Purim 394 articles

Two views on exile, living in Israel, and realizing the happiness of Adar. Second in a new series on the inner experiences of different days on the Jewish calendar.

For part 1 click here The Golden Scepter On the third day of her fast, Esther donned her royal robes; according to the Midrash, it was the Holy Spirit that clothed...

The Beginning of the Megilah – Another Feast! The Megilah begins by informing us that its historical context is the Persia-Media of King Achashverosh, who then ruled over the Empire. That...

Purim is the beginning of the period when one is required to begin reviewing the laws of Pesach. Purim and Pesach are related in a number of ways, but here I’ll...

There is a puzzling statement by one of the most famous Rabbis, and experts in Kabbalah (Jewish mystical knowledge), of the last millennium, Rabbi Isaac Luria (known as the Arizal), who...

The Mishnah Berurah (O.C. 685:1:1) explains in the name of rabbinic authorities that Parshas Zachor is read on the Shabbos prior to Purim because of the exhortation to eliminate Amalek, from...

Inebriation reminds us that one can appear to one way externally but totally different internally, when his true essence is perceived behind his "mask".

At the conclusion of the Megillah reading both at night and in the morning on Purim we say a prayer called “Shoshanat Yaakov” – “The Rose of Jacob”. This small paragraph...

When the Jew celebrates, a glass of wine is almost always close at hand: Kiddush, Havdala, the Passover Seder, Purim, and every wedding ceremony and Brit Milah. Wine serves as the...

Our Sages teach that when the Messiah arrives the festivals will cease to be observed, but Purim will continue to be observed. The Midrash (Mishlei 9) derives this unusual conclusion from...