Purim

Purim ( Hebrew : פורים Pûrîm " lots ", related to Akkadian pūru ) is a festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people living throughout the ancient Persian Empire from a plot by Haman the Agagite to annihilate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther ( Megillat Esther ). According to the story, Haman cast lots to determine the day upon which to exterminate the Jews. Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (Adar II in leap years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies. Purim begins at sundown on the previous secular day. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua , including Shushan (Susa) and Jerusalem , Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, known as Shushan Purim . Purim is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther ( keriat ha-megillah ), giving mutual gifts of food and drink ( mishloach manot ), giving charity to the poor ( mattanot la-evyonim ), and a celebratory meal ( se'udat Purim ); other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration. Jewish exiles from the Kingdom of Judah who had been living in the Babylonian captivity (6th Century BCE) found themselves under Persian rule after Babylonia was in turn conquered by Cyrus the Great , King of the Persians and Medians and founder of the Persian Empire who according to the Biblical Book of Ezra released them from captivity and allowed those that wished to return to Jerusalem, giving them back the money which Nebuchadnezzar II had carried away from Jerusalem. According to the Book of Esther , Haman , royal vizier to King Ahasuerus planned to kill the Jews, but his plans were foiled by Esther , Ahasuerus's queen. Mordecai , a palace official, cousin and foster parent of Esther, subsequently replaced Haman. The Jews were delivered from being the victims of an evil decree against them and were instead allowed by the King to destroy their enemies, and the day after the battle was designated as a day of feasting and rejoicing. As noted in Esther 9:22: "[...] that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor".

Megillat Esther Purim ( / ˈ p ʊər ɪ m / ; Hebrew : פּוּרִים Pûrîm " lots ", from the word פור pur , related to Akkadian : pūru ) is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews. This took place in ancient Persian Empire . The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther ( Megillat Ester מגילת אסתר in Hebrew ). According to the Book of Esther, Haman , royal vizier to King Ahasuerus (presumed to be Xerxes I of Persia ), planned to kill all the Jews in the empire, but his plans were foiled by Mordecai and his cousin and adopted daughter Esther , who had risen to become Queen of Persia. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing. Based on the conclusions of the Scroll of Esther ( Esther 9:22 ): "[...] that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor." Purim is therefore celebrated among Jews by: Exchanging reciprocal gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim Eating a celebratory meal known as a se'udat Purim Public recitation ("reading of the megillah") of the Scroll of Esther, known as kriat ha-megillah , usually in synagogue Reciting additions, known as Al HaNissim , to the daily prayers and the grace after meals Other customs include drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration. Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (and on Adar II in Hebrew leap years that take place every 2 to 3 years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of the Biblical Joshua , Purim is instead celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim , since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar. Today, only Jerusalem and a few other cities celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar. Universal Dictionary of the Arts, Sciences, Literature etc . Identification of Darius the Mede .

Jewish holiday History Communities Population Denominations Orthodox Modern Haredi Hasidic Reform Conservative Karaite Reconstructionist Renewal Science Haymanot Humanistic Culture Languages Hebrew Biblical Mishnaic Medieval Modern Bukharian Ghardaïa Sign Jewish Koine Greek Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Aramaic Judeo-Berber Judeo-Gascon Judaeo-Georgian Judaeo-Iranian Judeo-Italian Judeo-Malayalam Judaeo-Spanish Judeo-Tat Knaanic Shassi Yeshivish Yevanic Yiddish Zarphatic Politics Category Portal v t e Purim ( / ˈ p ʊər ɪ m / ; Hebrew: Pûrîm " lots ", from the word pur , translated as 'lot' in the Esther , perhaps related to Akkadian pūru 'stone, urn'; also called the Festival of Lots ) is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman , an Achaemenid Persian Empire official who was planning to kill all the Jews, as recounted in the Book of Esther ( Megillat Ester in Hebrew; usually dated to the 5th century BC). Haman was the royal vizier to King Ahasuerus ( Xerxes I or Artaxerxes I of Persia, "Khshayarsha" and "Artakhsher" in Old Persian , respectively), and he planned to kill all the Jews in the empire. His plans were foiled by Mordecai and Esther , his cousin and adopted daughter who had become Queen of Persia. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing. According to the Scroll of Esther, "they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor." Purim is celebrated among Jews by: Exchanging gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim Eating a celebratory meal known as a se'udat Purim Public recitation ("reading of the megillah") of the Scroll of Esther, known as kriat ha-megillah , usually in synagogue Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals, known as Al HaNissim Other customs include wearing masks and costumes, public celebrations and parades ( Adloyada ), and eating hamantaschen ("Haman's pocket”); men are encouraged to drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage. According to the Hebrew calendar , Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (and it is celebrated on Adar II in Hebrew leap years which occur every two to three years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua , Purim was celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim , since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar. Today, only Jerusalem and a few other cities celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language . Universal Dictionary of the Arts, Sciences, Literature etc . Identification of Darius the Mede .

Jewish holiday History Communities Population Denominations Orthodox Modern Haredi Hasidic Reform Conservative Karaite Reconstructionist Renewal Science Haymanot Humanistic Culture Languages Hebrew Biblical Mishnaic Medieval Modern Bukharian Ghardaïa Sign Jewish Koine Greek Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Aramaic Judeo-Berber Judeo-Gascon Judaeo-Georgian Judaeo-Iranian Judeo-Italian Judeo-Malayalam Judaeo-Spanish Judeo-Tat Knaanic Shassi Yeshivish Yevanic Yiddish Zarphatic Politics Category Portal v t e Purim ( / ˈ p ʊər ɪ m / ; פּוּרִים ‎ Pūrīm , lit. ' lots ' ; see Name below) is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman , as it is recounted in the Book of Esther (usually dated to the 5th century BCE). Haman was the royal vizier to the Persian king Ahasuerus ( Xerxes I or Artaxerxes I ; Khshayarsha and Artakhsher in Old Persian , respectively). His plans were foiled by Mordecai of the tribe of Benjamin , and Esther , Mordecai's cousin and adopted daughter who had become queen of Persia after her marriage to Ahasuerus. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing among Jews. According to the Scroll of Esther, "they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor". Purim is celebrated among Jews by: Exchanging gifts of food and drink, known as mishloach manot Donating charity to the poor, known as mattanot la-evyonim Eating a celebratory meal, known as se'udat Purim Public recitation of the Scroll of Esther ( קריאת מגילת אסתר ‎), or "reading of the Megillah ", usually in synagogue Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals, known as Al HaNissim Other customs include wearing masks and costumes, public celebrations and parades ( Adloyada ), and eating hamantashen ( transl. "Haman's pockets" ); men are encouraged to drink wine or any other alcoholic beverage . According to the Hebrew calendar , Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (and it is celebrated in Adar II in Hebrew leap years, which occur every two to three years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies, the 13th of Adar, a day now observed with the fast of Esther . In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua , Purim was celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim , since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar. Today, only Jerusalem and a few other cities celebrate Purim on the 15th of Adar. Identification of Darius the Mede .

Jewish holiday Not to be confused with Perim . History Communities Population Denominations Orthodox Modern Haredi Hasidic Reform Conservative Karaite Reconstructionist Renewal Science Haymanot Humanistic Culture Languages Hebrew Biblical Mishnaic Medieval Modern Bukharian Ghardaïa Sign Jewish Koine Greek Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Aramaic Judeo-Berber Judeo-Gascon Judaeo-Georgian Judaeo-Iranian Judeo-Italian Judeo-Malayalam Judaeo-Spanish Judeo-Tat Knaanic Shassi Yeshivish Yevanic Yiddish Zarphatic Politics Category Portal v t e Purim ( / ˈ p ʊər ɪ m / ; Hebrew : פּוּרִים Pūrīm , lit. ' lots ' ) is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of an official of the Achaemenid Empire named Haman , as it is recounted in the Book of Esther (usually dated to the late-5th or 4th centuries BCE). Haman was the royal vizier to the Persian king Ahasuerus ( Xerxes I or Artaxerxes I ; Khshayarsha and Artakhsher in Old Persian , respectively). His plans were foiled by Mordecai of the tribe of Benjamin , who previously warned the king about an assassination attempt, and Esther , Mordecai's cousin and adopted daughter who had become queen of Persia after her marriage to Ahasuerus. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing among Jews. According to the Scroll of Esther , "they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor". Purim is celebrated among Jews by: Exchanging gifts of food and drink, known as mishloach manot Donating charity to the poor , known as mattanot la-evyonim Eating a celebratory meal with alcoholic beverages, known as se'udat Purim or "Mishteh" Public recitation of the Scroll of Esther ( קריאת מגילת אסתר kriat megillat Esther ), or "reading of the Megillah ", usually in synagogue Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals, known as Al HaNissim Applying henna ( Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews) Other customs include wearing masks and costumes , public celebrations and parades ( Adloyada ), eating hamantashen ( transl. "Haman's pockets" ), and drinking wine . According to the Hebrew calendar , Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (and it is celebrated in Adar II in Hebrew leap years, which occur 7 times in every 19 years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies, the 13th of Adar, a date now observed in most years with the fast of Esther . In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua , Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim , since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar . Today, only in Jerusalem is Purim observed on the 15th, and in several other biblical settlements (such as Hebron and Shilo ) it is celebrated on both dates because of doubts regarding their status as cities surrounded by a wall since the days of Joshua. Some also celebrate both in Prague and Baghdad . (Subscription or participating institution membership required.) Miller, Tricia (2015). Jews and Anti-Judaism in Esther and the Church . Identification of Darius the Mede . Marriage Customs of the World: From Henna to Honeymoons . Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayyim 685:1 There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).