THE JEWISH PURIM: AN EXPOSITION

BY MATTHEW-MARY S. F. OKEREKE okereke3@yahoo.com

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OUTLINE 1.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................3

2.0

THE BOOK OF ESTHER..............................................................................................3

3.0

THE ESTHEAN STORY: A SYNOPSIS..................................................................4

4.0

THE CELEBRATION OF PURIM................................................................................5

5.0

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PURIM FOR CHRISTIANS.............................................6

6.0

CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................6

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1.0

INTRODUCTION The king's command and decree came into force on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, and the day on which the enemies of the Jews had hoped to crush them produced the very opposite effect: the Jews it was who crushed their enemies.1 On the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.2 Though the quotations above with which we start this piece of ours summarizes in

some way, the entire idea of the Jewish Purim, we shall nonetheless further attempt to explain the feast with some additional details. To achieve this, we have chosen to first and foremost comment on the book of Esther which bears the above quotations, after which we shall attempt to give a synopsis of the entire story presented in the Book of Esther with regards to the feast of Purim. From these, we shall then turn to give a succinct presentation of how the Jews celebrate the Purim and possibly end with the significance which we as Christians can draw from this story of the origins of the Jewish Purim. 2.0 THE BOOK OF ESTHER The book of Esther, together with Tobit and Judith, forms a special grouping within the historical books of the Old Testament. Esther is included by the Jews as the eighth book of the Ketbim (= writings) and the fifth in the meghillth (= scrolls) which were used in the liturgy.3 This book named after its heroine, may best be understood as a melodrama designed to give the Jewish people an opportunity to celebrate their survival through the ages.4 In other words, the book of Esther, which is dependent on the book of Judith from the literary point of view, recounts a historical event which modern Catholic scholars classify as belonging to the literary genre of free narrative, that is, a historical account freely

1 2

Esther 9:1 NJB Esther 9:17 NJB 3 Cf. Antonio Fuentes, A Guide to the Bible, (Dublin: Courts Press, 1987), p. 91. 4 Oscar Lukefahr, A Catholic Guide to the Bible, ( Bandra: St Paul Press, 2003), p. 98.
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embellished.5 However, it is important to state here that it would be out of place to substitute free narrative with fiction. In conclusion to this part of our work, it is imperative to note that though the author of this book is unknown, studies seem to reveal that this book is most probably written after the fourth century B.C. by a Jew familiar with Persian history and customs with the intention of providing an explanation for the feast of Purim. 3.0 THE ESTHEAN STORY: A SYNOPSIS The Esthean story is in some way built round a Jewess called Esther and her kinsman Mordecai. While Esther whose earlier name was Hadassah is said to have been the daughter of Abigail, of the tribe of Benjamin and of the house of Kish, it is said of Mordecai that he was born when his parents were already in captivitythe reason why he was given a Babylonian name, derived from the name of the god Marduk.6 The Esthean story tells of the deliverance of the Jews of Persia from an annihilation plotted by Haman (an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king) and of the institution of the feast of Purim as the annual commemoration of this event. In the story, Esther is presented as an orphaned Jewish maiden raised by her older cousin Mordecai. She is selected from among the most beautiful maidens of the Persian Empire to be the queen of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), replacing the banished Queen Vashti. Angered by Mordecai's refusal to pay him homage, Haman, the king's ambitious chief minister, plots to destroy Mordecai and all his people. He persuades the king to issue an edict authorizing a massacre of all the Jews in the realm on the grounds that they do not keep the king's laws. Mordecai urges Esther to persuade Ahasuerus to reverse the decree. Esther, risking execution by appearing unbidden before the king, exposes the intrigues of Haman, whereupon Ahasuerus orders Haman hanged and appoints Mordecai as his chief minister. The king then reverses his edict, allowing the Jews to destroy
5

Cf. Antonio Fuentes, op. cit. p.92 Ibid,. p. 91.

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their enemies throughout the empire. On the appointed day, they carried out a bloody vengeance. Finally, to celebrate their delivery, Mordecai and Queen Esther decreed the annual feast of Purim. 4.0 THE CELEBRATION OF PURIM The feast of Purim later in origin than the five Pentateuchally prescribed festivals, is one of the two minor Jewish festivals, the other being Hanukkah (Dedication). The word Purim is from a Persian word meaning lots because Haman had cast lots to find an auspicious day for destroying the Jews.7 This feast commemorates the deliverance of the Persian Jews from destruction in the reign of the Persian king Ahasuerus, or Xerxes I, as recorded in the Book of Esther. It was kept on the 14th and 15th days of Adar (usually falling in March in the Western calendar). An introductory fast was subsequently appointed on the 13th, commemorating that of Esther and of the Jews by her desire before she ventured into Ahasuerus' presence.8 When the stars appear at the beginning of the 14th, candles are lighted in joy, and the people assemble in the synagogue. Then the megillah "roll" of Esther is read through histrionically (dramatically). On Haman's name being mentioned the congregation exclaim, "let his name be blotted out!" (It is also customary to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle gragers whenever the name of Haman is mentioned in the service. The purpose of this custom is to "blot out the name of Haman.") His sons' names are read in one enunciation to mark they were all hanged at once. At the close of reading the megillah all cry out, "cursed be Haman, blessed be Mordecai; cursed be Zeresh (Haman's wife), blessed be Esther; cursed be all idolaters, blessed be all Israelites, and blessed be Harbonah who hanged Haman!" The repast at home is mainly milk and eggs. At morning service Exo. 17:8-16, the doom of Amalek, the people of Agag (1 Sam. 15:8), Haman's ancestor (Esth. 3:1), is read. Saturnalian-like drinking and acting, the men assuming women's attire (the Purim suspending the prohibition, Deut.
7 8

Cf. Esther 3:6,7; 9:24 Cf. Esther 4:16

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22:5), and offerings for the poor, characterize the feast.9 The feast began among the Jews of their own accord; Mordecai wrote confirming it, and Esther joined with him in writing with all authority to also confirm it. This feast is perhaps the most joyous day of the Jewish year, with masquerades, plays, and drinking of wine even in the synagogue. 5.0 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PURIM FOR CHRISTIANS While Jews celebrate their survival and Gods providential care with the story of Esther and the feast of Purim, we who are Christians may read Esther as a reminder of the protection we have received from God since it is evident from the story that Gods great mercy is ever near; He never abandons his people, even though sometimes it seems that humanly speaking there is no way out. Furthermore, as Christians, we can see the story as a foreshadowing of Christs victory over the Devil. We can rejoice at how Christ has turned the tables on Satan by overcoming evil on the gallows of the cross. We can celebrate Christs victory over the powers of sin and death and the downfall of the demons allied with Satan. It is with all these in mind that we as Christians can read the book of Esther and thus, have our own most equivalent feast of PurimEASTER. 6.0 CONCLUSION Having researched and discussed the intricacies of the feast of the Jewish Purim, our appreciation of the Old Testament is further fortified for we can now see even more clearly a prefiguration of our Christian-Catholic celebration of Easter. With this in mind, we can reassert with the church that the Old Testament has a place in our Christian Liturgy and consequently condemn with the Church the priest called Marcion who called for the abrogation of the Old Testament in Christian worship. In all, we reaffirm with Augustine that the New Testament is hidden in the Old and the Old is made manifest in the New.

Cf. Esther 9:18-19

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