Ani Chagig Purim
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[edit] Purim
It's English for I celebrate purim. Purim is a Jewish holiday observed by Jews. Purim is a celebration because the Jews survived the wicked Haman and he was killed. Now it's a joyous holiday. This story is known as Megilat Esther, or The Book of Esther. (Hebrew: פורים Pûrîm "lots", from Akkadian pūru) is a joyous Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of Haman's plot to annihilate all the Jews of the Persian Empire, who had survived the Babylonian captivity, after Persia had conquered Babylonia who in turn had destroyed the First Temple and dispersed the Jewish people; as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther. It is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther, giving mutual gifts of food and drink, giving charity to the poor, and a celebratory meal (Esther 9:22); other customs include drinking alcohol, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.
Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. (In cities that were walled in by a moat in the time of Joshua, including Susa and Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, known as Shushan Purim). As with all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sundown on the previous secular day.
[edit] About The Holiday
Since Haman was going to kill us and the opposite happened, we wear costumes symbolizing something different than the usual. It's during March. There is also a fast because Esther, the main character fasted.(תענית אסתר) – 13 Adar (II) (or 11 Adar when the 13th falls on Shabbat, e.g. in 2007) Here is a good Purim picture[[1]]
[edit] Megilat Reading
We read the book of Esther. When we mention Haman's name, we make noise and boo, resembling how much we hate him. In the story, Ahasuerus is married to Vashti, whom he puts aside after she rejects his offer to visit him during a feast. Mordecai's cousin Hadassah is selected from the candidates to be Ahasuerus's new wife and assumes the "throne name" of Esther. His prime minister Haman (an Agagite) and Haman's wife Zeresh plot to have Ahasuerus kill all the Jews, without knowing that Esther is Jewish. Esther saves the day for her people: at the risk of endangering her own safety, she warns Ahasuerus of Haman's plot to kill all the Jews. Haman and his sons are hanged on the fifty cubit stake he had had built for Mordecai, and Mordecai becomes prime minister in Haman's place. However, Ahasuerus's edict decreeing the murder of the Jews cannot be rescinded, so he issues another edict allowing the Jews to take up arms and kill their enemies, which they do.
![[1]](http://www.jewishmag.com/18MAG/HAPPY/tit-purim.gif){kind=link}