by Tommy Hayfield

Created on: January 30, 2010

The Ancient Roots of the Purim Story

The Jewish celebration of Purim celebrates the ancient Persian Jews victory over Haman who was the Persian King's prime minister;  he had decided the Jews in the kingdom should be exterminated.  Haman arrives on the scene in what is today the celebration of Purim after a plot to kill the Persian king, King Ahasueros, was foiled. 

Esther Becomes Queen of Persia

Esther (who kept her Jewish heritage a secret from King Ahasueros initially on advice from her cousin Mordecai) from the Purim story (as can be read in the Book of Esther) was a young girl who was present at a beauty pageant King Ahasueros was giving to select a new queen because his wife, Queen Vashti,  had disobeyed him and he was afraid he would lose face to his subjects if he didn't act to replace her.  After Esther is chosen to become the new queen her cousin Mordecai overhears a plot to kill King Ahasueros and tells Esther who then tells the king. 

Haman the Villain

The conspirators are hung and the villain of the Purim story today, Haman, enters the story;  he becomes prime minister and soon confronts Mordecai who refuses to bow to him fearing that he will be viewed as idolatrous.    As a result of this insult Haman plots to kill all the Jews in the empire. 

Esther Saves the Day

Only the queen can save the Jews from extermination and she needs to gain King Ahasueros 's favor.  She does this by preparing a meal including wine which greatly pleases the king who grants her a wish.  She asks for only two things from the king:  that the Jews be spared the fate that Haman had planned for them and also that Mordecai be spared the gallows-death Haman had decided upon.  King Ahasueros granted Queen Esther her wish and rescinded the plans Haman had for Mordecai and for the Jews of the Persian empire.  Haman was ordered hung by the king.

The Meaning of the Word Purim

Purim is an ancient word which means drawing of lots:  a game of chance like cutting a deck of cards to draw a high card and determine who deals the cards.   Haman was going to draw lots to determine what day the Jews would be killed. 

I Shouldn't Hear Hear Haman's Name:  Spin the Grager

Finally we're to the point of the grager which is a noisemaker like what  we use on New Years Eve:  it's a rectangular box that spins around a stick and makes a loud, raspy noise when spun.  In the celebration of Purim Haman's name is mentioned in reciting ancient narratives of the Jews struggle against Haman.  Each time Haman's name is mentioned in Purim celebrations today noise makers are sounded to blot out the name of the villain:  the one who would have had them killed. 

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