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Purim is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the rescue of the Jewish people living in ancient Persia from a plot to wipe them out. Haman—a royal advisor to the king of Persia—planned to kill all of the Jews in the kingdom, but this disaster was averted when Esther, a young Jewish woman, thwarted the plot. It was the enemies of the Jewish people who ended up being destroyed, instead. So Purim is a holiday of celebration, happiness, and thanksgiving. Although generally seen as a holiday of a lesser significance than those such as Passover or Yom Kippur, Purim is still an important celebration for the Jewish people. There are four main practices associated with celebrating Purim. First is a public reading of the story of Esther, known as the Megillah. During this reading, the audience cheers when one of the hero's names' is mentioned (i.e. Esther or Mordechai) and boos, stomps, and uses noisemakers to drown out the name of Haman, the villain. Second, is giving gifts of food to friends. Third, is giving charity to the poor. Fourth, eating of a special celebratory meal. It is also usual for people to dress up in colorful costumes on Purim. The Book of Esther is unique in that the direct intervention of the Lord is not mentioned or referenced directly; instead, the rescue of the Jewish people from destruction appears to happen by purely natural or coincidental means. This is generally understood to show not that God was uninvolved in the events, but that He remained hidden while still being involved in the rescue of His people. It is a lesson that God does not always use overtly miraculous means to accomplish His will; sometimes God works "behind-the-scenes." |
