Tag: Megillat Esther

“On Purim, where we learn about the power of national unity, we need to take a break from all the division and arguments . . . we are one people in our homeland with a common destiny. "

This is a very significant historic discovery, as Scrolls of Esther inscribed during that time period by women are few, and it sheds light on the important position that religious women occupied in Italian Jewish community life.

'Doublelife: One Family, Two Faiths and a Journey of Hope' is well written and compelling, but wrongly suggests that intermarriage is a workable option.

Especially remarkable is the behavior of Esther. Warned of Haman’s plan, Esther wants to do nothing lest she place herself at risk.

A women’s Megillah reading at the Western Wall took place on Shushan Purim without incident or arrests on Monday, the day after most of...

What would Purim be without the following apps? One Smartphone app provides a noisemaker, and another lets you choose which noise to make – such as a machine gun or air horn.

Question: Why do we read Shir HaShirim on Pesach? Also, why do we generally read it on the Shabbat of Chol HaMoed as opposed to the first days of Pesach? Finally, why don’t we recite a blessing over the reading of Shir HaShirim as we do for Megillat Esther? Menachem (Via E-Mail)

The internet pamphlet plays on a popular Purim greeting, 'sameach u'mevadech' [happy and humorous], and asks rhetorically if people really know what Purim is about.

Being human, we are limited in our ability to understand. Tragic events seem senseless, without a rhyme or reason. World events can seem confusing, with the future uncertain. On Purim, we recognize that God’s Hand is guiding it all. The King is working behind the scenes, pulling the strings. We may not understand all of the twists and turns of the narrative, but we know the Author. All we have to do is put our trust in Him.

We just celebrated Purim, which has always stood out in my mind as unique among the Jewish holidays. Unique for the giddy exuberance it brings, the gastronomic indulgence, the focus on unity and community, the retelling of arguably the most dramatic tale of Divine salvation in Jewish history - but most of all for the strong, spirited heroine at its center.

Early this past Shabbat morning we heard from military sources that a family had been brutally slaughtered in Itamar, a settlement near Shechem. Since my niece lives there with six children, we were extremely worried even though we realized there were many families that fit the description.

Feldheim's motto, "Torah Literature of Quality," is well-suited to Purim and the Persian Empire: A Historical, Archaeological & Geographical Perspective. Written by Yeshivat Itri graduate Rabbi Yehuda Landy, this magnum opus is wonderfully prepared, informative and valuable to a wide range of readers. Landy teaches at Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim and is a certified tour guide in Israel. His credentials served his research efforts well.

I know Purim is over, but Megillat Esther is so rich with lessons on how people should live their lives - along with the consequences of not doing so - that I wish to share one of the many wisdoms that I have gleaned from reading it. I believe that the world wouldn't be in the mess it is in - economically, socially and spiritually - if people would only open their eyes to the megillah's masterful insights on how to behave.

I'm not quite ready yet to shut the door on Purim. Perhaps it's my way of avoiding dealing with Pesach, and the physical and emotional effort that comes with it.

JT Waldman's Megillat Esther is brash, loud and groundbreaking.

Smart husbands know that their wives as a rule are full of common sense and wisdom and if they want to be successful in life, they should listen to what their wife has to say - and follow it.

This past Sunday in Iraq a suicide bomber blew himself in the midst of mourners at a funeral, killing at least 10 people and injuring at least 18.