If you have become ordained as an interfaith minister in the Universal Life Church, it is your responsibility to be at least conversant in the rituals and adherence of other faiths. One of the most important holidays on the Jewish calender is Purim, which is somewhat comparable to the United States’ tradition of Thanksgiving.
Purim is a holiday that celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people in ancient times. During the days of the Persian empire, it came to be that the Persian king Ahasuerus married Esther, a Jewish woman who concealed her religion from him. Though her father had done the king many favors, he was not recognized at court due to the malicious influence of Hamen, the king’s vizir.
Because Esther’s father provoked Hamen by refusing to bow to him, Hamen convinced the king to kill all the Jews in the empire. Esther, through revealing her father’s part in saving the king’s life in a previous year, convinces the king to execute Hamon, and to allow her and her father to write a decree to contradict the first one. Because the original decree could not be withdrawn, it instead came to happen that the Jews of the Persian Empire were giving leave to defend themselves, which they did when the day came.
Because the Universal Life Church requires a moderate understanding of other faiths, there are a few important things to know about Purim. In the first place, it is typically a holiday that is celebrated in a very secular way. It is not as holy as the days ordained by the Torah, and the restrictions placed labor and on business do not apply.
There are several ways that Jewish people celebrate Purim. Purim is celebrated through attending a public reading of the Book of Esther; many people attend two readings. This is also a prime time to send gifts of foods and sweets to friends, and it is also a time to give charity to the poor. Good works performed on this day are important.
Many Jewish people also eat a large meal with their friends and family, an event that is typically called a seder. A seder is a large meal, and the meal celebrates the restoration of the Jewish people to safety and security. Because wine plays a part in the original story, there is often a great deal of wine consumed. In fact, people are often encouraged to drink until they can no longer tell the difference between Hamen, the vizir, and Mordecai, Esther’s father. Intoxication is not encouraged however, and in a modern context, most people simply enjoy slightly more wine than they would on a normal day.
If you have become ordained as an interfaith minister, you can use a thorough understanding of Purim to connect with Jewish converts and with Jewish friends of the congregation. Use this day to remind your congregation that they should be aware of the world around them, that hope is never completely lost, and that it is always a good idea to perform virtuous works.