Sounds too "Seussian"...
Posted on 02/24/2013 7:35:32 AM PST by Nachum
Today the Jewish people celebrate the holiday of Purim.
It’s an old and familiar story: An intolerant Jew-hater named Haman hatches a plan to annihilate the Jewish people in the ancient kingdom of Persia.
It’s That Genocide Thing. Again.
Most of the Jews in this multicultural Persian kingdom have been enlightened to the point where they enthusiastically attend royal feasts and gorge themselves off the golden plates and cups looted from the holy Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
But these court Jews have evolved past that old, tired Judaism. They’re all new-agey, progressive, and they know that Jewish history has moved beyond the old paradigms. It’s kumbaya time, Persian style.
These liberal Jews figure that Haman, a descendant of the old Jew-hating Amalek tribe, is just an annoying blip on the historical screen. They don’t take him seriously. They figure he’s just another blowhard who can be appeased. They figure some clever negotiations can make this nut job go away. They want to give peace a chance.
But there’s a Jew named Mordechai, a descendant of King Saul and King David. He’s old school; so pious and proud he refuses to bow down to Haman as do the “good Jews” of the kingdom. Mordechai only bows down to G-d.
And to the contempt and derision of the liberal Persian Jews, Mordechai actually takes Haman seriously.
Because Mordechai knows Jewish history. He knows the primary rule of Jewish history: when someone announces they plan on killing you—believe them.
Mordechai did not graduate from an elite Persian university with a degree in Conflict Resolution. He studies Torah. He prays.
(Excerpt) Read more at seraphicpress.com ...
Later today, I will be partaking of the great tradition of this holiday...
Partaking of "adult" beverages...
At last year's High Holy Days -- just before elections -- the rabbi decided to denounce the Republicans. Aside from the fact that this was wholly inappropriate, he chose to suck-up to a congregation that is the very flower of anti-conservative elitism. My wife and I contacted the rabbi and the congregation president -- twice -- decrying this and asking if, as conservatives, we were still welcome at temple. We never received a response. It seems our next move will be to the Chabad House.
Had King Saul done his duty would there had been a book of Ester? Instead King Saul had his kingdom given his neighbor (David)for not obeying.
Their loss, and Chabad's gain!
Drink a L'chaim for me :)
For not merely the failure of obeying, but for allowing the man who was the creator of Haman to be born.
Booooooooooooo Haman!
I learn something new every day.
I thought Purim was a hand sanitizer.
Haman hated the Jews, wanted them all dead. Especially Mordechai, who refused to bow to him. So he made a deal with the Persian king Ahasuerus that if he paid Ahasuerus an enormous amount of silver currency, Ahasuerus would allow him to annihilate all the Jews in the huge kingdom of ancient Persia. Haman drew lots (Persian word is "pur" for lot, the plural lots is "purim", hence the name of the holiday) to determine the most astrologically fit day for the slaughter.
Queen Esther, a Jew, heard of this plot and warned her uncle Mordechai, an elder statesman and pious Jew. He told her that it was now apparent that G-d placed her within the king's household as queen in order to save her people, and that she must stop the annihilation of all of Persia's Jews. She goes before the king unsummoned, which is a capital offense. She finds grace in his eyes, and he extends his scepter to her, making it OK to approach him without being put to death. She invites him and Haman to a banquet, at which she promises to reveal what she wants, why she risked death to approach his throne unsummoned.
At the banquet, she tells the king that someone is threatening her life and that of her people (he didn't know she was a Jew). He demands to know who would dare to lay a hand on his beloved Queen. She fingers Haman. The king, in a rage, stomps out into the garden. When he returns, Haman has tripped and landed on top of Esther on the reclining couches used to dine in those times. The king is infuriated and accuses Haman of trying to assault the Queen in his very house. Haman is sentenced to death, and is hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordechai. His 10 evil sons are also hanged on it, and Mordechai and Esther are given his vast estate and wealth.
Mordechai is appointed to high office in the court, and the kingdom prospers due to his wisdom. This holiday is celebrated at G-d's command unto this very day, by going to synagogue to hear the Scroll of Esther read (most people wear costumes, it's a merry holiday to celebrate), distributing baskets of goodies to one's friends and neighbors, and giving charity to the poor.
This year, I was dressed as the Cat in the Hat. People who live in Orthodox neighborhoods get used to seeing otherwise staid and respectable people walking around as Superman, bumblebees, cowboys, etc. on this day, LOL. I've even seen doctors treating patients while dressed in a fright wig and funny bow tie, and it's OK with the patients. They might be dressed up, too!
Thanks for posting, and a Happy Purim to all!
I agree, thanks for posting.
Get the hell out of there. Orthodox Jews are some of the most conservative people I know. Now I know, living in Indiana, is somewhat biased, but I only know of 1 person at my synagogue who voted for Obama and he is a washed out liberal professor at Notre Dame. We own guns too...........lots of them.
We are living in the days very similar to Esther’s!
Thanks, Nachum. Great article.
Remember the story in the Torah about the 10 spies who took a looksee at the land that was to become Israel? Of the 10 spies only 2, Caleb and Joshua, thought it was worth taking and settling. That was only 20 percent. The rest just bad-mouthed it. Talk about a lost cause for those 80 percent if they had had their way.
When you look at the number of Orthodox in Israel and around the world you will see the percentages growing. Why? For several reasons.
Since the early 1960s there has been a movement worldwide of Jews from all walks of life returning to Torah at Orthodox observance levels that the Prophets foretold.
The second has to do with children. Those Jews who follow Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and other distorted teachings of Torah have hardly children while the Orthodox and Chassidic have many.
The third is assimilation and intermarriage. It’s very high within Reform, Conservative, et al but very low in Orthodox and Chassidic communities.
Keep in mind that the “rabbi” (and I’m being kind here) you saw denounce the Pubbies is a Leftist. Leftism is anti-thetical to Torah on pretty much every level.
Go talk with the Rabbi at your local Chabad House and pick his brain. He’ll be more than happy to answer any and all questions you might have.
the Pesian’s king’s actual name was Artaxerxes II.
The Megillah (Scroll of Esther) calls him Ahasuerus quite specifically. I’m goin’ by that.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Sounds too "Seussian"...
We did the beverage thing, after the hammentaschen, which we ate after the Purimspiel.
Lotsa fun!
Relatedly, see Daniel Greenfield’s brilliant essay a couple of days ago on his Sultan Knish blog: It is entitled, “The Ages of Purim”.
http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2012/03/ages-of-purim.html
Relatedly, see Daniel Greenfield’s brilliant essay a couple of days ago on his Sultan Knish blog: It is entitled, “The Ages of Purim”.
http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2012/03/ages-of-purim.html
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