Purim

The service for Purim is most unusual. Dressing in silly costumes is encouraged. At
no time of the Jewish year is the synagogue as "wild" as during the Megillah reading.

Interrupting the reading with noise-making devices at the mention of Haman's name
is encouraged. Fifty-four times Haman's name is read in the Megillah; and fifty-four
times the congregation erupts in a deafening chorus of "graggers," clanging pots,
cap guns and sirens.

Some write Haman's name on the soles of their shoes; the congregants then stamp
their feet at every mention of Haman. Others write his name in wax and melt it!

The gragger (Yiddish for rattle) is more widely used than the custom of feet
stamping. (The Hebrew word for this noisemaker is ra'ashan, from the word ra'ash,
meaning noise.) The custom of the Purim "gragger," was obviously introduced to
amuse the children, and so keep up their interest in the reading, as children (over 6)
are also required to hear the Megillah.

So that Haman's ten sons should not feel left out, the congregation again interrupts
the Megillah reading with resounding noise, when the ten names are read.

Decorum is out; insanity is in. During the service, (once on Purim evening and a
second time at the morning service on the day following), the entire Megillat Esther is
read from a handwritten scroll called a "Megillah." (Could this be where the
expression "the whole Megillah" comes from?)

"The Megillah," is read in a special tune to suit the narration of the Purim story.
When the verse on the hanging of Haman's ten sons is recited, the passage is read
in one breath, "because," the Talmud says, "their ghosts were given up all together."
It has also been suggested that the custom is due to the desire of avoiding the
appearance of gloating over their deserved fate - a characteristic expression of
Judaism's attitude to the fall of an enemy.

The scroll is unrolled completely and the Megillah is so folded as to give it the form
of a letter or dispatch. The reading of the Megillah is considered by our sages of
such importance that even women are obligated to hear it, especially as they played
an important part in the miraculous delivery. Women must also perform the other
Purim mitzvot, - sending food to friends, giving gifts to the poor, and eating the Purim
meal?besides preparing it. Ed.). As mentioned above, children (over 6) are also
required to hear the Megillah. A whole tractate of the Talmud, called Megillah, (what
else?) is devoted to the laws of Purim.

MISHLOACH MANOT -
SENDING FOODS TO FRIENDS
The tradition of sending gifts consisting of two types of food to our friends on Purim
is called Mishloach Manot and is prescribed in Megillat Esther (9:22). On Purim day,
(and only during the day), men and women, young people and children, many "in
disguise," scurry thru the streets, bearing plates, baskets and trays filled with the
choicest Purim goodies such as fruits, wine and baked goods.

The obligation is to send a friend at least one food parcel containing two kinds of
food or drink which are ready to eat without further preparation. Anything beyond
that is extra-credit (or extra-expense, depending on how you look at it). It is
customary, however, to encourage joy and friendship by sending parcels to many
friends. Nevertheless, it is of greater merit to distribute gifts generously to the poor
than to distribute food to friends. It is also customary to send Mishloach Manot
through a third person messenger, since the word Mishloach is related to the word
for messenger, Sh'liach.

MATANOT L'EVYONIM -
GIVING GIFTS TO THE POOR
The practice of men and women giving gifts to the poor on Purim - Matanot
L'evyonim is also prescribed in Megillat Esther (ibid). The gifts must be given to the
poor on Purim day, usually after the reading of the Megillah. The minimum
requirement is to give two gifts, which may be food, to at least two poor persons.
(One gift to each). Even a poor person who gets charity is required to perform this
mitzvah.

Of course, Judaism demands doing tzedakah [charity] year-round, but we make a
particular point of doing so on Purim with the special mitzvah of Matanot L'evyonim,
which should NOT be included in the amount of money a person sets aside for
charity during the rest of the year.

Rambam (Maimonides) said in relation to Purim: "It is better for a man to increase
gifts to the poor than to enlarge his feast and to increase gifts to his friends. For
there is no greater and more wonderful joy than to make happy the hearts of the
poor..." (Hilchot Megillah Chap. 2). By the way, the money collected and distributed
on Purim to the poor is often used to fund Passover, a VERY expensive holiday,
which is right around the corner.