by Cantor Leigh Korn
from the March 2008 Ruach
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Dust off your costumes, break out the groggers, and get ready to boo Haman. It’s Purim! Purim is the one holiday that gives permission to just let loose in shul.
The Jewish festival cycle is full of different moods. Pesach is full of bittersweet joy; Yom Kippur is full of awe and reverence; Simchat Torah is all about rejoicing. Each of us in our own lives experiences the same range of emotions throughout the year, and the Jewish calendar gives us many opportunities to express each of those feelings. Some of these human emotions are rather challenging for us to express – for example, joy or grief or guilt. What is especially interesting to me is that it is easier for many to feel repentant on Yom Kippur than it is for them to act foolish on Purim. Purim calls upon us to give in to the aspect of our personalities signified by the phrase ad de-lo-yada. This is the state of not knowing the difference between Haman and Mordechai, a time when rules and all our inhibitions are swept under the rug. While some do this by getting drunk, we don’t need alcohol to become blissfully ignorant of reality.
The Talmud says that we fully accept the Torah only on Purim, for only when we can mock the tradition can we fully accept it. Rabbi Michael Strassfeld writes that the threat of the mountain of Sinai hanging over our heads evaporates on Purim. All the smoke and sound of Sinai vanishes and we see clearly the Torah, its great potentials and great dangers. We accept the Torah knowing that once a year on Purim there will be a time to laugh at our own self-righteousness. We can live by the Torah the rest of the year knowing that one day we can let out our repressed feelings as we break all the rules, even turning the Torah on its head. We need Purim to laugh at what we value and therefore gain a real sense of self-worth.
So, fear not and let loose. Let the Mordechais and Hamans in your own persona mingle and rejoice. Join us to celebrate Purim on Thursday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m., children and adults alike. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to Jewish-ly express your emotions of foolishness and glee.
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