Summary of the day

Purim falls on 14 Adar. It is a day of great joy: we celebrate the overturning of Haman’s decree, which sought to destroy all the Jews in the Persian empire. At night, and again in the morning, the Book of Esther is read in synagogue. The emphasis is on the hidden miracle: God’s name does not appear in it, yet every turn of the plot shows the hand of Providence.

The mitzvot of the day

• Reading the Megillah: twice, at night and by day, hearing every word. It is customary to make noise at Haman’s name (“may his name be erased”).
• Mishloach manot: at least two ready-to-eat foods sent to one friend (Esther 9:22), man to man and woman to woman.
• Matanot la’evyonim: at least two gifts to two poor people, and some give more (Maimonides: it is better to increase gifts to the poor than to increase the feast).
• The Purim meal: a festive meal during the day, with wine and, by custom, “ad delo yada”. In prayer we say “Al HaNisim” and read in the Torah “Vayavo Amalek”.

Origin in history

Around the year 3405, in the days of Ahasuerus king of Persia, the wicked Haman cast the pur (lot) to choose the day for destroying the Jews, and it fell on 13 Adar. Esther, who had become queen, fasted three days and went to the king uninvited, acting wisely to bring Haman down. The decree was reversed: on the day when they were meant to be hated, “the reverse happened, that the Jews overpowered those who hated them” (Esther 9:1). On the 14th they rested and held a feast and celebration, and in Shushan on the 15th (Esther 9:17-19). Mordechai and Esther established these days for all generations (Esther 9:21-32).

The message for today

The Megillah teaches that God can be hidden yet present. As the Sages said: “Where is Esther in the Torah? ‘And I will surely hide My face’ (Deuteronomy 31:18)” (Chullin 139b). Purim is the joy of faith at a time when no open miracle is seen. And the mitzvot of the day, mishloach manot and gifts to the poor, show that the true victory is unity: our enemies claimed that we are “one people scattered and dispersed” (Esther 3:8), and the answer is to send one another food and love.