Purim

[Blake]

I see that Purim is in two days! Is anyone else going to celebrate it? I understand it is not a Sabbath, but I see no reason not to celebrate all the same for myself.

[Chizuk Emunah]

Uhhh.... What calendar are you using?? Mine all say that Purim begins Thur. night March 24.

[Blake]

NotzriYehudi said:

Uhhh.... What calendar are you using?? Mine all say that Purim begins Thur. night March 24.

I use the Karaite Calender.

[Chizuk Emunah]

Is that the one put out by Michael Rood?

[Blake]

NotzriYehudi said:

Is that the one put out by Michael Rood?

Uhm, I don't know.... I know it is based on the Bible (New Moons, Barely etc.) rather than man-made rabbonite calenders. You know of the Karaites right? Sola Sciptura Jews?

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

The Jewish calendar put together by Hillel two generations before Yeshua walked the Earth is based on the new moons.

I will be celebrating Purim according to the calendar that Yeshua and His family celebrated it. The celebration of Purim is definitely a Biblical observance.

Shalom chaverim,

Reuel

[Chizuk Emunah]

Well, I've heard of the Karaites, but I wouldn't put too much stock into their calendar. As Reuel pointed out, the appointed times or moedim were (and are) determined by the New Moon alone, not the barley harvest. So, even though the dating may be off on our calendar, the moedim are observed on the correct dates.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

I see that Purim is in two days! Is anyone else going to celebrate it? I understand it is not a Sabbath, but I see no reason not to celebrate all the same for myself.

Blake, are you Jewish? And if not, I thought you didn't believe that goyim are to be observant of the TeNaKh? I was just curious. Could you explain?

Shalom,

Reuel

[Mark]

OKay, so I'm confused... and shocked to have thought that I missed Purim. It so happens that I have calendars which confirm both days. Since I missed this one, I'll catch the next one. I guess it's sort of like celebrating Christmas a week early or a week late?

[Blake]

Reuel said:

Blake, are you Jewish? And if not, I thought you didn't believe that goyim are to be observant of the TeNaKh? I was just curious. Could you explain?

Shalom,

Reuel

No I am not Jewish or Jewish-born I should say and I do not think gentiles are required to follow all aspects of Tenakh... I will be studying this out because I have been led to believe lately that this view may be flawed of mine.
However, even if gentiles are not obligated to follow the in its entirety I myself feel led by God to follow it to the best of my abilities and knowledge even if it not required of gentiles in general.

[Blake]

Mark said:

OKay, so I'm confused... and shocked to have thought that I missed Purim. It so happens that I have calendars which confirm both days. Since I missed this one, I'll catch the next one. I guess it's sort of like celebrating Christmas a week early or a week late?

Its not a High Holiday nor a Sabbath so I think it wouldn't be a sin to not observe it but I may be wrong...

[Mark]

I'm sorry, Blake. No, it's not a sin to miss Purim; but if my children found out that I'd let it slip by I would have been in a whole lot of trouble.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

No I am not Jewish or Jewish-born I should say and I do not think gentiles are required to follow all aspects of Tenakh... I will be studying this out because I have been led to believe lately that this view may be flawed of mine.
However, even if gentiles are not obligated to follow the in its entirety I myself feel led by God to follow it to the best of my abilities and knowledge even if it not required of gentiles in general.

Thank you for sharing this.

Blessings in Yeshua

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Mark,

I don't think you have missed Purim. Purim starts the evening of March 24th.

Shalom achi,

Reuel

[Mark]

I had promised you something on Purim in my past letter (which you never received) and here it is the day before. I’m sorry this is going to be late.

First, Purim has probably been more negatively influenced by pagan culture (or at least more obviously so) than any other of the biblical festivals. We find that when a Hebrew celebration coincides with other cultural celebrations, then there is a strong influence. An example of this is that there is rarely gift giving practiced at Hanukkah except in cultures where Christmas is a major holiday. It is unfortunate that Purim crosses paths on the calendar with Mardi Gra. The result is that this wonderful celebration of deliverance is largely overshadowed by the celebration itself.

The Feast of Purim is declared or commanded nowhere in but in Esther 9:17-19. This makes it not a mitzot (or command of ) to celebrate; but a traditional inclusion. However, it is probable, based upon John 5:1 that He did. We know that He was present in Jerusalem for the Feast of Hanukkah in John 10:22 (which is also a traditional celebration as opposed to biblical mitzvah).

The Feast of Purim is of powerful and unique significance, however. First, it demonstrates that God is not limited in His devices to use only fellas for affecting His salvation: that women are not off the hook, nor to be devalued by men as insignificant in roles of ministry (though clearly distinct in application). Second, that God’s deliverance and mercy is not based upon continued observance of the sacrificial system: a common Christian misconception is that Jews were saved through the rite of animal sacrifices at the Temple. There was no Temple and no sacrificial system to Adonai in the days of Esther: they were all alien implants in a foreign land. As far as we know, any knowledge or observance of was based upon scant tradition based solely upon the memory of the observant from generations before. They likely had no written in their possession at all. And finally, that Adonai’s protection of His people are not limited to our imaginations nor our devices: that He can sway the mind of the most powerful king in the known world from one extreme to another in a moment of time. This third may be most significant when we realize the political plights we find ourselves in today. Purim is a day of celebration, while soberly remembering that it is only by God’s grace we have what we do.

Traditionally, the Feast of Purim involves dressing up in costume (usually of the main characters of the story in Esther (queens, kings, soldiers, black-caped villains and lords of the court). Some show up in potato sacks (representing sack-cloth and ashes) which they later remove to display party clothes (when the celebration is proclaimed).

The story of Esther is read out-loud and many groups will have a perfomed re-enactment either with actors or puppets. When the name Mordecai is said, everyone cheers. When Haman (the wicked-one) is said, people boo and stamp their feet. One tradition is to write Haman’s name on the soles of your shoes in chalk. When his name is read, you stamp your feet so as to stamp out the name of Haman. Many of us are uncomfortable with these practices because of the Proverb:

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
(Proverbs 24:17-18 KJV)

For this reason, we will rejoice at the name of Mordecai but with Haman we may whisper "Adonai dayan HaEmet" ("The Lord (who is) the Righteousn Judge").

Traditional foods for the Feast of Purim is alcohol in large quantities. It is said that by the time of the end of the story, if you realize difference between Haman and Mordecai, then you have not drank enough. So, no, I would say that our local congregation is not traditional in this respect. There is a popular cookie that is served which is made to resemble the foolish hat worn by Haman. They are called hamantashens and are triangular sugar-cookies filled with jelly.

Finally, the celebration is often associated with giving fruit baskets as gifts to one another.


www.bible.org/print_page.php?page_id=687

[alon]

Purim is almost upon us once again:

4 March/13 Adar is the Fast of Esther- a minor fast commemorating the battle for survival of the Jewish People, and more importantly the fast that Esther and all the Jews did so that God would prepare the heart of the king.

5 March/14 Adar is Purim- one of the happiest and most festive of the Biblical feasts. Not commanded in , still it is mentioned in Esther 9:17-19 (CJB) 17 on the thirteenth day of the month Adar. So on the fourteenth day of Adar they rested and made it a holiday for celebrating and rejoicing. 18 However, the Jews of Shushan assembled on both the thirteenth and fourteenth days of Adar, so it was on the fifteenth that they rested and made it a holiday for celebrating and rejoicing. 19 This is why the Jews of the villages, those who live in unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a day for celebrating and rejoicing, a holiday and a time for sending each other portions [of food].

6 March/15 Adar is therefore Shushan Purim.

So, anyone have any plans this year?

Dan C