Purim, our most fun filled holiday, occurs on the 14th day of Adar. This year, 5766 (2007), Purim begins sundown Monday, March 4th, and goes to Tuesday evening, March 5th.

In certain walled cities like Yerushalayim, Purim is celebrated on the 15th day of Adar, called "Shushan Purim," but more about that later.

We celebrate Purim by:

• Reading Megillat Esther, (Scroll of Esther),
• Mishloach Manot - Sending food to friends,
• Matanot L’evyonim - Giving gifts to the poor, and
• Enjoying a Purim Seuda (meal).

We also celebrate Purim by poking fun at ourselves and our Jewish institutions, throwing synagogue decorum out the window and dressing in costumes. The entire month of Adar, and not just Purim itself, is a time for silliness and humor - "....Mishenichnat Adar Marbim Besimcha" - "....When Adar arrives, we increase our happiness." (Ta‘anit 29a). Purim, a wild and crazy holiday, is the holiday that proves Judaism has a sense of humor. Cross-dressing, prohibited in the Torah, is practiced by some on Purim. Many will be borrowing their spouse‘s clothes on Purim.

Purim is an important holiday. Jews throughout the world, surrounded by anti-semitism, take great joy in a holiday that reminds them, that even though throughout the course of Jewish History there have been too many real-life "Hamans," in the end Hashem never lets the anti-semites win.

The events that led to the holiday of Purim can be found in Megillat Esther.

Megillat Esther is the only book in the Scriptures that never mentions Hashem’s name even once. The miracle of Purim is a hidden one, (with the hand of Hashem only revealed through the incredible events). But when you ‘read between the lines’ you see the Hand of Hashem. There are no coincidences in the story.

Grab the wav sound file of the gragger right now, and it will be ready for you to play each time your mouse goes over Haman's name in the story.

The story relates the downfall of the vicious anti-semite Haman, a descendent of Amalek, the traditional enemy of the Jews. As Prime Minister of ancient Persia, around 2300 years ago, he sought to murder all the Jews of that land.

Events happen such that Haman himself plays a crucial role in the coronation of Queen Esther, after the beheading of former Queen Vashti. No one realizes that Esther is Jewish.

Haman who has become a powerful man in the kingdom, is upset that Mordechai does not bow down to him. He succeeds in getting the King to authorize a royal decree to annihilate an unspecified nation he claims is an enemy of the King. Initially, he does not identify the nation so that the King can later claim that he did not know that the decree was against the Jews.

Haman casts lots (called PUR) to determine the day this was to happen. Mordechai and Esther lead the Jews in a return to Hashem, through Prayer and Fasting.

Esther invites the King and Haman to join her for dinner, and in response to the king’s offer of "half my kingdom for your wishes," all she asks is they come again tomorrow to another dinner "and I’ll tell you then." (she’ll reveal the reason for her invitation). We then find Haman working through the night to construct a gallows upon which to hang Mordechai. At daybreak, he will appear before the King to denounce Mordechai.

Unknown to Haman, the King had not slept the night before, suspecting a coup led by Haman. In desperation to get some sleep, he had asked his servants to read from the Royal Chronicles. The Book opens to a long forgotten story of how Mordechai discovered an assassination plot by two royal servants against the King.

At the exact moment the King is inquiring whether Mordechai was rewarded for his loyalty, who should appear, but Haman. Before getting a chance to make his request to hang Mordechai, Haman is ordered by the King to parade Mordechai through the capital city in royal garments on a royal horse while proclaiming "This is what is done to the man the King wishes to honor."

Immediately afterwards, a crestfallen Haman is whisked to the second Royal dinner, hosted by Esther. At the dinner she reveals to the King that she is Jewish and that Haman is an enemy of the King because he seeks to destroy the Jewish people.

The embarrassed and angry King storms out of the room. Haman pleads to Esther for his life. He "somehow" loses his balance and falls on the couch where Esther is reclining. (The Malach (Angel) Gavriel pushed him.) The King comes back at just this moment. He is very upset and blows up.

On the spot, Charvona, a royal minister tells the King about the gallows Haman constructed for Mordechai, who saved the King’s life. The King orders Haman to be hanged on the gallows intended for Mordechai.

The King elevates Mordechai to Haman's recently vacated position. Mordechai issues orders, with the King’s pemission, allowing the Jews to fight against their enemies. On the thirteenth and fourteenth days of Adar the Jews won tremendous victories and were saved from the threat of total annihilation.

Since that time, we celebrate Purim.