What is the meaning of Purim and how is it observed?
On Purim, the Jewish people recall their miraculous deliverance from their enemies 2,400 years ago. The Purim story, from the book of Esther, is one of the most memorable in the entire Bible.
On Purim, the Jewish people recall their miraculous deliverance from their enemies 2,400 years ago. The Purim story, from the book of Esther, is one of the most memorable in the entire Bible.
The King of Persia, Xerxes, chose a beautiful young woman named Esther to be his queen, unaware that she was Jewish. Esther hears from Mordecai, her uncle, that the King has entrusted the fate of Persian Jews to Haman, one of his advisers. Haman hates the Jews, and issues an order that they be killed.
At great risk to her own life, Esther reveals that she is Jewish and pleads with the King to save her people. He agrees to do so, and gives the evil Haman the death sentence Haman himself had hoped to give the Jews.
Purim's many themes
While it is a festive holiday, Purim has a serious side as well. It reminds us that we must always grapple with the problem of evil, and with people who, like Haman, hate us simply for being Jews. But we are reassured that God and the forces of good will ultimately triumph over evil. Esther’s bravery and willingness to stand up for her people reminds us that we must not be silent in the presence of evil, but must confront and eliminate it, combining our human initiative with trust in God's.
While it is a festive holiday, Purim has a serious side as well. It reminds us that we must always grapple with the problem of evil, and with people who, like Haman, hate us simply for being Jews. But we are reassured that God and the forces of good will ultimately triumph over evil. Esther’s bravery and willingness to stand up for her people reminds us that we must not be silent in the presence of evil, but must confront and eliminate it, combining our human initiative with trust in God's.
Purim also reminds us of our human frailty and vulnerability. We see how close all the Jews in the Persian Empire came to being wiped out overnight at the whim of a foolish, capricious leader. Jews are particularly reminded of the precariousness of their condition. Yet, Purim also affirms that while oppressors come and go, God's promise and covenant with his people, Israel, is everlasting. The Jews of the Persian Empire, after all, were saved, reminding us that God never deserts His people.
One of the underlying themes of Purim is the mysterious way that God acts in the world. The rescue of the Persian Jews appears to have taken place entirely because of Esther's initiative, without any divine guidance. The name of God, in fact, does not even appear in the entire book of Esther! But, although hidden, God was present in every action and in every event that led to the Jews’ being rescued. He worked through people like Esther (the name, by the way, means "hidden" or "concealed" appropriate when you consider how Esther had to hide her Jewish identity). She and Mordecai were the human instruments of God’s power and salvation.
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