scrolls are highly valued among the artifacts of practicing Jews as they are read each year by the family. They are quite distinctive as many are richly illustrated. The scrolls are of two types; in the finer ones, referred to as Ha Melech scrolls, each portion is cleverly measured out by the scribe so that each section begins with the words Ha Melech (the King), symbolizing the presence of God in the text. Among Sephardi Jews, the giving of a megillah scroll and its case is the engagement gift of choice from the bride’s family to the groom. Sometimes the opening letters are left incomplete so that the groom may have the honor of completing the scroll.

            After reading of the Scroll of Esther, the custom of giving mishlo’ah manot (portions) is performed. Special plates and trays are designated on which are put confectioneries and money to be given to friends, relatives, and to at least two needy persons along with friends and relatives. The confectioneries traditionally consist of hamantaschen (Haman’s pockets), a three-cornered, pocketed pastry filled with poppy seed, prune, and other sweet fillings. A man is obliged to drink so much wine on Purim that he becomes incapable of knowing whether he is cursing Haman or blessing Mordecai. It became the custom to parody sacred literature and to perform the plays on Purim known as Purim Spiels. Other customs include the wearing of masks and costumes, possibly to hide one’s identity in times when Jews were forced to wear clothing denoting shame as well as special identification.