Purim

Purim is one of the Jewish holidays. Like Chanukah, Purim is also holiday which our sages, Chazal determined us. Purim is determined to memory the miracle which was in Ahasuerus's time.

The name - Purim

The name "Purim" means cleromancy.
The date of Purim
The Purim's day was determined by our sages, in the Purim's day the all Jewish people finished to kill their enemies.

Purim is divided into three parts:

1. the first day of Purim is the fast of Esther; this is on the thirteenth day of Adar in the Hebrew calendar.

2. The second day of Purim is the holiday of the Cities that aren't surrounded by a wall from Joshua's time; this is on the fourth day of Adar in the Hebrew calendar.

3. Purim for Cities that are surrounded by a wall from the Joshua's time; this is on the fifth day of Adar in the Hebrew calendar.

The History of Purim

In 597 BCE the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylon army. The Babylon king deported the Israeli nation to Babylon.
The Babylon exile lasted for seventy years, and Ahasuerus was king before the end of the Babylonian exile.
In the third year for his kingship, he did feast for his nation and another feast for his country Shoshan. In the seventh day of his feast when they were very drunkard, the guest started to argue which nation has the most beautiful women.
Ahasureus said that his wife is the most beautiful woman and said to his servant to bring her with no cloths. Ahasuerus's wife (Vashti) refused and Ahasuerus ask what to do with her and his consultant Memochan (Haman) to send letter to prevent Revolutionized the daily lives.
Ahasuerus killed Vashti and searched for another woman. Mordechay a Jewish man lived in Shosan. He told his cousin Esther to go to Ahasuerus's palace. In harem the women was treated with oil and perfumes.
Esther was beautiful and her parents dead and Mordechai married to her. She was Jewish woman and had never told that she is Jewish woman.
Esther passed the tests and went to the harem. There she was a year. Every day another woman was inserted to Ahasuerus's palace. When Esther's turn arrived, she found favor. And Ahasuerus married to her.
Mordechai always sits next to the king palace's gate, one they he sounded the king's guards said that they want to kill the king. He told Esther to tell the king about their plan and the king found that this was true and killed his two guards.
Haman was the best minister and the king liked him. The king appointed him to serve as important minister, this fact cause Haman's pride grows. He told the king to legislate law that everyone who saw him must to bow down.
The Ahasuerus's slave did the law except for Mordechai he didn't bow down. Haman became angry and wanted to kill Mordechai's nation – the Jewish nation. He drawn straws to decide which month he will kill the Jewish nation, and the month was Adar.
Haman told Ahasuerus about his plan to kill the Jewish nation and Ahasuerus agreed and gave his ring to Haman. Haman sent letters to every nation except for the Jewish nation about his plan. And Ahasuerus signed with his ring.
Mordechai heard what happened and prayed, fasted, put a bag, moumed and cried. Esther's servants said to Esther that Mordechai wear bag, and cried and Esther shocked. She ask about the cause and Mordechai told her what happened.
Mordechai told Esther to talk with the king and he would pray for her. She went to the king and touched his scepter (this act means that she need something) the king asked what, and Esther told him that she want him and Haman to come to feast that she do. And they did feast.
In the feast, Esther asked for another feast to him and Haman. Haman exited happily and when he saw Mordechai next to the gate he became angry. He told his family about the feast and his money, but till he saw Mordechai his money isn't important for him.

His wife Zeresh told Haman to build great tree and to hang Mordechai, and Haman built the tree.
On the night, the king Ahasuerus couldn't sleep, he thought why Esther called also for Haman to come to the feast, he thought they want to kill him, and asked if someone who did him a favor and he didn't do anything for him.
So he asked for his memory book. His slaves told him about the Mordechai's act – about his guards and told him that he didn't do anything.
Someone was shown in the garden, Ahasuerus ask who is it, and his slaves told him that Haman is in the garden. Haman came to tell about his idea to kill Mordechai.
The king asked him what we should do for man who the king wants to do favor for him. Haman thought he is the man, so he said to dress him the king's cloths, put him on the king's horse, and one of the king's minister will said this is the man who the kings want his favor.

The king impressed and said Haman to do these things for Mordechai. Haman did these acts and when they were next to his home Haman's daughter thought Morechai is the man who walk, so she poured a full diaper on his head. Haman looked up and when she saw the man is her father she fell down and died.
When Haman arrived home he was sad and despondent and told the actions while he was telling, the king's slave came his house and took him to Esther's feast.
In the feast Esther finally told her concentrations she told someone wants to kill her nation. Ahasuerus asked who it is, and she said Haman. The king was nervous went to his garden. When he went back he saw Haman fall on Esther. One of the king's slaves said Ahasuerus that Haman built three to kill Mordechai who helped the king.
So the king told to hang up Haman and his ten sons on the three which Haman built for Mordechai.
Esther asked for confusing of the laws, and the king said he can't do that, but he can send another message which said the Jewish can defend themselves.
This was the Purim's miracle and because this story we are celebrated Purim.

The orders on Purim

On Purim we must do orders which memory us the miracle which was on Purim. Our sages who their memory blessing, ordered us to do four orders on Purim, the order is written in the Esther's book, which we are read in Purim:
1. to read the story of the Purim's miracle from the Esther's scroll which describe the Purim's story.
2. To give fancy food gifts to friends on Purim.
3. We must do feasts on Purim, and drink alcoholic beverage and to be drunk until you won't know if Haman is the good man or Mordechai on Purim.
4. We must give poor men money or food on Purim.

The customs of Purim

On Purim we masquerade, this act means the change which was in Purim's miracle, that Haman wanted to kill and finally was killed by Ahasuerus, which the Jewish nation was persecuted by the world with no choice to survive and finally they killed their enemies.
So we are happy on Purim and remember these miracles.
We eat Hamantash on Purim because finally Haman was hung.

The day of Purim

On the evening of Purim we pray and remember the Purim's miracle in Modim.
After that we read the Esther's scroll in the first time.
On the day of Purim we read another time the scroll and read the Amalek's action
The Amalek's action was after the exodus from Egypt. Amalek was the first nation which attacked the Jewish nation after the miracle on the red sea. He did tricks so Hashem ordered us to kill the Amalek nation.
Haman was from the Amalek nation.