Purim is a holiday for dressing up in costumes, eating delicious food, and lots of drinking. This holiday is known as one of the rowdiest holidays of the year. Most importantly, this holiday is about celebrating Queen Esther who prevented Haman from his plan to kill all of the Jews. Here are some facts that you may have not known about Purim:
Esther was a vegetarian: Her diet consisted of mostly legumes so she would abide by the laws of kashrut. That is why there is a tradition of eating beans on Purim.
You should have a go-between to deliver your gifts: The Book of Esther has a verse about mishloach manot. The verse explains that we should send gifts to one another, not face to face.
The Book of Esther is the only biblical book that does not have God’s name in it: This book also does not make any references to the Temple, to prayer, or to kashrut.
Purim is celebrated one day later inside walled cities than it is elsewhere: The Book of Esther differentiates between Jews who lived and fought their enemies for two days within the walled, capital city of Shushan and those who lived in unwalled towns, where only one day was needed to subdue the enemy.
The Book of Esther, which many scholars theorize is fictional, may be an adaptation of a Babylonian story: Some scholars argue that the Book of Esther adapted stories about these pagan gods — Marduk becoming Mordecai and Ishtar transformed to Esther — to reflect the realities of its own Jewish authors in exile.
Happy Purim to all of our clients who are celebrating! We appreciate your business and look forward to servicing you.
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