Purim 2023: the history and traditions of the Jewish holiday

Purim occupies a special place in the busy series of Jewish holidays. Even those who are far from the culture and traditions of the Jewish people have heard about him. After all, in fact, it is a bright, festive carnival. ” Healthy Food Near Me” tells about the features, history and traditions of this important date for the Jewish people.

When is Purim in 2023

Like many Jewish red days of the calendar, the long-awaited Purim for all Jews originates from another memorable date for the Jews – the fast of Esther, or, more correctly, the fast of Esther. Purim belongs to the category of religious Jewish celebrations. The history of the Jews is extremely rich in them. Jews fast in the twelfth month of their calendar. His name is Adar, and this period of time lasts from February 20 to March 24. Purim itself, like all Jewish holidays, begins at dusk one day and ends the next day, when the sun also begins to set.

In Israel, Purim is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. If we take the more familiar Gregorian chronology, then the date of the general Jewish fun comes in the middle of the first spring month. So Purim 2023 should start on the evening of March 6 and end on the evening of March 7.

In some parts of the Promised Land (Ancient Israel), there are temporary shifts in the date of this holiday. In particular, in the cities of Jerusalem, Hebron and Tevria, Purim can be celebrated a day later. This is also due to the historical features that led to the emergence of the holiday.

History of Purim

Let’s dive into deep antiquity, when in 586 BC the ruler of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed Jerusalem and doomed the Jews to half a century of slavery. Jewish slavery continued, and when power in the Babylonian kingdom passed to the Persians. The Persian king Xerxes the First decided to marry the girl Esther, unaware of her Jewish origin. All this was accompanied by semi-annual celebrations in honor of superiority over the Jews.

Bold Esther, having married a Persian ruler, staunchly resisted the attempts of her husband’s entourage to destroy the Jewish people. The lot (pur) of destruction fell on the thirteenth of Adar. In parallel, a conspiracy was woven against Xerxes, but Esther managed to prevent an attempt on her husband. As in fairy tales with a happy ending, everything was revealed in the end. Esther’s three-day prayers had an effect. Xerxes the First believed his wife. Unable to reverse his decree to exterminate the Jews, he allowed them to defend themselves. When the Persians attacked on the thirteenth, the Jews staunchly defended themselves and won.

The next day began the celebration of the liberation of the Jewish people from the Persian captivity, called Purim (from the plural). Naturally, modern Israelis and Jews around the world, honoring their rich ancient history, celebrate the miraculous salvation of the nation. They do it noisily and brightly.

Purim Traditions

The celebration of Purim in the Jewish tradition has clear rules, which, however, are easy and pleasant to follow. On this day, the scroll of Esther is necessarily read with emotional exclamations at the mention of her enemies. Colorful Purimshpils (carnivals or theatrical performances) are held in Israel and in places where the Jewish population is densely populated, the participants of which make gifts to each other. Among the rich treats, the so-called “ears of Haman” stand out – the main persecutor of the Jews in Persia. This is a pastry, it can be made both sweet and meaty. Wine is drunk on Purim until the participants in the celebrations begin to confuse the names of Esther’s supporters and ill-wishers. However, of course, the implementation of this tradition “under the blueprint” is very specific and is not mandatory.

In addition to the “ears of Haman”, on Purim they prepare a soup with matzah dumplings, baked lamb in pots, tsimes (a dish of carrots with prunes), beef tongue, seasoned with sauce. Such a delicious set of dishes does not leave anyone indifferent to Purim, regardless of religion.

There are also Purim traditions in the Federation. In the Far Eastern Jewish Autonomous Region, the number of adherents of Judaism is steadily declining. And yet, both in the regional center – Birobidzhan, and in remote areas on the Chinese border, public organizations annually noisily and cheerfully celebrate Purim with the involvement of representatives of various nationalities.

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