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What is Purim? Why Jews celebrate the story of Esther with costumes and wine

Jews around the world will don costumes and drink in excess Wednesday night for the annual celebration of Purim.

Sound like fun? If you're not familiar with the holiday, read on to learn what the holiday commemorates and why many Jews celebrate with wine, costumes and comedic plays.

What does Purim commemorate?

The early spring holiday celebrates a time when the Jewish people were saved from annihilation in ancient Persia.

The story comes from the book of Esther in the Bible. The really short version is that the king held a pageant and chose Esther, a Jew, to be his wife. Later, when the king's top official plotted to kill all the Jews in the kingdom, Esther put her life on the line by begging the king to spare her people. The official was hanged, and the Jews killed the enemies that had been ordered to attack them. (Read a more extensive version here. Esther had a cousin that plays an important role, but we don't want to spend too much time explaining the story.)

"We call it a miracle," said Rabbi Gadi Levy, director of adult education at Portland Kollel. The events depicted in the book of Esther likely took place over several years, he said, and are considered by Jews to be evidence of God working quietly to orchestrate their deliverance.

"It shows you nothing in this world is by coincidence," he said.

How do Jews celebrate Purim?

Jews celebrate by reading the book of Esther, giving money to the poor, gifting their friends with food and having a feast where adults are obliged to drink until they do not "know the difference between 'cursed be Haman' and 'blessed be Mordechai,'" according to Jewish doctrine. (Haman is the name of the official in the story, and Mordechai is Esther's cousin.)

Dressing up is an important part of Purim, too. Congregations sometimes host carnivals or costumes contests. Some put on a Purim shpiel, or play, that tells the Esther story through a comedic lens. In Portland, Congregation Beth Israel has done shpiel themes from Woodstock to Borat.

What do costumes have to do with the Esther story?

"That all alludes to idea of God being hidden in our lives," Levy said.

Costumes highlight the hidden nature of God, Levy said. Costumes allow people to hide themselves with disguise - sometimes beyond recognition - but also help people let loose and be their full selves.

"Throughout the year we wear a mask," Levy said. "Our facial expressions cover who we really are, our society covers who we really are. On Purim we're trying to break that. You put on the mask and the inner self is able to explode."

(Drinking wine on the holiday serves the same purpose, he said.)

Is it sacrilegious to turn the Esther story into a funny skit?

The book of Esther doesn't mention the name of God, so isn't considered inappropriate to have fun with the story, Jewish leaders said.

Humorous portrayals  of the Esther story have become a staple Purim celebration in some congregations, including Portland's Beth Israel.

"The story is told like a play, and is written in a sense that just begs to be acted out," said Beth Israel Rabbi Michael Cahana. The shpiel is a way to involve adults in holiday silliness, he said. This year, their performance is called "The Jews Brothers."

source : http://www.oregonlive.com