Purim: A Lesson in Moderation

Purim is our most celebratory holiday of the year.  It’s a chance to let go and to have a little bit of fun.  We dress up in costume, we watch silly Purim shpiels, and most importantly, we drink a lot!  In Megillah 7b of the Talmud, we learn: A person should drink enough alcohol on Purim that he’s unable to distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai.  Passover provides us with a tangible way to mark our consumption, four glasses of wine.  Yet, on Purim, we aren’t told how much to drink, except that we shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between Haman, our enemy, and Mordecai, our hero.  That is a lot of alcohol, a lot of drinking.  Unfortunately, that much consumption can lead to a horrible tragedy.

Directly following this requirement to pursue drunkenness is a story about a drunken encounter:  Rabba and Rabbi Zeira celebrated Purim together and they became so intoxicated to the point that Rabba arose and slaughtered Rabbi Zeira.  The next day when Rabba became sober, he realized what he had done.  Rabba asked God for mercy and revived Rabbi Zeira.  The next year, Rabba said to Rabbi Zeira: Come, lets celebrate Purim together.  Rabbi Zeira replied: Miracles do not happen each and every hour!

 Here’s a story about two rabbis who followed the obligation to drink heavily.  Yet, their intoxication led to a dire outcome.  Rabba in his zest actually slaughters and kills Rabbi Zeira.  It was only because of God’s mercy and a miracle that Rabbi Zeira’s life was saved.  Rabbi Zeira teaches us a valuable lesson: Miracles do not happen each and every hour!  This story is a cautionary tale about excessive drinking.  Just because a miracle occurred in the past, doesn’t mean we will be saved in future encounters.

We of course want and need to celebrate!  With our busy lives and the stress that fills our work, home life, and the world around us, we need time to relax and let loose.  However, we are reminded of the dangers of excessive drinking and excessive behavior.  Our health is paramount and nothing matters more.  In our celebrating, moderation is key.  Let’s have fun, but let’s be safe.

Newsday Asking the Clergy: Why is Purim a Joyous Holiday?

Check out my post about Purim that was printed in Newsday's Asking the Clergy

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There is an old joke that many of the Jewish holidays can be described in one line: “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat!”  In the case of Purim, it is literally true!  Haman, the Chief Minister of Persia, felt slighted that Mordecai the Jew did not bow down before him.  In a moment of rage, Haman asked the bumbling King Ahasuerus for the ability to destroy the entire Jewish people in an act of final revenge.  When Mordecai and the Jewish people heard the news, they were dumbfounded.  Their only hope was the beautiful Queen Esther, who at the last minute approached the King telling him that she was in danger because she was Jewish.  The King hearing these words remitted his decree and the people were saved.

On March 23^rd, Jews around the world will gather to celebrate with merriment and eat delicious cookies called Hamantaschen.  Purim is one of our most joyous Jewish holidays, a time to celebrate that goodness can overcome evil.  Most interestingly, the story of Purim is the only book of the Hebrew Bible that does not mention God’s name.  In the Bible, it is God who performs miraculous acts to save the people.  But here, Esther and Mordechai join together to raise their voices and speak out for justice.  We can learn from their example and remember that it is in our hands to make a difference in the world.