Purim is a Jewish holiday that celebrates how a young woman named Esther saved her people from destruction.
The story, which is as exciting as any Hollywood movie, can be found in the Bible. It’s in the book of Esther in the Old Testament.
The name of the holiday comes from a Persian word, Purim. In English it’s pronounced PUH-rim, which rhymes with DUH him. (Many people, however, say it like it rhymes with pure him.)
Purim means lots, which are things like dice that are thrown to get an answer. If you asked, “How many cookies should I eat?” then threw a pair of dice to find out, you cast lots to answer your cookie question.
Why this holiday is named Purim will become plain when you hear the story of Esther.
A long time ago (sometime between 539-330 BC), Ahasuerus (uh-has-you-AIR-us) was the king of Persia. He needed a new queen, and many young women were called to the castle so a queen could be chosen.
Among the young women was one named Esther (EST-er). She was a Jew, but didn’t let anyone know that. Ahasuerus liked Esther and chose her to be the new queen.
There are two other important characters in this story: a good guy named Mordechai (MOR-duh-ki – almost rhymes with nor did I) and a bad guy named Haman (HAY-man).
Mordechai (who is Esther’s cousin) overheard a couple of guys plotting to kill the king and reported it. The plotters were arrested and the king was saved. Mordechai’s good deed was written down in an official report.
Haman hated the Jews (and hated Mordechai in particular), so arranged for them all to be killed. He cast lots to decide which day the mass executions would take place.
Mordechai tells Esther about Haman’s plan. She wants to tell the king, but there is a strict law that anyone who enters the throne room without an invitation from the king will be killed. Unless, that is, the king holds out a golden scepter toward them.
She is the queen, but she can’t go in without an invitation.
Even though it means she could be killed, Esther goes into the throne room uninvited. The king holds out the scepter toward her, and she tells him about Haman’s plan to kill the Jews and that she, herself, is a Jew.
What happens next is funny, unless you are Haman.
Haman is so angry because Mordechai wouldn’t bow down to him, he has a gallows built that is 50 feet high. He plans to ask the king to have Mordechai hanged from the gallows.
Before he can make the request, though, the king asks Haman what should be done for a man the king wants to honor.
Haman thinks the king is talking about him, so says the man should get to wear royal clothes, have the king’s crown put on his head, and ride the king’s horse through the streets of the city.
To Haman’s great dismay, it’s Mordechai who gets to wear royal clothes and a crown, and ride the king’s horse. It’s a reward for earlier having saved the king’s life.
Haman ends up getting hanged from the 50-foot gallows that he had built for Mordechai.
Because of Ester’s bravery in entering the throne room uninvited, she saved her people, the Jews, from destruction. And that’s why Purim is celebrated today.
Fun Facts
Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Jewish month, Adar. On our calendar, this happened just a week ago, on March 17th.
There are four parts to the celebration:
1. Reading aloud the story of Esther, which in Hebrew is a scroll called the Megillah. Whenever Haman’s name is mentioned, all the listeners make loud noises. (His name is said 54 times in the story.)
2. Giving money as a gift to at least two poor people.
3. Sending two kinds of food as a gift to at least one person.
4. A large feast. Children often dress up in costumes.
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