Purim and the Parashah
The Shabbat before Purim is called Shabbat Zakhor and is connected to the story of Amalek. Find more on Amalek and his connection to Haman here. Toledot Two Brothers, Two Candidates (Rabbi Joshua Heller) Tetzavveh How We Wear Our Judaism (Rabbi Lewis Warshauer) Clothing Ourselves in Sanctity (Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz) The Masks We Wear (Ofra Backenroth) Vayak-hel–Pekudei From […]
Read MorePurim Practices
The Jews ordained and took upon themselves and upon their descendants… that these days of Purim should not cease from among the Jews, nor the memory of them perish from among their descendants… to observe these days of Purim at their appointed time. (Esther 9:27-31) The Laws of Purim from A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice by Rabbi […]
Read MorePurim Eve On (and Off) Broadway!
Mar 16, 2022 By Jan Uhrbach | Public Event video | Purim
Watch the parody songs: View the whole service: For Ma’ariv (Evening Service) and Megillat Esther (Book of Esther), we will be using the Rabbinical Assembly’s newly published volume featuring a new translation of Esther by Dr. Pamela Barmash, an alumna of JTS’s Rabbinical School, and the translation of the evening service from Siddur Lev Shalem. […]
Read MoreThe Masks that We Wear
Feb 26, 2021 By Ofra Arieli Backenroth | Commentary | Tetzavveh | Purim
Growing up in Israel, Purim was a wonderful experience, full of fun and games. Dressing up, putting on masks, going to parties, and attending the Purim Parade in Tel Aviv—the Adloyada. This name is derived from a rabbinic saying in the Talmud that one should revel on Purim by drinking “until one no longer knows [how to distinguish between ‘cursed is Haman’ and ‘blessed is Mordecai’]” (BT Megillah 7b). Attending the parade was great fun, but also had a mysterious aspect. Who are the people hiding behind the masks? What are they concealing and what are they trying to reveal? It was all very colorful and happy but, in equal measure, scary and confusing.
Read MorePurim Resources
Feb 27, 2019 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Collected Resources | Shabbat Zakhor | Purim
A curated listing of Purim and Shabbat Zakhor resources on JTS Torah Online
Read MoreCantillation for Megillat Esther
Oct 22, 2018 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings | Purim
Recordings by Cantor Sarah Levine (CS ’17). Cantillation for Megillat Esther – Trop Symbols
Read MoreThe Performance of Memory
Mar 10, 2017 By Avinoam Patt | Commentary | Shabbat Zakhor | Purim
On the Shabbat before Purim the maftir Torah reading includes the following verses:
Remember what Amalek did to you by the way, when you came forth out of Egypt … you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it. (Deut. 25:17-19)
Because of this reading it is called Shabbat Zakhor (Remember). The verses recited in Deuteronomy are in effect already a remembering of what Amalek did shortly after the flight from Egypt.
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